The Desert Homestead is wonderfully located in the Namib-Naukluft Park. From here you are well-placed to explore both the open plains which include the Sesriem Canyon and also Sossusvlei where you will find the famous red sand dunes. At the Desert Homestead the itinerary tries to be as flexible as possible allowing you to ride on some days and others days to explore on foot.
Area:
Namib Naukluft Park
Length:
average stay of 7 nights
Level:
All riding levels; 3 - 5 hrs riding per day
Price:
From £1,050 per person (excluding flights)
Highlights:
Long canters in the desert
The horses at Desert Homestead average about 15.2 hh and are mainly Namibian warmbloods, Boerperds and Arab crosses. They are well-schooled, forward-going and are fit to be ridden for between 7 – 9 hours a day under the saddle.
The Desert Homestead can accommodate all levels of rider. You will ride through wide open terrain. From or near to the lodge you should hopefully see oryx, springbok, ostrich, steenbok and sometimes hyena, aardwolf and other desert-adapted game, but the riding is about the scenery and wide open plains that translate into long canters on loose reins.
At the sister property, Grootberg Lodge (in Damaraland, much further north) you can stay in one of 12 lovely chalets. Experienced riders are welcomed here and have the extraordinary opportunity to track desert elephant and black rhino.
At Grootberg Lodge you may hopefully see elephant, black rhino, giraffe, oryx, and mountain zebra . There may also be the chance to meet the Damara people and contribute to community development and conservation as this lodge is community-owned.
Non-riders are welcome at both lodges.
For both lodges we would recommend an average of 6 nights which include sleepouts and trips to local sights of interest like Sossusvlei, Naukluft, Black rhino tracking and Himba excursions. There is also the option of combining the two lodges, with a couple of days at each lodge and either flying between the two or being transferred by road with the option of a stop over in Swakopmund, but the distances are far.
Sample Ride Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive Desert Homestead in the afternoon / lunch time. Late afternoon guests enjoy a scenic sundowner ride. Dinner is alfresco on the homestead's veranda.
Day 2: An early start to the day. Scrumptious home baked rusks with coffee, and guests are off to Sossusvlei in the air-conditioned Condor 4x4. They return for a light lunch around midday, and then they're off duty until a bit later in the afternoon. Guests meet in the late afternoon for tea and coffee, and then depart for the first leg of their horseback sleep-out safari. The backup crews set up the camp, which the guests stumble upon in time for sundowners. Dinner is cooked on an open fire, either a traditional potjie or a barbecue. Dinner under the stars in the desert is an unforgettable experience.
Day 3: The day starts as and when the guests wake up. Guests enjoy freshly brewed coffee and breakfast cooked on the fire, after which they set off on the first stage of the riding for the day. At about mid morning they stop for tea and the horses are fed and watered. Hammocks are strung between trees and guests are off duty again until the late afternoon. A picnic lunch is enjoyed with chilled white wine. After tea and coffee and cake, guests set off for stage two of the days riding, eventually ending up at their new camp for the evening. Dinner once again under the stars
Day 4: The next morning after the usual delicious breakfast. Guests make their way back to the stables. Get back to the lodge around mid morning and enjoy a light lunch on the veranda. That afternoon they are accompanied by a guide and taken on a nature drive on the property, which includes a short walk at the end of the drive up to the highest viewpoint in the area, for a 360 degree view of the area. A good night's rest in their chalet follows a three-course dinner at the lodge with some fine wines.
Day 5: Guests enjoy a leisurely breakfast, after which they depart for the gorgeous rock pools, which are found in the Naukluft National Park. With a picnic lunch and some cold drinks in tow, a relaxing time is spent in the park, with guests returning in the late afternoon.
Day 6: Guests depart after breakfast.
One Night Sleepout
The one night sleepout involves the program as described after tea/coffee on Day 2, with guests arriving back at the stables after their breakfast and morning riding session of Day 3.
Intermediate
