Zorbing in Huacachina: what it is and what it feels like to roll down a dune inside a ball

The first time somebody sees a zorb ball at the top of a dune, the reaction is always the same: they laugh, and then immediately ask whether it is safe.

Let us take it in order.

What it actually is

A zorb is a giant inflatable ball with two layers: the outer one, which touches the sand, and an inner chamber where the person goes. Between them there is air, and that cushion is what absorbs the movement.

You settle inside, our team closes the ball and releases it down a dune chosen for the purpose. From there, gravity is in charge.

There is nothing to learn, nothing to drive and no special fitness needed. It is the opposite of our UTV tour, where you take the wheel: here the whole point is that you control nothing.

What it really feels like

No two people describe it the same way, but three things come up again and again:

• You lose your bearings. Up and down stop meaning anything for a few seconds. Your brain takes a moment to accept it.
• You laugh without meaning to. It is the involuntary kind of laugh, the sort you cannot stop. It is by far the most common reaction, way ahead of fear.
• It ends sooner than you expect. The descent is short and intense. Almost everyone wants to go again straight away.

People arrive thinking it is going to be an extreme sport. They leave saying it was the most fun thing they did all day.

What really matters: what stays outside

This is the part that delays our departures most, and the one almost nobody reads before arriving.

Nothing hard or pointed can go inside the ball. This is not a quirk of ours: the ball is inflated plastic, and any rigid object can tear it while spinning around in there with you.

It stays outside, somewhere safe:

1. Footwear. Shoes, trainers and sandals. You go in barefoot.
2. Earrings and piercings. Even small ones. Better if you arrive without them.
3. Necklaces, bracelets and rings. Any jewellery at all.
4. Keys and sharp objects. Keyrings, penknives, buckles, pens.
5. Phone and camera. We take the photos and videos from outside for you.
6. Watch and glasses. They get scratched, broken or lost in there.

One practical tip: if you know you are going zorbing, turn up already without earrings or rings. Taking them off in the middle of a dune, with sand everywhere and no mirror, is more awkward than it sounds.

Who should not do it

We would rather say it plainly now than at the moment you climb in:

• If you have back, neck or joint problems that rolling or bouncing could make worse.
• If you are pregnant, you cannot take part.
• If you have any other physical condition that movement could aggravate.

Children must meet the minimum age and size, and be accompanied by an adult where required.

If you have any medical condition, check with your doctor first. And tell us before the activity, not after: there is almost always a way to adapt the session, or for the rest of your group to go while you watch and take the photos.

When is best

Mid-afternoon. For two very concrete reasons.

The sand at midday genuinely burns, and remember you go in barefoot. On top of that, afternoon light is far better for the photos and videos, which in this activity are half the souvenir.

Our meeting time is 4:30 pm.

Can it be combined with the UTV?

Yes, and it is what we recommend most if you have a full day in Huacachina.

They work well together precisely because they are opposites: in the UTV you are in charge, you choose the speed and you control the machine. In the zorb you control absolutely nothing. Doing both on the same day gives you the two faces of the desert.

Message us and we will put the whole day together for you.

What to bring

Not much, and nothing valuable:

• Comfortable clothes
• Water
• Sunscreen
• A towel, if you like
• A readiness to laugh

Everything else is better left at the hotel.