RawHyde and Ayres Adventures in Africa
Tropic Of Capricorn
Aussenkehr, Namibia
Giraffe Crossing
Chapmans Peak Drive, Cape Peninsula, South Africa
Chapmans Peak Drive, Cape Peninsula, South Africa
Joe's Beerhouse - Windhoek, Namibia
Johny's Supermarket - Namibian Desert
Kalahari Sundowner
Moon Over Namibian Desert
Namibian Family
Fuel Stop in the Namibian Desert
Namibian Rider
Oryx and Zebra - Namibian Desert
Sossusvlei Dunes
Sunset At Sesriem
5-Star Desert Lodging
Tour Schedule 2013
| Dates | 2013 Adventures | Length | Price (USD) | Co-rider | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 27 - Mar 13 | RawHyde Off-Road African Adventure | 15 | $13,500 | $9,500 |
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At a Glance
Your RawHyde Off-Road African Adventure
| Day | From | Miles | KM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrival Cape Town | ||
| Day 2 | Cape Town to Lamberts Bay | 260 | 420 |
| Day 3 | Lamberts Bay to Norotshama Lodge, Namibia | 350 | 565 |
| Day 4 | Norotshama Lodge to Aus | 175 | 280 |
| Day 5 | Aus to the Fish River Canyon | 175 | 280 |
| Day 6 | Fish River Canyon to Helmeringhausen | 180 | 290 |
| Day 7 | Helmeringhausen to Sesriem | 150 | 240 |
| Day 8 | Sesriem to Swakopmund | 225 | 360 |
| Day 9 | Swakopmund to Twyfelfontein, Kunene Region, Damaraland | 280 | 450 |
| Day 10 | Twyfelfontein to Fort Sesfontein | 130 | 210 |
| Day 11 | Fort Sesfontein to Khorixas | 210 | 340 |
| Day 12 | Khorixas to Etosha National Park | 240 | 390 |
| Day 13 | Free Day in Etosha National Park | ||
| Day 14 | Etosha National Park to Windhoek | 300 | 485 |
| Day 15 | Departure from Windhoek | ||
| Total | 2,675 | 4,310 |
Cape Town, South Africa to Windhoek, Namibia
View Discover Namibia in a larger map
Ayres Adventures and RawHyde Adventures are offering a very special, customized off-road Discovery Tour in South Africa and Namibia:
- There will be a training component, conducted by RawHyde Adventures in California in January, 2013. The training will be tailored specifically for the riding conditions in Namibia and will be three days in duration.
- The tour will begin in Cape Town, South Africa in early March and will end in Windhoek, Namibia. It is expected to be 15 days in duration.
- Jim Hyde will accompany the tour and will provide coaching and reinforcement of the riding skills learned during the training session.
- The tour includes a self-drive safari in Etosha National Park by 4x4, providing the opportunity to experience the continent's wildlife.
- As with all RawHyde Adventures, an experienced off-road instructor/paramedic will ride "sweep" on this tour.
- This will be a premium-level tour, using the same high-end accommodations, meals, and support services found on Ayres Adventures Premium Tours. The route and itinerary will be different from our regularly scheduled Namibian trips, as this Discovery Tour will focus on off-road travel.
As with our Namibian Splendors and Africa Off-Road Adventure, the RawHyde Namibian Adventure is "dusty by day, but bedazzled by night". Just "mouse over" the daily itinerary in the table above for additional details about the trip.
The Route
The route includes a wide variety of road conditions and varying geographical features. For this trip in particular, TAME does not mean "boring" - it means that there are some long stretches of good pavement. At least 70% of the tour is on dirt and gravel roads, including 50% that are rated as challenging
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Additional Information
A deposit of $1,500 per person is required with the booking. Full payment is due 90 days prior to departure.
Includes BMW G650GS or BMW G650GS Sertão with unlimited mileage.
