Our Destinations
Why travelling with Randocheval ?
NAMIBIA : DAMARA ELEPHANT RIDE ...
Guiding - Accommodation - Dates and rates - More infos / booking
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This is a truly exceptional ride – where else could you see elephant and rhino in a desert habitat? You’ll be surprised at how they have adapted to this harsh environment. Largely inaccessible, Damaraland is a spectacular part of Namibia. Amazing colours and vast open spaces that will blow your mind, ancient craters and remnants of prehistoric times, not to mention the forbidding Skeleton Coast. We could encounter elephant, rhino, cheetah and plains game, or be caught by rivers in flood, all of which combines in a remarkable and unforgettable adventure. |
ITINERARY
Day 1
Meeting to Windhoek International airport on your arrival and transfer to a specific B&B in Windhoek. Here we will meet the rest of the riding group for dinner. The team will brief you about the ride. Overnight in Windhoek.
Day 2
After an early breakfast, the journey starts with a 7 hours transfer, lunch en route, to a camp near Twyfelfontein. Here we will meet the horsses and crew, and go on a sunset ride if time permits.
Day 3
We will set off on a morning ride to familiarise with our 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 engraving 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 the 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 an 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, a long canter brings us to the mount of a very narrow gorge, past Soutfontein (Salt Fountain) to arrive at the Rhino camp near Brandberg West. This is a community run campsite to collect funds for the Save the Rhino project. It's 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 frequented by elephants. We then leave the Ugab River and ride up the deserted gorge. Whichever, 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 marvelous cantering and have lunch at the Quarry. The afternoon is a long ride across the stony plains towards the coast. We arrive at camp for a farewell dinner and night.
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 day 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 International airport after breakfast (5-6 hours transfer). Earliest possible flight departure time is 3pm.
Note : Itinerary routes and accommodation are subject to change, due to circumstances unforeseen and beyond our control.
EXTEND YOUR TRIP
DISCOVER NAMIBIA AFTER YOUR RIDING SAFARI
Take advantage of your stay in Namibia to visit the country : the Kalahari desert, the red sand dunes of Sossusvlei... We can organize all the logistic: hired car, hotels or lodges reservation on a half board or breakfast basis, etc. We suggest you below 2 different samples of itinerary. For any other quotation, please contact us.
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Discover the gigantic red dunes of Sossusvlei (2 nights in Lodge near the dunes) and the coastal city of Swakopmund (1 night in 2* hotel). Your rental car will be delivered directly to our ranch and you'll give the car back to the airport before departure. Consult us for the detailed program. |
Included :
- rental car (Toyota Corolla type) based on 2 people sharing with super cover insurance,
- 3 nights in double room basis with breakfast,
- all necessary travel documents.
To add :
- fuel,
- meals not included (lunches and dinners),
- tips and personal expenses,
- eventual upgrade in accommodation or rental car (4x4) if required,
- insurance.
Departure all year long on request. Consult rates below.
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A great summary of Namibia : Etosha National Park (2 nights), Damaraland (1 night), Twyfelfontein (1 night), Swakopmund (2 nights), Starting point to Walvis Bay or a flight over the Sossusvlei dunes. Your rental car will be delivered directly to our ranch and you'll give the car back to the airport before departure. Consult us for the detailed program. |
Included :
- rental car (Toyota Corolla type) based on 2 people sharing with super cover insurance,
- 6 nights in double room basis with breakfast, and dinner on day 3,
- all necessary travel documents.
To add :
- fuel,
- meals not included (lunches and dinners except dinner on day 3),
- tips and personal expenses,
- eventual upgrade in accommodation or rental car (4x4) if required,
- insurance.
Departure all year long on request. Consult rates below.
Please also note it's possible to combine this ride with another short ride to another part of Namibia.
Consult our horseback short rides.
HORSES AND REQUIRED RIDING LEVEL
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Horses No, we do not breed horses – we collect them. Sixteen years ago we started with six horses. Now we keep average 50 riding horses. They are horses of different breeds, each of them a very dear, reliable companion: most are crossbred from Arabs, Hanoverian, Trakehner, Lipizzaner, Haflinger and all types of ranch horses. On average they are medium-sized and since all of them were raised outdoors, without a stable, on the rough terrain in the bush, they are swift as well as surefooted. Some have participated in show jumping and dressage, others in endurance riding, but the majority are just plain happy trail horses. |
Tack
Saddles are either of the lightweight Western variety or a tailor-made combination of a Western and a stock saddle, specially designed for our horses’ backs as well as our own needs. All saddles come with saddlebags. We have a tack maker in our employ and make most of the tack ourselves. Bridles are either fitted with snaffles or are totally without bit.
