Scenic Desert Tour by Bike
5
Scenic Desert Tour by Bike
By Swakopmund Fat Bike Tours
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
About
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation
Ages 6-80, max of 12 per group
Duration: 2h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
More
- Fat Bike
- Helmet
- Water
- Experienced guide
What's not included- Pick up and drop off at accommodation
- Start:
- 6 Hendrik Witbooi, Swakopmund, NamibiaAcross the Hansa Hotel
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point. - Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 66812P1- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Min age: Depends on height and fitness level, must be able to ride a bike for 14km and approximately 2hrs continuously, including up several dunes. Our half size fat bike is perfect from 7 years old.
- Max age: Depends on fitness level. Must be able to cycle for 2hrs continuously, including up several dunes.
- Travellers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travellers
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 66812P1
From
R 520,00
per adult
Select date and travellers
Similar experiences
Itinerary
- 6 Hendrik Witbooi, Swakopmund, NamibiaAcross the Hansa Hotel
- 1On our Scenic Desert Tour you will experience the oldest desert in the world on a fat bike. On your arrival at our office you will be kitted with a fat bike to your size and helmet. After a short briefing we head off on our bikes from the center of town towards the Swakop riverbed, passing through our historic town. Once we reach the edge of town, we head down into the dry riverbed where the desert experience starts. Not long and we start climbing our first dune. From here we spend about an hour in the dunes where you will experience the thrill of riding along the famous Namib dunes including some optional adrenaline pumping downhill sections for the adventure types. The guide will also share some interesting facts about the desert and the vast life in the seemingly lifeless environment. It is truly a living desert. The tour ends with a ride along the dry riverbed towards the coast and with the tide allows, some riding along the beach back to the office. A once in lifetime experience.
About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
- 177siegfriedd0 contributionsBreathtaking beauty !!!What a amazing place on earth - This tour was so good organized by Marc (owner). We are so thankful to have done this . I should recommend everybody to do this biketrip . Thanks a lot MarcWritten 19 October 2024
- nlarmstrong60 contributionsFantastic, informative, fun!We did the living desert tour. The bikes were a great and fun way to get around, we loved how active it was compared to sitting in a car. We enjoyed riding the dunes however the focus for us was the wildlife. We saw an amazing array of reptiles. It was incredible, both the amount of animals in the desert, and the ability of our guide Hanjo to find them. He was so knowledgeable about the wildlife and the various ecosystems of the desert. We saw 3 species of snake!! A beautiful web-footed gecko, a burrowing skink, a chameleon and loads more. We took regular bikes, not the e-bikes. I struggled very slightly with the power to get up the dunes but I wouldn't say that I needed an e-bike. The cycling was good for 2 people of average fitness who don't spend much time on bikes. We were provided with snacks and there was pouches for my water bottle and phone so we didn't need to take a backpack. I would really recommend this tour. We saw animals that we would never have the opportunity to see otherwise. We learnt a lot and had a great time cycling.Written 7 October 2024
- tonybX3040DV0 contributionsExcellent Desert Creatures tour on Fat BikesThree of us did the Desert Creatures tour with Hanjo. Two had electric bikes, one had a traditional fat bike. We saw sidewinder adders, a chameleon and a skink. Cycling over the dunes was such fun. The tour lasted about 3.5 hours. Brilliant and thank you Hanjo 👍.Written 2 October 2024
- Karen C0 contributionsAdventure Desert Tour highly recommendedAs a group of eight cyclists we did the 3.5hr Adventure Desert Tour. Mark, our guide for the morning was brilliant, taking account of our different physical capabilities and experience (only one of us had ridden a fat bike before). He took us on a beautiful scenic route, stopping to give us information about the area, and to provide guidance on the best way to approach each section of the ride. Mark took photos and videos of us and shared them with our group. The scenery was absolutely stunning and this was a fantastic way to explore the dunes. I'd highly recommend Swakopmund Fat Bike Tours as a great value and responsible way to explore the beauty of this part of Namibia.Written 25 July 2024
- GerryW9000 contributionsDunes ExploreFun and educational exploration of the dunes. Fatbiking was a blast!! Not as hard as I thought, and learned a lot of skill.Written 19 April 2023
- NeilLMaun_Botswana0 contributionsExcellent trip into the desertWe chose to ride the 20km trip into the desert. My wife and I cycle a bit and brought along our cleated shoes. If I did the tour again I would ride with regular shoes as we were not that competent on the steep sandy slopes. I would for sure do that trip again and recommend it to anyone who enjoys being active and outdoors. The sandscapes are fantastic.Written 30 September 2021
