Grief Encounter Ultimate Challenge - Namibia

Leadership

You will be led by Ken Hames and we employ a number of first aid qualified challenge leaders, all of whom speak fluent English. They will be ultimately responsible for the running of the itinerary and the safety of your group. The itinerary is there as a guide and may change due to unusual weather patterns, the strength of the group, and so on. While we will do our very best to keep to the set itinerary, we cannot be held responsible for any last minute changes that may occur. In all such circumstances, your challenge leader will have the final say.

Ken is an ex-SAS soldier and motivational speaker who has done plenty of TV work.  He has previously led 6 major expeditions in Namibia and knows the country well.

About Ken Hames

From humble beginnings as a boy working on his grandfather’s hill farm, he eventually rose to the rank of Major in the Army, commanding an elite mountain unit.  Ken has seen action on many parts of the world and has led more than 20 major expeditions. 

As a young soldier Ken originally went to Berlin at the height of the Cold War and was stationed at Spandau Prison guarding Rudolf Hess (while simultaneously Vladimir Putin cut his teeth in the KGB on the other side of the Berlin wall). He recalls driving his tank right up to Checkpoint Charlie and parking it there – if anybody understands the ‘Iron Curtain’, he does! Later he returned in the years of ‘perestroika’ to work in the east in a continuous game of cat and mouse with the Russians. He finally witnessed the break-up of the Warsaw Pact and after a frantic exchange of spies in Berlin saw the wall finally collapse. 

Ken’s military service took him all over the world and into some tight spots and he recalls in particular the difficulties he faced in Northern Ireland and the Falklands War.  However he is the first to admit that it’s not just soldiers who face challenging circumstances and he has witnessed incredible courage and resilience from ordinary people achieving extraordinary things in remote and dangerous places. 

After years of military service Ken decided to call it a day and join the even more dangerous world of television and broadcasting.  His credits and achievement are impressive where he produced and presented many of his programmes focussing on getting people to reconnect with the great outdoors.

His first TV show in 1995 (while still in uniform) was The Trek, Meridian with the help of Princess Diana; he took 12 disadvantaged youngsters to the heart of Africa on a 500-mile journey over desert and mountainous terrain.  Diana described Hames as “the master practitioner’.

In 1997 again while still in uniform Ken fronted the famous show from Anglia TV, Battle Stripes - even after 18 years this still airs!!  

Since then Ken has created and fronted exploratory and adventure programmes for the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Five, CBBC, Sky and the Discovery Channel.  Of note is his work with ‘fly on a wall’ legend Paul Watson on shows like ‘Jungle Janes’ and ‘Desert Darlings’ and actions shows like SAS Secrets and Northern Ireland, The Soldier’s Story. 

Luggage allowance and valuables

Luggage should be kept to the absolute minimum – details of what to pack are provided in your Kit List. You will need to carry a daypack during the day while the luggage vehicle will carry your main rucksack. Your daypack should be about 35-litre capacity. NB. You should take a soft-sided bag or rucksack as hard suitcases are too unwieldy. Your main pack should be 60 litres capacity. On your outward journey, please wear your trekking gear, hiking boots, and carry a spare change of clothing in your hand luggage. No formal clothes are needed.

While we will do everything to provide adequate safety for the group and security for your possessions, the general rule is that if you don’t need it, don’t bring it. This includes jewellery, necklaces, rings and even watches. Your passport and money should be kept on you at all times. The camps will be watched over by guards at night.

Terrain

This trek is generally flat through gorges and across  plains.  The second half is rolling hills and in some places heavy sand.  There is some ascent and descent toward the end of the trek and while it does not look much on paper any walking uphill in the hot sun can be arduous.

Climate

You will be walking though semi desert and for the first part it will be through a reasonable cover of trees and vegetation.  The second half will be through arid dune and hard packed gravel plain where there is little cover from the sun.  Temperatures vary at this time of year and can be anything from 30-40 degrees.  The beauty of trekking west is that the cool breeze of the sea is in your face and makes the temperatures bearable.

Group Size

This group is intended to run with 10 - 14 people.

