Gravel Heroes
Namibia Off-Road Motorcycle Tour | 31.10–10.11.2027
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START:
END:
DURATION:
RIDING DAYS:
TOUR TYPE:
ROAD SURFACES:
DIFFICULTY LEVEL:
GROUP SIZE:
MOTORCYCLE:
Suzuki DR-Z400E — €4,990
KTM 500 EXC — €5,490
Fuel, accommodation, meals according to the programme, luggage transport, full technical support and scheduled expedition activities included.
TOUR DESCRIPTION:
NAMIBIA OFF-ROAD MOTORCYCLE EXPEDITION: NAMIB DESERT & SKELETON COAST
This 11-day guided off-road motorcycle expedition in Namibia starts and finishes in Walvis Bay and includes eight riding days through some of the most varied desert terrain in southern Africa. Around 95% of the route is off-road, but the percentage is less important than the terrain itself. Namibia is famous for its endless gravel roads, and many motorcycle tours are built around them. Ours is not. We use gravel where it makes sense, then seek out the riding that makes Namibia exceptional on a motorcycle: sand, dry riverbeds, rocky desert tracks, dunes, salt roads and beach sections.
The route runs from Walvis Bay through Goanikontes, Spitzkoppe, Omaruru and Brandberg, crosses the remote landscapes of Doros and Messum, and eventually reaches Cape Cross and the Skeleton Coast. From there we follow the Atlantic south through Henties Bay before returning to Walvis Bay. The journey finishes with a 4×4 excursion to Sandwich Harbour, where the dunes of the Namib Desert fall directly into the ocean. The difference is not how many kilometres we ride. It is what those kilometres contain.
BUILT AROUND THE RIDING
Some days are fast and flowing. Others take us into sand, riverbeds and broken tracks where line choice, balance and motorcycle control matter far more than speed. That variety is also why we use lightweight off-road motorcycles. Choose between the Suzuki DR-Z400E and KTM 500 EXC. The DR-Z is robust, predictable and forgiving; the KTM is lighter, sharper and particularly effective in sand and technical terrain. We do not design the route around the limitations of a heavy adventure motorcycle. We choose motorcycles that allow us to ride the terrain Namibia offers at its best.
FULL SUPPORT, WITHOUT LOSING THE EXPEDITION
A demanding route deserves serious organisation behind it. You ride without luggage on the motorcycle. A dedicated support vehicle carries your bags together with tools, spare parts, first-aid equipment and satellite communication equipment. Technical assistance and daily motorcycle maintenance are included throughout the expedition. The support is there when it matters, but stays in the background when it does not. The objective is to preserve the feeling of travelling through genuinely remote country without asking riders to compromise on safety or organisation. Accommodation follows the same philosophy. We combine carefully selected hotels and lodges with three comfortable desert camping nights with showers. You still wake up in the middle of Namibia, but after a long day on the bike you are not expected to build your own camp. Motorcycle fuel is included in the tour price.
The route also brings us into contact with Himba and Damara communities, offers opportunities to see wildlife and includes the possibility of an optional private safari near Omaruru. These experiences add another dimension to the journey without turning it into a conventional sightseeing programme.
IS THIS EXPEDITION FOR YOU?
This tour is designed for riders with previous off-road experience. You do not need to be an enduro racer, but you should already be comfortable riding standing up, controlling a motorcycle on loose surfaces and dealing with sand, stones and changing terrain over a full riding day. The difficulty level is 8/10. Namibia is therefore not the place to learn off-road riding from scratch. For the right rider, however, the combination is difficult to beat: lightweight motorcycles, very little asphalt, constantly changing terrain, huge desert landscapes and the logistical support required to explore remote Namibia properly.
QUICK FACTS
- Tour: guided, fully supported off-road motorcycle expedition
- Destination: Namibia – Namib Desert & Skeleton Coast
- Start / finish: Walvis Bay
- Duration: 11 days / 10 nights
- Riding days: 8
- Off-road: approximately 95%
- Terrain: sand, dry riverbeds, rocky tracks, gravel, salt roads, dunes and beach sections
- Difficulty: 8/10
- Motorcycles: Suzuki DR-Z400E or KTM 500 EXC
- Group: minimum 7 / maximum 12 motorcycles
- Luggage: transported by the support vehicle
- Support: technical team, support vehicle, tools, spare parts, first aid and satellite communication
- Fuel: included
- Accommodation: selected hotels and lodges plus 3 comfortable desert camping nights
- Finale: boat cruise in Walvis Bay and 4×4 excursion to Sandwich Harbour
- Best suited to: experienced off-road riders
TOUR DETAILS
HIGHLIGHTS:
- Skeleton Coast – one of Namibia’s most remote and dramatic regions, reached as part of the riding route rather than on a sightseeing detour.
