To experience the world's largest and most dramatic sand dunes why not throw caution to the wind and sign up for sandboarding or sand-skiing? In Namibia and Mozambique extreme sports combine with extreme scenery to provide an unforgettable and adrenaline-filled travel experience.

SWAKOPMUND, NAMIBIA

Bordered on three sides by the vast Namib Desert and facing the Atlantic Ocean, Swakopmund is the adventure sports capital of Namibia and the jumping off point for sandboarding and sand skiing excursions. The dunes near Swakopmund are some of the world's largest and offer exhilarating slopes amidst majestic scenery.

Jen Bolton Bigelow, 37, from Abiquiu, New Mexico describes the sandboarding at Swakopmund as "fan-frickin-tastic, so absolutely beautiful", and "a gorgeous way to experience the magnificent beauty of the dunes and overall landscape".

Drawn to Swakopmund in June 2007 after reading about the sandboarding on offer there, Jen organised a half-day "stand-up boarding" session through a local agency, Desert eXplorers, and headed out to the dunes with three instructors.

Upon arriving at the sandboarding site "the vastness of the dunes is truly breathtaking and they are constantly shape-shifting due to the wind. They went on and on as far as the eye could see", Jen recalls.

Unlike their snow-topped cousins, sandboarding slopes are not serviced by chairlifts or buttons. Sand bunnies have to summit the peaks on foot, which can be pretty tough going; the sand is deep and snowboarding boots unwieldy. It is, as Jen notes, "an incredible butt workout".

Although previous snow or sandboarding experience is not necessary, Jen says her surfing, skiing and snowboarding skills were helpful when it came to mastering how to turn down the dunes. Her advice is to avoid taking big, curvy turns and to just go for it, turning tightly when needs be to avoid grinding to a halt. Novices can choose to opt for the "lie-down boarding" option, which essentially involves heading down the dunes on a tea tray, but are advised to cover up very well.

If you don't have any prior experience instructors are on hand to help. Jen says that her guides were "marvelous and having so much fun themselves that I felt like I was at a sandboarding party. They were very professional and made sure I wore my helmet, which I thought I didn't need".

The guides shared a lot of insight into life in Namibia and arranged for the three hour sand session to end with a sunset picnic at the beach. Jen says, "Sandboarding in the later part of the day and seeing the sunset in the Atlantic at the end of the boarding was spectacular! The majority of the sandboarding is done on the backside runs of the dunes facing away from the ocean, but the last run of the day, back to the vehicle, is right down the front face heading to the vast open ocean. Awesome!"

Details: Desert eXplorers – Tel: +264 64 406 096; Web: www.namibiadesertexplorers.com. Call for bookings and prices.

BAZARUTO ISLAND, MOZAMBIQUE

The eastern strip of Mozambique's Bazaruto Island is comprised of enormous dunes making it a serious sandboarding hotspot. The smooth, stunning dunes offer a variety of options that cater to beginners, experts and everyone in between against a backdrop of diverse African wildlife and the indigo Indian ocean.

Sandboarding in this island paradise does come with one catch… You must be staying at the luxury Indigo Bay Resort to access the dunes. The massages, milk baths and body wraps on offer at the hotel spa do have their plus points at the end of a challenging boarding session though, so we'll leave it up to you to decide whether this is a burden or a boon.

Indigo Bay's exclusive dune access guarantees a quiet experience with enough breathing space to soak-up the views. Each two hour excursion culminates with sunset at the top of the dunes. In August, September and October sandboarders can even combine an exhilarating session with some whale watching.

Bazaruto's dunes are 60 metres high which allows for a 10 second "run". It takes about two minutes to climb to the top. Brandon Kilbride, Activities Manager at Indigo Bay, says the Bazartuto experience is unique, "the overall experience of the views, the sunset, the drive to the dunes through the surrounding island vegetation with the possibility of seeing crocs and red duiker. It is something one can't do every day at home, or in most places for that matter."

Details: Indigo Bay Island Resort and Spa – Tel: +27 11 467 1277; Email: enquiries@raniresorts.com; Web: www.indigobayresort.com. Sandboarding / Tobogganing costs USD 20 per person. Room rates from USD 465 per night.

THE DOS AND DON'TS OF AFRICAN SANDBOARDING:

DO

• Go armed with sunscreen
• Wear proper fitting socks to avoid getting blisters from hiking up the dunes in snowboard boots
• Avoid wide turns

DON'T

• Worry about falling; we are assured that the fall is soft!
• Let lack of experience put you off. Instructors will look after you whether you are a novice or a regular rider
• Wear clothing that is too loose or too tight

Photo Credits: Namibia photos all ©Jen Bolton Bigelow; Mozambique photos by jackhynes and flickabix via Flickr (Creative Commons)