
Namibia is an adventure seeker’s delight, aptly described by the country’s national anthem, ‘Land of the Brave’. Our guided adventure bike tour of…
Namibia is an adventure seeker’s delight, aptly described by the country’s national anthem, ‘Land of the Brave’.
Our guided adventure bike tour of Namibia takes in the vast Skeleton Coast and its unforgiving landscape littered with whale carcasses and shipwrecks. We’ll ride alongside towering coastal sand dunes that merge into a dry stoney interior decorated with monumental geological formations. We’ll cross rivers that act as an oasis and refuge for wildlife in the otherwise parched environment. These are sublime days of riding, capped with magical red sunsets.
Namibia is one of those few places that offer real wilderness and seclusion with an amazing infusion of desert, wildlife and culture. If you want to get as far away from the hustle and bustle of modern life, this Namibian motorcycle tour is for you… this is pure adventure!
The first day of the tour starts with your arrival at Hosea Kutako International Airport. You’ll be met from the plane and transferred directly to your game lodge outside of the city… What better way to start your adventure in Africa!
Once you’ve checked in, it’s a chance to relax in the pool and enjoy the view. In the afternoon we’ll get all the riders together to meet the team and give you a full briefing of the exciting adventure ahead.
We’ll enjoy a welcome dinner at the lodge and a few drinks around a roaring fire.
Please note that the contract for the motorcycle rental is between you and the motorcycle rental company, not Ride Expeditions. The motorcycles have an insurance excess of approx £1000 – £1800 (depending on the model) and the rental company will require this amount to either be paid as a deposit or held on your card as a security against damage/loss. Please contact us if you require any further information.
The first day of the Namibian riding adventure begins with a thrilling roller coaster-like road through the Khomas Highlands, descending into the Namib desert. The immense landscape of endless distant hills and fleeting wildlife will undoubtedly impress.
The afternoon’s ride takes us to the Skeleton Coast, where enormous sand dunes merge with the beach. We finish the day by rolling into our private beach front villa… As first days go, this one knocks it out of the park!
We ride the big adventure bikes north, passing through the quaint coastal town of Swakopmund with its fascinating German colonial heritage. The ride along the coast will pass a recent shipwreck and one of the largest seal colonies on the African coast. We then kiss the coast goodbye and head inland for the sweltering rock strewn plains of the desolate Dorob National Park. This is proper desert country where the only vegetation is the bewitching Welwitschia settling its roots in the rocky and arid landscape.
Embrace the desert warmth as we ride around Namibia’s largest Massif, the descriptively named Brandberg (burnt mountain). The solitude of these remote roads hold as much appeal as the beautiful vistas and give you a sense of a true expedition.
Passing through the stunning landscapes of Damaraland, we’ll watch the miles tick over as we pass small African villages, wildlife farms and conservation lands where we’ll have to keep our eyes peeled for local herdsmen walking with their goats and cattle. Large wildlife also roams free… you could spot anything from ostrich to zebra, elephants to giraffes. This is also lion and leopard country so you wouldn’t wanted to get stranded out here on your own!
Another great day of adventure bike riding is in store for us as the journey continues north all the way to the border with Angola. We enter the mystical Kaokoland famously inhabited by the Himba people.
After a thrilling day on the bike we descend into the Kunene valley where the river offers respite from the parched lands through which we have travelled.
You are in for a well deserved break on the banks of the tropical Kunene River. With an idyllic setting under large shady trees, it’s the perfect spot to put your feet up and chill out with a Windhoek Lager in hand.
For those not content with just letting the hours pass by, in usual African tradition there are a number of activities to keep you entertained. Adrenaline junkies can opt for white river rafting on the rapids while the lodge also offers canoeing, cultural tours and bird watching excursions.
Just in case you weren’t relaxed enough we’ll take you on a beautiful sunset boat trip – there’s no better way to end a perfect day in Africa.
The morning ride to Epupa Falls offers incredible riding along the Kunene River. The road meanders up and down with great views of the river and a few dry (and not-so-dry) river bed crossings.
We’ll stop to admire the falls… bet you’ve never seen a baobab tree growing in the middle of a waterfall? As we turn south this rollercoaster road will take us past some traditional Himba villages in the midst of Kaokoland all the way to Opuwo. This is proper Africa!
Today’s ride takes us back into the Damaraland for a uniquely Namibian safari. We spend the morning riding through more incredible desert scenery towards the tiny oasis-like lodge of Palmwag where we’ll have lunch and spend the afternoon trying to get a glimpse of the desert elephant and rare black rhinoceros.
We start the day riding through the sparsely populated Damaraland, a region famous for its intriguing geological formations and free-roaming wildlife.
In the afternoon we take the back country roads to the Erongo mountains with vistas that never fail to impress.
Although this is the last day of riding, it offers some of the best big adventure bike roads on the planet.
We ride out of the Erongo Mountains along a scenic route littered with enormous granite hills before the final stretch towards Windhoek takes us back through the Khomas highlands. This road is hard to beat with its fast sweepers and the countless hills – you will appreciate the power of big adventure bikes on this gravel section. Just watch out for the kudu.