- 169philipv0 contributionsGreat sceneryWe had a great outing with Hanjo. Everybody can do it no problem, great scenery. The fat bikes are in excellent condition.Written 11 May 2021
- Basil20210 contributionsBest impressionsI took a bike for 4 hours for 180 nad, and I liked it so much! Having travelled all over and inside out the Swakopmund! Baie Dankie!Written 9 February 2021
- Matobomatobo0 contributionsI luv this tripNicely organized, beautiful view, exciting bike ride, everything is compacted in short trip. Highly recommend.Written 3 January 2020
- 989nadinec0 contributionsUnique cycling funWe did the 2 hour dune cycle. It was so much fun. The first section is through town and out to the dunes along the dry river bed, a nice warm up. The uphills were a challenge but everyone was in the same boat, puffing at the top, and the guide, Hans, left plenty of time for us to catch our breath. The downhills were awesome!! Adrenaline pumping fun. They look worse then they are. We totally loved this unique cycling experience and would highly recommend it. Well organised, with good quality equipment, and photos emailed to you. Totally good value and fun activity and A great way to get amongst the dunes.Written 23 October 2019
- mattcam570 contributionsMust do in SwakopmundWe did a 3 hour city / dune ride combo in early October with Hanrul ( sorry if name misspelt) who was an excellent guide . He had an extensive knowledge of the town and it’s history and was only too happy to answer all our questions. He took a lot of care ensuring we stayed safe in town and in the dunes and took extra care when we rode back through town around 5pm which he described as being the busy traffic period ! I wish Brisbane traffic was the same . We had a great afternoon which went longer than the allotted time but we never felt rushed by our guide. A brilliant way to spend some time in this interesting town. Highly recommended operator 👍👍👍Written 16 October 2019
- JDav_120 contributionsAwesome time!Had a really great time cycling the dunes. Fantastic guides and way to see the area; this is a must activity in Swakopmund. A bonus is they also send you some GoPro action shots.Written 29 September 2019
- Doris R0 contributionsFantastic activityThis activity was really unique! Rarely, there is an opportunity to ride a bike on the dunes! It was really fun to ride the Fat Bikes around in the sand! And Hanjo also educated us on the animals, vegetation etc. of the dunes. Our 12-year old son also handled the bike in the sand well and very much enjoyed the activity.Written 1 September 2019
- Marlowtony0 contributionsCycling in the DunesThis was a really good few hours, with the added bonus of bumping into some camels on our way back. I cycle a lot, so was looking forward to testing out a fat bike, and they are definitely different to normal mountain bikes. The weather was kind on us and off we set. A very different experience and the guide was a young local boy who knew his stuff. My only moan , is that we had two French women in our group, who were really unfit and had not been on a bike for years, as a result we seemed to spend too much time waiting for them. Maybe a group for People with different skill sets could be an idea. Still worth doing though.Written 18 August 2019
- Paula G0 contributionsA great way to experience the dunes!We are regular cyclists at home, so we thought we’d give this a whirl. It took a little while to get used to riding fat bikes on the road, but once on the dunes the bikes came into their own. Cycling down a large dune at speed was a daunting prospect but a great adrenaline rush. Would definitely recommend this as an alternative way of experiencing the dunes.Written 5 October 2018
These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
151 reviews
Excellent
139
Very good
11
Average
1
Poor
0
Terrible
0
These reviews have been automatically translated from their original language.
This service may contain translations provided by Google. Google disclaims all warranties, express or implied, with respect to translations, including any warranties of accuracy, reliability, and any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and freedom from forgery.
NeilLMaun_Botswana
Rondebosch, South Africa238 contributions
May 2021
Our first contact was Gibson who was super helpful and informative. They have two "fleets" of fat bikes, Specialised and Silverback all well maintained and in good condition. There are several options available for cycling in the dunes. There is a shorter 12km ride, we chose the 20km. We road cycle ride fairly often in Cape Town so our MTB skills are not great.
Mark, the owner of the business led our group of 2 - myself and my wife. He was great company, never in a rush and happy to give us a few tips about riding in the dunes.
Toward the end my wife struggled a bit as one needs to "power" up the steeper sections of the dunes. As a result she fell a bit (so did I)., thankfully the sand is soft. We had asked Mark to fit cleats to the bikes. We noted he did not wear cleats. To be honest if I were to ride again, I would probably think about wearing trail shoes or similar until I had mastered the technique a bit. I think it would be easier if the sand suddenly gets soft in a steep section.
