Chameleon Holidays & Travel for Safaris & Vacations in Africa | Southern Africa | Namibia | Desert Elephant Ride - 9 days

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

2012 Departures
2 May; 17 May; 28 June

2012 Rates 
[valid until 31 October 2012

£3500 per peson sharing
  £160 single supplement

Price includes: riding; accommodation; meals; drinks (excluding those in lodges or restaurants); road transfers to & from Windhoek International Airport as per itinerary;

Price excludes: Personal travel insurance - this is compulsory; drinks and refreshments at all lodges and restaurants; rider’s weight limit strictly 85kg in riding gear. Fit riders over 85kg please  enquire about surcharges for additional horse/s; accommodation not listed on the itinerary. Please enquire; additional activities and packages. Please see itinerary recommendations; tips/gratuities; items of a personal nature; flights; visas

PLEASE NOTE!

Riding pace:
 • 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