Additional charge of $500 for BMW F650GS
Additional charge of $800 for BMW F800GS
Additional charge of $1,275 for a BMW R1200GS
Additional charge of $1,500 for a BMW R1200GS Adventure
Additional charge of $190 for panniers (F650GS,F800GS,R1200GS)
Additional charge of $320 for panniers (R1200GS Adventure)
Additional charge of $100 for top box
Single room supplement - $2,500
Meals: All breakfasts and and dinners, some lunches
Price includes RawHyde "Ride Namibia" training program in Castaic, California in January, 2013. Dates for this training will be announced soon. Training package Includes lodging, meals, motorcycle, and training specifically tailored for Namibian off-road conditions.
Tour price also includes all park entry fees in Africa, ferry fees, and activities described in the daily itinerary, including rental of 4-wheeled vehicles for the Etosha safari.
Arrival in Cape Town. Airport transfer, motorcycle handover, kickoff meeting and our first dinner together! Accommodations at the luxury V&A Hotel and dinner at a first class restaurant on the Waterfront. Riders arriving early can visit Table Mountain, take a city tour, or enjoy the cafes, restaurants and shopping that the waterfront has to offer.
Cape Town to Lamberts Bay (~ 250 miles). Before heading to Lamberts Bay we'll ride the stunning roads of the Cape Peninsula to the Cape of Good Hope - the most southeasterly point on the African continent. We'll stop at the penguin colony at Boulders Beach and ride Chapmans Peak Drive - one of the ten most scenic drives in the world.
After lunch we'll continue to Lamberts Bay, a charming little fishing village that is off the tourist path. In the evening, we'll enjoy a "sundowner" at a very unique open-air oceanside restaurant as we watch the sun set over the Atlantic Ocean. Our meal will include a wide variety of local seafood, including lobster.
Lamberts Bay to the Norotshama Lodge, Namibia (~350 miles). It's a relatively long day, but the miles will pass quickly as we ride a beautiful, high-speed paved highway and enter Namibia. We'll hit gravel almost as soon as we enter Namibia and we'll look forward to many days on dirt, gravel, sand, rocks and the occasional river washout
The ride is very scenic, with views of the Cedarberg Mountains as we depart the Lamberts Bay area, and the Bokkeveldberge Mountains coming into view as we approach Namibia. Some of the ride will be straight, but we'll encounter some nice sweepers through the mountains as we approach Namibia.
Our accommodations for the evening will be a charming lodge on the banks of the Orange River, which is the boundary between South Africa and Namibia.
Norotshama Lodge to Aus (~175 miles). We'll enjoy a lovely gravel ride along the banks of the Orange River for most of the way to Aus. We'll stop in the desert town of Rosh Pinah along the way – the site of a very large Debeers diamond mine.
Riders wishing to do additional riding may ride west into the desert to see the rare wild horses of the Namib. Real mile eaters may want to ride all the way to the small German community of Lüderitz, located on the ocean. The ride could also include a stop at the diamond mining ghost town of Kolmanskop, located a few miles outside of Lüderitz. It's about 75 miles from Aus to Lüderitz, on a beautiful, high-speed paved road.Aus to Fish River Canyon (~175 miles). It's a beautiful ride on good tarmac from Aus to Seeheim (130 miles), a small Namibian village where we'll stop for lunch.
From Seeheim to the Fish River Canyon, we'll be back on gravel and sand (50 miles, plus sightseeing side-trips). The Fish River Canyon is the second largest canyon in the world and a Namibian “must see” attraction.
We'll stay in a very interesting, upscale lodge within the Gondwana Nature Park, near the Fish River Canyon.
Fish River Canyon to Helmeringhausen (~ 180 miles). Approximately 50 miles of today's ride will be on good pavement, with the remaining 130 miles on rural dirt and gravel roads.
