Dear friends of ARU,

It’s the time of year where we are spending some quality time filled with love and laughter with our nearest, and it is also a time to reflect on the small part we play in the world as we know it. ARU and the ARU family takes our role seriously. Our drive towards bettering ourselves – in the persons we are and also in the footprints we leave – whether in our environment or in the hearts of our clients – is very strong. When things fall apart and hardship strikes, we sometimes feel that we are failing. But we haven’t yet.

By the grace of God and through the hope that we live, we know that we will endure.

This year was again a tough one. In the last month we have lost 4 rhino to poaching – and this mainly due to not having enough feet on the ground, because of not enough hunters. Its amazing what hunters directly contribute to anti-poaching, purely by living and experiencing wilderness. Be assured, that every dollar you spend with us saves ecosystems, species, and experiences. And please, if you want to contribute this season to anything significant, please think of ARU, in helping to protect our vulnerable rhino. A tax deductible dedicated donation through Conservation Force can be passed on to this cause.

We have lost a great client and friend Timmy DeSoto, and are fortunate to have spent some beautiful days with him this year at ARU.

We have had cancelations, rebookings, cancellations, and rebookings again.

We are still waiting on restrictions to be lifted for Southern Africa so that we can travel to the USA and Europe for our various hunting exhibitions. We will definitely keep you updated on this.

But through all of this – we are so very grateful for being so very blessed.

We hungrily welcomed the clients that visited us this year, and we treasured every minute with them. What a joy it was – a feeling very much relating to the rains after typical Namibian droughts. Thank you for continuing with your plans and choosing ARU.

Our exquisite Rhino Royale Restaurant turned out to be a shining star – we have had the most spectacular evenings. The wonder and amazement on every guest’s face when they enter this magical refuge that takes you back in time, is invaluable. Our local guests contributed largely to this success and we cannot wait to host international clients here.

ARU Blockmen has also continued to grow, with our incredible organic meat being delivered every week throughout Namibia – game meat – a luxury we will never again take for granted and a venture we will never stop.

Veronica Flying started off really well this year with our international glider pilots soaring the Namibian skies. Covid posed again as a handbrake, and at times we relied on assistance and help from outsiders and management to tend to all our pilots, as most of our staff were isolating. What a community we have!

Thank you to all the ARU staff who diligently live our passion, who understand why we do what we do, and who carry the Namibian flag higher than most.

ARU is about the higher purpose, it is about our heritage, and our future. It is about ensuring that hunting and wilderness will be around for another 1000 years as a force for the better of conservation. We believe in unity. We do not believe in individuality, we believe in a singular collective purpose. We believe in a community where ethics and morality still mean something. Where resources are utilised to the benefit of the many, the destitute and the discouraged, instead of the few. And that is why we are here, and I know that it is the same reason why all of you, are our clients, friends, and family contribute so unselfishly.

I believe in difficult questions and simple answers. What happens to a business if it doesn’t grow? It dies. What is a community? It is the sum total of our choices. ARU teaches us to dream. And it proves that dreams become realities. ARU is proof that the forming of a community through our clients (friends), makes us greater. When you find yourself thinking about Africa, of participating in nature, and of contributing to conservation, please think of ARU.

We have no snow – no, here we only have savanna grasslands, camelthorn trees, campfires, and stars – millions of them. And it’s bitterly beautiful.

What a great God we serve.

Merry Christmas everyone – may you also be blessed!

Enjoy some candid photos from 2021.