- Namib Desert – sand, open desert, dry riverbeds and constantly changing terrain.
- Dune riding – technical sand riding in the desert around Walvis Bay.
- Beach riding – selected Atlantic coast sections where conditions allow.
- Remote off-road riding – desert tracks, riverbeds, rocky trails and very little asphalt.
- Single-track sections – narrower, more technical riding away from the main gravel roads.
- Spitzkoppe & Brandberg – two of Namibia’s most distinctive desert mountain landscapes.
- Cape Cross – Skeleton Coast scenery and one of the largest seal colonies on the Namibian coast.
- Henties Bay – a classic stop on the Atlantic coast between desert and ocean.
- Wildlife encounters – opportunities to see Namibia’s wildlife along the route.
- Optional private safari – a more exclusive wildlife experience in the Omaruru area.
- Himba & Damara communities – encounters that add cultural depth without turning the expedition into a sightseeing tour.
- Ancient San rock art – traces of Namibia’s earliest desert cultures.
- Fully supported expedition – luggage transport, technical assistance, tools, spare parts, first aid and satellite communication throughout the journey.
WEATHER:
Late October and early November bring very different conditions between Namibia’s coast and the interior.
Along Walvis Bay and the Skeleton Coast, expect cool Atlantic air, wind and occasional morning fog. Daytime temperatures are typically around 18–22°C, and early starts can feel considerably cooler on the motorcycle.
Once we ride inland towards Spitzkoppe, Omaruru and Brandberg, conditions change quickly. Days are usually hot, dry and sunny, with temperatures commonly reaching 30–35°C. Shade is limited and hydration becomes important, especially during slower sections in sand and technical terrain. This is the beginning of Namibia’s summer season, so a short local shower or thunderstorm is possible inland, although prolonged rain is unusual at this time of year. The coast remains exceptionally dry. For riding, the answer is simple: prepare for both cool coastal mornings and hot desert afternoons. Well-ventilated riding gear, a light windproof layer, sun protection and a hydration pack are essential.
MOTORCYCLE GEAR:
For Namibia, enduro gear is the best choice.
The riding is hot, physical and often technical, with sand, riverbeds, rocks and dunes. Heavy adventure suits are usually too warm and restrictive for this route.
Recommended:
- Enduro / motocross jersey and trousers
- Full motocross or enduro boots: if you always wanted to get yourself a pair of motocross boots, but could not find the right occasion, this is the one!
- Knee protection or braces
- Chest and back protection
- Enduro or motocross gloves
- Well-ventilated off-road helmet
- Goggles
- Hydration backpack
- Light windproof layer for the coast
Best setup: lightweight enduro clothing with separate impact protection.
LUGGAGE:
We will be traveling light. The limit for your luggage which will be transported by the support car is 1 piece. Each participant will receive an individual travel box (56cm x 56cm x 32cm) to pack their luggage in. You can leave a bag in Walvis Bay, to collect it upon your return.
On this tour, we recommend a backpack of max 16L with a 2L water bladder. It is not possible to strap your bag to the motorcycle.
IMPORTANT TRAVEL INFORMATION:
FLIGHTS
The expedition starts and finishes in Walvis Bay (WVB). Walvis Bay is connected regionally through Johannesburg and Cape Town, making it possible to reach the start of the tour without an additional overland transfer from Windhoek. MotoBirds will help participants identify the most practical flight connection once the departure is confirmed. Please do not purchase non-refundable flights until MotoBirds confirms that the minimum group size has been reached.
VISA
Many European travellers, including citizens of Poland, currently require a tourist visa to enter Namibia. The simplest option is to apply for the Namibian e-visa online before departure. Eligible travellers may also obtain a visa on arrival at Walvis Bay International Airport. The current visa fee for non-African nationals is NAD 1,600. Visa rules can change, so always check the requirements applicable to your passport before travelling.
PASSPORT
Your passport should be valid for at least six months and have at least three blank pages available for immigration formalities.