Helmeringhausen is a very small agricultural community that will provide an interesting insight into life among the Afrikaaner farmers.Helmeringhausen to Sesriem (~ 150 miles). The ride to Sesriem (the nearest town to the famed sand dunes at Sossusvlei) is totally gravel and sand. We'll do a side trip to the Duwisib Castle – an historically interesting German castle built in the middle of the desert, and now a museum open to the public (although definitely off any tourist path). Today, the castle houses an impressive collection of 18th and 19th century antiques and armor.
We'll stay at a luxury lodge near Sesriem – a castle that is reminiscent of castles in Morocco. The lodge has an excellent restaurant, bar, and swimming pool. The lodge also has a fleet of ATVs and conducts tours into the nearby mountains where riders can enjoy a “sundowner”.
Sesriem to Swakopmund (~ 225 or 300 miles). Today's distance will depend on whether riders wish to take a direct route through the desert or prefer to ride several interesting mountain passes on "side trips". Either way, all but about 25 miles will be off-road and you'll ride north across the Tropic of Capricorn.
Swakopmund is on the ocean and is probably one of Southern Africa's favorite beach resorts. The Swakopmund area is known for some of the world's highest sand dunes, and there are opportunities to stop for ATV rides on the dunes between Walvis Bay and Swakopmund.
Swakopmund to Twyfelfontein, Kunene Region, Damaraland (~200 miles or 280 miles). Today begins with a ride up Namibia's Skeleton Coast. Riders desiring a shorter day will head inland to the days destination at Twyfelfontein. Riders desiring a longer day will continue north on the Skeleton Coast and ride through the Brandberg Nature Reserve and will have the opportunity to view 9,000 ft. Königstein, the highest peak in Namibia.
We'll spend the night at a very special place - the Mowani Mountain Camp, a luxury lodge with safari tents with individual ensuite facilities, a great bar and restaurant, and incredible desert views. Riders may enjoy a side trip to see ancient cave drawings - an attraction the area is very famous for.Twyfelfontein to Sesfontein (~ 130 miles). Depending on weather conditions and local road conditions, today could be the most challenging day of the tour. We'll encounter sand, gravel, and washouts as we pass through some very interesting native villages on our way to Ft. Sesfontein.
Our lodge for the evening will be in a 100+ year old German Fort that has been converted into a lodge. When Namibia was a German colony, the fort was manned by German police to combat weapons smuggling and elephant and rhino poaching.
Sesfontein to Khorixas (~ 210 miles). The day will be spent entirely on gravel roads.
Located in Damaraland, Khorixas is a small town that is located close to a petrified forest and the Twyfelfontein Valley, which is known for it's rock art. Side trips to both of these locations is a possibility.
Khorixas to Etosha National Park (~ 245 miles). Most of today's ride to Etosha National Park will be on gravel. At the end of the day, we'll leave the bikes rest while we get into a fleet of 4x4s to prepare for a "self-drive" safari in Etosha tomorrow.
Our lodge for the next two nights will be a luxury lodge located at the Namutomi Gate of Etosha. Non-predatory wildlife roam the grounds of this lovely lodge (giraffe, antelope, warthog etc.) The lodge has a great restaurant, bar, and swimming pool.Free day at Etosha National Park. We'll spend the entire day In Etosha “on safari” in 4-wheeled vehicles.
There are several fenced parking spots within the park where we can stop for a break, and there are three fenced camps, each having a restaurant and small shop for purchasing snacks and drinks.
During the photographic safari, riders have an excellent chance to see all of Africa's “big five” (elephant, lion, leopard, rhino, cape buffalo). Other popular species are abundant in the park (giraffe, zebra, kudu, springbok, and many others).
Etosha National Park to Windhoek (~300 miles). Our last day on the bikes will be on good, high-speed asphalt as we head for the capital of Namibia.
This ride may be on pavement, but it doesn't mean boring, as we'll pass through some interesting rural Namibian towns as we make our way to Windhoek. There will also be plenty of time to stop at various roadside markets along the way to purchase authentic African artifacts and souvenirs to help commemorate our incredible Africa Adventure (masks, bowls, dolls, carvings, etc.)
