DAMARA ELEPHANT-SKELETON TRAIL - NAMIBIA

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This horse riding trail previously had the tag “Only for those who have done the Desert Trail; be ready to ride for your life if needed!” It is now open for any fit experienced riders up for a challenge!

This is a truly exceptional Namibian trail; where else can you expect to see elephant, giraffe and rhino in a desert habitat. And you will be surprised at how they have adapted. Damaraland is a very spectacular part of the country, almost inaccessible, with amazing colours and vast open spaces, ancient craters and remnants from prehistoric times, not to mention the forbidding Skeleton Coast. We may encounter elephant, rhino or lion, or be caught by rivers in flood, all of which combines into a tremendous adventure. Each and every Damaraland Trail so far has been an experience of a lifetime!

Trip length 11 days/10 nights Ride price detailed prices price promise 2012: double pp £3,499/€4,239/$5,409 Departure dates 2012: 2 & 17 May; 28 June Approximate riding time per day 4 to 7 hours Riding ability required fit confident riders Group size 5 - 12 riders Meeting point (getting there) Windhoek International Airport Transfer Included from meeting point. Transfer time is approx 3 hours. Flight guide London - Windhoek return £450 - £750. See below for flight info. Single supplement detailed prices No single rooms available (on some or all nights). Riders must be prepared to share. 2012: £149/€185/$235

SAMPLE ITINERARY - DAMARA ELEPHANT-SKELETON TRAIL

This trail is for experienced riders familiar with fast desert riding and who can "ride for their lives", if necessary. In comparison to the Desert Trails this trail is easier riding and more relaxing, but much tougher on crew and back-up.

Day 1
You will be met on arrival from Windhoek International airport ( Hosea Kutako airport) and transferred to a specified B&B in Windhoek on this day. Here you will meet the rest of your riding group for dinner and a Namibia Horse Safari company representative to brief you about the ride.

Day 2
After an early breakfast the journey starts with a 7 hour transfer, lunch en route, to a camp near Twyfelfontein. Here you will meet the horses and crew, and go on a sunset ride if time permits.

Day 3
We will set off on a morning ride to familiarise you with your mount in the Aba-Huab area where sandy plains invite good canters and interesting rock formations can be visited, the afternoon will include visiting a cultural village, the Twyfelfontein rock engravings and Sundowners at a local view point.

Day 4
We start riding west across endless plains with a good chance of seeing desert adapted game such as springbok and oryx, occasionally we follow Mopani treed dry river beds where kudu and ostrich lurk. We stop for a light lunch along a riverbed and after lunch continue over some rocky and some sandy hills to our camp at De Riet.

Day 5
We continue along the Huab River shaded with huge Ana trees, which provides a favourite food for the Desert Elephants, before we ride across another plain towards Mikberg to have lunch at the ‘cheetah tree’, followed by a long afternoon ride across the watershed with phenomenal vistas. Our camp is pitched at View Point where we enjoy the views and dramatic colours of Brandberg, Namibia’s highest mountain.

Day 6
From View Point we ride southwest towards the Ugab River. After lunch at Lion Head we set off for a nice long canter. Later we move through a very narrow gorge, pass Soutfontein (Salt Fountain) and arrive at the Save the Rhino Camp near Brandberg West. This is a community run campsite to collect funds for the Save the Rhino project; it is really worth visiting their interesting information centre.

Day 7
We wind our way through reeds and kori bush thickets along the Ugab to Brakwasser, another place of brackish water. We then leave the Ugab River and ride up a deserted gorge with fascinating folded rockwalls. Camp is very enjoyable: shady, sheltered and special!

Day 8
We leave the Ugab tributary and enter another vast open plain with spectacular views of Brandberg. We enjoy some marvellous cantering and have lunch at the Quarry. The afternoon is a long ride across the stony plains towards the coast.

Day 9
We are on our way towards the Messum River and Messum Crater. Again there are open plains and happy canters - and spectacular panoramas.

Day 10
The last ride to arrive on the beach around lunchtime!! This unpredictable shore is called the Skeleton Coast and the infamous easterly wind can either cause the temperatures warm enough for a swim or maybe whip up a sandstorm! We then drive to Cape Cross to view the seals and continue to our overnight accommodation at a lovely beach house in Henties Bay.

Day 11
Depart for Windhoek and Windhoek International Airport (a 5-6 hour transfer). Earliest possible flight departure time is 15.00 

 Please note:

Itinerary routes and accommodation are subject to change, due to circumstances unforseen and beyond our control.

NOTES - DAMARA ELEPHANT-SKELETON TRAIL

We can arrange other transfer arrangements to Henties Bay if you want to stay another night (affordable De Duine Hotel, or stunning Cape Cross luxury lodge near the seals and Mile 108, or even the new famous Hydro Wellness Centre in Hentiesbay - all cost extra). 

An excellent option is to fly in a small aircraft back over the route we took, optional Sossusvlei (price depends on number of riders); otherwise transfer by car to Swakopmund or Windhoek. Usually we co-ordinate transfers to save on costs and make life easier! Let us know in time what you have in mind - we will help with reservations.

Riding is easier than on the Namib Desert Trail with more time for relaxation because of more days travelling, much faster riding and no mountains to be crossed. The trail is very tough on crew and back-up, because there are only few roads and very little water; we really have problems keeping logistics going (for half the trail we cannot take the truck, water cart or trailer).

The weight limit for this ride is 13 st/187 lb/85 kg, please enquire if you are an experienced rider exceeding this weight.

FURTHER DETAILS
As we are specialists in our field we have extensive knowledge of all our products from details of accommodation and meals to number/size/type of horses to pace of riding ... and much more.
Should you wish to receive further details of this ride please click here.

WHAT IS INCLUDED
Transfer from Windhoek Airport to overnight accommodation, transfer to Aba Huab, visit to Twyfelfontein rock engravings, full-board camping and drinks at Aba Huab, on the trail and at the Skeleton Coast, all riding and guiding, sight seeing drive to Messum river.

WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED
International flights, souvenirs, tips for communal guides and grooms, luxury options (Mowani mountain camp or Twyfelfontein Lodge before start of trail; De Duine, Cape Cross Lodge and Hentiesbay Wellness Centre after trail), extra transfer not scheduled for back-up vehicles.


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