General Info

Earn bragging rights on a horseback safari riding journey through the African country of Namibia. 

Various progressive African horse safaris and camping rides lead you through amazing colors and vast open spaces that will blow your mind, ancient craters and remnants of prehistoric times, not to mention the forbidding Skeleton Coast.

Horse ride into the Fish River Canyon, one of Africa’s most magnificent sites and the second largest canyon in the world. View the wild horses of the Namib Desert and wild flowers of the Succulent Karoo. Ride unspoilt landscapes and become a true partner with your horse as you conquer one of the oldest deserts in the world on this challenging equestrian vacation.

About Namibia
Namibia is located in southern Africa bordering the Atlantic Ocean to its west, Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. For horse lovers, Namibia's wide open spaces are a big draw. Namibia is the second least populated country in the world- following Mongolia. 

The Namib Desert, considered to be the oldest desert in the world, is home to the Namib-Naukluft National Park, Africa's largest game reserve. Red sand dunes, moon-like valleys, unusual plants and dramatic canyons, lead to the Skeleton Coast, named after whale and seal bones which covered the shore when the whaling industry was still active and the remains of shipwrecks who met their demise with the many boulders off the foggy shore.

Inhabited throughout history by Bushman, Damara and Namaqua, and later the Bantu peoples, the economy today is based in farming and agriculture, tourism, herding and mining. Fascinating wild horses attract thousands of tourists each year. You can ride with these horses on the Desert Horse Ride.

Game
In all the areas you'll ride, there is a good chance of seeing plenty of Kudu, Mountain Zebra, Springbok, Steenbok, Gemsbok, Jackal, Ostrich, Baboons. Also possible to see Porcupine, wild cat, civet cat, Klipspringer Aardvark and Aardwolf. You may spot dry land birds, eagles and other birds of prey, large grassland birds such as Kori and Ludwig Bustards, and desert adapted reptiles such as chameleon, lizards and also certain species scorpions.

Specifically in Damaraland you may see desert elephant, desert rhino, cheetah and maybe lion while Namibia horse riding.

Riding Level
Fitness, good health, and experience in horse riding and handling horses are essential in order to be able to enjoy these horseback safaris. You need not be an accomplished dressage rider or show jumper, but you must feel totally at ease on the back of a cantering horse and be prepared for the riding adventure of your life! The shorter rides are less strenuous and are suitable for intermediate riders.

Terrain
You'll travel through rocky hills and riverbeds, gravel plains, open sandy plains and undulating sand dunes – sometimes the going is tough and difficult and can be quite challenging. Occasionally you may need to dismount and walk with your horse for some sections.

Often there are wide-open spaces suitable for lovely long canters, and several areas of rolling sand dunes. The longer horseback safaris are more challenging so requires riders with strong personalities, and a sense of humor that will see you through the tough moments!
 

Packing

Packing Tips for Namibia Horse Riding

It is recommended that you bring a warm (3 or 4 season) sleeping bag as nights can be very cold. Basic bags may be hired from this outfitter in advance if required at approximately $27.49 USD (20 Euros) per trip.

• One set of warm clothes including a jacket or all-weather coat or fleece, especially for winter months
• Comfortable pants for the campsite at night
• Wooly hat, gloves
• Warm sweater
• Comfy shoes for around camp
• Towel, soap and other toiletries, personal medications, band-aids, rehydrates, etc
• Sarong and flip-flops for moving to and from the shower
• Wide-brimmed hat/ cap for when not riding
• Shorts, casual tops
• Flashlight, smaller head torch and spare batteries
• Small binoculars
• Camera
• Sufficient batteries for cameras and spare memory card.

Once you leave Windhoek you should assume there will be no cell phone coverage or electricity available for charging batteries etc so bring enough batteries for the duration of the ride.

