Back in 1994 the idea was hatched to build a weekend and holiday lodge on the bank of the Kunene River. Until then, apart from the kraals or villages of the pastoralist Himba people, there had been no permanent settlement in the area, and certainly no permanent buildings.

It wasn't long before a passing traveller, desperate to find somewhere to stay for the night, called in and asked if he could camp in the grounds. With true Namibian hospitality the traveller was welcomed and soon there was a trickle of weary tourists looking for somewhere to rest on the banks of the Kunene.

In 1995, the decision was made to transform this ad-hoc arrangement into a more commercial venture. By providing basic amenities and facilities including a tented camp, ablution block and not forgetting the most essential of all - a bar (!!) - Kunene River Lodge began to satisfy the modest accommodation needs for the rising numbers of tourists in this most remote part of Namibia.

The river is a magnet for visitors and as more and more people undertook adventurous self-drive holidays, increasing numbers of visitors were attracted to the area. The handsome and unique Himba people were also of great interest to visitors and, with their permission, tourists were welcomed to visit their kraals and homesteads to glimpse their simple and timeless lifestyle.

As visitor numbers increased still further, so interest in holiday activities grew, alongside the requirement for accommodation and provisions. The White Water Adventure Centre first saw the light of day in 1997. From its inception, great importance was attached to providing top quality equipment, guides and instructors trained to meet the African Paddlers Association standards of competence and safety.

Over the years Kunene River Lodge grew to accommodate the steadily increasing visitor numbers. Staff levels increased and a Manager was employed. Closer relationships were developed with the Himba neighbours and increasingly organised cultural visits to the nearby settlements became an important part of the lodge activities.

During 2004, the owner of Kunene River Lodge realised that the whole venture had become much more demanding than he had ever imagined or intended when he first started taking in occasional tourists for the night. He wanted to move on and decided to put the Lodge and the business on the market.

At this time, and by pure coincidence, a young British volunteer named Nicky was assigned by VSO to work on an HIV / AIDS project 135km away in Opuwo. She visited the Lodge and was won over by what she discovered there. In February 2005, Pete and Hillary Morgan travelled to Namibia to visit their daughter and, during their stay, Nicky brought them to Kunene River Lodge. On discovering that the Lodge was 'under offer', Pete and Hillary phoned the owner to express their interest in taking it over should the sale by chance fall through - only to hear that it had indeed fallen through just two hours earlier!

The rest is history. Pete and Hillary returned to the UK, sold up everything and finally returned to Namibia. In September 2005 the Morgan Family became the new owners of Kunene River Lodge.

There followed a period of significant investment and refurbishment at Kunene River Lodge. A new swimming pool has been built, accommodation upgraded, and facilities improved. Recently a much larger boat has been built for the Sundowner Cruises and Birdwatching Trips.

An ongoing programme of improvements and developments will continue to maintain the status of Kunene River Lodge amongst the finest Tourist Lodges in remote Namibia.

Now visited by ever growing numbers of guests every year, Kunene River Lodge stands as one of the foremost Adventure Activity Centres in Namibia and one of the few to offer Rafting. It is unusual in still being a family owned concern with that personal touch which is so welcoming to guests.