Our celebration dinner will be held at one of my favorite African restaurants - Joe's Beerhouse. Great atmosphere, cold beer, awesome food including such African delicacies as zebra steak, kudu, warthog, springbok, wildebeest, oryx, ostrich and much more.
Departure from Windhoek International Airport
Breakfast and airport transferModel | Specifications |
|---|---|
 BMW G650GS | Seat Height: 780 mm / 30.7 inches Dry Weight: 176 kg / 388 lb Fuel Capacity: 17.3 Liters / 4.6 Gallons Displacement:652 cc Damage Deposit: Africa (except South Africa and Swaziland): $3,000 South Africa and Swaziland: $1,500 Alaska/Canada: $2,500 Argentina: $3,000 Chile: $2,500 Europe (except Spain and Portugal): $1,500 New Zealand: $1,500 Spain and Portugal: $3,000 |
Model | Specifications |
|---|---|
 BMW G650GS_Sertão | Seat Height: 820 mm / 790 mm Seat Height: 32.3 inches / 31.1 inches Dry Weight: 171 kg / 377 lb Fuel Capacity: 16 Liters / 4.2 Gallons Displacement: 798 cc Damage Deposit: Africa (except South Africa and Swaziland): $3,000 South Africa and Swaziland: $1,500 |
Model | Specifications |
|---|---|
 BMW F650GS | Seat Height: 820 mm / 790 mm Seat Height: 32.3 inches / 31.1 inches Dry Weight: 171 kg / 377 lb Fuel Capacity: 16 Liters / 4.2 Gallons Displacement: 798 cc Damage Deposit: Africa (except South Africa and Swaziland): $3,000 South Africa and Swaziland: $1,500 Alaska/Canada: $2,500 Argentina: $3,500 Chile: $2,500 Europe (except Spain and Portugal): $2,500 New Zealand: $1,500 Spain and Portugal: $3,000 |
Model | Specifications |
|---|---|
| Seat Height: 880 mm / 850 mm Seat Height: 34.65 inches / 33.46 inches Dry Weight: 178 kg / 392 lb Fuel Capacity: 16 Liters / 4.3 Gallons Displacement: 798 cc Damage Deposit: Africa (except South Africa and Swaziland): $3,500 South Africa and Swaziland: $1,750 Alaska/Canada: $2,500 Argentina: $4,000 Chile: $2,500 Europe (except Spain and Portugal): $2,500 New Zealand: $1,500 Spain and Portugal: $3,000 |
Model | Specifications |
|---|---|
 BMW R1200GS | Seat Height: 870 mm / 850 mm Seat Height: 34.25 inches / 33.46 inches Dry Weight: 199 kg / 439 lb Fuel Capacity: 20 Liters / 5.3 Gallons Displacement: 1170 cc Damage Deposit: Africa (except South Africa and Swaziland): $3,500 South Africa and Swaziland: $1,750 Alaska/Canada: $2,500 Argentina: $4,500 Chile: $2,500 Europe (except Spain and Portugal): $2,500 New Zealand: $3,500 Spain and Portugal: $3,000 |
Model | Specifications |
|---|---|
 BMW R1200GS Adventure | Seat Height: 915 mm / 895 mm Seat Height: 36.02 inches / 35.24 inches Dry Weight: 223 kg / 492 lb Fuel Capacity: 33 Liters / 8.7 Gallons Displacement: 1170 cc Damage Deposit: Africa (except South Africa and Swaziland): $5,000 South Africa and Swaziland: $2,500 Alaska/Canada: $2,500 Argentina: $5,000 Chile: $2,500 |
The single supplement applies for riders who request single occupancy. It also applies for cases in which a rider wishes to share a room with another rider, but there are no riders available or willing to share a room.