For riding

• Light weight-riding helmet (riding without protective headgear is at your own risk and only if your insurance still covers you without one).
• At least 3 changes of comfortable riding trousers (tried and trusted riding wear rather than brand-new fashion)
• Comfortable short riding boots/trainers/ long chaps/mini-chaps according to your preference
• Several neutral colored long sleeve shirts, T-shirts, polo shirts etc
• Buff (for covering your neck and face from sun and dust)
• Lots of socks, underwear
• 2 neckerchiefs / bandanas
• Sun block, lip balm, talcum powder
• 2 pairs sunglasses on strings
• Gloves.
• A fanny pack, to wear whilst riding for lip balm, sunscreen and a small camera.

Remember it can get very hot in the desert during the day – so you should be prepared to “ cover up. “

Laundry – After Windhoek, there is very little opportunity to do any washing – other than rinsing out small items and hoping they dry overnight. Please bear this in mind when packing. There are laundry facilities in all the major towns to do laundry at the end of the ride if you are continuing on with your vacation.

Your luggage is transported on trucks; the riders ride across bush or desert and meet the back-up vehicles at the evening campsites – so your bags need to be soft type canvas bags with lots of pockets for easy organizing. Max weight 44 lbs. (20 kgs). Ideal to have 1 x medium size and 1 x smaller overnight bag. If you have other non-riding luggage – this can be left with our office staff in Windhoek to be collected at the end of the ride. Please ensure you have one small day pack size bag that can carry your overnight things as some days the big truck will not be able to meet us at the end of the day as only the smaller vehicle has access. 

About the Horses

Your horse will be chosen from a mixed herd of many breeds including Arab, Haflinger, Trakehner and ranch horses that are small to medium-sized (14.3 to 16 hands) and sure-footed horses raised on rough terrain.

Some of them have experience in endurance riding, and every one of them is a kind, reliable companion that deserves the very best treatment and care.

Tack

Comfortable skirted saddles (endurance type) to properly fit the horse as well as the rider are used on these African horse safaris. Each saddle is fitted with two specially made water bottle holders with water bottles supplied. You may bring your own western shaped sheepskin bumnah if you normally ride with one. You will be responsible for grooming checking over and tacking up your own horse.  

Activities/Events

Many guests extend their Namibia African horse safaris with additional adventure activities or sightseeing, like a guided canoe safari on the Orange River. Cape Town offers a large variety of day trips and things to see and do including Table mountain, Cape of Good Hope and the vineyards of Stellenbosch.

Self drive guests can drive on to explore the magnificent sand dunes of Sossusvlei and the interesting coastal towns of Walvis Bay and Swakopmund. There is lots to do in Swakopmund at the end of Namib desert and Damraland ride. Lots to do in Cape Town at end of Fish River Ride.

Scroll to the end of each itinerary for suggestions of additional things to do before or after the equestrian vacations.

Accommodations/Food

Type of accommodations

All rides stay in Guest farms/ lodges/ guesthouses on the first and last nights of the ride. These accommodations vary, but are all comfortable, twin-bedded rooms, mostly with ensuite facilities.

Camping on the ride.
The outfitter provides large dome-shaped tents (two participants sharing) with camp beds and swags (canvas bedrolls) consisting of lambskin, duvet or quilt and pillow, folding chairs and hot showers.

Many guests choose to take their camp bed and swag and sleep out under the canopy of the desert stars - a very special experience. Camp is normally pitched at sunset with meals prepared on the open fire, usually a ‘braai’ or ‘potjie’ (casserole) - typically Namibian and often a surprise.

Most guests are happy to share accommodations – but you may request on booking, a tent to yourself and single accommodation in the guests houses at the beginning or end of the trail subject to a supplementary charge.

Meals and drinks.

All meals are included in the package. Breakfast is typically porridge or cereal, cold meats and cheese. Lunch can be packed sandwiches or on some days we meet up with the truck for a cold salad.

Supper is a delight of tasty stews, or fish and vegetables with a surprise dessert made on the open fire. Vegetarian meals are available – please let us know your requirements when booking.

Tea, coffee and juice are always available with other cool drinks, beers, wine etc in the evenings.

