Cycle, Safari and Stargaze in Namibia

We’ve had a magnificent time in Namibia, surpassed our high expectations. The Namib desert cycling, African wildlife, quirky oasis campsites and huge African starlit skies, were all spectacular. We will be talking about this trip for years, and remembering it fondly forever. Thank you MBA for helping us create beautiful lasting memories.

Pros: Fantastic opportunity to see wide variety of locations and environments in beautiful Namibia. From the sandy deserts to the granite mountain formations to the green bushland full of wildlife, we had wonderful wildlife encounters on many days! Fat biking in sand dunes a very fun experience with good bikes and knowledgeable and patient local guide (Hanjo). Luxury camping experience with our tents put up and down for us, delicious and healthy food from our camp chef MC. The truck was comfortable and always had a good supply of water, snacks and guide books.

Cons: Bikes were poorly maintained, almost no functioning suspension on mine. Gravel roads with ridges of solid gravel made for extremely uncomfortable and potentially unsafe cycling without adequate suspension. The chain on my partner's bike came off nine times in the first two rides (and looked like it had never been cleaned). The bottle holder on his bike also came off, almost causing a fall from the bike. The suspension on his bike completely collapsed into the bike and was not fixed. Infuriating to be collected by the truck before being able to finish the cycling segment of the day. Not much commentary from the guide in the bus while travelling. Restaurants we were sent to had almost always only western-style junk food (burgers, pizza & pasta), poor quality and took a long time (pre-orders for the group would be a good idea). Airport transfers from MBA - paid £112. Shocked at the tiny, old car that collected us at the airport for the long journey to the hotel. Very small, no air con, dog hair all over the back seats, half broken seatbelt. Journey back to the airport after the trip, a small car was sent for four people. Only two of our luggage bags fit in the boot, so it was impossible to take all of us to the airport. Two of us waited half an hour for another car to come (which was then the same one we got on arrival). Price of the trip does not include some non-optional things such as set-menu meal on the final evening, compulsory hotel breakfast the next day (why not at camp?), and final night in the Windhoek hotel (almost all of us needed that).

Really friendly guides and people.

Ones if a life time experience getting to cycle up close to wild animals.

The guidance also shared lots of stories from their culture and it was great to learn about it from them.

A brilliant trip and an excellent way to explore Namibia. The cycling was varied and challenging (particularly the terrain and hills on day 7). The first two days on fat tyre bikes was a new experience and a lot of fun. The campsites were all quite different, with a couple of locations a little more basic and the rest with excellent facilities and a little bit of luxury. Be prepared for both cold nights and intense heat! Etosha National Park was stunning and the wildlife incredible. Gabriel and MC made a huge difference to our trip and their support, cooking and insight into their country was really appreciated. It was a pleasure meeting everyone in the group - a fun and adventurous bunch of people!

Wow! What a super trip. Fantastic insight into Namibia, its people, culture, wildlife and other facets of this wonderful country. The cycling was at times demanding but we were allowed to push ourselves just as far as we felt able. A great group of people and our support team of Gabriel and MC worked from dawn till we put our heads down at the end of the day. Food was varied and delicious and any specific dietary needs were accommodated. My advice is to go do this trip and experience the best this young nation has to offer.

What a fabulous trip. Thoroughly made by the organisation and the like minded team of adventurous cyclists but more importantly the lead by Gabriel and MC. It was pitched so well, not too hard, not too easy. Strenuous, interesting, educational, thought provoking, fantastic camping sites and wonderful food. Namibia is such a great country to visit, vast, dry, unique, and fascinating history and wildlife. Hats off to Gabriel and MC, good luck for the future, MBA are so lucky to have you.

Great trip. We we well looked after by Gabriel and MC. I can't praise them both enough, they worked so hard to ensure the trip was enjoyable and memorable for us all.

My wife and I had an amazing time with Gabe and MC the guides. The campsites were much better than I thought, and the food whipped up by chef MC was lovely. I’d recommend taking an aero press, if your a coffee fan, and I small speaker for tunes in the bus while travelling. Oh, and binoculars for wild life spotting. There are a few extra activities to go at too, we enjoyed some sand boarding in the dune which Gabe helped us book. We can highly recommend this trip, it was a fantastic time with a great group of people 👌🏼

These are my personal experiences of the trip as a fit and strong 40 year old crossfitter who can ride a bike but isn't a sport specific cyclist.

Pre trip experiences: This was my first MBA trip and the style of putting all trip details on the website seemed helpful but actually the kit list, itinerary and the FAQs were in some or many places not helpful or accurate. E. g. FAQ about water being supplied on trip was not my experience - in country the guides told us to buy 5L bottles from shops as we went round for our own drinking water management. The kit list is generic and high level and needs more detail for the specifics of desert cycling in a hot country. You won't be most comfortable if you stick to the generic kit list on the website. The itinerary for the trip was changed by local operator as they thought it provided a better experience. Of course they asked the group's opinion/consent, but since I had never been to Namibia or cycled a lot how was I to know any better. To be clear I'm not saying it resulted in a problem but just an FYI what you see on the website isn't necessarily exactly what you will do or in that order. And for trips like cycling where cyclists like to know all the distances and timings that can be important to people. Also it didn't make clear that some of the cycling is time bound so if you don't cover the stated distances you will be hoovered up by the support truck before you can complete it, even if you want to complete it. . . i. e. you are involuntarily forced to stop cycling and get on the truck.

