1,000km Soaring in Namibia

Flying a glider in Namibia where dreams come true. This week I traveled to Namibia for Flying With the Champions, one of the most extraordinary soaring events on the planet. Ten past and present World Champions coach a small group of pilots in state-of-the-art Schempp-Hirth Arcus M gliders, all while flying in the wild beauty of the Namib Desert. Each morning begins with a weather briefing, flight planning, and lessons learned with our champions. This year I flew with Andi Lutz, two-time European Champion, and Tom Arscott, World Champion in the Standard Class. Together we chased thermals and cloud streets across endless red and brown landscapes. The flying here is unlike anything I have experienced. Climbs of 10 knots (5 m/s), cloud bases to 19,500 ft, and long, fast glides over completely uninhabited terrain. Namibia is one of the few places on earth where 1,000 km flights are achievable almost daily, and this trip helped me reach that personal goal. Beyond the flying, the warm hospitality at Kiripotib Guest Farm made this adventure unforgettable, from family-style dinners to singing and dancing on the final night. If you love gliding, adventure, or wild landscapes, this video will give you a taste of why Namibia is considered the holy land of soaring. Subscribe for more gliding videos, adventures, and behind-the-scenes flying stories. Timecode 00:00 Flying with the Champions in Namibia 00:49 Wolfgang Zimmerman 01:05 Andi Lutz and Tom Arscott 01:21 Weather Briefing Strong Thermals and Beautiful Weather 01:42 Soaring high over the desert 03:35 Lunch with a view Soaring over the Kalahari 04:41 Afternoon Thunderstorms 05:07 Guestfarm Kiripotib 07:05 Last day flying in Namibia 07:57 Greeting after the flight 08:42 1,000km flight in a glider