Customer Comments - South Africa - Whalley Range

Dear Lucy and Steven,

Hey ho from Whalley Range!!

It was SO lovely to receive your email on our very reluctant return to England!! It was a thoughtful and kind gesture, so typical of you both. You took such great care of us all while we were adventuring with you and your combined energy, enthusiasm and sense of fun was totally infectious... (no pills for that!!!) ...mind you, shepherding such a loquacious and loony bunch as us 8 'SAGAs' doubtless had you drawing on hitherto untapped resources!!
I am so relieved that all the horses survived safe and sound from their trip. They carried us, without exception, with generosity and courage, and engendered in us a mutual confidence and trust, whatever the challenge presented. They are a credit to your fine care and horsemanship. Of course, it goes without saying that I hold a special affection for my little horse, Khosa! I forget who said this, but it encapsulates my thoughts and memories of Songimvelo perfectly: '...in riding a horse, we borrow freedom'. Such was this safari for me.

As predicted, it was a far harder task to adjust to more mundane matters back home - like daily routines and jobs etc., and I think we are all dreaming of a future in Kruger Park!!!!
We have already got a theme tune for our next ride, (with suitable ??? lyrics!!) which we composed, to the bewilderment of our mini-bus driver, as we headed for Jo'burg airport...and I am perfecting the accompaniment!! ..death by harmonica????

Thank you again for ALL that you both did to make our adventures happy, safe, endlessly surprising. It was a TRULY AMAZING and unforgettable experience.
I leave you with this beautiful Arab proverb, oft quoted by my mother when we were small:
'The air of heaven is that which blows between a horse's ears'.

Love to you both, Charlotte

Click here for details of the Songimvelo Wilderness Safari.

Staff Report: Estelle Somers (Equine Adventures consultant) in Turkey

Estelle visited Turkey last year and tried our Cappadocia Bivouac Trail.
Cappadocia is a UNESCO World Heritage site in the centre of Turkey. The landscape is made of soft volcanic rock that has eroded away leaving valleys, plateaus and steppes which are scattered with all sorts of weird and wonderful rock formations known as Fairy Chimneys. Fairy Chimneys are basically strangely shaped rock formations, which can be pillar shaped, pointed, mushroom like, cone like and even capped by other rocks balancing precariously on top. Within the valleys, cliffs and rock formations the local people have carved their homes and churches into the rock for centuries, virtually everywhere you go there is some sort of deserted rock dwelling that can be explored. For every deserted dwelling there are also just as many occupied ones, whole villages are built into cliffs and fairy chimneys. A fascinating area to see...

Click here for Full Report and images - Cappadocia Horse Riding in Turkey

Staff Report: Botswana's Okavango Delta by Fran Griffiths

Fran Griffith talks about riding in the Okavango Delta and says that this is a 'must do before you die' ride!

I have ridden my entire life and spent over 30 years of that involved in the African safari industry but for me our ride in the Okavango Delta is an all time highlight. I have been fortunate enough to do our Kujwana ride twice. This highly personalised safari is run by owners PJ and Barney Bestelink and is probably one of the best riding safaris in Africa.

To ride anywhere in Africa is a magical experience but the ride in the Okavango Delta is the ultimate of all magical experiences. On horseback you can get closer to game than you ever dreamed possible... when you are on horseback the animals don't perceive you as a threat- you are truly part of the bush. Just imagine yourself mounted on a great horse sitting high above the long grass and reeds watching great herds of zebra, wildebeest and lechwe as they move across golden floodplains. Now imagine yourself slowly cantering through the shallow floodplains, the spray on your face refreshing in the heat of the day! Now imagine the breathtaking excitement of riding silently along game trails used only by the animals and coming face to face with a family group of elephant!

Click here for the full report - Horse Riding in the Okavango Delta

Staff Report: Safari Horse Training - African Horse Safaris - written by Steven Rufus (who operates our Songimvelo Wilderness Safari)

For us to use horses in the African bush we need to have a good understanding of animal behavior. Natural Horsemanship. is the modern day catch phrase that has horse owners spending thousands of Euro's on special 'gimics' in order to make them work better / harder / faster. As a staunch proponent of this I have spent my whole life watching and studying horse's behavior to better understand how we can work together. I am able to say the word 'gimic' knowing that my father and his father before him worked in this manner long before any special training aids were bought to the market place. Please don't misunderstand, I am in huge favour of all 'natural' learning techniques, it just needs to be kept in mind that training naturally means your own body, voice and knowledge rather than shop bought aids. Also remember all these aids are great if you have only one horse to work, but not so practical when you have a yard of 30 to work. Always remember "horses work as they aim to please."

Click here for the full article - African Safari Horses

Staff Report: "Horses for Courses" - African Horse Safaris - written by Steven Rufus who operates our Songimvelo Wilderness Safari.

A flash of brown, hounds giving voice, the scarlet's are on the move and away we go! Through the Irish countryside in pursuit of the Meath fox hounds. What a rush, only comparable to sitting on a well trained safari horse in front of one of Africa's designated Big Five - Rhino, Buffalo, Elephant, Lion and Leopard.

My name is Steven Rufus and with my wife Lucy we own and operate South Africa Horseback Safaris based on the borders of Swaziland in SA, a company designed for clients to take their holiday on horseback moving with the Big Game in their own terrain. As an operator and guide I will try to prepare you for the holiday of a life time answering some of the questions that appear above and giving you an insight in to what you can expect, starting with the most important participant of that week - The African Safari Horse...

Click here for the full report - Songimvelo Wilderness Safari

Staff Report: The Holiday of a Lifetime - African Horse Safaris (written by Steven Rufus)

My name is Steven Rufus and with my wife Lucy we own and operate South Africa Horseback Safaris based on the borders of Swaziland in SA, a company designed for clients to take their holiday on horseback moving with the Big Game in their own terrain. As an operator and guide I will try to prepare you for the holiday of a life time answering some of your questions and giving you an insight in to what you can expect.

The day before the start of safari is here, I sit on a log outside my house in the bush with a trusted friend (an ice cold beer!) watch the sun go down, and listen to the sounds of Africa. I start to ponder the arrival of my guest's who at this minute are sitting in airports all over the world anxious to arrive in Africa and start their holiday and what you expect to see and feel on arrival that automatically makes you realize you have chosen the right holiday.

Click here for the full report: African Horse Safaris