Damaraland - Motorbike tour

Ankunft auf dem internationalen Flughafen Windhoek und Abholung durch uns. Ein einstündiger Transfer bringt Sie zu unserer komfortablen Windhoek Mountain Lodge in den Auasbergen südlich der Hauptstadt Windhoek – unsere Basis-Station für alle Gravel Travel–Touren in Namibia. Nach einem guten Frühstück gibt es Gelegenheit zum Akklimatisieren, zur Entspannung am Pool mit erholsamem Weitblick auf die umliegenden Bergzüge und das weite Buschland. Und wer mag, genießt seinen ersten namibischen "Sundowner" auf der Aussichtsplattform oberhalb der Lodge, bevor das legendäre "Bushman-Fondue" zum Dinner ruft ...

After breakfast we meet for a short morning briefing with some specific hints for this day stage – and off we go: we pass Windhoek on the brink and leave the tarred road fairly quick to submerge into the hilly Khomas-Hochland. We travel along wide and fairly solid gravel roads across this central highlands towards western direction. Later on the route becomes much more curvy and provides real riding fun. In the afternoon we reach the Bosua pass and suddenly get to a gigantic lookout point at the rim of the Great Escarpment where the view opens up over the Namib Desert landscape. Further down the pass the gravel roads lead through open plains where we finally reach our first lodge along the Rotstock mountains – the Rostock Ritz Desert Lodge.

After breakfast in the wild, we pass through and along  the north-eastern edge of Namib Naukluft National Park, actually Africa’s largest protection area and its seemingly lifeless plains, but surprisingly you should be aware of Ostrich, Oryx antelope, Zebra or Springbuck crossing your path. We then climb the escarpment up on the Bosua Pass which leads us from 1.100m to 1.800 m hight and may stop for the great view over the desert before we submerge on curvy gravel roads through wild mountain landscape that leads us into the huge Swakop river valley and cross its sandy river bed. The route then heads towards Karibib, a small mining town and take a shortcut over tar road to catch up with a marvellous route leading further north along the steep walls of the Erongo Mountains, until we finally reach our today’s destination – the AiAiba Rockpainting Lodge, nestled wonderfully between huge granite boulders.

Meanwhile you should have been warmed up and familiar with the Yamaha WR250 – as we today go deeper into the lonely landscapes where almost no humans are likely to be seen and your driving skills are in demand. Spectacular and virtually untouched nature provides everything: sandy soils, gravel, rough and smooth rocks, dry riverbeds, almost around the whole Brandberg Mountain until we reach the depth of the Ugab River. Along the green, wooded river course we may expect and be aware of divers wildlife like springbuck, giraffe, elephant and even lion or rhino which still roam freely here. The rough rocky desert is precious habitat for many endangered species. Also remarkable is the unique giant plant Welwitschia and the globular shaped highly poisonous Euphorbia prominent in this area. Through wonderful red and black coloured rocky plains of Doros Crater we leave the Brandberg behind to reach the „Burnt Mountains“ near Twyfelfontein and our next lodge for a relaxing, comfortable evening.

The Damaraland Tour is with no doubt intensively full of contrast and particularly attractive – as it shows Namibia’s divers facets on even short distances. We take a southern route back towards Aba-Huab River. On smallest and very curvy farm roads we come across the typical mopane wood savannah with its chalk white soils. we pass the wide riverbed of the Huab with its impressive Ana- and Acacia trees feeding the elephants and arrive at a quite extraordinary place in the afternoon – Camp Kipwe along the river bed, luxurious although settled sensitively inmidst the surrounding nature.

Today's stage of 280 km takes us out of the Ugab Valley to the south and through small Damara settlements along the little-used slopes. Via Omatjete we get to the small town of Omaruru, which we already know, where we can stop and meet in one of the many cafés for a little break before we continue north on the sand track. Cozy routes through bush savannah and mountain landscape bring us to one of the most beautiful private game reserves in Namibia to Erindi, our last destination on this journey, which will leave nothing to be desired: the 70.700-hectare game reserve and the comfortable Erindi Lodge await us. Here Namibia's entire animal world can be observed in peace and quiet

This day is still completely available for staying at the lodge or to make a trip to the city of Windhoek because at least the Air Namibia flight is only going to depart in the evening. So, it’s possible to visit some sights and to go to a bazaar or shops where you can buy a lot of traditional handcrafted things. In the early evening, our shuttle takes you to the Hosea Kutako International Airport.