Trip experience: This was a cycling trip and the conditions were uncomfortable and arduous on the bike. . . about 90% of the distance (5 days) takes place on dirt sandy gravelly road tracks which significantly slow less experienced cyclists and are quite arduous and at times leave you feeling a bit unstable. To be clear I can ride a bike competently but to handle these confidently you probably need to have done some moutain bike/off road cycling. Generally the terrain is flat but it's still very challenging due to difficult road surfaces. There is about 10% on tarmac roads which is ok.

Most people on this trip were either elite cyclists, or keen cyclists or endurance athletes (e. g. triathletes). Anyone not in the category basically took an e-bike upgrade option and this made their life a LOT easier on the trip. I probably was the slowest as I neither took the e-bike nor is my training modality of crossfit built for endurance like cycling.

Then there are 2 days of desert cycling on fat bikes. Personally I found this very frustrating, it was either a little on the flat and ok otherwise it was on inclines and declines which were just impossible to complete. You just sunk into the sand on the inclines as you slowed. For some this was an exciting challenge, for me it was just annoying and repeatedly futile. The leader of this activity (a 3rd party, not the local operator) was helpful and supportive but at the end of the day you aren't going to become competent in desert sand cycling in the few hours you have and until you become competent it's a bit frustrating. It's very novel and unique which is great and I'm glad I've tried it but I wouldn't be doing it again by choice.

Accommodation wise there is a lot of camping, and it's made as comfortable as possible with large tents and good ground mats supplied. . . however most of the days we camped were in grounds of hotels, and had I known this I would have liked to upgraded to a room (about half the participants on the trip felt the same) but since we weren't aware of the locations and dates specifically until we arrived on site we invariably found the hotels were fully booked. Only on one night did we manage to get a room and I'm glad we did.

The guides were pretty good. I've read some reviews on MBA of this trip praising them to high heaven and I think they were good but don't stand out vs other trips I've been on. At one point someone came off their bike and the support truck and guide were in front of them so it was down to the lagging cyclists to spot this and help out and call the guide. This was poor and should never happen.

I've never done a safari before that was great, we got to see so many animals that I've never seen in the flesh and there being only 2 days of safari is perfect as you actually get a bit complacement when you see your 50th Zebra and that happens within about 36 hours because we see so much wildlife.

There are one or two free afternoons on the trip and I used these to book some activities for myself, e. g. half day city tour of Windhoek and desert quad biking which was great!

Overall the trip allowed me to do a lot of new things in a country I'd never been to before so it ticked a lot of boxes but my non cycling background made it fall short of the enjoyment I hoped it would bring. A few better details from MBA as well would help better preparation too. The aforementioned "being hoovered up by the support vehicle" if you weren't going fast enough was also quite annoying. I went on this trip to complete the challenges I faced, even if it took me a little longer, and being on a holiday where someone else is dictating this is not the freedom I want from a trip I've paid for. If this was to be the case then the guide should say "if you think you are going to be slower, then you can set off an hour earlier". We weren't given this option and it was quite possible to enact since the roads in Namibia are long and without turn off so you can't go wrong (the entire trip there was no guide at the front of the cycling pack and we didn't need to stick in one group, people were stretched out over 20km on some days). Plus most of us bought Namibian sim cards at the airport so had comms.

If you're a die hard cyclist who enjoys off road I think you'll love it but otherwise do ask a lot of questions pre trip to ensure you get the most out of it and are aware of how challenging it might be.

A well-organised and very enjoyable trip that combined a range of amazing experiences in 8 days. The campsites are fabulous and are a mix of beautiful and remote (Spitzkoppe) and pretty luxurious as two of them are attached to lodges. I found two of the cycling days very challenging, but the truck is always there to scoop you up if needed, and the cycle through the private reserve was absolutely wonderful. Gabriel and MC were brilliant hosts, and the food at the campsites was great. Fat biking in the stunning dunes was an amazing experience, and the wildlife in Etosha was very special. All in all, a great way of exploring part of Namibia and I would highly recommend!

I had a fantastic time touring parts of Namibia that would normally be difficult to experience. The guide (Gabriel) was super efficient - and so experienced about every aspect of the tour. Definitely 5 stars!

Cycle, Safari and Stargaze in Namibia was my first trip with much better adventures and it was amazing. Before, during and after the trip, everyone was so attentive regarding any question or concern. Cycling in namibia gave me a big perspective in life and completitly change me. I had so muh fun and at the same time, relaxing and reflecting moments.

This trip was an incredible way to see a fascinating country. From bombing down sand dunes on the fat bikes, to riding alongside White Rhinos and Wildebeest on a reserve, every day brought a new experience.

Most of the cycling was fairly easy, but there were some tougher (but optional) rides like the Grootberg Pass for those that wanted a challenge. All the guides were brilliant throughout the trip, and our group of eight travellers all got along really well. I cannot recommend this trip enough!

