Namibia on Horseback

Arrival in Windhoek

Upon your arrival at the Hosea Kutako International Airport, you will be met by a representative of the car hire company, who will bring you to Windhoek. At their offices in town you will complete all the necessary formalities for your rental car. Afterwards you can spend some time in Windhoek, before heading to the River Crossing Lodge.

Situated in central Namibia, the cosmopolitan city of Windhoek serves as the capital of the country. It is home to a plethora of restaurants, shops, entertainment venues and accommodation establishments. The city is clean, safe and well-organised, with a colonial legacy that is reflected in its many German eateries and shops, and the widespread use of the German language. Windhoek has an interesting mix of historical architecture and modern buildings, many of which are worth a look, including the Alte Feste, the Christuskirche which was built in 1896, and the more contemporary Supreme Court.

Travel Distance: 40 km

Dinner, Bed & Breakfast

RIVER CROSSING LODGE

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Windhoek to Mariental

After enjoying breakfast at the River Crossing Lodge, you will head south, via Rehoboth to the Bagatelle Kalahari Game Ranch, situated in the heart of the Kalahari Desert. On your way you can make a stop at the Tropic of Capricorn, which is sign posted, to take some photographs. Upon your arrival at the lodge, you can spend the afternoon relaxing, or you could book the optional afternoon sundowner drive.

Located in the Hardap region of Namibia, about 90 kilometres south of Windhoek, Rehoboth is surrounded by camel-thorn, sweet-thorn and candle-pod acacia and dotted with several natural hot springs. The area is known not only for its striking natural beauty but also its rich heritage. The Baster community, who came across the Orange River to settle here in 1870, have a long and interesting history. Plant lovers will be interested to find that some of the acacia trees here date back to around 2 000 years. History enthusiasts will delight in the interesting town museum.

Rehoboth makes for a convenient base for reaching popular destinations such as the Fish River Canyon, Sossusvlei and the Hardap Dam.

The Tropic of Capricorn is one of the 5 major lines of latitude and the southernmost point of latitude from where the sun can be seen directly overhead. This line of latitude runs through many other countries such as Brazil, Mozambique and Australia to name a few.

Spreading across Botswana, South Africa and Namibia, the Kalahari, meaning “the great thirst” is an exceptionally beautiful desert. The landscape is characterised by a large semi-arid sandy savannah draped over a gently rolling inland sea of sand covering most of Botswana and large parts of Namibia and South Africa. It is also the last bastion of the indigenous San people, with the modern world having enveloped all the other areas they once roamed. The Namibian portion of the Kalahari is made up of red sands covered in thin, wispy, mostly golden grass and dotted with acacia trees and wide-ranging wildlife including gemsbok, impala, jackals and cheetah.

The Bagatelle Kalahari Game Ranch offers guests an optional afternoon game drive. The activity includes a game drive in the reserve. Guests have the opportunity of seeing a variety of game such as giraffe, kudu, zebra, oryx, blue wildebeest and eland. Guests are able to experience breath-taking views of the region, which has some of the highest dunes in the region, with views over the pan. The Kalahari is home to more than 150 bird species for guests who are bird enthusiasts. The well-known suricate, more commonly known as a “meerkat” can also to be seen. As the day draws to a close, guests are treated to a sundowner on a dune, complemented by refreshments and snacks, while enjoying an awe inspiring sunset over the Kalahari.

Travel Distance: 267 km

Dinner, Bed & Breakfast

BAGATELLE KALAHARI GAME RANCH

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Mariental to Sossusvlei

This morning you will enjoy a horseback safari in the red dunes of the Kalahari Desert. Afterwards you travel via Mariental and Maltahöhe to the Desert Homestead Lodge.

Bagatelle Kalahari Game Ranch offers guests a variety of horses suitable for children, beginners, intermediate and advanced riders. Guests can experience the Kalahari’s silence on the well-trained quarter horses also known as cowboy horses, accompanied by a guide. Guests can enjoy a refreshing drink on a dune before heading back to the ranch.

Situated in south central Namibia, fringing the Kalahari Desert, the city of Mariental lies along the TransNamib railway and serves as the Hardap Region’s commercial and administrative capital. It provides an important petrol stop before heading west to Sesriem to view the red-orange dunes of Sossusvlei. Mariental is located close to the magnificent Hardap Dam, which is the largest reservoir in Namibia. The Hardap Irrigation Scheme has breathed life into this arid terrain, which is now fertile with farmlands of citrus, melons, lucerne, wine and maize, and dotted with ostrich farms.

