Driving the gravel road into Ghaub, the verdant hills transform into rows of healthy green maize, and then into a sprawling, clean-shaven lawn dotted with palm trees and old-style mission houses, rolling into wild bush and the Otavi mountains.

A feeling, not just of history, but of tranquillity, pervades Guest Farm Ghaub. It’s more than the old-fashioned style of the buildings; a deeply felt peace has permeated into the land and air at Ghaub.

The establishment, situated on the 11 800-hectare Ghaub Farm, was formerly a Lutheran mission station established in 1895 and operating until 1968. A few of the original buildings remain, while two extra blocks of rooms were added, retaining the same style of wide verandas and high ceilings and increasing the number of spacious rooms to ten.

Irish-born, part-owner, Gerry Cooney came for a Namibian holiday in August 2007, staying at Guest Farm Ghaub for two nights. He so enjoyed the atmosphere of the place, that on leaving he commented: “I could stay here forever.” The outcome was that he definitely could, as the farm was up for sale. Gerry’s life changed dramatically when he bought the farm with André Compion three months later. He says that the place found him.

Another Ghaub gentleman is Mika Shapwanale, manager of the guest farm. Mika, born in Owamboland in northern Namibia, has worked here for ten years, beginning in the gardens, learning English, Afrikaans and German, and progressing to restaurant barman and waiter, improving his English continually by conversing with the guests. He began to take farm and cave tours, and became active manager at the beginning of 2006.

We join Mika in the trusty old Land Cruiser for one of the farm drives offered at Ghaub, ending in the hills for sundowners. Passing through farm gates, we stop to look at a few Bushman rock engravings, stepping on fresh aardvark tracks, and visit an old cemetery with graves of missionaries and German soldiers. Grey louries fly through the trees and warthog families run across the road. Mika identifies the different trees, pointing out a large marula tree, its fruit collected in the month of May to make marula juice and jam, served at breakfast on the Ghaub tables with delicious homemade bread (review of Ghaub by Travel News Sept 2008).