You will be in for a treat on the final night reminiscing over your adventures in an exquisite safari lodge.
The riding may be done but that doesn’t necessarily mean your trip has to come to an end. You may want to go on safari to Etosha National Park or explore other attractions in the region.
If you have enough time you can enjoy a morning game drive before being transferred to the airport or into Windhoek.
If you like the idea of continuing the adventure to ride the bikes all the way down to Cape Town, get in touch and we can talk you through some options!
One thing’s for sure… you will now be totally in love with this incredible country!
Twin-share accommodation is included as standard – see ‘Optional Extras’ below for single room availability and pricing.
Please see the daily itinerary details for more info on each nights accommodation.
The accommodation on this motorcycle tour is sure to impress! From private beachfront villas to luxury lodges and safari tents under the stars. There’s a huge variety and they’re all unique in their own way. We might stay in some incredibly remote places, but we certainly won’t be slumming it!
You’ll be collected from Hosea Kutako International Airport (WDH) on the morning of the first day (You are of course welcome to arrive a day or two earlier, but there will be an extra cost for airport pickup).
At the end of the trip we will arrange transfers from our final hotel back to Hosea Kutako International Airport (WDH).
Your tour will be led and managed by a highly experienced member of the Ride Expeditions team (trained as a wilderness first response medic).
Ride Expeditions Ltd is committed to customer satisfaction and consumer financial protection. At no extra cost to you, and in accordance with ‘The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018’, all passengers booking with Ride Expeditions Ltd are fully insured for the initial deposit, and subsequently the balance of monies paid as detailed in your booking confirmation form.
The policy also includes repatriation if required, arising from the cancellation or curtailment of your travel arrangements due to the insolvency of Ride Expeditions Ltd. This insurance has been arranged by Towergate Travel through Evolution Insurance.
During the COVID-19 crisis, every rider that requested a refund was issued a cash refund.
All fuel for your motorcycle is provided by us and we carry spare fuel in our support vehicle for the sections of the route where fuel stations are scarce.
This motorcycle tour is accompanied by a GPS tracker that displays our live location and track history on an online map. We will provide you with the link and login details which you can then share with your family at home so they can track your progress throughout the trip.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner is provided on most days.
Please see the daily itinerary to see what meals are included on each day.
At least one member of the support team will have been trained as a Wilderness First Response medic.
An extensive medical kit including a defibrillator (AED) & stretcher is carried in the support vehicle.
We also have consulting doctors on call, 24/7, who are always ready to assist in the case of an emergency. Our doctors are fully briefed on all riders medical info prior to the tour, they know what we do, where we are riding, exactly what we have in our medical kit and what training our medics have.
Tours are accompanied by GPS trackers and a satellite messenger device so our doctor and office can see exactly where we are and can maintain communication.
If you have you your own suitable & reliable motorcycle at the start point, you are quite welcome to use that for this trip. If not, we will provide a rental motorcycle for you… Please see the Dates & Prices section for available bikes.
INCLUDED WITH THE RENTAL:
We organise your motorcycle rental with our preferred rental provider in South Africa. Your contract for the motorcycle rental is direct with the provider and you’ll be required to sign their contract when receiving your motorcycle. You must comply with the terms & conditions of the rental provider. Upon request, we can provide you with a copy of these terms & conditions in advance.
Since the day Ride Expeditions started running tours in Cambodia back in 2012, we have been dedicated to supporting the local community.
Part profits from every motorcycle tour are donated to M’Lop Tapang – a local Cambodian charity dedicated to bettering the lives of young children & their families.
A Ride Expeditions riding jersey with your name printed on the back.
Playing our part in rainforest & wildlife conservation and in an effort to off-set our carbon emissions, we donate part profits to World Land Trust.
This motorcycle tour of Namibia is accompanied by a large support vehicle, equipped to carry your luggage, an extensive medical kit + stretcher + defibrillator (AED), drinking water, snacks, tools, spare parts and a satellite messaging device. It is also capable of carrying a motorcycle & passengers in the event of a breakdown / emergency.
We’ll welcome you with a bag of Ride Expeditions goodies which will include:
You’ll need to book flights to arrive in Hosea Kutako International Airport (WDH) on or before the morning of Day 1 of this trip. You will then fly out of the same airport on the last day of the trip.
It is important you either:
Please be aware that you will be responsible for all damage caused to your motorcycle. Comprehensive motorcycle insurance is included with the motorcycle rental and the insurance excess is approximately £1000 – £1,500. Please note that this amount will either be 'held' on your card or paid as a deposit.
It is a condition of booking that you obtain appropriate travel insurance that covers you for riding the same capacity motorcycle that you’ll be riding on this motorcycle tour.
The insurance must cover emergency evacuation, medical bills, repatriation etc.
Adventure style kit with decent ventilation is the way to go on this motorcycle tour, rather than enduro or road leathers. So that means a good helmet, protective riding jacket and trousers, ideally with CE or equivalent approved armour on the pointy bits – elbows, knees and shoulders.
You are also going to need good riding gloves, a neck tube and a sturdy pair of motorcycle boots.