All drinks are included in the cost on the ride. Please let us know your drink preferences when booking. Only drinks at the guest farms and restaurants, etc. are not included in the package rate.

The Ideal Traveler

Adventurous, fit riders who want to have a true journey on horseback and take in stunning landscapes and wildlife in Namibia. 

Greater Fish River Canyon Ride

With a combination of dramatic canyon landscapes, spacious desert plains and the mighty Orange River, this equestrian vacation offers the opportunity to experience both inaccessible Namibia and real wilderness areas, while riding without limitations. The Fish River Canyon area is world renowned as one of Africa’s most magnificent sites; it is also the second largest canyon in the world. Horse riding begins in the upper Fish River canyon, before Nama Karoo plains invite you for endless canters, only to be stopped by the Orange/Gariep River, which forms the southern border of Namibia. 

Dates & Rates 2012
11 days / 10 nights
Aug 30-Sept 9

$6,057.98 USD* (3735 GBP) per person double occupancy
$337.37 USD* (208 GBP) single supplement          

* Rates subject to fluctuations based on currency conversions.

Accommodation: 4 camping/ 4 lodge / 2 tented
Riding Level: Intermediate. Confident, fit riders only

Rates include:
• Riding, accommodation and meals
• Drinks (except in lodges, gas stations and restaurants, etc..)
• Ground transfers from and to Cape Town airport on dates of arrival and departure,

Rates exclude:
• Single supplement (will not be charged if you are prepared to share)
• Personal drinks and refreshments at all lodges and restaurants
• Rider’s weight limit strictly 187 lbs. in riding gear.
• Flights, additional activities and packages.
• Safari staff gratuities ($13.75 or €10 per day per guest is recommended) 

Unique attractions:
• Fish River Canyon, Ais-Ais Hot springs and year round river swimming
• Good game viewing opportunities
• Unbelievable space and awesome scenery
• The best paced ride

Riding pace:
• 20 – 50 km riding per day
• Terrain allows for all paces
• Suitable for fit intermediate riders

Details

Fly into Windhoek, be met at airport and transferred to overnight guesthouse/lodge. Road transfer leaves early the next morning ( total 8 hour transfer ) to the start point of the ride. Then at end of ride - road transfer to Cape Town airport ( 7 – 8 hours ) for your outward flight .If you choose to stay on in Cape Town – there are plenty of taxis available from the airport to take you onto accommodations.

11 days, 10 nights, 8½ days riding, a visit to the main view point at the famous Fish River Canyon. Also possible to self drive to the start point of ride at Fish River for lunch time on day 2 of our itinerary.

Itinerary

Day 1: You will be met at Windhoek International Airport and transferred to a guest house/lodge in Windhoek for dinner bed and breakfast. Meet a Namibia Horse Safari representative and be briefed on the ride.

Day 2: After breakfast the group transfer leaves early, for the transfer to the Mule station our overnight stop.
Meet your guides, crew, and horses and if time permits go on a short trial ride to familiarize horses with riders. That evening at Mule Station, pack bare necessities for the next 2 nights into a small bag. Roads are inaccessible for the larger safari vehicles that meet up with us again on Day 5.

Day 3: The morning ride follows the 4x4 track to a place called Koelkrans (cool cliff) next to the Fish River where we take the welcome opportunity for a swim. In the afternoon we ride back out of the canyon to one of the most spectacular camp sites, called Horse Shoe Camp.

Day 4: From the edge of the canyon, down zebra paths, along rocky tributaries down to the Fish River. Ride along the river to a lunch spot at Sandy Beach, the last opportunity to swim in the Fish River. We make our way up and over the mountain on a steep track, to the unexpected oasis of Canyon Outpost in
the Gaap River.

Day 5: A long, fast exhilarating day’s ride across the black limestone plateau during the morning and then through endless savannah into an area strewn with granite boulders and dotted with charismatic Quiver trees, to arrive at Mountain Camp. Enjoy the luxury of en-suite bathrooms, beds with linen and a very special evening at Mountain Camp.

