kreuz

ITINERARY:


Day 1: Arrive in Windhoek

Guests and bicycles are transferred to a Guest-farm on the outskirts of Windhoek. The day is spent relaxing, assembling the bicycles and testing equipment. A late afternoon acclimatisation ride may be chosen. Accommodation: Guestfarm

Day 2: Windhoek - Spreetshoogte Pass

After a hearty farm breakfast, we travel to Windhoek. Here we have the opportunity to purchase any last minute supplies and if necessary spare bicycle parts. This gives guests the chance to wander the capital city for a few hours. A guided tour of the local township called Katutura, the "black quarter" with Face to Face tours, can be included in the morning Windhoek visit. At noon we travel via the Khomas Hochland Mountains within cycling distance of Spreetshoogte Pass, a spectacular route which takes us from the great escarpment down into the Namib Desert. We cycle more or less up to 4 hours to our campsite Accommodation: Camping

Day 3: Spreetshoogte Pass - Sesriem

After early breakfast we depart on our bikes to Solitaire in the direction of Sossusvlei. Special landscapes, the majestic Naukluft Mountains to our left and awesome red sand dunes of the Namib dune sea to our right. Thereafter we transfer by vehicle to Sesriem campsite near Sossusvlei. Late afternoon cycle to Sesriem Canyon; we explore the interesting geological formations of the Tsauchab River on foot. Cycle duration 4-5hours. Accommodation: Camping

Day 4: Blutkoppe

We leave Sesriem by vehicle and drive through the Namib Desert to the Namib Naukluft Park, West of the Kuiseb Canyon. After a light lunch, we cycle the final 30-40 km through this beautiful desert landscape to Blutkoppe and our campsite for the night. This area is famous for its granite inselbergs and boulders. The interesting flora includes the Aloe Dichotoma, the Quiver Tree, of which there are many specimens in the area. Cycle duration 4 hours. Accommodation: Camping

Day 5: Swakopmund

We enjoy a morning cycle on a trail that takes us through a boulder strewn area and through the grassy plains of the pre-Namib. It is a scenic route and we have a good chance of viewing ostriches, springbok, Oryx antelope, lappet-faced vultures, black-backed jackal, mountain zebra and other desert adapted animals After lunch we depart through the Namib Desert to Swakopmund at the coast. On arrival at Swakopmund, we book into our comfortable Guesthouse in Swakop and look forward to some great seafood. Cycle duration 4 hours. Accommodation: Guesthouse

Day 6: Swakopmund

After breakfast, we depart to Walvis Bay and undertake an adventurous morning kayak trip on the Atlantic Ocean. A great and safe outdoor experience, seals, pelicans, two different species of dolphin and a variety of different sea birds. On return to Swakopmund we have an afternoon to enjoy this historically interesting town with some really great shops, museum and various other adventure activities to choose from Accommodation: Guest House

Day 7: Spitzkoppe

We transfer by vehicle to the edge of the Swakop Canyon and the Moon Landscape, unique to this area. We cycle through the side canyons of the Swakop River viewing unique flora and fauna to Goanikontes Oasis in the Swakop River for a light lunch. Thereafter we transfer by vehicle to the Spitzkoppe area and cycle the last 20 km to our campsite at the foot of this beautiful solid granite inselberg, known as the 'Matterhorn' of Namibia. Cycle duration 5 hours. Accommodation: Camping

Day 8: Save the Rhino Camp, Ugab River, Brandberg

The Spitzkoppe Inselberg and surrounding granite mountains are unique to the central Namib Desert. One could spend a few days here, exploring, climbing, studying the interesting flora and cycling. We enjoy an early breakfast in the shadow of the Spitzkoppe then transfer to Bushman's Paradise. After an easy climb we discover a small valley that was used by the hunter gatherers of previous times as a winter hideout. We walk this beautiful area for 2 hours, and then transfer by vehicle to the so called "Welwitschia Highway" along the base of the highest mountain in Namibia, the Brandberg. The area is again totally different geologically to all we have experienced before. Wide open spaces and table top mountains from the Karoo times dot the landscape in our path. Many Welwitschia plants line the sides of the gravel road we travel on and we take this opportunity to study them closely. We should also see various antelope and other wildlife on this part of our journey. We finally wind our way through the hostile side canyons of the Ugab River, to reach our sheltered campsite at the Save the Rhino base camp. Cycle duration 4-5 hours. Accommodation: Camping

Day 9: Gai-Ais Fountain and Petrified dunes, Damaraland

After breakfast, we cycle the surprisingly hard surface of the dry Ugab riverbed, to arrive for a tough ride up into the rocky side canyons of the Ugab River. The morning ride is challenging and can be considered a real off-road mountain bike experience. Old roads of abandoned tin mines in the area make it possible for us to explore an otherwise impossible to visit landscape. We may be lucky to see the famous desert adapted elephants which move up and down this part of the Ugab River. The area is also famous for the biggest free roaming Black Rhino population in Africa. These very shy animals are difficult to spot as they disappear at the first sign of human activity; we may be lucky however. We return to camp for a lunch and deserved rest, before we attempt the cycle up another side canyon onto the plains above, taking us to our campsite at the base of a petrified dune. The cycle up an ever widening gorge brings us onto higher ground with a lovely view of the Brandberg Mountain and the table top hills of the ancient dune landscape. Cycle duration 4-5 hours. Accommodation: Camping

Day 10: Twyfelfontein

The cycles start from our special campsite with its views of the Ugab valleys and the Brandberg Mountain in the distance. It is likely that we have not seen any other people for the past few days in our own cycling paradise. Our cycle takes us on a scenic and adventurous cycle past the Doros Crater onwards to Twyfelfontein and its famous Bushman engravings. Our path brings us upon an ancient Petrified Forest site, a place where trees from a far away forest were brought to with a great rush of water and have turned into stone over the past millions of years. We should again see a variety of wild animals, including giraffe and possibly even hyena and cheetah on our cycle past the Doros Crater. The final last stretch includes some challenging up and down hill riding, all manageable if approached with caution. Cycle duration 4-5 hours. Accommodation: Lodge

Day 11 & 12: Etosha National Park

We enjoy a morning cycle to the famous rock engravings at Twyfelfontein and the geologically interesting "burnt mountain" and "organ pipes".We then transfer by vehicle via the Petrified Forest to the Etosha National Park.We spend a late afternoon and a full day doing our own safari through this famous park and its wide variety of wildlife. Etosha is one of the most special game parks in Southern Africa and is over 22000 Sq Km in size. Etosha means "great white place" and refers to the huge 5000 Sq Km salt pan that gives its name to the park. The park is teeming with different animal species, including lion, rhino and elephants. The landscape is also very special and different to what we have experienced on our tour thus far. No visit to Namibia is complete without spending two days in Etosha. We overnight in comfortable bungalows. Okaukuejo is famous for its floodlit waterhole with it's variety of game species quenching their thirst after long hours in the sun. Cycle duration 2 hours. Accommodation: Bungalows

Day 13: Waterberg

Today we cycle about 40km. The first time at 20km asphalt! Then 20km trail until we reach our camp at Waterberg. In the afternoon we walk for a sundowner at the Waterberg Plateau.
Bike Duration: 3-4 hours
Overnight: Camping

Day 14: Return to Windhoek

After a morning cycle or morning 'Cat' activity, we transfer by vehicle back to Windhoek and to the International Airport