Please bring waterproofs if your kit doesn’t keep out the wet stuff.
Single room accommodation is available for every night of the trip.
ATMS are scarce. They are available in the larger towns but we recommend you bring along a little bit of cash just in case. Most bars will accept card payments and there’s not too much else you’ll need to pay for.
Don’t forget to tell your bank you are heading to Namibia, as without this information they will most likely think some rogue hacker is dipping into your account and promptly block your card.
There are only two mobile service providers in Namibia: MTC and TN Mobile. The prices are similar but MTC has better coverage.
You’ll need to get a sim on arrival at the airport as we won’t spend much time at the shops on this tour! MTC has a store in the small arrivals hall at Windhoek airport, on your left as you exit.
Namibia is more developed than most first time visitors will anticipate, so the idea of vegetarian menus is not new. Most of the places we stay at will cater for a meat-free meal, but vegan and other allergy / gluten intolerant options may not be available.
We’ll do our best to work around any specific requirements, but if you are going to go into anaphylactic shock if a peanut looks at you, please let us know and have a fully loaded epi-pen somewhere readily accessible…
Drop us an email and we can discuss any concerns you may have.
This depends where you are from originally, but visitors from the UK, USA and Australia can enter the country for up to 90 days without any visa or additional costs (please double check this before travelling as countries frequently change their policies).
Follow this link for Namibian entry requirements. This link to the UK foreign office website – if you are not a UK resident, please search for the equivalent info from your home country’s foreign office.
Visa costs, if applicable, are not included in the tour price.
To secure your place we simply need a 20% non-refundable deposit (subject to a minimum of £500). The remainder does not need to be paid until 60 days prior to the tour start date.
As this is a largely inclusive tour, you won’t need much. You will only need money for the items not listed as inclusions, which is mainly just alcohol and any other personal spending. Unless you go mad in the bars, around £100-200 should be adequate.
Yes. Here at Ride Expeditions, we take the necessary precautions to ensure that we protect both ourselves and you as the customer, with insurances covering financial failure, public liability, professional indemnity and employers liability (you will need your own travel insurance).
To obtain this insurance we must meet strict safety standards and local regulations. We must also carry out thorough risk assessments about all aspects of a tour before tyres can hit tarmac (…or dirt!).
Yes. All passengers booking with Ride Expeditions Ltd are fully insured for the initial deposit, and subsequently the balance of monies paid as detailed in your booking confirmation form. The policy also includes repatriation if required, arising from the cancellation or curtailment of your travel arrangements due to the insolvency of Ride Expeditions Ltd. This insurance has been arranged by Towergate Travel through Evolution Insurance.
Not riding the motorcycle, no (although this will of course depend on the extent of your limited mobility). However, we may be able to accommodate you in our support vehicle. We advise you to give us a call and we can discuss.
Yes, but not every night – it would be safe to assume that you will only have it for 70% for the duration of the ride.
For the most accurate and up to date info, we advise you visit the ‘Travel Health Pro’ website.
Please also consult with your own doctor at home at least 8 weeks before your trip.
To be legally riding in Namibia you are required to carry your local driving licence, which must cover the size of bike you will be riding. This will also be a stipulation of any travel insurance company too.
You will also need an International Driving Permit (IDP). An IDP is basically an official, multi-language translation of your driving licence.
Average group sizes are 8-9 riders and we limit the groups to 12 riders.
If you cancel your booking before departure, cancellation charges will be applied as follows:
Please refer to our Terms & Conditions for further info regarding cancellations, changes and transferring your trip to a friend.
For the most accurate and up to date info on travel advice for Namibia, we advise you to visit the foreign office website.
Follow this link for Namibian advice from the UK foreign office. As we are a UK company, this is the official government advice we follow. If you are not a UK resident, we advise you search for the equivalent info from your own country’s foreign office, as travel advice may differ.
Ideally, we want confident and experienced riders on our motorcycle tours, so for this reason we want you to have at least two years active riding experience.
We will send a pre-booking form to gauge the level of your riding experience and help us determine whether or not this motorcycle tour is suitable for you.
Following on from this, as this tour is both on and off-road on adventure bikes, it is more than preferable if you have had a good amount of adventure riding experience before booking up. Should you have any doubts, give our tour leaders a call or email and we can talk through any queries you may have.
Hopefully warm and sunny for the whole tour, so be sure to pack the sunscreen and Ray Bans. Average temperatures during our preferred tour months will be 20-30°c. Occasionally the coast gets fog resulting in cooler weather. The desert nights can also become quite chilly, so bring warm layers in case. Rain is unlikely, but it’s always a good idea to prepare for the worst!
The minimum required number for this trip to run is 6 riders. We reserve the right to cancel the tour if this number is not met and we will provide you with a minimum of 56 days notice. Please know that this is an absolute last resort for us and we will always do everything in our power to avoid this happening.
We accept GBP payments by Visa, Mastercard & American Express and direct bank transfers. Please get in touch if you would rather pay in another currency – we’ll do our best to accommodate!
For Namibia there are two associated plug types, types D and M. Plug type D is the plug which has three round pins in a triangular pattern and plug type M is the plug which has three round pins.