Wild Horses Safari

Arrive at Windhoek International Airport. A shuttle service will collect you from the airport to River Crossing Lodge where you’ll spend your first night. Meet your fellow riders and guide Andrew Gillies for sundowners and dinner. Andrew will give you a briefing about your adventure.

After breakfast on day 2, you’ll travel for about five hours to the charming hamlet of Maltahöhe, where lunch awaits. From there, the journey continues with a scenic descent through the Zaris Pass, leading you into the heart of the Tiras Biosphere Reserve. At camp, settle in and explore your surroundings. You’ll meet your support crew and your horse and get a briefing on how to be ‘desert savvy’- essential skills for riding confidently in this remote landscape. As evening falls, enjoy dinner around the campfire and spend your first night under the southern stars, immersed in the stillness of the desert.

On day 3, your riding adventure starts! After breakfast, the ride begins across the wide, open plains of the Tiras Mountains. You’ll ride through dry riverbeds and around towering rock formations, with wide views over the desert. The landscape is largely untouched and the pace varies with the terrain. Open plains invite exhilarating gallops, while rocky or sandy stretches require careful navigation. Along the way, desert-adapted wildlife such as oryx, springbok, zebra and the occasional giraffe can be spotted.

Lunch is taken at scenic spots chosen for shade or a view, allowing time to relax and take in the extraordinary surroundings. Evenings are spent in remote camps, where the sunset paints the Namib in its trademark pastel colours. Gather around the campfire for dinner before retreating to your bedroll for a night under the vast southern stars; a true desert experience with almost no light pollution, revealing the magnificent southern constellations.

As the ride continues, the route takes you across the dune sea: a section of the desert that embodies the Namib in all its stark beauty. On the final days, you will visit the waterhole of the famous Namib Desert wild horses; Africa’s most isolated herd of feral horses. Observing these resilient animals in their natural environment is a highlight of the safari, a testament to survival in one of the harshest landscapes on earth.

On your final day, visit the historic ‘ghost town’ of Kolmanskop, which is slowly being reclaimed by the desert. Wander through the abandoned buildings and see how the shifting sands have transformed this old diamond mining town into a hauntingly beautiful landscape- a photographer’s paradise and a fitting end to your Namib adventure.

Afterwards, transfer to Klein Aus for your final night, enjoying comfort and warmth after days spent in the desert and reflecting on an unforgettable journey across the heart of the Namib.

After breakfast, you’ll be transferred to Windhoek for your departing flight (after 15:00). The drive takes seven hours, offering one last chance to soak in the Namibian landscapes as they roll past. If your schedule allows, consider extending your stay to explore more of Namibia’s wonders- wander among the dunes of Sossusvlei, encounter the incredible wildlife of Etosha National Park or continue your journey south to South Africa or Botswana for even more adventure.