Back in the saddle: Riding in Swakopmund, Namibia

Back in the saddle: Riding in Swakopmund, Namibia

After an injury in 2017, Kia decides that riding in Swakopmund is the perfect way to get back into the saddle

Swakopmund is a strange little city. Known as Namibia's adventure capital, it has a correspondingly dramatic backdrop. On the one hand, a particularly wild Atlantic strikes on the coast; On the other hand, the huge, barren Namib desert extends in a fatal threat. The city itself lies between these astonishing scenes.

With its clean streets, the half -timbered architecture and the extremely German names, Swakopmund could be a holiday city on the German North Sea, which is transported onto African soil. Swakopmund is used as a starting point for exploring the skeletal coast and the Namib desert and offers all tourist amenities.

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Our 17-day self-drivers safari through Namibia took us to Swakopmund for two nights. The stormy city was different from somewhere in Namibia. The cloudy sky and the intimidating sea stood in a clear contrast to the quiet, radiant blue of Sossusvlei and Etosha.

For me, the dramatic backdrop offered the perfect opportunity to get back into the saddle. Since an injury in 2017, I haven't been sitting on a horse and I really wanted to start riding again. In fact, I couldn't believe that it was a whole year.

We called a local company that offers riding in Swakopmund and booked a two -hour ride on a Monday morning.

When we arrived at the Okakambe Riding Center, we found a well -groomed terrain on which a number of animals live: not only healthy horses, but also puppies, rabbits, guinea pigs and more. Basically it was Peters's ideal workplace.

We selected our helmets, stowed our bags and signed the necessary papers. The organizational level differed significantly from the guerrilla driving in Ecuador, which we did three years ago. In this post I am rather carefree when it comes to ride a unruly horse. I have looked back since then and shuddered that I drove without a helmet. As I say in the riding tips for the first tour, it is simply not worth the risk.

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In Okakambe we met our guide Kelvin and our two horses: Meiners, Hidalgo, probably named after Frank Hopkins' famous Mustang, and Peters, Samsung, "because he is easy to use". We will soon break up.

Riding in Swakopmund was the perfect way to get back into the saddle. We drove along the river bed of Swakop, a bare, flat landscape with little fall or injury. It was nobody and nothing nearby. Kelvin compared it to a trip on the moon.

alt = “Riding in Swakopmund is like a drive on the moon”> Atlas & Boots Riding into Swakopmund is like a journey on the moon

Since I took lessons in the past, we were allowed to trot (if you have experience, state this when booking). It was particularly fun because riding is probably the only sport in which I am better than Peter. I had problems with the Padi diving course when he sailed through that I keep caught up with our challenging hikes and fell off the bike more often than I can count, but I'm the more experienced driver.

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Atlas & Boots

We drove across the windy level and although the landscape was bleak, she added a special dimension to the journey. Riding in Swakopmund felt like riding in its purest form: only we see our horses and nothing else. It was the perfect place to get back into the saddle.

It is true that Ecuador was more exciting and the landscape in Montenegro was much more breathtaking, but when riding in Swakopmund I was able to see another side of Namibia. It reminded me why I love riding at all and, as Peter said in his contribution about Etosha, the time you spend with animals is well invested time - especially when these animals are quiet, strong and beautiful horses such as Samsung and Hidalgo.

ride in Swakopmund: The essentials

what: Riding in Swakopmund in Namibia as part of a 17-day self-drivers safari by Wild Dog Safaris.

WO: The accommodation on the tour comprises 16 nights in a number of hotels, lodges and safaricamps, including the Prost Hotel in Swakopmund.

The tour can be booked either as accommodation (like us), camping or a combination of both. Breakfast and several dinner are included in the overnight option; Camping is largely self -catering.

When: The best time to travel for Namibia is May October during the dry season (winter). The secondary seasons in May and November are good for cheaper accommodations with higher availability. In November there may be heavy rains, albeit mainly in short, intensive outbursts.

like: We booked directly at the Okakambe Riding Center. In principle, beginners may only go in the crotch (do not trot or gallop). So if you have experience, make this clear at the time of the booking.

A two-hour trip costs 820 NAD (56 USD) per person in a two-person group (see the latest price list). This may be a bit expensive compared to other parts of the world, but it is worth noting that the horses are kept on an extremely high standard and that we thought that the costs were worth it. The price includes picking up and return to hotels in the center of Swakopmund (including Prost Hotel).

We visited Swakopmund as part of our self-drivers safari. Wild Dog Safaris Bays accommodation, provides a rental car and organizes a travel route for the trip. Upon arrival in Windhoek we were welcomed by Wild Dog Safaris, which provided us with a detailed travel route, travel instructions, maps and information.

We flew to Namibia with British Airways via Johannesburg in South Africa. Book flights at the best prices via Skyscanner.

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Lonely Planet Botswana & Namibia is a comprehensive travel guide for Namibia and contains some useful tips for a visit to Swakopmund.

disclosure: We traveled to Namibia with the support of Wild Dog Safaris. All publications say that, but we really don't guarantee positive reporting. We say what we think - good and bad - so that you can make sound decisions with honest advice.

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