The Namib Desert Safari | Horse Riding Holidays in Namibia | Globetrotting

Namib Desert Safari, Namibia

10 NightsStrong Intermediate to AdvancedFrom £5,800 GBP?Tour costs £5,800 GBP which is approximately $11,083 AUD

For those who thrive on a challenge, riding for 7 days across the expansive Namib Desert is a bucket list experience.

Riding across the Namib Desert is not for the faint-hearted, and guests must be fit and enjoy the challenge of an epic endurance ride – think ‘Hidalgo’ the movie. But for those who thrive on a challenge, this is the perfect ride for you.

The Namib Desert Safari covers a total of 400 kilometres over seven days in the saddle. Starting in the central highlands with an altitude of 2,000 metres above sea level, you’ll gradually descend until at last you’re baptised by the waves of the wild Atlantic Ocean. A typical day involves seven hours’ riding, covering between 40 and 70 kilometres in searing hot temperatures. You’ll scoot down mountain faces, gallop across desert plains and sight oryx, springbok, mountain zebra, warthogs and ostriches along the way.

The horses on this safari have diverse bloodlines including Arabian, Haflinger, Trakehner, ranch horses, even cross-breeds of the famous wild horses of the Namib Desert. They are tough, surefooted horses standing 14.3 to 16 hands high, some with experience in endurance riding, and every one of them a kind, reliable companion.

Namibia offers a perfect platform for world class horse riding safaris, and our riding partner in Namibia doesn’t just offer the famous Namib Desert ride; other safaris include the Kalahari Desert Safari, Damara Elephant Safari, Desert Canyons Safari and Wolwedans to Wild Horses. Please contact us for more information about these itineraries.

Fast Facts

  • Horse Breed:One of each breed, i.e. Arab, Haflinger, Trakehner, ranch horses, even cross-breeds of the famous wild horses of the Namib Desert; they are surefooted horses raised on rough terrain, standing 14.3 to 16 hands high, some with experience in endurance riding, and every one of them a kind, reliable companion.
  • Pace:Medium to fast, with lots of opportunities to canter.
  • Weight Limit:A bodyweight limit of 85kg / 187lbs applies - anyone heavier pays a 30% surcharge for an extra horse due to regulations set by World Horse Welfare (IHPH: international league for protection of horses).
  • Type of tack:Endurance saddles.
  • Seasons:March to September.
  • Group size:A minimum of 6 and a maximum of 15 guests.
  • Time in Saddle:A typical day involves 7 hours in the saddle, covering 40 to 70 kilometres a day.
  • Riding Ability:Suitable for strong intermediate to advanced riders. Fitness, good health, and experience in horse riding and handling are essential. You need not be an accomplished dressage rider or show jumper, but you must feel totally at ease on the back of a cantering horse; in addition, you should be mentally strong and have a sense of humour. Not sure what your riding ability is? Watch THIS video to find out.
  • Accommodation:Large dome-shaped tents (two participants sharing) with camp beds and swags (canvas bedrolls) consisting of lambskin, duvet or quilt and pillow; folding chairs and hot showers. Luggage is transported on trucks; the riders ride across bush or desert as the crow flies and meet the back-up vehicles at the campsites. Camp is pitched at sunset; meals are prepared on the open fire, usually a ‘braai’ or ‘potjie’ (casserole) - typically Namibian, and often a surprise.
  • Ride Length:11 days, 10 nights (7 riding days).
  • Inclusions:

    Price includes ground transfers to and from the ride, meals, riding, drinks while camping and accommodation.

  • Exclusions:

    The price does not include personal drinks at lodges and restaurants, additional activities and meals not listed on itinerary, flights or travel insurance, staff gratuities (recommended £8 to £10 per day per guest).

 

DEPARTURE DATES & RATES

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Departing FinishingTotal
April 10, 2024April 20, 2024
£5,800 GBP ?Tour costs £5,800 GBP which is approximately $11,083 AUD - Twin Share?Happy to share with another solo traveller of the same genderBooking Request
£6,000 GBP ?Tour costs £6,000 GBP which is approximately $11,465 AUD - Single Rider?Happy to pay a booking supplement for own roomBooking Request
May 22, 2024June 1, 2024
£5,800 GBP ?Tour costs £5,800 GBP which is approximately $11,083 AUD - Twin Share?Happy to share with another solo traveller of the same genderBooking Request
£6,000 GBP ?Tour costs £6,000 GBP which is approximately $11,465 AUD - Single Rider?Happy to pay a booking supplement for own roomBooking Request
July 3, 2024July 13, 2024
£5,800 GBP ?Tour costs £5,800 GBP which is approximately $11,083 AUD - Twin Share?Happy to share with another solo traveller of the same genderBooking Request
£6,000 GBP ?Tour costs £6,000 GBP which is approximately $11,465 AUD - Single Rider?Happy to pay a booking supplement for own roomBooking Request
August 14, 2024August 24, 2024
£5,800 GBP ?Tour costs £5,800 GBP which is approximately $11,083 AUD - Twin Share?Happy to share with another solo traveller of the same genderBooking Request
£6,000 GBP ?Tour costs £6,000 GBP which is approximately $11,465 AUD - Single Rider?Happy to pay a booking supplement for own roomBooking Request
September 25, 2024October 5, 2024
£5,800 GBP ?Tour costs £5,800 GBP which is approximately $11,083 AUD - Twin Share?Happy to share with another solo traveller of the same genderBooking Request
£6,000 GBP ?Tour costs £6,000 GBP which is approximately $11,465 AUD - Single Rider?Happy to pay a booking supplement for own roomBooking Request

WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE PRICE?
Price includes ground transfers to and from the ride, meals, riding, drinks while camping and accommodation.

WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE PRICE?
The price does not include personal drinks at lodges and restaurants, additional activities and meals not listed on itinerary, flights or travel insurance, staff gratuities (recommended £8 to £10 per day per guest).

Accepted payment is by credit or debit card only. There is a 2% surcharge on all card payments. Click HERE to read our recommendations on which cards are best to use to avoid international transaction fees.

WHY IS THE PRICE QUOTED IN GBP?
With our riding destinations, the currency is dictated by our ride partner in that country. Therefore due to fluctuating exchange rates we have to quote in the same currency.

Itinerary

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*Please note, this is a suggested itinerary only and subject to change at the discretion of your guides due to weather and other influencing factors.

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  • Day 1

    You will be met on arrival day at Windhoek airport (Hosea Kutako Airport) and transferred to a specified B&B in Windhoek. Here you will meet the rest of your riding group for dinner and a representative will brief you about the ride.

  • Day 2

    After an early breakfast you’ll take a transfer to the Namib Desert (approx. 5 hours) through some spectacular landscapes, including a dramatic drop off the escarpment with an arresting view of the desert below. After lunch ou’ll depart for a visit to the dunes at Sossusvlei, returning to camp by sunset. The evening will be spent at a tented camp or guesthouse depending on circumstances. Whatever the case, a good meal and drinks will settle everyone into the flow of the ride.

  • Day 3

    Your first ride begins amid the encircling Naukluft (German for ‘narrow gorge’) – a short ride before lunch allows you to get more acquainted with your horse before you ride into the undulations and isolated hills which are a feature of this area.

  • Day 4

    Your riding adventure continues: cross-country on game and cattle tracks through the bush savannah and plains with stunning views of endless hills and steep rock faces in constantly changing colours. The night’s camping spent around a campfire either in a tent or stretched out under the stars.

  • Days 5 & 6

    While Namibia’s westward-flowing rivers rarely flow, they all run through deep valleys etched at a time when Namibia was wetter and sea levels were lower. You’ll cross two river canyons on our way to the Namib plains: the Gaub and the much larger Kuiseb ,which forms a dramatic end to the 400km long Namib Sand Sea. Following the tracks of mountain zebra that crisscross the steep sides of the canyon, a technical descent requires some walking/scrambling into and out of the canyon. The high, narrow walls of the canyon preserve an almost year-round supply of precious water for the game in this area.

  • Days 7 to 9

    Namib Plains to the Swakop River.
    This is unspoiled countryside with stunning panoramic views. Marvel at the incredibly beautiful African sunsets and myriad stars. See mountain zebra, oryx, ostrich, springbok and, if you’re lucky, some of the desert warthogs, while crossing the desert’s gravel plains as the crow flies. Good going affords some fast-paced riding on the wide grassy plains on the Namib. It has been known for the mountain zebra to run alongside the horses during one of the group’s many canters! Dry waterways, distinguishable by the long lines of acacia trees marking their courses, are a much favoured resting place of giraffe, springbok and oryx. As the plains become more arid strange shapes form and disappear in mirages and dinosaur-like of plants, the gnarled Welwitschia Mirabilis, tell of a land of great antiquity and tremendous solitude. The Swakop river basin has eroded a truly ancient geology (600 million years old), exposing a bizarre moon-like landscape. Curious black ridges of dolerite intrusions form whalebacks on the hills surrounding the river basin. And finally, to the sea, with one last canter along the beach – the end of a truly epic adventure.

  • Day 10

    Joyfully ride along the Swakop valley until you reach the dunes and then at last the ocean shore at Swakopmund. Your first glimpse of a town in ten days! And the chance to ride your horse for the last time along the beach! For the night you’ll stay in a comfortable holiday chalet/guest house while your horses enjoy their well-deserved rest in a sandy paddock. You’ll meet for a farewell dinner in the evening.

  • Day 11

    After an early breakfast, it’s time to say goodbye to your guides and crew. You’ll be transferred back to Windhoek (just over a 4-hour drive), arriving in time for flights departing Windhoek International Airport after 3pm.

  • Transfer Information

    Transfers to and from Windhoek’s Hosea Kutako International Airport are included in the ride price. A shuttle service will collect you from the airport (your name will be on a board) and take you to your overnight accommodation on day 1. And on the last day, you will be dropped off at the airport in time for departing flights leaving after 3pm.

What our valued Globetrotters say about The Namib Desert Safari

Lara Peake

“Join if you are prepared to sleep on the ground with frost on the swag and a howling wind then get up before dawn and ride on – I truly loved it.”

Desiree Charlesworth

“The Namibia Desert Ride was the most ‘AWESOME’ and memorable thing I have ever done in my life.”

Bronwyn Hill

“The Namibia ride was a great experience. The company was great and Andrew, Sara-Jane and Tahlani were just terrific hosts and the horses were very well suited to all the riders.”

STORIES FROM THE SADDLE

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