Day 6: We visit the Main Viewpoint overlooking the Fish River Canyon before lunch, back at Mountain Camp. Winding through milk bushes across the plains to Kanebis, you will most probably spot some game along the way and enjoy the evening stories around the open campfire.

Day 7: Ever changing scenery awaits us, a ‘Smarties box’ of geological formations and depending on rainfall, this day could deliver good game viewing. Camping against a rock wall at Fourie se Gat (a hole dug by Mr. Fourie) and enjoy an unforgettable sunset.

Day 8: Enthusiastic riders can ride along a dirt road through granite outcrops. Alternately, travel by motor vehicle to Ais-Ais hot springs along this same road, to spend the morning relaxing in warm water while your horse runs loose to the lunch spot at Mnt. Elena. The topography unfolds into wide-open plains and the afternoon ride will cross some of the best riding plains in the world, to our camp in the dry Gamkab River.

Day 9: Riding over endless plains we can roam freely in a vast environment, to isolated sand dunes in Aussenkehr Nature Park, then on again to a camp surrounded by stacked boulders, which could only have been the work of giants.

Day 10: The last ride. Stunning contrasts again; ride from the wide-open plains, where we could encounter the Wild Horses, into the very narrow Kings Throne canyon and on to a viewpoint, surprisingly revealing the Orange/Gariep River flanked by vineyards in an otherwise barren landscape. Another canter and some strolling through the vineyards to finally untack at Norotshama River Resort, on the banks of the
Orange River.

Day 11: Depart on a 7/8-hour road transfer for Cape Town.

* Please note: Itinerary routes and accommodation are subject to change, due to circumstances unforeseen and beyond our control.

Additional attractions:
Many guests extend their Namibia experience from this point with an add-on itinerary. Guided canoe safaris on the Orange River. Cape Town offers a large variety of day trips and things to see and do including Table Mountain, Cape of Good Hope and the vineyards of Stellenbosch. We’d be happy to make any enquiries and bookings on your behalf.

Please contact us for more information.
 

Damara Elephant Ride

Where else could you see elephant and rhino in a desert habitat? You will be surprised at how they have adapted to this harsh environment. Largely inaccessible, Damaraland is a spectacular part of Namibia with amazing colors and vast open spaces, ancient craters and remnants of prehistoric times, not to mention the forbidding Skeleton Coast. .

2012 Dates & Rates
11 days/ 10 nights
April 26-May 6, May 10-20, June 28-July 8

$3632 USD* (3500 GBP) per person double occupancy
$253 USD* (156 GBP) single supplement

*Prices are subject to fluctuation based on currency conversions.

Accommodation: 6 camping / 2 lodge
Riding Level: Challenging (Big 5) Experienced, fit riders only

Rates include:

• All Riding, accommodation and meals
• All Drinks (except in lodges, restaurants, petrol stations, etc.)
• Ground transfers on arrival day from Windhoek airport to guest house, and from Windhoek B&B to starting point of ride and return transfer to central Windhoek and Windhoek International airport on day of departure. 

Please note: that any extra transfers (for any reason including flight delays) other than those included in the itinerary – will be for guest’s personal account. 

Rates Exclude:

• Additional horses for riders over 85kg in riding gear. Please enquire for rates as varies according to your weight .
• Single supp - will be waived if prepared to share guesthouse accommodation
• Personal drinks and refreshments at all lodges, restaurants, petrol stations, etc.
• Accommodation and transfers not listed on the itinerary.
• Additional activities and packages. Please see itinerary recommendations
• Safari staff gratuities. (Recommended pounds 8-10 per day per guest) 

Riding pace:
 • • 12.5 to 31 miles or 20 – 50 km riding per day
 • All paces
 • Not suitable for inexperienced riders since encounters with elephant and rhino are possible. Unfit riders will not sustain the pace.

Details
Windhoek - Windhoek. 11 days, 10 nights, 7½ riding days, ½ day sightseeing famous rock engravings at Twyfelfontein (World Heritage Site), visit to cultural village and the seal colony at Cape Cross.