Insurance

It is a condition of booking that you have a suitable travel insurance policy whilst participating on the challenge. We have a special policy which covers among other things, medical (emergency, evacuation and repatriation) arrangements, cancellation and curtailment of the challenge, and more specifically for the adventurous activities undertaken on this challenge. If you have your own travel insurance policy, you must ensure that it provides at least the same level of cover as our recommended policy, including protecting the charity in the event of your cancellation 56 days or less prior to departure. If you choose not to purchase our recommended policy when you book we will send you a disclaimer which you should complete and return.

For more general travel insurance questions, please refer to our main FAQs page.

Flights

You will be flying overnight with KLM from London to Windhoek via Amsterdam. Your flight tickets will be issued to you upon departure at the airport by our airport representatives. 

Vaccinations

For the latest information please see www.nomadtravel.co.uk/pages/travel-vaccination-country-guide or www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk.

Vaccines sometimes advised: malaria pfophylaxis and rabies. Malaria precautions are essential in all areas below 1800m, all year round. Avoid mosquito bites by covering up with clothing such as long sleeves and long trousers especially after sunset, using insect repellents on exposed skin and, when necessary, sleeping under a mosquito net. 

Visa

Your full ten-year passport must have at least six months left to run from the end of the challenge. You will need a Tourist Visa which you can get upon arrival at no cost.

Money

Currency: The best currency to take is the South African Rand and it is wise to get some before you travel.

Exchange: For up to date currency exchange, go to: http://www.xe.com/

Credit cards: Major credit cards are only accepted at the airport. 

Spending money: You will not need to carry a large amount of money during this trip, and other than at the start and end of the trek, you will be in the bush away from any foreign exchanges or banks.  We recommend that you take a sufficient amount of cash. Somewhere in the region of £200 in should be enough to cover presents, tips, and drinks. 

Tips: Tipping is personal and at your sole discretion. You should only tip if you feel that you have received good service. We recommend approx. US$70 for the entire trip which should be given to the challenge leader at the end of the challenge, who will distribute it among the support team. 

Level of Difficulty

The Grief Encounter Namibia Challenge is graded as “challenging”.

You can tell your supporters that on your Namibia challenge you will be:

• Trekking 8 - 12 hours a day
• Battling the sand dunes of the Namibia bush
• Sleeping under the stars

Challenge Training

If you would like to get a feel for our challenges ahead of your departure, why not consider booking on a 1 or 2 day UK Challenge?

We have a variety of challenges, covering all levels of difficulty, taking place in stunning National Parks across the UK that are led by highly qualified and experienced expedition and mountain leaders. These challenges will give you the perfect opportunity to monitor fitness levels, test out your kit, meet people in the great outdoors, share fundraising stories and gain valuable advice and support for the challenge ahead. We encourage participants to make use of our highly knowledgeable leaders and ask them any questions you may have about clothing and equipment, expedition health and wellbeing, trekking skills, walking techniques and teamwork!

We are offering all participants 50% off the registration fee when you book on one of the UK challenges listed via the link below. Just use the code TRAINING when booking. T&C’s – you must have an active booking on a challenge to avail of this offer. Discount cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. Find out more here

Training

A good level of fitness is definitely required. Anyone who leads a fairly active and moderately healthy lifestyle should be able to complete the challenge, as long as they train regularly over a period of at least three months leading up to it. Don’t forget that the temperature and climate will be different from the UK, and that you will be exercising constantly for a number of days.

In your Charity Challenge account you will find more comprehensive Fitness Training Notes. You can also look to join one of our training weekends.

Safety

Charity Challenge considers the safety of all of its participants and staff to be a top priority, and as such we have set up one of the most advanced and thorough safety management systems in the industry. In a nutshell, Our Challenge Safe brand formalises our ethos when it comes to safety, and brings together the procedures and risk management strategies that we use to audit all aspects of our challenges, from vehicles to accommodation to the activity itself. Your welfare is paramount!

In terms of your Namibia trek, there are a couple of important points that you should be aware of:

• You will be trekking through African Bush
• Terrain can be rocky
• Basic toilet facilities
• Wildlife roam freely
• You will be in the heat

Phone and WiFi

Phone signal is available, but intermittent.

There is no opportunity to recharge any electrical equipment during the trek, but if you want to bring a solar charger these can work well to charge phones.  There are charge points in your rooms at the hotel.

