The Damaraland Elephant Ride with Namibia Horse Safaris
Posted on September 17, 2025, featured in Experiences
A description of an undescribable experience….
We started our trip with a pow wow meeting of the riding group in Windhoek. Over beers and sunset we discovered Brits, Spanish, Americans, Swiss, South Africans a Zimbabwean (me) and a norwegian were all joining this trip to make a wonderful Motley crew. Ages were between 25 and 72 and personalities were sharp, witty, engaging as only equestrians can be!
Into the Wild Ridges of Damaraland
From Windhoek we made our way to the first stop of the most life changing riding experience I have ever had. Allow me to elaborate.
Before sunrise, we emerged from our tents into the cool hush of the desert, saddling up as the horizon bled gold behind the jagged silhouettes of Damaraland’s rock formations. My horse Malaika, which means angel in Swahili, shifted beneath me, already alert, already alive with the promise of a long day. I always like to ride spicy horses, with my personality a challenge is a daily need and so at first I was very happy with Malaika as she was kind, forward and responsive but I decided to give a different horse with less amenable qualities a go, more on said horse ‘Rocky’ later…. We rode out through winding canyons and across ancient, fossil-laced valleys where elephants had walked just hours before—sometimes their tracks still soft in the sand. The scenery felt like something from a forgotten world or I imagine, the moon, with hills crusted in red basalt, spindly trees standing sentinel, and dry ancient riverbeds. At night, around the fire, the desert fell utterly silent except for the horses breathing and the stars blinking above us and of course our mirth and merriment from many gin and tonics and the discovery of a speaker to keep us dancing… we only aggravated some of our fellow riders and I mean how dare they for wanting early nights and to be fresh for the next 50km of saddle time the next day…
I MEAN THE NERVE!
Gallops, Grit, and Giants of the Land
We woke one morning to see a lonely desert adapted elephant bull down in the valley in front of us, dusting his way through a sandbank and catching some morning rays. I can seldom think of a better wake up call than the hard working staff, up since before dawn, gently murmuring ‘elephant, elephant’ amongst the cacophony of clicks of the local Namibian clicking language Khoekhoegowab, also known as Nama or Damara. We rose and watched him and followed him on horseback after we caught up to his languid and quiet stroll.
The rhythm of the days settled into a dream of motion and space and then I decided to interrupt my own peace by asking for the spicy horse Rocky, mentioned previously before.
As he liked to always be in the lead, I took a good head start so that we were not racing, changed his bit and got myself ready to work and school and not only ride long distances but earn my place and communicate with this lovely boy. We galloped across plains that unfurled to the ends of the earth, dust rising in golden clouds behind us, we raced on pans and sandy-scapes that never seemed to end but then abruptly did with ‘death drops’ (to be avoided by the way unless you like launching into space!). There were moments of calm—walking single file through extremely narrow passes, and of course the chaos and moments of such fun with nature’s challenges thrown at us… Day 4 we walked gingerly through a valley that once was sand untouched by rain for as long as one can remember, but Namibia had JUST had its biggest rainfall last season in A THOUSAND YEARS… and so the land moved, shaped and changed with it and we found ourselves trying to keep our horses’ panicking legs out of very very sticky quicksand and also moving forward into a completely blocked channel full of bamboo, bushes, giant logs and all the trappings that would come with a flash flood through a narrow impasse. Oh, by the way, HAPPY BIRTHDAY Steph my riding companion, my friend, my client!! You wanted adventure and you found it… in droves! Steph nailed this and was cool as a cucumber as our fearless leader Andrew negotiated a new way out… which he did in style and safety.
We ended up climbing gingerly but steadily up steep rock faces with our horses like mountain goats, having a lot of fun and with magnificent views in the process. There were moments of wild exhilaration, surging over the land at full tilt, hair and mane tangled in the wind and then steep navigations to catch incredible sunsets and vistas of this ever changing land Namibia. The topography shifted constantly, revealing a geological story written in stone: massive calderas, striated cliffs, and plateaus worn smooth by time. We passed more desert-adapted wildlife stitched into the land like threads, naughty mating baboons, cavorting on the rock faces, oryx, kudu, and always wanting more elephants even though we had our fair fill!
To the Edge of the World
By the final stretch, the land began to lean westward, toward the moody fogbanks of the Skeleton Coast… one day these seemed close and we could hear the sea crashing… then it seemed like it was rolling away from us and the salty thread of smell was gone with a whippy wind. Eventually the temperature started to drop, the air shifted, and a strange stillness set in as we approached the sea. We made our way down a dune and walked, then splashed and then galloped along the shoreline in cool, salty air. There were waves crashing beside us, the horses charging forward and also crabs stepping away from foam and fuss from the seas. In camp that night, under canvas and starlight once again a much colder camp than inland, I really felt the weight of what we had all accomplished: the sheer physical challenge, the quiet intimacy of riding in such a raw place, the kindness of a group of people that have to look out for one another, the hard work of the staff, being bloody offline for 9 days and then of course, the wild joy of living in the moment with these beautiful animals, their kindness in carrying us so safely, these people, this land I have over the years come to love.
I came out of that journey stronger, sand battered, bruised, sun-kissed, and absolutely full to the eyeballs with gratitude, brimming with joy and a strong desire to return as soon as I possibly can. Namibia’s riding was intravenously injected into my blood and now I am a full blown, unashamed addict.
The Quiet Backbone of the Journey
None of it would’ve been possible without Andrew, my friend and our extraordinary guide, our compass, and a man who knows this land because it’s etched into his very being.
Calm, quietly humorous, endlessly knowledgeable and fun, he led us through the harshest, most beautiful terrain with an ease that belied the challenge.
His well oiled and long standing team worked like clockwork behind the scenes: grooming the horses each morning before first light, feeding them at every stop and at midnight, checking their hooves, adjusting tack, helping us to notice the little things and always making sure both horse and rider were safe and thriving. And then, just when we thought the day had wrung every bit of strength from us, HURRAY there were hot bucket showers waiting for us! As we rode in we saw fires lit, and some miracle of a meal served under the stars thanks to the incredible chef team. Delicious locally sourced and organically farmed meats, roasted vegetables, fresh breads, Pizzas, Pastas, roasts, soups, gourmet simplicity fit for a king…and always something sweet to finish.
It was their care, their effort, their dedicated excellence that turned a hard ride into something unforgettable and full of ‘we deserve this’ treats! This ride was us yes, but we were carried, in every way, by that extraordinary team! Well done you guys and thank you!
Ready to Saddle Up for Your Own Namibian Adventure?
If this wild ride through Damaraland has got your heart racing and your adventurous spirit stirring, then let’s chat! Whether you’re an experienced rider ready for the challenge of Rocky-level horses, or you’re looking for your first African horseback adventure, Namibia has something extraordinary waiting for you.
From the elephant encounters in Damaraland to the mysterious Skeleton Coast, we can craft your perfect riding safari with our trusted partners at Namibia Horse Safaris. Because honestly, once you’ve galloped across those endless plains with elephants as your companions, regular holidays will never quite cut it again!
Want to know more about horseback safaris in Namibia or explore other incredible riding destinations? Drop us a line at danni@sikelelitravel.com, karen@sikelelitravel.com, or fungai@sikelelitravel.com.
Trust me, your inner cowgirl (or cowboy) will thank you!
