Overview
Based at Wolwedans, this ride offers an experience of the finest the Namib Desert has to offer – dunes, huge landscapes of endless grassy plains, sentinel inselbergs (island mountains) and a large variety of desert adapted game animals. Encircled by distant mountains, the unimpeded vistas quite take your breath away - and then at night, the splendid Milky Way arching overhead in a sky unpolluted by light. This area is one of the largest continuous Nature Reserves in Southern Africa with surprisingly rich biodiversity and includes some of the most scenic desert landscapes in the world.
Special attractions:
Hauntingly beautiful landshapes like no other on earth
Small, tastefully furnished luxury lodges (some with swimming pool), personalised service and excellent cuisine
Unimpeded riding with free-ranging plains game and rich desert biodiversity
Riding pace:
10 – 30 km riding per day
All paces depend on terrain and ambient temperatures
Suitable for intermediate riders
Details
The package is 7 days, 6 nights on Wolwedans with 5 days riding
Option for fly-in available on request
Sossusvlei extension nights available on request
Extra night in Windhoek may be required if not flying into Wolwedans
Activities available for non-riding company, please enquire
Dates
1 – 7 May
3 - 9 September
Other dates available on request
Itinerary
Additional Day: If not flying directly to Wolwedans, additional night in Windhoek may be required.
Day 1: The trip to Wolwedans - approximately 6 ½ hours by road, 1 hour 45 minutes by air - traverses the highlands before dramatically dropping off the plateau - offering an arresting view of the Namib below. After settling in and a late lunch, you meet your guide and horses and set out for your first ride in the natural splendour in this extraordinary pristine wonderland ending with a sundowner amount the dunes.
Day 2: Today we enjoy a relaxed full day’s riding (about 15 km each way) in this wholly unspoiled desertscape. Riding along edge of low dunes among enchanting fairy circles with a striking mountain as backdrop, we actually cross through the dune field to a lunch spot under some ancient Camelthorn Trees. Returning to the same camp in the late afternoon to enjoy a splendid dinner surrounded by the hush of the desert.
Day 3: Today’s ride to Boulders Camp across golden-grassed savannah with the majestic purple-hued mountain ranges in the distance (about 30 km’s) – this timeless, undulating Namib landscape offers some good going for faster-paced riding and good game viewing. Lunch en route to Boulders camp which is set amongst impressively stacked granite boulder with a marvellous view.
Day 4: Based at Boulders Camp tonight, we enjoy a full day’s riding in the even more picturesque southern part of the reserve offering a marvellous panorama of wide undulating plains and distant purple-hued mountains.
Day 5: Riding to a new camp today, we cross the vegetated Kalahari-type ‘dune streets’ dotted with ancient Camelthorn trees and grazing plains game. This extraordinarily rich living tapestry of colours and form quite delights the eye. A relaxing evening enjoying the luxury of a very private lodge set in a spectacular location.
Day 6: This can either be a morning at leisure with the option of morning ride or scenic drive or, as an optional extra cost, hot-air ballooning or scenic flight over the dunes, Sossusvlei and/or the Diamond Coast. This afternoon we end the day with our last ride out in the pastel-hued sunset of this idyllic setting.
Day7: After a relaxing breakfast transfer to Windhoek International Airport arriving approximately 15:00, or transfer to Sossusvlei and beyond.
Optional extras: please request quotations
Night in Windhoek can be excluded if flying into Wolwedans
Add a night at the end to enjoy the iconic towering dunes of Sossusvlei
Seat rate flights to and from Wolwedans - Windhoek Airport or Swakopmund
Guided or Self-drive and visit several other locations in Namibia such as the Etosha Game Reserve for unparalleled game viewing
Extend your stay on Wolwedans with a 2 day hiking trail