Toilets

We arrange basic long drop toilets in the camps. Your camp team will provide the supplies needed to keep up group hygiene. There will be no showers other than the first and last nights. Please take plenty of wet wipes and anti-bacterial hand gel with you. There are no toilets on the trek route during the day, so you must make sure you bury all waste, and carry out wet wipes.

Clothing and equipment

Good quality, durable kit could mean the difference between a fantastic challenge experience and an uncomfortable one. For this challenge, well-worn in boots will be indispensable, particularly coupled with some really good quality walking socks. You don’t need a clean pair every day, but enough to make sure you have dry socks each morning. The benefits of a comfortable day sack cannot be underestimated, so make sure that you train with this. Other essentials are high quality light weight waterproof jacket and trousers, and technical/wicking t-shirts rather than cotton shirts. Walking poles are also recommended, as a preventative as well as for anyone with any pre-existing leg injuries or niggles. A full kit list for this challenge can be found here and once you book you will have access to kit discounts with our partners The Outdoor Shop, Outdoor Hire and Cotswold Outdoor.

Food & Drink

This is the land of the ‘braii’ and this means there is a lot of steak, chicken, other meats and vegetarian options.  All meals are provided and everyday will be varied with plenty of fruit and veg.  You will have fresh bread every day.

Don't forget to bring a set of camping plate, bowl and mug for you to use and clean each day.

Do we need to take our own sleeping bags and mats?

Yes, you will need to bring a light sleeping bag. A sleeping bag liner, which can be used in place of your sleeping bag if you get too hot, is also advisable. You are also advised to bring a foam sleeping mat. Also see Kit List.

Accommodation

It is traditional to not use tents in Namibia, especially in October when it doesn't rain.

You will sleep on sleeping mats, head to head and get the opportunity to sleep under the stars and breathe the night air. The vehicles form a three sided fence and the drivers and our guard dogs do the rest. You do not need to fear predators as they will not come close and we are always warned by our dogs if anything comes close.  It's far more hygenic and comfortable to sleep outdoors in the desert as tents can be like ovens and uncomfortable.

Don't forget to bring a foldable camping stool to sit on at the campsites.

What happens if I fall ill, can’t keep up or there is an emergency?

The event is not run as a race and there is always a large discrepancy in people’s walking ability. This is allowed for. There will be a staff member at the back of the group at all times to ensure that you are not left behind and can take things at your own pace. In the event of an emergency, one of our backup vehicles will take you to the nearest clinic or to simply rest in. We are always in contact with the backup vehicles by radio and quality medical services are available in the nearby towns.

Typical Day

You will trek for about 8 hours a day in the heat.  You will sometimes get up early and leave at first light to make best of the coolest time of the day stopping for breakfast at about 1030hrs.  You stop well before last light in order for people to relax and get ready for dinner.  We do have drinks available and we always have a fantastic campfire where we chat, sing songs and play games.

Should I take gifts or clothes for the locals?

It is a nice gesture to give the local children small gifts, but we actively discourage the giving of sweets or money, however small, because this encourages begging. It is better to bring pencils and notebooks for the schools in the villages you will be passing through. Please give any gifts or donations to the tour leader as they will know who to distribute it to. Glass black beads (available in costume jewellery shops) are popular with the local Himba tribe. We will be investing money into a local community project to help improve local living conditions.

Responsible Tourism

At Charity Challenge we are committed to sustainable and responsible tourism, and work closely with bodies such as the International Porter Protection Group and Climate Care to ensure that our challenges benefit the local environments and communities in which they take place. We ensure that all rubbish is disposed of responsibly, and following local guidelines on cultural and environmental protection and respect, we aim to limit our impact on the natural environment. In addition to taking these practical steps to ensure that our challenges are sustainable, we also make a contribution each year to a number of local community projects, so as to give something back directly to the communities that we visit. Since 2000 we have donated almost £200,000 to such projects, supporting a range of initiatives, including schooling for children in Africa, shelter for street children in Brazil, and Orang-utan conservation in Indonesia. We recommend that any gifts brought over for children are given to the UK challenge leader and distributed where needed by them and our local Ground Agent. If you wish to do more, you should consider buying drinks, postcards and souvenirs from the local vendors. For many, it is their sole source of income. For more information, please visit our Responsible Tourism pages section.