Namibian Highlight Cycling Holiday

Day 1: Windhoek. Arrive in the Capitol of Namibia. Today there will be time to relax and get familiar with your bike and with your guide and explore the town. This trip is ideal to combine the safari beauty of Namibia and is unique in by cycling on quite scenic dirt roads. Accommodation: Standard Hotel

Day 2: Windhoek to Gamsberg. Leaving Windhoek at 1700m above sea level you will enjoy a short transfer from the town towards the Khomas Hochland to the top of the Kupferberg pass. From here you will descent and start enjoying our first open landscape scenery for 40-50km. Cycle onto beautiful curvy gravel roads where you pass private farms and can see some local wildlife and lots of birdlife. You will be transferred to the top of the Gamsberg pass passing the 3^rd highest mountain in Namibia with views stretching for 100km, here you will get the first glimpse of desert scenery. Cycle down the pass through dry river beds and you could even pass troops of baboons or the protected Hartman’s Mountain Zebra. The first camp is 20km down the pass road at the oasis of Rooisand camp and can enjoy a worthwhile swim after our first day cycling. Total distance: 37 miles / 60km Accommodation: Full Service Camping Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 3: Rooisand to Sesriem. Start cycling today from Rooisand on gravel road with small continuous hills for 30km in nice morning weather. You could either continue cycling 20km to the Guab pass  on curvy roads or alternatively be transferred there and then cycle from the Guab pass on ascending and descending roads passing colourful landscapes to the Solitaire area for a welcoming lunch and enjoying the best apple crumble in the southern hemisphere. After lunch you will be transfered towards Sesriem area 60km and can cycle optionally the last 20km to camp (weather permitting) to Sesriem where you enter and exit the Namib Naukluft Park a few times. Total distance: 31 miles / 50km Accommodation: Full service camping Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Day 4: Dune 45 and Sossusvlei. Pre-dawn, depart to the entrance gates to Sossusvlei. Then undertake a short transfer and start cycling on a smooth flat sealed road for 40km as the first light hits the desert sand early morning in the Namib Naukluft Park to the red dunes. You will have some nice opportunities to stop on the way next to the road for beautiful photographic moments capturing the sunrise on the Dunes. A climb up the sand dunes will give a superb view up and down of the Tsaucab River Canyon which forms the valley between the famous sand dunes. Your guide will set up breakfast and prepare coffee at the bottom of the dune. Cycle around on the farm’s dirt track roads late afternoon or enjoy a visit to the cheetahs. Total distance: 24 miles / 40km Accommodation: Standard Hotel Meals: Breakfast

Day 5: Namib Naukluft Park to Swakopmund. Some scientists regard the Namib Desert as the oldest in the world. Transfer in the morning from Solitaire a short while to the broken red dunes scenery where we will descent on curvy roads by bike. You will cycle via the geologically interesting Gaub and Kuiseb Pass, home to two Germans and their dog for two years during World War 2. Ostrich, springbok or gemsbok could cross our paths. Transfer to Walvisbay Lagoon viewing Flamingos towards Swakopmund on the cool Atlantic with its many buildings from the former German colonial time. Enjoy lunch on the lagoon with a fresh cold Atlantic breeze. Transfer a short while out of Walvis by tarr road and enjoy the desert scenery with dunes on the right while cycling next to the ocean towards Swakopmund. Enjoy 2 nights here in accommodation. Total distance: 9 miles / 15km Accommodation: Standard Hotel Meals: Breakfast

Day 6: Namib Naukluft Park to Swakopmund. Optional Activity day. This day is a free day, opportunity to partake in optional adventure activities like Quad Biking, Sand Boarding, Sky diving and Dolphin Cruise. If you do not feel adventurous you can do shopping or visit the Crystal Gallery, Museums or the Aquarium by foot. Optional ride along the salt roads. Total distance: Unlimited Accommodation: Standard Hotel Meals: Breakfast

Day 7: Swakopmund to Brandberg via The Moon Landscape. Leaving the coast you enter the Namib Naukluft Park again by short transfer inland and you will then cycle the amazing moon landscape and the largest and oldest 1500 year old Welwitchia Mirabilis plant yet discovered .Cycle on granite gravel curvy roads mostly descending. Transfer to Brandberg Mountain in Damaraland that’s the highest in Namibia and enter the area where the rare desert elephant roam and you could even spot some Meerkat. Cycle downhill towards the camp near the base of the mountain to the lush vegetation area of the Ugab River. Total distance: 9 miles / 15 km Accommodation: Standard Hotel Meals: Breakfast

Day 8: Swakopmund to Twyfelfontein. Short transfer in the morning from the camp and then a cycle ride descending towards local Herero and Himba villages stopping at some of the roadside stalls where women sell handmade articles and semi-precious stones. After 20km cycle, get transferred uphill from the Ugab river again for 80km from where you will cycle mostly descending to the Aba Huab area where you can enjoy lunch under the lush vegetation on the river bed. After lunch, enjoy a visit to the famous rock engravings of Twyfelfontein, which gained UNESCO World Heritage Status not long ago. Total distance: 12 miles / 20km Accommodation: Standard Hotel Meals: Breakfast & Lunch 

Day 9: Twyfelfontein to Etosha National Park. Transfer north towards to Etosha National Park, “the great white place of dry water”, which offers a variety of wildlife. Enjoy 2 nights in Etosha at either Okaukuejo, Halali or Namutoni where a floodlit waterhole allows for 24-hour game viewing. Elephant and black rhinoceros are seen daily during the dry winter months and numerous other game species are also found here including big cats. Total distance: Transfer 124miles / 200km Accommodation: Full Service Camping Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner         

Day 11: Etosha National Park to Otjiwarongo. After another morning game drive, you will leave Etosha for the “cheetah capitol town” of Otjiwarongwe. Cycle from Tsumeb to Otavi descending and ascending on sealed roads. Transfer to the Cheetah Conservation on gravel road to learn more about understanding the cheetah's biology and ecology is essential to stabilise the population and manage its sustainability for the future and how farmers work together to maintain the biggest cheetah population in the wild in Africa. Cycle from the CCF on gravel roads passing local farmland for 40km. Total distance: 6 miles / 10km Accommodation: Full Service Camping Meals: Breakfast & Dinner       

Day 12: Otjiwarongo to Waterberg National Park. A short transfer to a sealed road outside the Waterberg. Flat sealed road cycling for 10km and then 10km dirt road to the Waterberg National Park with its red sandstone table mountain formation with various game species. In the afternoon you can walk up the Plateau and relax at the pool. Total distance: 6 miles / 10km Accommodation: Standard Hotel Meals: Breakfast

Day 13: Waterberg to Windhoek. After a relaxing start, the tour will head back to the capitol of Windhoek, stopping at the handcraft market in Okahandja. TOUR ENDS                                                                                 

Key Details:

• This is a 13 day, 12 night itinerary
• This tour starts and ends in Windhoek
• The total distance of this cycling tour is approximately 136 miles / 220km

There are lots of exciting things to do and see during your cycling tour in Namibia:

• Truly African wildlife and nature including elephants and cheetahs
• Stunning Desert Scenery
• Shopping in Swakopmund
• Namib Naukluft Park
• The Moon Landscape

By Air:

Flights are available to the Hosea Kutako International Airport.