Namibian Cruise Adventure Tour

SA - Nam1 Our Namibian Cruise Adventure is the World’s first motorcycle tour to combine a cruise and a motorcycle tour. Maybe not such a crazy idea after all!

Unwind from your stressful job and the long overnight flight for three days on one of the world's last passenger / cargo ships, RMS St Helena, with cabins for just 128 passengers, quite superb cuisine, air conditioning and stabilisers. You and your motorcycles board in Cape Town and disembark at Walvis Bay in Namibia. Then our motorcycle adventure begins with a visit the Etosha Pan National Park in northern Namibia and we sample some of the continent's finest game viewing – lion, elephant, buffalo, rhino, leopard and much more. During our ride south to Cape Town we take in Namibia’s capital city Windhoek, the dramatic Fish River Canyon (challenging gravel roads), the fearsome Richtersveld National Park, Springbok and Clanwilliam.

Nights are cold, days are dry, sunny and bracing, vistas truly enormous, at times overwhelming in their barrenness and in contrast, nearer Cape Town green and fertile in citrus groves. In all we cover over 2500 km, the vast majority on excellent tar roads but some 100 km gravel and well surfaced salt roads. Roads are empty for almost the whole ride, and we average about 360 km a day, with a longest day of about 550 km.

Tour highlights

Quality and relaxed ship board life
Game viewing at the Etosha Pan in northern Namibia
Riding through the deserts of Namibia
Descending in to and viewing the awe-inspiring Fish River Canyon on gravel roads
Guaranteed sun with cold crisp nights and warm days in Namibia.

Itinerary

DAY 1 Depart UK. Leave on our direct flight from Heathrow to Cape Town.

DAY 2 Arrive Cape Town. We meet you at the airport and take you on a short but spectacular orientation tour of Cape Town with lunch at Cape Town’s famous Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. We board ship at 2.30pm and having settled in your air-conditioned cabin and arranged a table in the dining saloon, settle in for a relaxed and convivial three days and three nights at sea. You motorcycles will already have been loaded. The RMS St Helena carries 128 passengers and 2000 tons of cargo.

DAYS 3 and 4 Cruise. At sea sailing north up the west coast of South Africa and Namibia. A time to relax, enjoy the open ocean and socialise.

DAY 5 Walvis Bay – Swakopmund (60 km, incl. 15 km gravel roads). If all goes to schedule, we arrive at Walvis Bay in Namibia early in the morning. By 11am we and the motorcycles will have disembarked and cleared customs formalities. We take a look at the characterful old town, the flamingoes and pelicans, or Dune 7, the highest sand dune in the area with stunning sea and desert views from the top. A short 30 km drive through desert sands takes us to Swakopmund with its fascinating German colonial architecture. Time permitting, ride 70 km along the beach on a salt paved road with the Atlantic Ocean on one side and complete desert on the other – well worth it. Hotel Europa.

DAY 6 Swakopmund – Karibi (535 km, incl. 15 km gravel). We set off in earnest today, An early start is recommended as we have a long drive to the Etosha Pan National Park via Usakos, the rocky Karibib and the agricultural district of Otjiwarongo, where a mixture of commercial cattle and game farming is practiced. A little to the east is the Waterberg plateau, overflowing with wildlife. Our destination is our luxurious lodge only 25 km from the entrance to the Etosha National Park. Toshari Etosha Gateway Lodge

DAY 7 Etosha Game Viewing. A hotel safari vehicle will collect us early for a full day’s tour of the Etosha National Park, starting with the famous waterhole at Okaukuejo where all the big five can be seen. A picnic lunch is provided.

DAY 8 Etosha – Windhoek (420 km). Returning to Outjo via the C38 road, we then join the B1 to Windhoek, the capital of Namibia. We overnight at the delightful Vondelhof Guest House in the city centre. A visit to Joe's Beerhouse and Restaurant for dinner is a must! Here you can eat some of the finest kudu, ostrich, crocodile, warthog and beef steaks in the country - not to forget the fantastic German brewed beer. Vondelhof Guesthouse.