MAXIMUM ALTITUDE:
1,200 m
metres above sea levelDAY-BY-DAY ITINERARY
DAY 1 — 31 OCTOBER 2027 — ARRIVAL IN WALVIS BAY
Arrival at Walvis Bay Airport and group transfer to the hotel. After check-in, we meet the team, go through the route and prepare for the days ahead.
There is no riding today. The evening is free to settle in, sort out the last details and get ready for our first day in the Namibian desert.
Accommodation: Hotel
DAY 2 — 1 NOVEMBER 2027 — WALVIS BAY – GOANIKONTES
Approx. 100 km | Off-road
The riding starts almost immediately outside Walvis Bay. We leave the Atlantic behind and head inland, where the landscape changes quickly from coastal desert to the immense open spaces of the Namib.
This is our first taste of Namibia off-road: jeep tracks, sand, fast open sections and our first dunes. It is a relatively short day, deliberately designed to get used to the motorcycles and the terrain before the route becomes more demanding.
By afternoon we reach Goanikontes, an oasis hidden in the desert.
Accommodation: Lodge
DAY 3 — 2 NOVEMBER 2027 — GOANIKONTES – SPITZKOPPE
Approx. 200 km | Off-road
Today Namibia starts showing its scale.
We follow remote jeep tracks across huge empty plains, with long stretches where there is almost nothing between us and the horizon. The route then drops into dry riverbeds, where the surface constantly changes between gravel, sand and loose stones.
Our destination is Spitzkoppe, whose enormous granite formations rise abruptly from the surrounding desert. We spend the night out in the landscape rather than returning to civilisation – exactly where an off-road journey through Namibia should take us.
Accommodation: Luxury camping
DAY 4 — 3 NOVEMBER 2027 — SPITZKOPPE – OMARURU
Approx. 180 km | Gravel roads & technical tracks
We leave Spitzkoppe behind and continue north through a mixture of faster gravel roads and more technical tracks.
The character of the riding changes throughout the day. Some sections allow us to relax and enjoy the speed and space; others demand considerably more attention as the route becomes narrower, rougher and more broken.
We finish near Omaruru, where there is an opportunity to join an optional private safari. After several days focused almost entirely on riding, it is a chance to experience another side of Namibia before we head back into much more remote country.
Accommodation: Lodge
DAY 5 — 4 NOVEMBER 2027 — OMARURU – BRANDBERG
Approx. 200 km | Dry riverbeds & technical tracks
Back to proper off-road riding.
We leave the easier roads behind and head towards Brandberg through dry riverbeds and increasingly remote tracks. Sand, stones, washed-out sections and changing lines make this one of those days when you are constantly working with the motorcycle.
The massive Brandberg rises ahead of us as we move deeper into an increasingly wild landscape. There is very little traffic here and very little infrastructure. This is the Namibia we came for.
We finish the day at our desert camp beneath one of the country’s most distinctive mountain ranges.
Accommodation: Luxury camping
DAY 6 — 5 NOVEMBER 2027 — BRANDBERG – MADISA – BRANDBERG
Approx. 200 km | Off-road tracks of varying difficulty
No luggage move today. We leave camp in the morning and spend the whole day exploring the tracks around Brandberg and Madisa.
The terrain keeps changing: rocky trails, sandy sections, dry riverbeds and narrow tracks cutting through a landscape that feels almost completely untouched. Depending on conditions, some sections can become genuinely technical.
Because we return to the same camp in the evening, this is also a day when the route can be adapted to the conditions and the riding level of the group without the pressure of having to reach a distant hotel.
A full day of riding, then another night under the Namibian sky.
Accommodation: Luxury camping
DAY 7 — 6 NOVEMBER 2027 — BRANDBERG – DOROS – MESSUM – CAPE CROSS
Approx. 200 km | Gravel, desert tracks & beach riding
One of the biggest days of the expedition.
We leave Brandberg and ride west through some of the most isolated terrain of the trip, passing the dramatic landscapes around Doros and the Messum area.
The desert becomes harsher and more open as we approach the Atlantic. Eventually, after days in the dry interior, we reach the Skeleton Coast.
And then the surface changes again.
We finish the riding with sections along the coast and on the beach, with the Atlantic on one side and the Namib Desert on the other. It is difficult to imagine a stronger contrast to the mountain tracks we left in the morning.
