ReitSafari HorseTrails Namibia - News & Reports (July

A pioneering trip along the pioneer’s path - July 2008
by Roz Hughes

With my horse panting and no water left in the bottle in my saddle bag to satisfy my dry mouth I asked how far to camp. Tour leader Waldi looked at me, removed the neckerchief covering her face and in a strong German accent said firmly ‘I don’t know’. Wanting reassurance I turned to Marina, a softly spoken, well- to- do mother of three from Pretoria and asked ‘are we lost?’ and ‘no not really’ came the reply which didn’t feel reassuring at all. With the GPS co-ordinates telling us to go in one direction and Ingrid, an expert in brown hyenas, who was familiar with the territory, convinced otherwise we were officially lost in the desert. After much conversation in Afrikaans the situation seemed to be resolved and an hour of exhilarating long

canters in the sand brought us to camp. ‘It’s a trial ride’ Waldi reminded me. ‘These things are bound
to happen.’

Several months before, with a desire to visit Namibia I booked myself on a riding holiday. As I looked out of the airplane’s window as we approached Windhoek’s tiny airport and got my first glimpse of the barren landscape and I wondered what I had let myself in for. I knew the country was four times the size of France with a population of less than 2 million people, so one of the most sparsely populated places on the globe, but nothing prepared me for the desolate landscape before me. I spotted a road and almost sighed with relief. There was civilisation here.

I had signed up for what would be better described as an adventure than a holiday and had been looking forward to it for ages but as the plane landed I felt nervous and hoped a city girl like me would survive a 200 km horse ride across one of the most remote parts of Southern Africa.

Early the following morning I was picked up by Waldi, Reitsafari’s owner with 17 years experience in guiding riders through the Namibian deserts and with an obvious passion for what she does. We drove for over 600 km to meet the horses and start the ride. My other companion on the long drive was Miriam, a recently married German marketing executive who had left her new husband at home to join us on the 10 day trip. She became my ‘room mate’ if you can call it that. Every night we pitched our beds side by side under the stars. She generously lent me all kinds of essentials I had never thought to bring and generally made the unfamiliar camping experience a lot more tolerable for which I was very grateful.

That evening I got to know the rest of the group who were all Namibian or lived in Namibia and discovered I was the only person not familiar with the country. And what a group of people they were. All easy- going, open minded, well educated individuals who were very accepting of this English girl who had been transported there from a very different world.

Over dinner we discussed the trip and for the first time I realised how truly privileged I was to be part of this journey. We were going to do something never done before. Ride through the Sperrgebeit or Namibia’s Forbidden Diamond Area, a piece of land some 28,000 sq km that has been fenced off for 100 years. Thanks to Reitsafari’s remarkable persistence in gaining permission from the authorities we were about to enter a place tourists had never visited. This year marks the centenary of the discovery of diamonds and this gave them the opportunity to persuade the security police to relax the restrictions.

The following morning I was introduced to Janie, a five year old chestnut mare who was fit, willing and seemed as enthusiastic about the adventure as I was. As the days progressed we learnt each other’s little idiosyncrasies and although it was never going to be a love affair, we tolerated each other and by the end the affection had grown on my part anyway.

The first day’s riding took us past rock formations some 1.8 billion years old and for the first time I got an impression of the vastness and rugged beauty of this special land. Camping out under the milky way that night with a full moon illuminating the landscape will be something I will never forget. I felt no fear as I lay in the open air on my camp bed with only a canvas bed roll and sleeping bag for cover and I slept so soundly.

Each day revealed new and very different landscapes. Sometimes grasslands, home to oryx springbok and wild ostriches. Other times sandy desert with the odd snake, lizard but little else. Over every ridge was a view that often contrasted with the last. For nearly seven days we didn’t see a soul. The landscape hasn’t changed in thousands if not millions of years and it really felt we had entered the land that time forgot. We were following the ox wagon route the pioneers took and found abandoned ox carts and all kinds of rusty artefacts left along the way.

By the third day every bone in my body ached. We were spending about 5 or 6 hours in the saddle and it was hard. Sometimes I had to remind myself that I was on holiday and I recalled the text on the instruction sheet ‘you should be strong mentally and a have a sense of humour’. I could see why both were so important. It was challenging both for body and mind but equally it was unforgettable.

On the final morning, having discovered I had developed a phobia for riding down steep dunes I nearly opted to take the truck for the last 20 kilometres but Waldi wouldn’t allow me to. ‘You must ride to the sea ‘ she instructed and I wasn’t going to argue. And I’m so very glad I didn’t. As we galloped the last stretch to the Atlantic Ocean I felt huge elation and an enormous sense of achievement.

As we reached the little mining town of Luderitz we were out of the diamond zone and at our final destination where we loaded the horses onto the truck for their journey home and a well earned rest.

This incredible trip ended with a drive out at sunset to see the famous wild horses of the Namib desert, made even more special as escorted by Dr Telane Greyling, one of our Reitsafari’s guides on the trip but also the world’s expert in these horses having studied and lived with them for years.

As I climbed the steps of the aircraft to begin my long journey home I turned for a last look at the stunning landscape with the orange sun setting behind the mountains. I reflected on my experiences. I didn’t find diamonds but I did find something far more precious - one of the most beautiful places on earth. I didn’t buy souvenirs but I took back with me some incredible memories of a trip I will never forget as long as I live. I loved Namibia. The country was gentle with me and its people kind. Without question I will return one day as I’m compelled to see more of this amazing part of Africa.

Damaraland Trail
This is a truly exceptional trail: where else can you expect to see elephant, giraffe and rhino in a desert habitat! And you will be surprised at how they have adapted.
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