Recommended riding experience
You should be an experienced rider confident at all gaits. You’ll ride from 20 to 50 km a day (4 to 6 hours on horseback).
The guide is responsible for your safety, therefore he can ask you not to ride if your riding level is not sufficient for this ride.
Weight limit : 92kg dressed in your riding gear (fit riders over 85kg, please enquire re-surcharges for additional horse : +300 €)
Children over 12 year old accompanied with their parents are accepted but they must be very experienced pony riders.
YOUR GUIDES
2 or 3 riding guides, depending on group size. We all are experienced guides. We guarantee to ensure an optimal and a safe discovery of the African wildlife. The ride may be adjusted due to changes in temperature or other reasons.
A back-up vehicle will carry all luggage, camps, food every day.
ACCOMMODATION
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Accommodation You'll be accommodating during the first and last night in comfortable hotels (category : guesthouse with twin rooms en suite) and the 8 other nights will be spend in camps. All the camping equipment is provided (tent, mattress and stretcher, pillow). We will ask you to take your own sleeping bag, or you can rent it directly at 20 euros extra cost for the all trail. Riders who don't want to share their accommodation with another rider have the possibility to book at extra cost a single room/tent.
Meals All drinks are included except the extra drinks you can have the opportunity to buy to the guesthouses. If required, we can cater vegetarian meals. Please advice us before departure. |
DATES AND RATES
| 2012 | ||
| May 17 to 27 | 4050 € |
available |
| June 28 to July 08 | 4050 € |
available |
- Single room supplement : + 220 €
(Supplement does not apply if you are prepared for sharing, even if we do not find another rider for sharing your accommodation)
Flights to Windhoek
Please contact us to check the best
available rates from your country.
RATE INCLUDING
- the trail ride and a guide's services,
- the 10 nights accommodation (8 nights camp + 2 nights guesthouse) based on 2 people sharing,
- full board,
- all drinks, except those you can have the opportunity to buy to the guesthouses,
- transfers from and toward Windhoek,
- the financial guarantee of the deposits you send to Randocheval.
RATE NOT INCLUDING
- flights to Windhoek, please contact
us to check the best available rate from your departure country,
- the organisation of a possible tour through the region before or after
the trail ride,
- extra drinks to the guesthouses,
- lunches on day 1 and 9,
- single room supplement,
- optional activities,
- any other service,
- tips (we recommend 8-10€ per day per guest),
- insurance : multiple-risk (cancellation, luggage, repatriation) : More information.
| SOSSUSVLEI 4d/3n 2012 - based on 2 people sharing | ||
| From November 01, 2011 to March 31, 2012 | 380 € |
on request |
| From April 01 to June 30 | 400 € |
on request |
| From July 01 to October 31 | 455 € |
on request |
| Single supplement | consult us |
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What is included, what's not?
| GREAT TOUR 7d/6n 2012 - based on 2 people sharing | ||
| From November 01, 2011 to March 31, 2012 | 820 € |
on request |
| From April 01 to June 30 | 840 € |
on request |
| From July 01 to October 31 | 1010 € |
on request |
| Single supplement | consult us |
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What is included, what's not?
Please contact us for any other quotation.
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BOOKING - INFORMATION
Please, contact us for any enquiry!
PRACTICAL INFORMATIONS
COUNTRY
Namibia
LENGTH
11 days / 10 nights / 9 days on horseback
LANGUAGE
English, Spanish, Afrikaans
GROUP SIZE
1 to 15 riders maximum
ACCESS
Windhoek airport.
Arrival time on day 1 before 6pm
Departure on day 11 after 3pm.
CLIMATE
There are two relatively short rainy seasons, the shorter occurs between October and December, while the main stormy period occurs between January and April. The storms are brief and spectacular. Forked lightening illuminates the dark thunderclouds while the rain refreshes the air and soaks down the dust.
The climate is ideal for riding which is exceptional in Africa.
Formalities
Please check with your local embassy.
Vaccination - health
No specific vaccinations. Don't forget your repatriation insurance.
We recommend to be update of usual vaccination, and especially tetanus..
A treatment against Malaria is also recommended. Please contact a doctor before departure.
REFERENCE :
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