I'd recommend this trip to anyone looking for some adventure in a far away land. Namibia is a great country to visit full of incredible landscapes, friendly people, good weather and amazing wildlife.

Our guide and driver worked tirelessly to ensure we had a memorable trip, providing lots of local insight, cooking up tasty food and helping us see loads of different sights.

The cycling was as challenging as you wanted it to be, with riding over the dunes a real highlight. I would say the bikes could've been in better condition, but we quickly learnt to make do with what we had.

The trip was wonderful, the landscapes breathtaking and the accommodation, both hotels and tents, was great. Cycling on sand dunes with a super knowledgeable guide was incredible! The rest of the cycling on mountain bikes on gravel+sand or muddy roads, sometimes with head or side winds, was a bit challenging but that was also part of the fun, making this cycling trip particularly unique. Having the truck following behind was very comforting, though. It was easy to purchase snacks and drinks along the way and to access ATMs (the shopping bags we got from our guide were super helpful!). The cycling safari in a private reserve out of a fabulous lodge was a great way to end this trip. Our guide and driver were excellent too.

A fantastic trip , the scenery was endless and constantly changing. The accommodation was great especially some of the campgrounds. The guides were so knowledgeable especially re the wildlife and history of the different tribes. The food was always delicious. I would thoroughly recommend this trip.

The trip was beyond my expectations. Absolutely fantastic! Truly spectacular landscape, stars and guides. Gabriel, MC and Tuffi were fantastic - very informed, great company and MC a fab chef! Lovely fellow travellers. majestic animals- Mother Nature at its very best. This trip is a must. Also included a plane tour to the south, with extraordinary views, plus Gab introduced us to local Tribes women - so fascinating into their history!

Missing the guides already. Just do it!

I really enjoyed this trip but would advise anyone considering it to think about it as an overland tour with some relatively boring (in my view) rough-surface cycling experiences included. Be thoughtful about the time of year you go as well as it will impact what you see in terms of wildlife, seals and stars. That said, the sand dune experience is super and the tour leaders will be grateful if you decide to bring your tourism to Namibia.

Namibia is an amazingly beautiful country and you get to see many of its highlights with this tour. You can appreciate the desert flora, fauna and landscapes from both a well-maintained overland vehicle and by bicycle. Our guide, Gabriel, provided cultural and historical context and highlighted the relevance of locations we visited. We were fortunate to have an amazing guide team to support our group which consisted of like-minded enthusiastic and mostly experienced cyclists seeking new adventures. The cycling was easier than I and others had hoped, though admittedly some routes were shorter than billed due to heat and a rain storm. The fat-bike cycling in the dunes at Swakopmund was novel and definitely a highpoint.

A great trip to see the highlights of Namibia.

Gabriel and MC were excellent hosts! Very welcoming, entertaining, knowledgable, and excellent cooks.

We had a couple of really challenging days in the saddle, but plenty of rest time.

Saw loads of wildlife, ate great food, had lovely weather, and an all round good time

A simply incredible trip! I would recommend it to anyone looking to have a real adventure! It was a trip that was fairly out of my comfort zone but I loved every minute! The views, the cycling, the camping, the wildlife, it was all unbelievably fun, beautiful and exciting! One of the best trips of my life!

This trip exceeded my expectations in every way. Namibia has so much to offer, every day was different, the truck was fabulous to travel in, tents are roomy, we enjoyed MCs great cooking morning noon and night. The night sky is phenomenal, I loved seeing the southern cross and the Milky Way so clearly and watching satellites speeding across the night sky in every direction. The campsites are stunning, enjoyed pools at two locations. Etosha didn’t dissappoint and the next 2 days of cycle safari were great fun.

Wonderful country, well organized trip and much fun cycling and exploring with nice group and staff

A really incredible experience! Thanks to Sven and McCloud for being fantastic hosts and sharing with us the amazing Namibian landscape, cycling routes and wildlife. Really appreciated the flexibility in cycling according to how you felt, the great campsites and meals and the group spirit as we explored this great country. Highly recommended!

This trip is not just about cycling - the like-minded group, the knowledgeable Host, the AMAZING chef, comfortable bus and tents and landscapes and stars, smells, sights and people - all came together to make this such a memorable trip! Highly recommend this tour and definitely wont be the last time I will be visiting Namibia!

Superb trip from start to finish! The sand dunes were a real highlight!

Incredible trip. The guides were top notch and planned a great balance of activities and cycling. Hard to pick a favorite thing as each day had several unbelievable experiences. The cycling could be challenging but there’s always a chance to drop out and ride in the truck if you aren’t feeling the challenge that day. It’s a great way to see the country. My group was also fantastic and we got along quite well!

Just sitting down and digesting what was an unforgettable trip to Namibia.

The friendliness and skills of the local guides, fellow travellers, and people of Namibia made what was an already great adventure amazing.

The experience of riding through the desert areas and tracking rhino on mountain bikes will stay with me for the rest of my life. I am pretty sure I will return to this amazing country.