Namibia Classic

Well rested and relaxed, today we will deal with a detailed travel briefing and a thorough briefing on the motorcycles and GPS devices. Then we go for an approx. 100 km inroduction tour, where you can familiarise yourself with the traffic, road conditions and technology so that we can start the tour well prepared the next morning.

The journey continues through fascinating landscapes of the western Kalahari, past the green oasis of Stampriet, where artesian wells enable the cultivation of vegetables and where the Auob River turns east. Here begins an interesting ascent and descent over the belt of dunes made of orange-red sand, which, however, look more like chains of hills due to the partially dense vegetation. Finally near Koës we reach the rolling hills and wide open spaces so typical of the Keetmanshoop area. The "Giant's Playground" - a collection of miraculously piled up boulders and the "Quiver Tree Forest" with its tree-high aloe plants on farm Gariganus invite you to visit. The simple guest chalets in which we live today are very close by.

In the morning we'll join for a canoe trip on the Oranje River, which winds its way through the landscape in wide arcs about 200 km before it flows into the Atlantic Ocean. Then we start with the motorbikes for our next day's stage in a westerly direction, along the Oranje. The mining town of Rosh Pinah on the edge of the restricted diamond area offers a welcome rest stop before we continue along the Namib Desert, via the Aus settlement, the Neisip Plain and through the majestic Tiras Mountains to our next, beautifully situated accommodation near Helmeringhausen.

... today we visit the world-famous Sossusvlei, the highest dunes in the world - situated in the Namib-Naukluft National Park. To admire the first glow of this red dune backdrop in the early morning sunshine, we set off from the lodge before dawn in four-wheel drive vehicles and enjoy the morning in this unique landscape (unfortunately motorcycles are not permitted in the NP). In the afternoon, we continue our own tour and follow the gravel road northwards on a shorter but no less eventful stage. We soon reach Solitaire through open, game-rich savannah. Another special and unconventional accommodation in the lonely expanse of the Namib Desert awaits us near the Rotstock Mountains... A high-altitude pool lounge invites you to relax, with a fantastic view over the wide valleys of this extremely picturesque landscape...

Swakopmund has a lot to offer: e.g. an excursion by quad bike into the sandy dunes south of the town, a fat bike ride through the town, boat tours in Walvisbay - this day is free for individual activities. In the town's charming souvenir and jewelry stores, you will find high-quality local handicraft products for every taste and budget. Unusual pieces of jewelry with Namibian semi-precious stones are particularly popular. The Crystal Gallery or the Natural History Museum - both located near the beach - provide particularly interesting and curious insights into the country's natural treasures. There is also a snake and reptile park and a seawater aquarium. Or how about a stroll through original cafés, pubs and restaurants, or across the woodcarvers' market to the historic "Jetty" - for a glass of champagne or sushi? The impression of numerous, well-preserved buildings in the typical colonial style from imperial times in the small town surrounded by pure desert scenery and fresh sea air ... definitely wants to be "reconnected" with the feeling of being in Africa...

After the briefing, we set off for northern Damaraland. We cross dry river beds, which can develop into respectable watercourses in the rainy season; this is where the desert elephants find their valuable habitat. The oxide-red, scree-covered table mountain landscapes with their spherical, silvery-green broom-shrub euphorbias reflect the typical landscape of this region and are also home to springboks, giraffes and oryx antelopes as well as the rare black rhino. We take a break in Twyfelfontein over lunchtime and reach the Grootberg Lodge in the late afternoon. It is tucked away on a plateau - with a gigantic view over the "Klip Rivier" canyon.

It's actually too nice to sleep in - when the hippos wake up early or the lions roar in the distance: if not the night before, then today is safari time ... we head out into the bush in an off-road vehicle - on the hunt for giraffes, zebras, antelopes, rhinos and elephants! We then set off on our last stage, back to Windhoek Mountain Lodge. We pass through central farmland on remote gravel roads and return to Namibia's central highlands via Omaruru and Otjimbingwe. We reach our GravelTravel base in the late afternoon on lonely back roads, where we are sure to have a very sociable evening with sundowners and a delicious barbecue.