The endurance ride at Walvis Bay is presented annually by the Namibia Endurance Ride Association (NERA). Over the years it has become one of the great rides on the Southern ­African endurance calendar, and is referred to by NERA as “the ultimate endurance ride”.

Getting there

Ultimate it truly is, and in more ways than one. For most South African riders, it starts when they leave home, with an ultimate trip in excess of 2 000 km to Walvis Bay, ­staggering the trip over two or even three days.

To allow horses to recover from this trip, riders plan to arrive at the venue on the ­Friday before the ride (the actual ride ­taking place on a Wednesday).

This implies that they have to leave home on the ­previous Wednesday! ­Towing a ­horsebox over these distances is a ­challenge in itself.

The trip becomes fun when riders team up and travel in convoy, although this has the potential to frustrate the speedsters who have to slow down to keep with the slower traffic.

It does, however, make a huge ­contribution to team spirit, with ­strangers becoming friends even before they reach Walvis. The return trip is less fun, as ­everyone is tired and not all are happy with the results.

A dream location

Walvis Bay (with neighbouring Swakopmund), is an ultimate haven for coastal holidays. Riders and grooms alike make full use of this opportunity, and quad-­biking into the desert is a must for ­everyone.

For bird lovers there is the Walvis Bay Lagoon (the largest single area of shallow water on the African west coast) which is home to many species of birds, most migrants and some residents.

The wetland ranks among the top three in Africa. It is the feeding site for 83% of the lesser flamingos and 49% of the ­greater ­flamingos in Southern Africa. This is a sight never to be forgotten. The Namib ­Desert (the oldest desert on earth) is another ­challenge, and the huge sand dunes have to be climbed by all riders (all in the name of team spirit). Seal and dolphin cruises can be ­enjoyed, and soon the five or six days in Walvis Bay are too short to accommodate all the activities.

Ultimate everything!

The weather is another ultimate factor. Sometimes conditions are perfect, with ­sunshine and no wind. But at times heavy mists in the early morning bring ­visibility down to a metre or so, causing lots of ­confusion among riders. And then the wind can play havoc and bombard everyone with sand grains. Only when day breaks on the day of the ride, does one know what the weather will hold.

Ultimate hospitality is another feature of this ride – friendly people, great functions (both the welcoming on the Monday night and the prize-giving the Thursday), and truly great beer. One cannot leave without having a “Tafel”!

Then comes the ride

The ride itself is an ultimate ­experience without which no-one can claim to have seen it all. No, not all endurance rides are the same. The ride consists of a ­number of loops (depending on the total ­distance), each ­exposing rider and horse to ­different ­scenery and circumstances (read ­“challenges”).

One loop takes the riders through the salt pans of Walvis Bay. Easy going and flat, but hard surfaces and not to be ­under-­estimated. Nowhere else will riders ride around a salt refinery with its huge pile of bright white salt. The salt fields cover an area of 3 500 hectares and 400 000 tons of salt are produced here annually.

Another loop runs along the beach, ­passing Bird Island, which was originally built as a platform for guano production. This is the most deceiving loop of the ride, and often the end of the road for a ­number of riders. Deceiving, as the cool breeze blowing from the sea creates a false sense of comfort with the riders, causing them to forget the fact that humidity is high and that the horses actually have to work very hard to keep going.

One or more desert loops also form part of the ride, where rider and horse have to endure all aspects of the vastness and solitude of the Namib. Going appears to be easy, and often is. However, if conditions were windy in the days prior to the ride, lots of small, soft new dunes create obstacles and add to the challenge horse and rider have to face.

The dune …

And then there is Dune 7. This dune, the highest in the area, over 360 metres high, is an enormous challenge that has to be ­approached with care. To many riders this is the climax of the ride. One has to get off, struggle in the deep, loose sand to reach the top, and then go down the other side. Once the dune is crossed, going ­becomes easier and the end is in sight.

The Walvis Bay Ride is also the Africa Championships, where teams of ­Namibia, South Africa and Botswana annually ­compete to be crowned African ­Champions. This year also saw a senior rider team from Australia and a young rider team from ­Brazil entering for the ride, making it a truly multi-national affair.

The 2007 African Champions in both the young rider and senior divisions were Namibia, with South Africa second. The ­individual competitions were also ­dominated by Namibian riders, with Izolde von Schauroth on Akasha Sansnasib taking honours in the young rider competition over 120 km, and Fritz Konjak on Image in the senior competition over 130 km.

Come again!

A great ride, well-organised, with a great atmosphere. But the true winner is the ­camaraderie among endurance riders from Southern Africa and the rest of the world.

So, take the plunge and book the last week of August and first few days of ­September in next year’s diary, and become part of this ultimate experience!