Itinerary

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

Options:
Please enquire for the option to fly-in to the start point of the ride (Twyfelfontein). 
To Avoid the road travelling time to Windhoek at the end of the ride – it is also possible to have special road transfer to Walvis Bay International Airport and fly direct to Johannesburg. 

Additional attractions: (we can book this for you)
• Stay a few days extra in Swakopmund where activities available include: dolphin cruises, scenic flights over the area which we rode, sand boarding, sky diving, desert tours, quad biking etc. 
• Visit Etosha National Park before or after the ride for excellent African game viewing opportunities.
• Visit Sossosvlei sand dunes after the ride

Take note: Routes can be changed due to unpredictable weather and other unforeseen conditions!
 

We’d be happy to make any enquiries and bookings on your behalf. Please contact us.
 

Namib Desert Ride

Cross the oldest desert in the world on horseback-- the journey of a lifetime! This horseback riding vacation is one of the toughest treks in the world and not for the faint hearted. Tremendously rewarding, it challenges you the rider and builds mutual respect between yourself and your horse. Central Namibia offers spectacular and fascinating contrasts mountains and plains, to Moon Valley, the seasonal Swakop River and the coastal dunes of the Atlantic Ocean.

Dates & Rates 2012
11 days, 10 nights, 9 days riding (nearly 400 km from the central highlands to the Atlantic Ocean)
March 30-April 9, June 6-16, Aug 1-11, Sept 19-29

$5,469 USD* (3372 GBP) per person double occupancy
$253 USD* (156 GBP) single supplement

* Price may be subject to fluctuations based on currency conversions.

Accommodations: 8 camping /2 lodge
Riding Level: Extreme. Experienced, fit riders only

Rates include:
• Riding, accommodation and meals
• Drinks (except in lodges and restaurants)
• Ground transfers from and to Windhoek airport on dates of arrival and departure, according to the set itinerary

Rates exclude:
• Single supplement (will not be charged if you are prepared to share)
• Personal drinks and refreshments at all lodges and restaurants
• Rider’s weight limit strictly 187 lbs. in riding gear.
• Flights, additional activities and packages.
• Safari staff gratuities ($13.75 or €10 per day per guest is recommended) 

Riding Pace
• 12.5 to 43.5 miles or 20 to 70 km riding per day
• All paces over uneven terrain
• Not suitable for inexperienced or unfit riders

Unique Attractions
• Crossing the Namib Desert
• Contrasting landscapes and plains game
• An extreme riding challenge

Itinerary

Day 1: You will be met at Windhoek International Airport and transferred to Windhoek to rest and refresh before your equestrian vacation. At 14h30 your riding group departs on a 2-hour road transfer to a guest farm, where you will overnight. At the farm you are introduced to your riding guides and fellow-riders, and can acquaint yourself with the awesome terrain and enjoy traditional hospitality before a good night’s sleep.

Day 2: Start off cross-country on game and cattle tracks, through the bush savannah of the central highlands (1500-2000m above sea level) towards the escarpment, where the highlands drop into the wide plains below. Passing steep rock faces in constantly changing colours that give way to inspiring views of endless hills. Camping African-style, enjoy a good meal cooked on the campfire while chatting about the day's events. Retire to your tent or sleep under the stars.

Day 3: A long and exerting, but particularly memorable day awaits. Over tricky terrain, along dry riverbeds; along the tracks of mountain zebra, oryx and baboons, past leopard caves and thorn bushes. This is unspoiled countryside with stunning panoramic views... and you are sure to appreciate a hot shower and a good meal at the end of this day! Camp is en route down the escarpment, remote and rugged, on a Namibian cattle farm.

Day 4: Take this day a little slower, riding to the fringe of the Namib Desert. The campsite is situated below the Gamsberg, the third highest mountain in Namibia. After another beautiful day, sunset is a predicatably dramatic show.

