ReitSafari HorseTrails Namibia

The Team

A wise man once said: “In the desert you meet nobody except yourself.” Luckily our team goes where you go...to make sure that you loose nothing but your heart in the desert.

You are accompanied by a highly professional, well-qualified and very experienced team wanting you to enjoy the desert as much as your horse, while having a safe ride while falling in love with our marvellous country. Even when we are busy with various chores, at least one of us will be approachable at all times. Each trail includes at least two riding guides, two truck drivers, two packers and someone in charge of the horses.

We were all born and bred on African soil and have some or other commitment to the desert environment, to horses and to tourism. We have ridden across the desert more than a hundred times; since each trail is about 400 km, the total distance equals once around the globe. We can tell you unforgettable stories! When we are asked whether we ever get tired of doing this the reply is: “No, we are always on holiday! Because of the temperatures in the desert our riding season lasts eight months. This means we only work part of the year... and when we work we are on holiday with other people! Do us a favour, please enjoy your holiday as much as we enjoy our work!”

Trails of this dimension require a variety of different skills: apart from exceptional ‘horse people’ you need good farriers, mechanics for the supply trucks, tour guides, a cook, a tack-maker, off-road drivers, a logistics manager, someone for marketing and finance, and reliable office staff of course.

Claudia - When you come on a trail with us you will first meet Claudia who pulls the strings in the office in town. She will happily answer all your questions and help with your travel arrangements. She has been on quite a number of trails herself. When extra hands were needed Claudia jumped in as a second riding guide or as a driver. With her tourism and hotel management background and her experience in running a farm she is tremendously suited to coordinate all the different aspects of trail logistics. Just watch her answer the phone while at the same time operating the fax machine, typing some details and listening to instructions from Waldi and Telané, and you will have no doubt that she knows what she does!

		Telané - does not really like talking but nevertheless has so much to say, especially when horses are discussed. If she could, she would love to create a recreational resort for horses. Telané is the Number One expert on the Wild Horses of the Namib Desert. Visiting them in her company is an experience of a lifetime!

		Meet the latest addition to the ReitSafari team: Celine! Though she seems to be new, she is well-known as she has ridden with us before. Now she is a full time member of us horse-crazy people. Celine does not come close to Waldi´s or Telané´s height - even if she stretches… but she easily meets Waldi´s speed and is as caring and considerate as Telané. She rides like a rocket on her Arabs and is someone rather not to ignore when it comes to endurance riding (100km in just 5 hours!). She got the enthusiasm one has for endless riding when one is young, but the ambition of someone knowing exactly what she wants in life, as well as the personality to achieve her goals in a polite way, happily smiling and content.

Having grown up in a remarkable tourism company she is familiar with foreigners and guiding since she was very young; and being of French origin certainly makes her an asset to the ReitSafari team. To give you the description she introduced herself with: her job is riding and her hobby is riding and her big interest is horses and her aim is to ride forever! Look forward to riding with Celine!

		Waldi - Chief riding guide, truck driver, campfire cook and coordinator, has done around a hundred desert trails on a remarkable number of horses. As fit as a jack-in-the-box! “Life is far too precious to spend in a boring office”, says the modern gypsy. Life is so exciting: during the riding season every month consists of two weeks on horseback, one week in town and one in the office! Where home is? Oops, something to think about – probably where the bedroll is. By the end of the season we are fit enough to dance straight through a party night!

You will probably meet Waldi with her Land Rover and mobile phone somewhere between Windhoek, the airport and the farm. Or in the desert, sporting a cowboy hat and riding boots, giving some last minute instructions while mounting her horse for another exhilarating fast canter or gallop. Any suggestions for a new challenge? Don’t hesitate, our team will take it on immediately!

Frederic - nicknamed Damab (meaning “black”), is the small man who drives the big truck... or takes over as chief riding guide when Waldi is driving the truck. He has been on every single trail arranged by ReitSafari during the past 16 years; he shoes all the horses and takes care of logistics. He is very polite, utterly reliable... and a marvellous campfire cook. He seems shy but he really has a very cheerful nature and loves to listen to you - or tell you what he thinks of riding camels.

		Willem - nick-named with the diminutive Willempie for being rather short. He helps wherever help is needed, thoroughly enjoys all adventures and excitement coming up and never misses a joke or trick. He is famous for his incredibly happy smile and those very funny comments causing bouts of laughter in most odd situations. Whether he performs as a camel crazy sheik at a fancy dress party at new years eve called „Arabian Nights“ or plays the role of a bandit in a cowboy movie, of a poor slave dragging a mine’s wheel barrow in a movie town at a time way back, Willempie thoroughly exploits every moment.

Whenever you see a daring black riding guide racing down a dune on a fast Arabian horse followed by a cheerful group of tourists, you can be sure that this must be Willempie.

Emma - packs the kitchen trailer and, among other things, peels the potatoes. She does not mind grooming horses and sleeping out somewhere amongst jackals and hyenas – which is very unusual for local ladies. Talk to her and you will meet a very special local lady.

Among the many others are Lazarus, Moses, Jonas, Justus, Izak, Abraham and Michael... happy children of the desert who look forward to meeting you while they are with us.

People often say that we resemble nomads. In fact the true nomads are our indigenous workers who come and go as it suits them. And here we have a problem: introducing them is difficult. Somebody who was still with us yesterday may have left last night, and someone presented here now may be gone by the time you come to see us.

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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