Riding in Namibia is ideal for fit, adventurous riders and will reward them with a holiday of a lifetime. In addition, Namibia has fascinating programmes for non-riders, most especially those interested in nature or photography.
Namibia is county of wildlife, vast tranquil wildness and dramatic desert scenery. It is the least densely populated country in the world with huge open spaces. It is a former German colony and has a stable democratic government. Its Atlantic coastline on the west has almost 1300 kilometres of desolate beaches. It's here you'll find the much-documented Skeleton Coast and the remarkable desert elephants that, largely thanks to David Attenborough, Namibia has become famous for.
Wildlife viewing is best in the northern parts with the Etosha Pan, Damaraland and the Caprivi Strip all worth visiting. Wildlife viewing here is excellent, virtually guaranteed, as the waterholes attract many animals. We offer riding in the Damaraland/Elephant Skeleton Coast area. Further game viewing and good riding is offered near Windhoek, the capital.
In the centre of Namibia deserts takes over and stretch all the way to the south. We offer the classic Namib Desert Crossing in the south, riding from the centre, across a mountains range and through the deserts to the coast. Sossusvlei in the Namib Desert has immense sand dunes, deep apricot in colour and high as mountains. Despite its desolation you'll spot birds and the odd oryx or two. A real treat is to set out before dawn to climb a dune as the sun rises, then slide down to a champagne breakfast in the shade of a thorn tree.
Another desert, the Kalahari, lies in the east of Namibia and then in the south the majestic Fish River Canyon is located. The canyon is second in size to the Grand Canyon. It is 93 miles long, up to 17 miles wide and over half a mile deep. The Quiver Tree - a member of the aloe family grows here. Another wonderful ride for good fit riders wanting a fast-paced ride.
The overriding feature of this wonderful country of Namibia is its vast and dramatic emptiness, such wonderful landscapes for exhilarating horse-riding adventures.
The Namib Desert Trail is the flagship ride in Nambia and is defintely not for the faint hearted. Billed as the toughest ride in the world, this challenging 12 day ride covers 400 km across the Namib desert. On this riding holiday you see all of Namibia's landscapes, from the highlands and semi-desert sheep farms, down the magnificent escarpment, through stoney and mountainous desert, red sand dunes and finally the beach and the Atlantic Ocean. Sooner or later all serious riders end up here!
The un-worldly Skeleton Coast, home of the desert elephant, offers another wonderful horseback holiday in Africa as does the restricted Diamond Area (Sperrgebiet) on historic ground in the area of the wonderful wild horses of the Namib Desert.
Our last equestrian holiday is in the Fish River Canyon area. With a combination of dramatic canyon landscapes, spacious desert planes and the mighty Orange River this Namibian horse riding holiday offers the oportunity to experience both inaccessible countryside and real wilderness areas as well the pure joy of riding without limitations.
After expending your energy on our horseback trips in Nambia you may like to add an extension to your holiday and take in some sights before you fly home. If your trip has been in one of the country's regions detailed above, we can always arrange trips to the other areas, or perhaps a night in the capital Windhoek or how about going further afield with a trip to the thundering magnificent Victoria Falls, just at the end of the Caprivi Strip. We can arrange all this for you.
read less