Day 5: Through the semi-desert between the Gaub and Kuiseb valleys; past remote farms, heading towards the 500,000 ha Namib-Naukluft Park where the group has exclusive traversing rights for horses.

Day 6: Enter the largest nature conservation area in Africa (an area as large as the British Isles). The Skeleton Coast, Namib Naukluft and Sperrgebiet Parks extend the length of Namibia’s 2,000km coastline, 100km inland at the widest point. Ride through the bizarre Kuiseb Canyon and camp at the oasis of Arunvlei. Marvel at the incredibly beautiful African sunset and myriad of stars in an area acclaimed worldwide for clarity of the night sky. Strongly recommended reading before this safari is the unique tale of escape and survival in this desert, told in the autobiography “The Sheltering Desert” by Henno Martin; together with his friend Herman and dog Otto, they sought shelter in the Arunvlei area from the madness of the Second World War.

Day 7: A long, tough riding day and non-stop sunshine. Longsleeved shirts, broad-rimmed helmet covers and maximum UV protection recommended. Spot shy mountain zebra, oryx, ostrich, springbok and if you’re lucky, desert warthogs while crossing gravel plains ‘as the crow flies’. Stop at Ganab -a borehole that provides much-needed water for game in the desert, for lunch. Rest before heading to Hotsas -the Tinkas and Tumas plains. Considering the distance covered today, camp, with the prospect of chilled drinks and a relaxed dinner, is a particularly welcome sight.

Day 8: An exhuberant canter towards Poacher's Turn and Marble Mountains, infinite space and tremendous solitude, encountering strange shapes and the first mirages - fascinating survival devices of desert adapted creatures.

Day 9: Continue through true desert landscapes, habitat of the ancient and unique Welwitschia plants on horseback. Close to the coast, enter spectacular Moon Valley. On the last night on the ride, camp out under the stars, around the campfire near Goanikontes, in the dry Swakop River bed.

Day 10: This day is a big push on our final leg to reach the coast. An exhilirating long canter up the Swakop valley to the dunes and then, at last, the Atlantic ocean shore at Swakopmund. Your first glimpse of a town in ten days and the possibility of riding your horse for the last time... along an endless beach! Overnight in comfortable holiday chalets while your horses enjoy their well-deserved rest in a nearby stable. Meet for a farewell diner in the evening.

Day 11: ‘Goodbye’ after breakfast and the return road trip to Windhoek. 

Please note: Itinerary routes and accommodation are subject to change, due to circumstances unforseen and beyond your outfitter's control.

Additional attractions:
Many guests extend their Namibia horseback riding vacation from this point with an add-on itinerary of the many exciting activities available from Swakopmund. Local attractions include the highest dunes in the world - the spectacular Sossusvlei. Go dune sand boarding, desert sky diving, dolphin cruising or surf fishing.

If it‘s big game viewing you’re after, take a short charter flight to world famous Etosha Pan and experience African luxury in a unique treetop camp or a desert fort. We’d be happy to make any arrangements and bookings on your behalf.

Contact us with questions and to book this trip.

Related Travel Articles

Traveler Reviews

There is a place down in Africa and its name is Namibia and the place, people, and experience, not to mention the horses, will be in my heart forever – may God bless you and I shall return.

-- Brenda Morgan, United States

Brilliant! Every moment to be treasured and remembered. Truly the best holiday I have ever had! Brave, honest "Metallic", long canters, stiff climbs, superb food and plenty of laughs with good company. What could be better.

-- Rosemary, England  

The desert trail was not only the finest riding trip I have ever been on, it was also one of the most exciting of all my travel experiences... Endless canters, blissful evenings around the campfire, particularly watching shooting stars over our heads while eating delicious gemsbok steaks at the Red Dune... Any other riding will surely be a huge disappointment in comparison.

-- Stephen Court, England

This was the most fantastic riding holiday, much longer, faster & more exciting than I could ever have imagined. Many thanks to the crew for making everything run so comfortably & cooking such great food – the barbecued kudu was fantastic.

