A Christmas Letter

From a quiet hotel room in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, where I write these words on our off day from CITES CoP20, I find myself confronted by an overwhelming silence. No bird song greets the morning. No wind strokes my hair. No rustle of life surrounds me. And in this absence, I am reminded of what hope truly means—it is the symphony of nature, the chorus of the wild, the promise that tomorrow the sun will rise over our magnificent Namibian landscape and all its creatures will sing again.

This week brought another defeat as Namibia’s proposals were turned down at CITES—a depressing outcome that weighs heavy on my heart. Yet sitting here in this silence, I long for home with an intensity that renews my resolve. To hear those sounds, to be part of nature’s eternal rhythm, to stand under our vast African sky—this is what hope is. And without hope, we have nothing.

But hope, dear friends, is not merely a wish. It is rain.

This year, the heavens opened early, blessing our land with precious November rains that transformed the earth beneath our feet. The parched ground drank deeply, and almost overnight, the desert bloomed. Springbok lambs frolic across greening plains. The bush erupts in a celebration of life. These early rains are more than weather—they are a promise, a reminder that even in the driest seasons, renewal comes. That patience is rewarded. That faith sustains.

A Year of Joy and Longing

This has been a year of profound contradictions for Gysbert and me. Our hearts have been full and yet aching. Lila and Kathryn are now at school in South Africa, and their absence echoes through our daily life. We miss their voices, their laughter, their presence in the fabric of ARU’s rhythms. For those of you who understand that family and friends are everything, you know this particular joy and sorrow—the pride of watching them grow, coupled with the longing for their nearness.

Yet even as we navigate this tender season, our ARU family grows. We welcome with open arms Ruan Calitz, our new apprentice, and Michael and Beatrice Oeleofsen and their three precious children—Buhlem, Thea, and Ané—to our family. Together with myself, Gysbert, Elizabeth, Kathryn, André, and the Enslin family—Pedri, Mia, Lalie, and Mila—we stand ready to embrace 2026, a year we envision filled with friends, adventures, and the kind of memories that sustain us through every season.

A Home Transformed

Our beloved Kalakwa has undergone a magnificent transformation. Where once we offered shelter and comfort, we now present twelve luxury tents and six revamped VIP chalets, all nestled within a beautifully renovated lodge. This expansion is born of love—love for this land, love for our guests, and love for the shared experiences that bind us together. We invite larger groups, families seeking connection, friends pursuing adventure. Come, fill these spaces with laughter and stories. Let the walls echo with the sound of fellowship and joy.

The Rhythm of the Seasons

Our gliding season is in full swing, pilots arriving from across the globe to soar above the endless Namibian landscape, reading the winds and riding the thermals in that sacred dance between earth and sky. There is something transcendent about watching these graceful craft lift skyward—a reminder that we, too, are meant to rise.

And soon, we travel to you. Gysbert and I will be present at:

USA

• Wild Sheep Show in Reno: 22-24 January, Booth 637

• Dallas Safari Club (DSC) in Atlanta: 6-8 February, Booth 2040

• Safari Club International (SCI) in Nashville: 18-21 February, Booth 2226

Because SCI coincides with Austria’s magnificent Hohe Jagd und Fischerei, Mia and Pedri will represent ARU there, carrying our message across the waters to Europe. We long to see your faces, to share stories, to plan the adventures that await in the year ahead.

EUROPE

• Hohe Jagd und Fischerei, booth 08-0709 – 19-22 February, Salzburg, Austria

We will be in France as well as Germany later next year. Our website and social media and WhatsApp group (please remember to sign up) will notify you of these shows later in 2026.

Gratitude Beyond Measure

To our cherished clients—you who understand that hunting is heritage, that conservation is commitment, that every moment in the wild is a sacred privilege—we offer our deepest thanks. You are not merely visitors to ARU; you are partners in preservation, champions of a way of life that honours the land and all its creatures. Your presence here enriches us immeasurably, and your support sustains not just our livelihood but a philosophy of stewardship that will echo through generations.

Hope Incarnate

As we approach this Christmas season, we are reminded of the ultimate gift of hope—that on a silent night more than two thousand years ago, hope took flesh and dwelt among us. Jesus Christ came to save our lives, to redeem what was broken, to promise that death and darkness do not have the final word. In this knowledge, we find courage for every battle, grace for every defeat, and joy that transcends circumstance.

May this Christmas find you surrounded by those you love. May you hear the laughter of children, feel the warmth of fellowship, and know the peace that surpasses understanding. May the gracious blessings of our God shower upon you abundantly.

And may you, like us, never lose hope—for hope is the bird song at dawn, the first rain after drought, the promise that tomorrow holds beauty we have not yet imagined.

From our family to yours, with hearts full of gratitude and anticipation,

Merry Christmas and a Joyous New Year

Danene, Gysbert, and the entire ARU Family