Cycling in Namibia travel guide

Do you get ecstatic about emptiness? On a cycling holiday you can eat up Namibia’s deserts under two wheels and reach its famous dune-scapes. There are national parks where the Big Five congregate politely around watering holes, and high mountain passes where you'll career carefree down dramatic roads. When the dust settles, you might end up calling this your most adventurous holiday yet.

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Cycling in Namibia travel guide

Holidays don’t sound more intrepid than this. Empty, epic Namibia is dominated by two deserts, and has the highest sand dunes in the world. Tell people you’re planning to cycle here and their first question might be – can you cycle up a sand dune? In reality, cycling in Namibia is as much about stopping and sightseeing (and giving your buttocks a break) as it is about eating up the vast landscape under two wheels.

Get used to braking at zebra crossings. By which we mean: stopping to let herds of Hartmann’s mountain zebras run across the road.

Namibia’s burnt landscape looks hardy, but is actually very fragile. In 2019, it experienced its worst drought in seven years, and declared its second state of emergency in three years. Camping as you bike saves vital water, and opting for two wheels allows you to cover great distances with little noise pollution. Cycling is great for wildlife spotting, and makes you feel like you’ve truly earned each view. With local guides on hand to help you tell a gemsbok from a springbok, and Dune 40 from Dune 45, don’t just tick Sossusvlei off your bucket list, find out what makes Sossusvlei tick.

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Go cycling in Namibia if...

...you want to see wildlife, but you’re not impatient about it. Whilst a visit to a cheetah conservation centre like Namib Carnivore Conservation Centre, will give you an instant big cat fix, the rest of the wildlife is a little more fickle. Flamingos flock at Walvis Bay and at Etosha National Park you can look out for the fabled Big Five. ...you’re keen on photography. Make sure your camera has a case that keeps off the dust, and then get snap happy at sunrise. ...you want something new. With its enormous dunes, Namibia is like nowhere else in the world. Try a short ‘fat biking’ excursion as part of your trip and you’ll actually be able to cycle on sand. ...you like meeting people. Cycling is best done in a small group tour, normally with between 10 and 14 people sharing a support vehicle. You’ll camp together and cycle together – and race to see who spots the first zebra together. ...you’re relatively fit. Whilst you won’t be in the saddle 24/7, the terrain is quite tough and the temperatures are high. This is a moderately-graded holiday; you’ll cycle an average distance of 39km a day.

Don’t go cycling in Namibia if...

...you can’t camp, won’t camp. Towns are few and far between in the desert, so camping is the best way to stay, though there are some lodges along the way, too. ...you don’t like dust. Or sand. Or dirt. Namibia’s sand dunes don’t stay put. You’ll have a dust bath every day when you cycle. ...you want charming villages. You’re not going to see many people on this trip. Namibia is one of the most sparsely populated countries on the planet – up there with Greenland and Mongolia. What’s more, people stay indoors in the heat of the day, and the deserts are pretty... deserted. ...you need constant stimulation. Namibia is built on a big scale and it can take an hour to pass a dune. Some days, the horizon takes a little while to arrive. ...you don’t like it hot. The average daily high in Windhoek in December (the height of the southern hemisphere’s summer) is 31°C.

Best time to go

Group cycling trips run in March, May, October and December – the southern summer has its hottest temperatures in November, December and January, so be prepared to set out early in the morning to beat the heat. The rainy season means there’s higher rainfall from January to March, but it’s rarely torrential and the landscape turns lush and green. The best time for game viewing in Etosha National Park is in the drier months (the southern winter, running from April to November) , when wildlife converges on the water holes.

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Responsible travel

In the last five years or so, tourism to Namibia has seen a big increase, but the country still retains its absorbing emptiness. Namibia has adapted to tourism well, and a lot of money goes back into conservation projects. Park entrance fees are reinvested in the landscape by the Ministry of Environmental and Tourism, the whole coastline is protected through national parks, as is 19% of the country.

However, water is scarce. In 2019, Namibia experienced terrible drought – the worst in seven years, which is killing wildlife and putting 500,000 people at risk. Many of the lodges that you’ll visit use solar panels, collect rainwater and reuse shower water as ‘grey water’ for cleaning floors. Be very careful with your water consumption and take short showers to wash off the daily caking of dust – you could also try out washing your clothes in the shower with you, by stamping on them. Tap water is drinkable across Namibia, so bring a reusable water bottle.

Namibia’s deserts are fragile. Much of life exists just below the hot surface – and it’s easily destroyed if you go off road. It’s important to follow your guide at all times. They’ll take you to better, less crowded places – which will satisfy your inner explorer and minimise erosion on worn-out trails. Don’t set your heart on climbing a particular sand dune – they’re on rotation so they can recover from tourists.