Tucked away in the southwest corner of Namibia and bordering the Atlantic Ocean, lies the Sperrgebiet, part of the Namib, one of the world’s oldest deserts. This forbidden area has been closed since the early nineteen hundreds and is possibly one of the most protected and conserved areas in the world.   At first encounter, this harsh wilderness with bizarre glowing colours, shifting sands and bleak, lonely, sandblasted, distant mountains can induce an overwhelming wave of agoraphobia. Unless one is accustomed to utter loneliness and a feeling of being cut off from the rest of the world it can take some time to absorb the new experience.

Camping amongst the high mountains surrounded by a kaleidoscope of the varying colours of the Painted Desert and watching the Atlantic fog roll in enveloping the dunes and mountains brings meaning to the trials and tribulations the flora and fauna have survived under aeons of time.

A visit to this strange, magic place is surely a worthwhile experience.

Graham Williamson BDS, MSc.Bot.
Research Associate Bolus Herbarium
University of Cape Town

The Diamond Route links together nine diverse nature destinations across South Africa, effectively combining all the conservation initiatives of the Oppenheimer family.

The locations are:
1. Venetia Limpopo Nature Reserve,
2. Ezemvelo Nature Reserve,
3. Brenthurst Gardens,
4. Dronfield Nature Reserve,
5. Kimberley Big Hole,
6. Rooipoort Nature Reserve,
7. Tswalu Kalahari Reserve,
8. Benfontein Nature Reserve and
9. Namaqualand Diamond Coast.

Our objective is to create a photo portfolio of these nine properties. The properties will be visited over the next eighteen months and all activities while on site will be posted on our BLOG.

"DRAKENSBERG - Magnificent Mountain" is a coffee-table book that covers the region which we as visitors and inhabitants of this area have come to know as the "Drakensberg".

Erwin & Nicoleen Niemand spent three years in the Drakensberg capturing the ever-changing beauty of this mountain range - from its astonishing flowers in the lush green valleys to devastating lightning and thunder on its summits, sounding waters and calm vistas. The chapter titles of this book: i.e. "The 'Berg", "Irresistible Summits", "The Dragon's Fury", "Sound of Water" and "Everlasting Beauty" were born during these explorations. The picture captions were also written by the photographers.

Photographers' notes:

"Soon the irresistible summits became haunting peaks. The Dragon's fury was let loose and we were continuously subjected to its petulance."

"... we were silenced by the deafening sound of rushing water."

"...spending time with this Dragon also meant enduring its every possible mood..."

"...we even found ourselves being dragged in and out of this Dragon's lair."

"But time after time, whenever the eastern horizon was touched with gold and the sun rose in all its splendour, we were once again overwhelmed by the everlasting beauty and majesty of this magnificent mountain."

This project started early in 2011. The objective is to do a photo portfolio and video production of the KAMMANASSIE BLUE Winery and Game Reserve situated in the Klein Karoo.This wildlife reserve and wine estate development will be visited during specific times of the year to capture a diverse set of pictures.

KALAHARI - Magnificent Desert is an in-depth look at all lifeforms of the southern Kalahari and how these have adapted to become true inhabitants of this desert they call home.
Illustrated with pictures that are bold and vibrant. Text and picture captions
by Prof Anne Rasa.

Erwin & Nicoleen Niemand spent two years in the southern Kalahari region capturing those elusive moments that are so typical of deserts. An appreciation for, and intense knowledge of (the Kalahari) desert wildlife have given them the edge in capturing rare moments that seldom present themselves twice.

Beeld, 10/11/2007 - What role does luck play while taking photos in the Kalahari? "There are so many variables that, once you have captured a rare moment in the Kalahari desert, you come to realise that luck plays a much bigger role here than anywhere else. But I say: Luck is the product of knowledge, determination and patience..." - Erwin Niemand.

"There are only a few places in the world where the mere mention of a name is enough to unlock a wealth of memories and an unknown yearning in anyone who knows and appreciates it.
The KALAHARI is such a place..."

We had the privilege of doing a photo portfolio of Merino, the farm of Alwyn and Francine Noëth.
We met Alwyn and Francine on our very first trip of the KALAHARI - Magnificent Desert book-project. They took us into their home and treated us as if we were part of the family. Needless to say that their hospitality exceeded our wildest expectations and Merino soon became one of our favourite destinations. Alwyn & Francine - we love you all!!

Pictures of Merino...