Sandboarding is an exciting extreme sport that combines elements of surfing, skateboarding and snowboarding. This activity is based on riding on a special board on sand dunes and dunes. This is a great opportunity to diversify your vacation and add a drop of adrenaline and extreme sports to it. The most popular locations for sandboarding are in desert areas, sand pits and near beaches. Let’s see where you can enjoy a “sand slide”.
Egypt
In Egypt, sandboarding is not very popular, but nevertheless, it is practiced there. The best locations are considered to be the dunes of the Great Sandy Sea, as well as in El Safra. According to local beliefs, sandboarding originated in Egypt. It is believed that the pharaohs in ancient times rolled down from the sand dunes on pieces of wood.
Egypt offers unique opportunities for sandboarding due to its vast desert terrain. For example, the Sahara desert, the largest in the world, offers many places to practice this sport: the most popular locations are the Farafra oasis, the Dakhla oasis and the Bahariya sand dunes. And the Libyan Desert, which is located on the western coast of Egypt, offers excellent conditions for sandboarding in the area of the Siwa oasis.
In addition, Egypt has a hot and dry climate, so you can practice sandboarding here all year round.
Namibia
In Namibia, there is a unique sport similar to sandboarding – sand skiing. Most of the tracks are located in the Namib Desert near the cities of Swakopmund and Walvis Bay. With special permission, you can visit the highest dunes in the world, located in Sossusvlei. One of the most famous dunes in the region is Dune 45. Two styles of boarding are used here: regular, as in snowboarding, and lying on your stomach, face down. For the latter, a special board is used.
Namibia is famous for its huge and impressive sand dunes, especially in the famous Namib-Naukluft National Park. Here you can find dunes up to 300m high, making them perfect for sandboarding and sand surfing.
Be sure to try the sunset ride. Golden light and long shadows create a unique atmosphere and make your experience even more magical.
United Kingdom
Sandboarding in the UK is a fun extreme sport practiced on sand dunes and beaches. And although the UK is not as famous for its high sand dunes as, for example, Namibia or Egypt, there are excellent conditions for sandboarders.
Firstly, there are many beautiful sandy beaches and dune systems in the UK, especially on the south coast. Some popular sandboarding destinations include Dorset, Cornwall and Southend-on-Sea. There are various types of beaches here, from wide sandy shores to narrow dune strips.
Secondly, most beaches and dune systems in the UK are only a couple of hours drive from major cities and do not require a long journey to desert areas. This makes sandboarding very accessible to tourists and locals alike.
However, the UK’s climate limits the sandboarding season. These are usually the summer months when the weather is more favorable and the beaches attract more people to enjoy outdoor activities.
The good thing is that you can then relax at your hotel with Tony el Pony, the bookmaker that will make you win.
Germany
The only place in Germany available for sandboarding is located in the city of Hirschau in the east of the country. Monte Kaolino is an artificial sand mountain equipped with a 120-meter lift to the top. It hosts the annual Sandboarding World Championships. There are schools and instructors to teach beginners the basics of sandboarding. You can also rent the necessary equipment if you don’t have your own board.
Thanks to the synthetic material that allows skiing on snow-like surfaces, Monte Kaolino is open for sandboarding all year round. This is especially valuable as the climate in Germany is not always suitable for traditional winter sports.
In addition to sandboarding, skiing and snowboarding can be enjoyed on Monte Kaolino during the winter months.
Peru
In Peru, there are large sand dunes near the city of Ica. Duna Grande is the largest in the world. The Copa Sandboarding Peru has been held here since 2009. There are also large dunes near the capital, Lima. The main local advantage is that you don’t have to go to the dunes on foot – you can be taken there on special buggies (by the way, you can order a whole desert tour on a buggy with bouncing on dunes).
Another popular sandboarding location is the Huacachina oasis. It is a small lake surrounded by sand dunes.
If you are considering sandboarding in Peru, we recommend that you contact experienced guides or tour operators to help you choose the most suitable places and ensure your safety while skiing. Sandboarding in Peru is a fun and unforgettable way to explore the beauty of the desert and experience the adrenaline on high sand dunes.
