Oana wildlife reserve in the deep south of Namibia is 45,000 hectares of breath-taking mountainous semi-desert. Home to a previously unknown population of leopards, the reserve encompasses 50km of the lush Orange River, which is a wildlife refuge amid the extensive hues of orange and red rocky and sandy plains.

For the past three and a half years, Andrea Pawel and her partner Ed have been working to establish Oana Namibia, which is an enterprise seeking to restore this ex-hunting farmland through a series of wildlife conservation initiatives. They offer a mix of conservation expeditions, community development, adventure endeavours and ultimate relaxation programmes for anyone seeking a wildlife refuge.

During this podcast we talk with Andrea about Oana Namibia and how she came to be starting such an exciting and innovative project in a forgotten area of Africa, we discuss how people can get involved and her career journey from PR in London to African conservation, and hear her advice for others who may dream of following in her dusty footsteps. So if you love African wildlife and want to escape the rat race for a while, you’ll love this episode. Enjoy.