The dam is a popular holiday resort which draws city slickers from Windhoek and offers an array of water sports, scenic walks, and abundant wildlife on a 20 000 hectare nature reserve set on its western bank, where visitors can spot rhino, ostrich and a variety of antelope and bird species.

Set on the edge of the Swartrand escarpment and serving as a popular stopover for visitors travelling to Sossusvlei and the Duwisib Castle, the village of Maltahöhe was established when the District Commissioner of 1899 decided that an outpost further west of the vast, central Namibian district was required. Maltahöhe is home to the oldest hotel in the country and serves as an excellent base from which to explore the scenic surrounding area including a local farm 35 kilometres north of the town that has an 800 hectare shallow pan that, after sufficient rains, is carpeted by colourful lilies for about a week before they are devoured by elephant-nosed beetles. Visitors can also look forward to viewing the imposing Dutch Reformed Church in the heart of the village, watching a concert by the local Ama Buruxa choir group, and enjoy a hearty traditional meal. Maltahöhe is the perfect spot to take a breather from the road and stock up on supplies before heading off again.

Travel Distance: 288 km

Horseback Safari at Bagatelle Kalahari Game Ranch

Dinner, Bed & Breakfast

DESERT HOMESTEAD LODGE

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Sossusvlei

Before sunrise, you can venture to the Sesriem entrance gate. Here you can purchase a permit to enter into the Namib Naukluft National Park to view some of the highest dunes in the world at Sossusvlei, as well as explore the Sesriem Canyon. In the afternoon you can cool of at the sparkling pool at the Desert Homestead Lodge while enjoying a refreshing drink, or just marvel at the splendour of the Namib Desert landscape around you.

Located in the scenic Namib Naukluft National Park, Sossusvlei is where you will find the iconic red sand dunes of the Namib. The clear blue skies contrast with the giant red dunes to make this one of the most scenic natural wonders of Africa and a photographer’s heaven. This awe-inspiring destination is possibly Namibia’s premier attraction, with its unique dunes rising to almost 400 meters – some of the highest in the world. These iconic dunes come alive in morning and evening light and draw photography enthusiasts from around the globe. Sossusvlei is home to a variety of desert wildlife including oryx, springbok, ostrich and a variety of reptiles. Visitors can climb the “Big Daddy”, one of Sossusvlei’s tallest dunes or explore the Deadvlei, a white, salt, clay pan dotted with ancient trees.

The Sesriem Canyon is a deep chasm carved through the rocks by water, a striking natural feature of the area that is best explored on foot. Stony walls rise up sharply on both sides of the canyon, while birds roost in its crags and lizards dart along the ledges. The canyon’s name was coined when early settlers used it as a water source, using six lengths of leather (ses riem – six thongs) tied together to lower buckets into the water at the base of canyon.

Dinner, Bed & Breakfast

DESERT HOMESTEAD LODGE

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Sossusvlei

The following 2 days will be the highlight of your journey through Namibia. You will be spending these on a horse-riding safari onto the private reserve and sleep out in nature. The reserve is situated between the majestic red sand see of the Namib Desert and the rugged Naukluft Mountains. Leaving the stables and lodge behind, you will set off on an unforgettable journey through wide open plains, riding over terrain which changes from soft, sandy, stretched open fields, to rockier mountain trails, through dry riverbeds, under sociable weaver’s nests and around camel-thorn trees. Your experienced guide will eagerly tell you more about the environment, fauna and flora. You are almost guaranteed to come across a herd or two of grazing oryx, springbok, or zebra and some varieties of smaller carnivores, such as jackal and bat-eared foxes.

Located in central Namibia, the Naukluft Mountains cut a fine silhouette against the vast open skies of this incredibly beautiful country. Private farms occupy the northern reaches and to the south, the range falls within the spectacular Namib Naukluft National Park. Rising steeply from the vast plains of central Namibia, this rugged landscape holds a fascinating history, interesting geology and boasts a variety of deep gorges, caves, small streams and beautiful waterfalls. These mountains support an array of wildlife including over 50 mammal species such as leopard, mountain zebra, various antelope species and almost 200 species of birds.