We overnight at Cape Cross.
Accommodation: Hotel
DAY 8 — 7 NOVEMBER 2027 — CAPE CROSS – HENTIES BAY – WALVIS BAY
Approx. 200 km | Salt roads & beach riding
Today we follow the Skeleton Coast south.
We ride between desert and ocean, using salt roads, coastal tracks and – where conditions allow – sections of beach. Along the way we stop at seal colonies and the remains of shipwrecks that have become part of the story of this isolated coastline.
We pass Henties Bay and continue south towards Walvis Bay.
After nearly a week in remote desert country, arriving back in town feels almost strange. But the riding is not finished yet.
Accommodation: Hotel
DAY 9 — 8 NOVEMBER 2027 — WALVIS BAY DESERT & DUNES
Approx. 100 km | Sand & desert riding
No long-distance transfer today. Instead, we spend the day riding the desert around Walvis Bay.
This is a playground of sand, open desert and dunes, and a chance to use everything we have learned during the previous week.
The exact route depends on sand and weather conditions, but the objective is simple: one final serious riding day in the Namib.
Shorter distance does not mean an easy day. Sand has its own way of making kilometres count.
We return to Walvis Bay for our final evening after eight days on the motorcycles.
Accommodation: Hotel
DAY 10 — 9 NOVEMBER 2027 — WALVIS BAY & SANDWICH HARBOUR
The motorcycles stay parked today.
In the morning we head out on the water for a boat cruise, seeing the Namibian coast from a completely different perspective.
Later we switch to 4×4 vehicles and head into the dunes towards Sandwich Harbour, where enormous dunes meet the Atlantic Ocean.
After eight demanding riding days, this is our reward: no helmets, no riverbeds and no wrestling motorcycles through sand. We finish the expedition with a sunset in the dunes and a glass of champagne.
Accommodation: Hotel
DAY 11 — 10 NOVEMBER 2027 — DEPARTURE FROM WALVIS BAY
Breakfast and group transfer to Walvis Bay Airport according to the tour arrangements.
Time to say goodbye to Namibia – with considerably more sand in our gear than when we arrived.
IMPORTANT: The itinerary may be modified when necessary due to weather, road and sand conditions, local circumstances or the riding ability of the group. In Namibia, flexibility is part of a properly run off-road expedition.
WHAT OUR RIDERS SAY
GOOGLE REVIEWS
Google rating score: 5.0 of 5,based on 47 reviews
WHAT’S INCLUDED:
MOTORCYCLE
4X4 OPTION
GUIDE
SUPPORT VEHICLE
TECHNICAL SUPPORT
ACCOMMODATION & MEALS
ARRIVAL & DEPARTURE TRANSFERS
PERMITS
ACTIVITIES
- Himba community visit
- Damara community visit
- Boat cruise in Walvis Bay
- 4×4 excursion to Sandwich Harbour
- Champagne at sunset during the Sandwich Harbour excursion
INSURANCE
- Basic travel insurance.
- Tourist Guarantee Fund fee.
- Tourist Support Fund fee.
IMPORTANT: For an additional fee, there is an option to independently extend the insurance within the Signal Iduna Safe Travels and/or Global Rescue partner offer. The price of the tour includes basic travel insurance.
WELCOME PACK
WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED:
Personal choices and expenses
To keep the tour price clear and transparent, the following services and expenses are paid separately: The Namibia expedition price covers the complete supported programme and all essential services throughout the journey. The following costs remain personal, optional or outside the scheduled itinerary:
- International flights to and from Walvis Bay. Please do not purchase non-refundable flights until MotoBirds confirms that the minimum group size has been reached.
- Namibia visa and entry formalities, where required for your nationality.
- Passport, driving-licence and other personal documentation costs.
- Personal motorcycle clothing and protective equipment.
- Lunches and dinners in Walvis Bay.
- Alcoholic beverages and personal purchases.
- Single accommodation, if requested instead of the standard shared accommodation.
- Laundry and other personal services.
- Gratuities for local guides, drivers and staff, entirely at your discretion.
- Optional additional rescue or medical evacuation cover, including Global Rescue.
MOTORCYCLE SECURITY DEPOSIT:
A €1,000 refundable security deposit is required for the motorcycle and is payable locally before riding begins. The deposit is returned after the expedition, provided the motorcycle is returned without chargeable damage.