DAY 9 Windhoek – Keetmanshoop (470 km). All day we ride south on the B1 past Rehoboth and Mariental to Keetmanshoop. As we progress south the vegetation becomes noticeably more arid, rocky crags and dry river beds lined with gnarled camel-torn trees line the road and hardly a habitation is seen. Our destination is Keetmanshoop. SA - Nam10to11

DAY 10 Keetmanshoep - Fish River Canyon (270 km, incl. 70 km gravel). A short section of tar road takes us to the turn off for a 70-km gravel road (usually in good condition) and thence to our resort in the dramatic and awe-inspiring Fish River Canyon. Descending the last section into the canyon takes some care. Do remember to bring a swimming costume for luxuriating in the hot springs swimming pools just behind your room. Our hotel is a welcome relief after a long day’s ride through very inhospitable country, time for a cold drink to relive the day’s achievement. Ai-Ais Hot Springs Resort.

DAY 11 Fish River Canyon (free day). After a few days hard riding it’s time for a rest, and the idea is to spend it mainly viewing the majestic Fish River Canyon, the second largest canyon in Africa. Virtually all facets of the Namib Desert are represented here: endless sand and gravel plains as well as patches of grass savannah alternate with distant mountain ranges. Or you can just luxuriate in the swimming pool or sulphurous hot springs. Incidently Ai-Ais means "burning water" in the local dialect. Ai-Ais Hot Springs Resort.

DAY 12 Fish River Canyon – Springbok (330 km, incl. 70 km gravel). Retracing yesterday's gravel road we rejoin the B1 just 140 km from the South African border at Vioolsdrift on the Orange River. Hopefully formalities do not take too long and we are soon on our way in South Africa to O’Kiep, only 120 km from the border. We have now passed through some of the driest and most desolate parts of southern Africa and probably deserve a very cold beer at our hotel where we overnight. O’Kiep originated as a copper mining town. Okiep Hotel.

DAY 13 Springbok – Clanwilliam (335 km). Continuing south from O'Kiep we enter the area known as Namaqualand (after the indigenous Namaqua people) and famous for the magnificent yellow and blue desert flowers which bloom after the first spring rains. We overnight at Clanwilliam, where a large dam on the Olifants (elephants) River gives rise to the first greenery seen for ages and is a source of irrigation for vast citrus farms. Country Lodge.

DAY 14 Clanwilliam – Cape Town (225 km). An easy ride, first through citrus groves and then in rolling wheatlands returns us to Cape Town, where there’s plenty of time this afternoon to sample some of the city’s delights: Go up Table Mountain by cable car; Just shop and relax in the Waterfront area, with a visit to the aquarium or harbour cruise; Ride round the picturesque Cape Peninsula; Visit the beautiful Kirstenbosch National Gardens; Go wine tasting in Stellenbosch; Take a helicopter flight over the city and Cape Peninsular; Photograph Cape Town with the classic view from across Table Bay at Blauberg. City Lodge Hotel, Waterfront.

DAY 15 Depart Cape Town. The morning is a continuation of all the things you had no time for yesterday afternoon. Around midday we return the bikes, and then drive you to the airport in ample time for your departure flights. If you want to extend your stay additional motorcycle hire and hotel nights can be arranged.

DAY 16 Arrive UK.

Total distance c. 2500 km

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Tour includes: Direct return flights London - Cape Town; 3 days and nights cruising, 2-berth cabin on C deck, full board; motorcycle freight and handling costs; BMW motorcycle of your choice (subject to availability); guide on motorcycle; airport/hotel transfers; minibus tour of Cape Town; ship transfers; 10 nts hotel accommodation, 10 breakfasts; Etosha game viewing with lunch; luggage storage; biker’s rucsac.

Tour excludes: Connecting flights from UK regional airports; petrol; lunches and dinners on tour; Park entry fees; drinks and tips; side trips; security deposit ZAR12500-20000; airline and cruise fuel surcharges since 01 Jun 2008.

Cabin upgrades available, up to an additional £795/p

We can also arrange this tour without the cruise, flying you into Walvis Bay on Day 4, with accommodation in Walvis Bay, to meet the cruise ship on day 5. Price is unchanged.

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Namibia Cruise adventure

Dates

BMW F650GS

BMW F650GST

BMW R1150GS

BMW R1200GS

Passenger

Sgl rm suppl.

09 Aug – 24 Aug 2009

£3,775.00

£3,795.00

£3,845.00

£4,095.00

£2,625.00

£445.00

Jul / Aug 2010

POA

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