Garub is an old railway siding on the B4 between Aus and Lüderitz, 20 kilometres west of Aus according to most sources, 25 according to namibian.org. This is where the wild horses of the Namib come to drink. Strictly speaking they are feral domestic horses rather than true wild horses, and they live in the Namib-Naukluft Park. From an open hide above the trough you can watch them without disturbing them.
- west of Aus, depending on the source
- 20 to 25 km
- trough built for the horses
- 1980
- horses around 2012, before the hyena years
- 286
- the horses come to drink
- every 2 to 3 days
Where the horses came from was argued over for a long time. Stories mention a shipwreck, horses of the German colonial army and the herd at Duwisib Castle. In 1915 a German aircraft bombed a South African camp near Garub. Some 1,700 horses scattered into the desert. Since 2019 the environment ministry has traced the herd to the Kubub stud, run by Emil Kreplin near Aus.
The horses survived because the area was a closed diamond zone for decades and nobody rounded them up. And because Garub had water: steam locomotives filled up here until 1977. Then diesel took over. The pump stopped, and several horses died of thirst. Jan Coetzer, who worked for the diamond company CDM, campaigned for them. In 1980 the horses got tanks and a trough.
Hyenas, drought and foals
Around 2012 there were 286 horses at Garub. Then came five years of drought, and a clan of spotted hyenas that had settled in the area around 2010 took one foal after another. From 2013 to 2018 not a single one survived. Depending on the count, 70 to 74 horses were left.
In early 2019, after public pressure, the ministry had several hyenas removed. Foals then grew up again for the first time in years. In February 2020 there were 86 horses, including 15 foals. It did not stay quiet: in 2023 Africa Geographic reported hyenas taking foals again. A hyena research project, on the other hand, writes that after good rains the herd has recovered, because the hyenas have enough other prey again.
A report from May 2025 speaks of fewer than 100 horses. They belong to the state. In hard times the Namibia Wild Horses Foundation, set up in 2012, brings in extra feed.At the hide
The turn-off from the B4 is marked by a small brown sign reading "Wild Horses View Point", and it is easy to miss. After about 500 metres of corrugated track you reach the hide: a roof, a few benches, no walls. The trough lies a little lower down and is about two metres long.
Whether horses are there is luck. Since the late 1980s a game fence on the eastern edge has kept them near Garub, but they only come to drink every two to three days. In summer they can go about 30 hours without water, in winter almost three days. Between water and grazing they walk 15 to 20 kilometres. Sometimes oryx and ostriches share the trough.
- Time needed
- half an hour to an hour, longer with patience and luck
- Cost
- no gate or ticket office on the access track, as travellers describe it (as of October 2026)
- When
- all year; in 2016 a guide named 11 am to 4 pm as the best time
Our tipWatch for the small brown sign after Aus, as many drivers miss it the first time. Bring binoculars, water and a hat: the hide has a roof but no walls.
Places to stay in Aus
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Klein-Aus Vista Desert Horse Campsite
On The B4 Main Road To Luederitz
- Pool
- Breakfast
- Parking
- Wi-Fi
from €25per night on 18 November 2026
Check prices on trivago
Klein Aus Vista, Eagle's Nest Chalets
Gondwana Sperrgebiet Rand Park
- Pool
- Breakfast
- Restaurant
- Kitchen
from €226per night on 29 June 2027
Check prices on trivago
Klein-Aus Vista, Desert Horse Inn
2 km from the town centre
- Breakfast
- Restaurant
- Parking
- Wi-Fi
from €195per night on 18 November 2026
Check prices on trivagoWild horses at Garub: frequently asked questions
How far is Garub from Aus?
The wild horse waterhole at Garub is on the B4 towards Lüderitz, 20 kilometres west of Aus according to most sources, 25 according to namibian.org. From the turn-off it is about 500 metres of track to the hide.
Where do the Garub wild horses come from?
Since 2019 the environment ministry has traced the Garub wild horses to Emil Kreplin's Kubub stud near Aus. Other explanations point to German colonial army horses, a South African camp bombed in 1915, or the herd at Duwisib Castle.
How many wild horses are left at Garub?
Around 2012 there were 286 horses at Garub; after years of drought and hyenas only 70 to 74 remained. In February 2020 there were 86, including 15 foals, and a report from May 2025 speaks of fewer than 100.
Will I always see the wild horses at Garub?
No, the wild horses only come to the Garub trough every two to three days. Allow time and wait at the hide; sometimes oryx and ostriches turn up too.