The ocean rose like a mirage on the horizon. The cold, salty breeze from the Atlantic washed away the dust of the dunes, a welcome reprieve after the unforgiving heat. Here, where the vastness of the Namib Desert meets the endless stretch of ocean, it felt as though we had arrived in a new world—one where sand and sea dance together in perfect contrast, a place where the desert surrenders to the deep blues of the coast.
The riders awoke to a mild morning, but the tranquility wouldn’t last. The day ahead promised both adventure and challenges as they prepared to leave camp.
Shortly after setting off, the route guided them around the rugged beauty of Kleine Spitzkoppe, the smaller sibling of the iconic Spitzkoppe formation. By now, the riders had become familiar with Namibia’s ever-changing landscape. If there were one word to describe the terrain, it would be “unpredictable” — a land where every twist and turn offered a new challenge.
After skirting the edges of Kleine Spitzkoppe, through the sweeping expanse of the national park, the riders arrived at the site of their first special challenge of the day. The warm-up was over, and the real test was about to begin.