-- Sarah Laidler, England

I have written this before... but now it has real meaning: When God created horse he took sand from the desert, blew his breath through it and said: "You will be the only amongst them who will fly without wings..."

-- Thea, South Africa 

Dieser Damaraland-Ritt War mit Sicherheit der schönste Urlaub meines Lebens! Wo soll ich jetzt noch hinreisen, alles andere kann, verglichen mit diesem Trail, nur noch langweilig werden. Es gibt nur eins: Wiederkommen! Vielen Dank!

-- Ingrid Grzemba, Deutschland

Simplement un grand merci pour cette randonnée fantastique, pour la grande gentillesse, le chaleureusité, tant cela a permis de rendre cette aventure unique et inoubliable!

-- Catherine Avedik, France 

Reading List

Lonely Planet Botswana & Namibia (Multi Country Guide) by Matthew D. Firestone and Adam Karlin 

Experience the best of Botswana & Namibia with Lonely Planet - the oldest rust-red desert in the world, parks teeming with wildlife and the emerald-green waterways of the Okavango Delta. Whether you want to explore the Skeleton Coast or relax at a luxury safari lodge, our 2nd edition has it covered. Lonely Planet guides are written by experts who get to the heart of every destination they visit. This fully updated edition is packed with accurate, practical and honest advice, designed to give you the information you need to make the most of your trip.

Atlas of Namibia, A Portrait of the Land and its People by John Mendelsohn

Illustrated with topographic maps and striking color photographs, this authoritative atlas contains a wealth of information about the land, people, nature and culture of Namibia.

Equitrekking Coffee Table Companion Book & DVD

Equitrekking Travel Adventures on Horseback by Darley Newman with Photographs by Chip Ward available at Amazon.com
This companion to the PBS TV series, Equitrekking, proves that the world's most beautiful views are often best seen from atop a horse. This gorgeous book features dozens of scenic rides in the U.S. and around the globe. Denver Post review: For horse folk and dreamers, as well as fans of the show, it's a beautiful trip through stunning equestrian-friendly possibilities.



Equitrekking DVD's featuring Emmy winning PBS episodes, available in the Shop section of Equitrekking.com 

Get off the beaten path to see some of the world's most beautiful horses and classic riding destinations with host and equestrian travel expert Darley Newman with Emmy Award-winning Equitrekking, the horseback riding travel series on PBS. 

Season One: Vermont, the Carolinas, Georgia Coast, Wyoming, Colorado and Spain.

Season Two: Iceland, Coastal Ireland, Hawaii's Big Island, Irish Countryside, Maui, Virginia Hunt Country and California Wine Country.

Season Three: Arizona, Belize, Costa Rica, Kentucky, Quebec, Texas and Utah.

Season Four: Southern Spain, Alaska, Central Turkey, Quebec City and Beyond, Scotland and Wales.

    

Good Books for Horse Lovers and Equestrians

Animals in Translation: Using the Mysteries of Autism to Decode Animal Behavior (Paperback) by Temple Grandin
Philosophers and scientists have long wondered what goes on in the minds of animals, and this fascinating study gives a wealth of illuminating insights into that mystery. ---Publishers Weekly

The Horse: A Miscellany of Equine Knowledge (Hardcover) by Julie Whitaker with Ian Whitelaw
The Horse is an informative gallop through everything to do with the horse:  evolution, history, biology, breeds, behavior, training, competition, health, and care—all gathered into an accessible gallery of solid information, essential facts, and fascinating trivia.                                                           

Hunter Seat Equitation (Hardcover) by George H. Morris
A classic by a world-renowned teacher and master equestrian--the definitive work on the art of teaching and riding the hunter seat, now updated to include refinements in Morris's insightful program of riding instruction.

The New Encyclopedia of the Horse (Hardcover) by Elwyn Hartley Edwards
Chronicling the history of the horse, this guide encompasses the early domestication of the horse, classical riding styles, as well as a survey of the great stud farms and current international sporting events.