The Namib Desert is the world’s oldest desert, and although it stretches along the entire length of Namibia’s coastline into southern Angola and even the Northern Cape Province of South Africa, the Namib commonly refers to the vast sea of sand extending from Lüderitz to Swakopmund. This vast expanse of breathtakingly beautiful desert features remarkably varied scenery including the massive red dunes of the world-renowned Sossusvlei, the moonscapes of the Namib Naukluft Park, the stark beauty of the Atlantic Coast and a diversity of fauna and flora. This windswept, arid, ancient landscape is teeming with desert-adapted wildlife such as endemic chameleons, brown hyenas, gemsbok, jackals and seals along the coastline, and a variety plant life including the famous Welwitschia plant, a unique living fossil.

Desert Experience Sleep-Out Ride

DESERT HOMESTEAD LODGE

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Sossusvlei to Swakopmund

Proceed through the Namib Desert to the coastal town of Swakopmund. On your way, you can make a stop in Solitaire, which is famously known for its delicious apple crumble. After your arrival in Swakopmund, check-in at the Hansa Hotel and spend the rest of the afternoon at leisure.

Situated in the Khomas region of central Namibia, the desert town of Solitaire serves as an oasis in the Namib Desert. There is not much to do or see in the small village of Solitaire, but nevertheless, it is an important stop on the way to the ancient dunes of Sossusvlei as it provides the only petrol station, general store and post office between Sossusvlei and Walvis Bay. Solitaire also has a small bar and is renowned for its famous apple pie, which is said to be the best in Namibia.

Set along Namibia’s spectacularly scenic coast, the seaside town of Swakopmund is known for its wide-open avenues, colonial architecture, and is surrounded by otherworldly desert terrain. Founded in 1892 as the main harbour for German South West Africa, Swakopmund is often described as being more German than Germany. Now a seaside resort town, Swakopmund is the capital of the Skeleton Coast tourism area and has plenty to offer to keep visitors happy. The quirky mix of German and Namibian influences, adventure options, laidback atmosphere and the cool sea breeze make it a very popular Namibian destination. Visitors can look forward to a number of exciting activities including quad biking, horse riding, and paragliding, fishing and sightseeing as well as fascinating desert tours.

Travel distance: 357 km

Bed & Breakfast

HANSA HOTEL

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Swakopmund

These days are free for you to spend at leisure. There are countless activities to choose from which are on offer in and around Swakopmund and Walvis Bay. These include quad biking in the dunes, living desert tours, catamaran cruises and well as horse and camel rides. You might want to do a horse ride which is offered by the Okakambe Horse Trails.

Okakambe Horse Stables is situated on the banks of Swakop riverbed, 12 kilometres outside of Swakopmund. “Okakambe” takes its name from the native Herero and Oshiwambo languages which translates to “horse”. All trails start early in the morning while the weather is still cool as the desert tends to get scorching hot as the day progresses. Horse rides can vary between one and three hours, or day and overnight tours. Camps are set up for guests which opt for an overnight trail with supper offered. An average daily distance covered on the trip will be between 30 and 40 kilometres depending on the weather conditions. On a trip, guests can expect to see lots of wildlife including jackals, springbok and plenty of birdlife.

Bed & Breakfast

HANSA HOTEL

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Swakopmund to Twyfelfontein

Today you drive to the region of Namibia known as the Damaraland. Upon your arrival at the Twyfelfontein Country Lodge, you can spend the rest of the day relaxing at the lodge.

This vast desert landscape is known as one of the most beautiful regions in Namibia. Huge, untamed and ruggedly beautiful, Damaraland is an exceptionally scenic landscape featuring open plains, ancient valleys and spectacular rock formations. The major attractions are the sacred Spitzkoppe, the Brandberg, Twyfelfontein, Vingerklip and the otherworldly Petrified Forest. Visitors can take in the dramatic vistas, catch a glimpse of the rare desert-adapted elephant and enjoy spectacular stargazing in crystal-clear night skies from one of the many safari camps dotting Damaraland.

Travel distance: 332 km

Dinner, Bed & Breakfast

TWYFELFONTEIN COUNTRY LODGE

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Twyfelfontein

You have the opportunity to visit the famous UNESCO World Heritage Site at Twyfelfontein, as well as view the Organ Pipes and Burnt Mountain, all of which this region is well-known for. You could also book an optional guided excursion to these sights if you do not wish to drive on your own.

The Organ Pipes are located near Twyfelfontein in Damaraland, Namibia. It is a 100 meter long rock feature of unusual dolomite columns. It was formed by volcanic activity and after erosion, the rocks have remained in the form of organ pipes.