After leaving we crossed the Swakop river a little inland and headed south. The dunes are between two main roads, so there is sometimes a bit of distant traffic noise but also a lot of wide open desert experience. After a while we turned west, up and over the dunes to descend to the coast, finishing along the beach and across the Swakop river mouth.
I would not say that this is an exclusive domain for cyclists, but for those who dont cycle regularly I would recommend the shorter 12 km trip!
Mark, the owner of the business led our group of 2 - myself and my wife. He was great company, never in a rush and happy to give us a few tips about riding in the dunes.
Toward the end my wife struggled a bit as one needs to "power" up the steeper sections of the dunes. As a result she fell a bit (so did I)., thankfully the sand is soft. We had asked Mark to fit cleats to the bikes. We noted he did not wear cleats. To be honest if I were to ride again, I would probably think about wearing trail shoes or similar until I had mastered the technique a bit. I think it would be easier if the sand suddenly gets soft in a steep section.
After leaving we crossed the Swakop river a little inland and headed south. The dunes are between two main roads, so there is sometimes a bit of distant traffic noise but also a lot of wide open desert experience. After a while we turned west, up and over the dunes to descend to the coast, finishing along the beach and across the Swakop river mouth.
I would not say that this is an exclusive domain for cyclists, but for those who dont cycle regularly I would recommend the shorter 12 km trip!
Written 20 May 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
haraldp73
Windhoek37 contributions
Feb 2020
Undertook a 2-hour Scenic Desert Tour. A first for us on fat bikes. Riding was very casual and not too exhausting, considering riding in river beds and sand dunes. Guide, Ingo, stopped occasionally to allow to caption the scenery and provided information to the surroundings and environment. A very good mix of some 'exercise' and 'education'. Ingo was very attentive towards the safety and well being of the participants and was very generous with his time. Equipment ( bikes ) were all in good condition and thoroughly enjoyed a wonderful morning ride-out !
Written 5 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
hi Harald,
Thank you very much for your review. Glad you had such a good time and enjoyed the mix between 'exercise' and 'education'. We always like to give our guests a 'takeaway' and leave you with a greater appreciation for the Namib desert :).
See you again next time.
Kind Regards,
Mark
Written 11 March 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Paul Martin
1 contribution
Aug 2023 • Friends
We did the 4 hour Living Desert Tour by fat bike, led by Hanjo who is passionate and very informative about the desert. We visited each of the habitats around Swarkopmund including rocky, gravel and dunes desert and river. Hanjo showed us many animals that he located from their tracks and burrows, plants, lichens and geology. The pace was slow and relaxed with many stops. If you can't make it up the couple of dune slopes Hanjo will push your bike for you so don't be put off by thinking you may struggle to cycle, this tour is for everyone. Bike is a much better way to see the desert than a 4x4 and the price is very reasonable. The tour exceeded our expectations.
Written 10 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Paul,
Thank you very much for your review. I am really glad you enjoyed it so much and that it exceeded your expectation, that is of cause our aim for every tour :). Our "UP CLOSE" Living Desert Fat Bike Tour is exactly that, getting up close to the wonder of the life in the desert, and to instill a greater appreciation and respect for our amazing desert.
we hope to see you again in the future :)
Kind Regards,
Mark
Written 18 September 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Lara A
3 contributions
Jan 2020
I loved this tour. There was supposed to be two of us doing this tour and the other person did not show up. I was worried they would cancel, but oh no they let me do the tour. The views along the way especially once you reach the top of the dunes are mind blowing beautiful. It is a challenge and does test your fitness but you have to push through and tweak your gears because it is totally worth it especially riding down the dunes. My guide was very knowledgeable too which was great! I highly recommend this!
Written 10 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi laraaY3534RO,
Thank you for your review and recommendation. Glad you enjoyed it and hope to see you again :).
Kind Regards,
Mark
Written 11 March 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Jon
Caterham, UK287 contributions
Throughly enjoyable couple of hours out on the dunes.
We had 3 regular bikes and 1 electric and all were easy to ride through the dunes. Our guide was great, both informative as a Swakopmund local about the dunes and wider area but also engaging and fun to be with.
The cycling was challenging in places and tested the nerves with some of the downhill and so the adrenaline was pumping at times.
Highly recommend as a family activity, cost easily circa £85 for four and definitely worth it.
We had 3 regular bikes and 1 electric and all were easy to ride through the dunes. Our guide was great, both informative as a Swakopmund local about the dunes and wider area but also engaging and fun to be with.
The cycling was challenging in places and tested the nerves with some of the downhill and so the adrenaline was pumping at times.
Highly recommend as a family activity, cost easily circa £85 for four and definitely worth it.
