Desert Rhino Adventure Quad Tour 7 days

The condition of the roads and tracks makes this itinerary a Grade 1. A combination of camping and lodge accommodation is done during this itinerary, and it is ideal for the adventurous person..

Day 1:

Upon arrival at Hosea Kutako Airport, Windhoek, an Africa Motion Quad Adventures representative will meet you, and we then depart by road to Hotel De Duine in Henties Bay, 400 kilometers from Hentiesbay.
Hotel De Duine is situated in the heart of the Namib Desert with 20 comfortable en-suite rooms, each with a TV and telephone, a swimming pool, à-la-carte restaurant, conference facilities and a private- and public bar. Tonight we stay at De Duine Hotel on a bed and breakfast basis.

Optional you can go fishing or golfing in the morning. If this should be wanted the trip to the White Lady Lodge will be the following day.(Additional extra is about 20 Euro per Person)

Day 2 (or 3)

We are departing from Hotel De Duine on the quad bikes and follow the river course of the Omaruru River to the White Lady Lodge where we will stay in the Lodge overnight, which is situated close to the Brandberg.

We ride for some 80 kilometers in the dry riverbed of the Omaruru River on a sandy track. The scenery is beautiful and we might see some Springbok and Kudu.

The last 30 kilometers to Uis is gravel road. After a visit to the abandoned tin mine we depart to the Brandberg, with the highest peak in Namibia, Köningstein on a good gravel road (34 kilometers). We then ride around the Brandberg on a good track until we reach the Welwitschia flats on the western side of the mountain. These fascinating plants are protected and some of them are thousands of years old.

The Brandberg

Mountain of Majesty and Mystery
The Bergdamara called it Daureb (the Burnt Mountain). In the Nama tongue it was Daunas (the Desolate, or Forsaken Mountain). To the Herero it was Omukuruwaro (Mountain of the Gods or Fire Mountain). In any language it is a Titan, a majestic creation of nature, a powerful force on the Namibian scene.

Around 120 million years ago the area was a volcano set in a vast plateau of volcanic rock. Subsequent erosion of the surrounding lavas gradually exposed the massive chunk of weather-resistant granite, which eventually also provided the numerous overhangs, used as shelters by the Bushmen.

The Brandberg is not like other mountains. It has neither the jagged pinnacles nor the elevation demanded of the world’s top mountain league. Despite it modest height , the Brandberg towers over and dominates the landscapes with a sudden 2000 meter leap from the surrounding plains. This breathless ascent appears to hesitate momentarily at a plateau some three-quarters of the way up before the final thrust to the heavens. The ranges most prominent peak, Köningstein, which is also the highest point in Namibia, lies 2574 meters above sea level.

Mere statistics, however, are hopelessly inadequate measures to gauge the mettle of the Brandberg – for this is more than just another mountain; it is a Presence, which holds the lonely landscape in utter subjection.

Day 3 (or 4)

After breakfast we depart on quad bikes to Twyfelfontein, where we will visit the Burnt Mountain, Organ pipes and rock engravings. The main attraction at Twyfelfontein (Doubtful Spring), at the head of the grassy Aba Huab Valley, is one of the most extensive gallaries of rock art in Africa. The original name of this water resource was /ui-//Ais (Surrounded by Rocks), but in 1947 it was renamed by European Settler Mr. D. Levin, who deemed its daily output of one cubic liter of water insufficient in this arid environment.

Twyfelfontein's rock engravings, otherwise known as petroglyphs, were made by cutting through the hard patina covering the local sandstone.In time, this skin reformed over the engravings, protecting them from erosion. Most of them date back at least 6000 years to the early Stone Age and are probably the work of ancient San hunters. From color differentiation and weathering, researchers have identified at least six distinct phases, but some are clearly the work of copy-cat artists and probably date from the 19th century.

Animals, animal tracks and geometric designs are well represented but there are surprisingly few human figures. Many of the engravings depict animals that are no longer found in the area - Elephants, Rhinos, Giraffes and Lions - and an engraving of a sea lion indicates contacts with the coast more than 100 kilometers away. Another portrays a lion with paw prints instead of feet and an oddly angular tail.

The Burnt Mountain is a brilliantly colored hill of dark maroon, black and charcoal rock. This natural phenomenon was formed 120 million years ago when volcanic magna forced its way as a large sheet into black, carbonaceous shale. The high temperatures - about 2,500 F( 1 400 Celsius) - baked the shale, leaving a black , charred mass with brown, red and yellow patches , produced by the oxidation of iron-bearing minerals.

Overnight Twyfelfontein Lodge alternatively Mowani Lodge in case the reservation is made early enough and there are still enough rooms available. Another alternative is the Noua Noua Lodge (if the Mowani or Noua Noua Lodge is requested we have an additional 100,00 Euro per Person), a brand new lodge in this area. This is an absolute exclusive lodge, a lot different to Mowani.

Day 4 (or 5)

After breakfast we have the optional opportunity of ballooning at Twyfelfontain, which is very nearby (Price per person 2000,00 N$ per half hour). After that we will be departing to Rhino Camp. The tour takes us through mountains, plains and spectacular valleys to the Rhino Camp at the Ugab River. En route we visit a Petrified Forest and Tha Gai-As fountain, the only water source for miles in the barren landscape. The track of 106 km from Twyfelfontein to Rhino Camp is good to difficult with most beautiful scenery. We might see ostrich, Springbok and Gemsbok on the plains. If we are lucky we will even see some desert elephants as well as rhinos.

After a hot shower and a delicious dinner we overnight at Rhino Camp. This will be our first and only night camping (no alternative over night available)

Day 5 (or 6)

Today we will be departing to Cape Cross through the Messum Crater. Driving is done in the old Messum river, with plenty of Welwitschias and beautiful rock formations.

Cape Cross has the best-known breeding colony of Cape fur seals (Arctocephalus pusillus) along the Namib coast. This appealing species isn’t a true seal at all, but an eared seal, which is actually a species of sea lion. Fur seals have a thick layer of short fur beneath the coarser guard hairs, which remain dry and trap air for insulation. This enables the animals to maintain an internal body temperature of 37° Celsius and spend long periods in cold waters. At Cape Cross, a large colony of these seals take advantage of the rich concentrations of fish in the cold Benguela Current.

We are staying over in the Cape Cross Lodge on a bed and breakfast basis. Our tour ends at Cape Cross and the last night we spend again at Hotel de Duine in Hentiesbay. Total length of our tour is approximately 500km.

Day 6 (or 7)

Today we transfer you to Swakopmund , to enjoy a real good Quad experience in the Dunes between Walvisbaai and Swakopmund, with a good lunch at dune 7 , one of the highest around that area. Here we experience the real g force for the last time. We spend the evening in Swakopmund in a good restaurant, ala carte, (optional extra) and stay in A la Mer , a pension, for the night.

Day 7/or 8

Today we take the chance of shopping for about 2 hours in Swakopmund and afterwards our transfer is leaving for Windhoek the capital city to get back to the airport in time for those that are leaving.

Whats included:

Whats not included:

Notes:

International Airfares to the starting and termination point of this itinerary – WalvisBay - is not included in the tour price. We can however assist with your flight bookings on request – Johannesburg / Walvis Bay / Johannesburg.

We respectfully request that only physically active and mobile people join this itinerary. Regrettably we cannot accept children under the age of 16 years. This itinerary is available to a minimum of four people and a maximum of twelve. Departure dates: All year

 

For further information take a look at the section 'general tour information' on this webpage.

Desert Rhino Adventure Quad Tour 7 days


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