The Burnt Mountain is a small hill located near Twyfelfontein and just a kilometre from the Organ Pipes. This national monument displays an intense variety of colours formed by volcanic activity interacting with organic material that transformed into a sedimentary bed over 125 million years ago.

Dinner, Bed & Breakfast

TWYFELFONTEIN COUNTRY LODGE

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Twyfelfontein to Etosha National Park

En-route to the Etosha National Park, you will pass by the Petrified Forest, which is well worth a visit. Afterwards, continue on your journey via Outjo to the Toshari Lodge, situated just a few kilometres south of the Anderson Gate entrance to the Etosha National Park.

Situated approximately 50 kilometres west of the town of Khorixas, in an area of open veld, lies a large deposit of massive tree trunks that have “turned to stone” through a process of diagenesis. These petrified tree trunks are up to 34 meters long, 6 metres in circumference and are approximately 260 million years old. Due to the lack of root or branch remains, it is believed that the trees were washed down an ancient river to the site where they now lay during a massive flood.

Located in Namibia’s Kunene region, the city of Outjo is known as the gateway to the Etosha. Outjo’s central position also makes it an excellent stopover en-route to the Skeleton Coast and Damaraland, but that’s not the only reason to visit this small town. Set amidst rolling hills, Outjo is a charming getaway boasting attractive forest and savannah surrounds, friendly locals and several historical sites. Roughly an hour’s drive to the west you will find the Ugab Rock Finger, a 35-metre high stone monolith, while slightly further on is a 250-million-year-old petrified forest.

Travel Distance: 297 km

Dinner, Bed & Breakfast

TOSHARI LODGE

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Etosha National Park

You have the option to either do self-guided game drives in the Etosha National Park, or, alternatively, you could book an optional guided game drive at the Toshari Lodge. They offer half-day (morning or afternoon) or full-day game drives into the national park.

Situated in north-western Namibia, the Etosha National Park offers a premier game viewing experience. The park’s diverse vegetation ranges from dense bush to open plains attracting a variety of wildlife. Located in the heart of the park is the Etosha Pan – a shallow depression that covers an area of 5 000 square kilometres. Dry and shimmering for most of the year, the pans fill up with water after seasonal rains, making it the perfect habitat for wildlife. In the dry season, the wildlife is attracted to the perennial springs and waterholes that make for excellent game viewing.

Visitors can look forward to world-class game viewing of a variety of large mammals such as lion, elephant, leopard, rhino, zebra, giraffe, a diversity of birdlife such as flamingos and pelicans.

Dinner, Bed & Breakfast

TOSHARI LODGE

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Etosha National Park to Okahandja

Driving via Outjo, Otjiwarongo and Okahandja you proceed back toward Windhoek. The last establishment on your tour through Namibia is the Midgard Country Estate, which is situated between Okahandja and Windhoek and en-route to the Hosea Kutako International Airport.

Otjiwarongo – meaning “the place of fat cattle” – is a tranquil, German-influenced town with numerous lodging options, shops and other amenities, making it ideal for a stopover en-route to Windhoek, the Etosha National Park and the Waterberg Plateau. Points of interest include a craft market, the Cheetah Conservation Fund and Crocodile Ranch where visitors can view these fascinating reptiles and, if they fancy, sample a selection of crocodile meat dishes at the ranch restaurant.

Located just north of Windhoek, in the central Namibian Otjozondjupa region, the bustling city of Okahandja serves as the main commercial centre of the area, as well as a prominent cultural centre for the local Herero people. The name “Okahandja” means “the place where two rivers flow into each other to form one wide one”. These two seasonal rivers are the Okamita and the Okakango. Known as the “Garden Town of Namibia”, Okahandja boasts a rich cultural heritage, numerous historical sites and excellent bird watching in the surrounding areas. Visitors can look forward to a variety of interesting activities including browsing the colourful arts and crafts market, visiting the nearby Gross Barmen hot springs for a soak in the rejuvenating thermal waters and enjoying an array of water sports at the nearby Von Bach Dam.

Travel Distance: 381 km

Dinner, Bed & Breakfast

MIDGARD COUNTRY ESTATE

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Midgard Country Estate

To conclude your horse-riding safari, you will participate in a ride in the beautiful nature around the Midgard Country Estate.

Dinner, Bed & Breakfast incl. Horse Trail Ride

MIDGARD COUNTRY ESTATE

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Departure

Drive to Windhoek where you will drop off your rental car. Following this you will be transferred to the Hosea Kutako International Airport for your departure flight.

Travel distance: 73 km