Horse holidays abroad · Namibia
Horse Riding in Namibia: the Namib Desert, Damaraland and the Skeleton Coast
Horse riding in Namibia means a point-to-point trail of nine or ten nights, riding up to 300km from the inland desert to the Atlantic coast and camping most nights on the way.
- Best monthsMar to Nov
- Level
Experienced to expert - Typical trip9 or 10 nights
- Price guide
Premium
At a glance
What does a riding holiday in Namibia involve?
- Best monthsMarch to November; May to October is the heart of the season
- Riding level
Experienced, secure at walk, trot, canter and gallop - Hours in the saddle4 to 8 hours a day, 20 to 50km
- Typical trip9 or 10 nights, with 7 or 8 riding days
- Weight limit85kg in riding clothes; up to 93-95kg with a supplement
- Group sizeUp to 12 riders
- HorsesArab crosses, Trakehners, Boerperds and Namibian warmbloods, 14.2hh to 16hh
- TackEnglish or endurance saddles
- AccommodationLodge on the first and last nights, camping in between
- Price guide
Premium for this kind of holiday, per person, before flights
The riding
What is horse riding in Namibia like?
Horse riding in Namibia is a trail ride from one place to another: you start inland, ride towards the coast, and sleep each night in a camp that the support team has driven ahead and set up.
The ground changes every day, from gravel plains and rocky canyons to dry river beds, grass after a wet year, and finally dunes and beach. The operators quote 20 to 50km a day, with long canters where the footing allows.
On most routes you groom, check and tack up your own horse each morning, in a group of no more than 12 riders with a guide in front and a vehicle following by road.
The wildlife is desert wildlife. Damaraland has desert-adapted elephant and rhino, the trails pass oryx, springbok, zebra and giraffe, and the Skeleton Coast adds seal colonies and shipwrecks.
Namib Desert
Damara Elephant
Skeleton Coast
Wild Horses
When to go
When is the best time to ride in Namibia?
The best time to ride in Namibia is the cooler dry season from March to November, and each route runs on only a few dates in that window. May to October is the heart of the season and when the Damaraland rides run.
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Days are warm to hot and nights are cold, and in June and July a frost at dawn is possible in the desert. December to February is too hot for these trails, and none of the operators run them then.
Your level
What riding level do you need for Namibia?
You need to be an experienced rider, balanced and secure at every pace including a gallop in open country, which is the standard every operator asks for.
Novice
Intermediate
Experienced
It suits you if
- You ride several times a week and are fit enough for long days
- You are happy to groom and tack up your own horse every morning
- You are comfortable camping, with a bucket shower and a camp bed
It is not for you if
- You are still learning to canter in open country
- You weigh more than 95kg in your riding clothes
- You want a lodge with a pool at the end of every day
You also need the fitness to ride for up to eight hours and then do it again the next day for a week. The weight limit is 85kg in riding clothes, with a second horse or a supplement for riders up to 93 to 95kg on some routes. Some operators set a minimum age of 14.
The horses
What are the horses and tack like in Namibia?
Arab crosses for stamina in the heat, Trakehners and Namibian warmbloods for scope, and Boerperds for hardiness and sure feet, with Haflinger and Lipizzaner crosses on some routes. Most stand between 14.2hh and 16hh.
The horses cover the same country every season and are very fit. They are ridden forward in English or endurance saddles, which suits a rider with an independent seat.
Where you stay
Where do you stay on a riding holiday in Namibia?
You stay in a lodge on the first and last nights and camp in between. The camps are basic: camp beds or swags and a bucket shower, and on clear nights you can sleep under the stars. Groups are small, so the camp stays quiet.
The cost
How much does a riding holiday in Namibia cost?
A riding holiday in Namibia is a premium price, as expeditions are, for nine or ten nights before flights. The price covers the horses, guides, camps, meals and transfers on the route.
Skeleton Coast trail
Price guide
Premium
Namib Desert crossing
Price guide
Premium
Damaraland elephant trail
Price guide
Premium
Rides we can arrange
Which rides do we recommend in Namibia?
We know horses, and we know the people who run these rides. Tell us how you ride and where you want to go, and we will put you with the right one.
Namib Desert trail
Around 300km from near Solitaire to Swakopmund on the coast, through open plains, rocky canyons and the Swakop River basin.
Damaraland elephant trail
Damaraland on horseback, with desert-adapted elephant, rhino, springbok and oryx, finishing at the Skeleton Coast.
Skeleton Coast trail
Nearly 300km at 20 to 50km a day towards the Skeleton Coast, on Arab, Haflinger, Lipizzaner and Trakehner crosses. Minimum age 14.
Wild Horses route
A route south towards the feral desert horses near Aus, for riders who have already completed a Namibian trail. Groups run to no more than 12, and every rider grooms and tacks up their own horse each morning.
Common questions
Namibia riding questions
How hard is a horse riding trail in Namibia?
It is one of the hardest riding holidays anywhere: seven or eight riding days of four to eight hours, and 20 to 50km a day in heat and on rough ground.
What is the weight limit for horse riding in Namibia?
The limit is 85kg in riding clothes, and some routes take riders up to 93 to 95kg with a supplement or a second horse agreed in advance.
Can beginners go horse riding in Namibia?
Not on the desert trails, because every route asks for experienced riders who are secure at all paces over long days.
Do you see wildlife on a Namibian riding trail?
Yes. Damaraland has desert-adapted elephant and rhino, the trails pass oryx, springbok, zebra and giraffe across the country, and the Skeleton Coast has seal colonies.
Are there wild horses in Namibia?
Yes, a herd of feral desert horses lives near Aus in the south, and the Wild Horses route rides into that country.
What is the minimum age for a riding trail in Namibia?
Some operators set a minimum age of 14, and others accept younger experienced riders at the discretion of their parents.
Where to go next
Nearby, and next
Tell us how you ride
Tell us your level, your dates and the country you have in mind, and we will point you to the ride that fits.