Written 30 July 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
hi,
thank you very much for your review and recommendation. We really appreciate it. I glad that you and your family hat so much fun with us.
Hope you can join gain in the future. :)
Kind Regards,
Mark
Written 8 October 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Happiness02036756917
3 contributions
Oct 2023 • Couples
We decided to try the Fat Bike Adventure Tour to get some exercise and get outside, after being in the truck for many days on safari drives. This tour exceeded our expectations! Our friendly guide was very knowledgeable about the area and considerate of all ability levels in our small group of 4. It was amazing to ride over the sand with these bikes and roll through countless dunes like we were on a rollercoaster!! So nice to be outside and to get amazing views of this spectacular area!! I would highly recommend this trip to anyone that knows how to ride a bike!!
Written 7 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
realproperty
Toronto, Canada71 contributions
Feb 2020
This is a local bike tour of the desert around Swakopmund. Unless you are in good shape, and do a lot of biking, i highly recommend getting the electric assist bikes. (Don't be embarrassed--it will make the excursion a lot more fun. No need to be a hero.) It doesn't mean you won't get stuck but there are lots of hills that require momentum for the ups that the electric assist makes for far less work. a good afternoon activity.
Written 29 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi realproperty,
Thank you very much for your review. The e-bike is a great option if you are not a regular cyclist or if you just want an easier ride but still enjoy the amazing area on a bicycle :).
Kind Regards,
Mark
Written 11 March 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Deborah D
Johannesburg, South Africa8 contributions
Jul 2022
Wow what fun did I have on this tour! I was not feeling well so I opted for an e-bike and boy did I have ZERO regrets as I found myself almost gliding through the dunes. Our guide Gibson is a legend - he was so patient and knowledgeable with our mixed crew of both younger and older folk with various ailments. The cycle through the beach was especially memorable as we freed a helpless bird who's wings were stuck in fishing reel (Gibson to the rescue)! Overall, a fantastic experience with Swakopmund Fat Bike Tours. (Furthermore my colleague lost her phone on the dunes and Gibson actually retrieved it for her!)
Written 11 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Deborah,
Thank you very much for you review. Glad that you had such a good time. We were all glad when Gibson managed to find the phone afterwards :).
Hope you can join us again in the future.
Kind Regards,
Mark
Written 16 September 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Isabelle M
Pacy-sur-Eure, France72 contributions
Combo tour of the city and outing in the dunes by fat bike. A great guide, cultured, passionate and exciting: Costa humorously tells the story of the country, the city and its monuments. Beyond this visit, the trip to the dunes requires a certain physical condition and mastery of the bike. More difficult than I imagined, but Costa is a teacher and a patient. An experiment to do if you have 3 hours of time.
Automatically translated
Written 23 October 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Victoria
California7 contributions
Oct 2022
This is an experience you cannot miss. It's like visiting another planet!
I loved the fat bike tour of the dunes so much that I did it every morning for an entire week! Every day offered a different view, as the dunes changed shape slightly each night. I chose to ride the standard fat tire bike because I was looking for a good morning workout. Others who prefer a more leisurely experience can choose the electrically powered version, the "e-bike."
The guide I was assigned every day was Gibson. He is extremely knowledgeable about the dunes, a super nice guy and very encouraging. I recommend you sign up for the earliest morning ride, as the dunes will be pristine and unmarked by other riders. Afterwards, I recommend you get a delicious smoothie at the juice bar next door.
This is a "must do" activity that is perfect for people of all fitness levels. I am a huge fan. I give them my highest recommendation!
I loved the fat bike tour of the dunes so much that I did it every morning for an entire week! Every day offered a different view, as the dunes changed shape slightly each night. I chose to ride the standard fat tire bike because I was looking for a good morning workout. Others who prefer a more leisurely experience can choose the electrically powered version, the "e-bike."
The guide I was assigned every day was Gibson. He is extremely knowledgeable about the dunes, a super nice guy and very encouraging. I recommend you sign up for the earliest morning ride, as the dunes will be pristine and unmarked by other riders. Afterwards, I recommend you get a delicious smoothie at the juice bar next door.
This is a "must do" activity that is perfect for people of all fitness levels. I am a huge fan. I give them my highest recommendation!
Written 3 November 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank your very much for the review and complements. We are glad that you had such a good time and hope to see you again next time!
Written 30 December 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
I am traveling alone and would like to do the tour but when I want to check the availability it says its not possible to book the tour because it requires at least 2 people. Is it not possible to book the tour for a single person and join into a group with less than the maximum of participants??
Written 11 May 2019
Showing results 1-1 of 1
Top rated
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.