Hidden Trails Community

Lost in Translation on Crete

admin — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 20:40:00 GMT

– Crete Explorer Ride – self guided option

Take two slightly ditzy girls, one incomprehensive language, and a brace of strange horses and dump them on a Mediterranean Island. Then tell said girls to navigate through 120 miles of impenetrable terrain and come home safely.

Sounds like a recipe for disaster?

Well, perhaps. But I also thought it sounded fun-and had no trouble conscripting my flat mate, Caroline, for the trip (solo travel is never allowed on the unguided Lasithi trail).

I’d never been to Crete and, through I officially hate hacking, one sniff of adventure has me snared. But as the stable manager Manolis handed me some saddlebags and a curious rope attached to a crooked horse shoe before directing me to a pony half my height of my own titchy eventer, my confidence began to waver.

The saddlebags, explained Manolis, heaving them over Macho’s back, contain a 24hr supply of oats, a tetherer (the shoe-rope thing) and three days’ clothes and necessities for ourselves. We just had to follow blue arrows marked on stones along the trail, keep an eye on the map and pitch up at a taverna every evening.
I can get lost in a dressage arena, so I delegated navigating to Caroline, Manolis promised we would find hay and evening oats at each guesthouse, and urged us to let the horses drink wherever we could find water. We exchanged mobile numbers, with his plea that we would call if ever unhappy with one of the ponies-either in temperament or soundness-and he would bring a replacement. With that, he tapped Macho on the rump and waves us off.
We set off in fleeces, heeding the locals’ warnings about the chilliness of the Cretan peaks (1,800m)-they get snowed in during the winter. But just two arrows into our ride, we decided it was bikini time. Amid secluded hectares of olive groves ribboned with rugged mountain paths, only a lone eagle circling ahead, we stripped and changed-just before Manolis’ Jeep purred round the corner. “I forgot your lunch!” he grinned, stuffing hunks of bread, ham and cheese into our bags.

But for most of the trail, we felt far away from any civilization. No two days of the six are the same-one day was spent amid rocky, red and Arizona-esque isolation; another day we rode along a fertile, fruity plateau flecked with quaint white-sailed windmills; one we spent on the balmy southern coastline, another up in the cool Dikti Mountains. Some days we trotted through old men willingly hobbled up from their roadside benches to offer our horses water; other days, the only glint of a community would be the lively chime of a goat’s bell.

As Pony Club camp veterans, Caroline and I thought we’d cruise through six day-long rides, tending to our ponies. Although the Cretans are oblivious to B-tests and conventional stable management, I was struck by quite how Sabine and Manilis, the couple who run the operation and partners with Hidden Trails, care about their horses.

In fact, they once dismissed a rider on day one-not on account of his ability, but for treating his horse like a machine. Manolis admitted to me later that he watches the way his clients throw their bags into his truck at the airport to glean signs about which of their 14 horses would suit them and whether they are caring riders.

But there is no farrier or vet on the island, and consequently some of the horses’ toes were uncomfortably long. And forget all those rally rules about “safe tying up” with baler twine and quick release knots-here we simply attached the horses to trees by the tethers and they ate, slept and rolled as happily as my mollycoddled Pony Club pony. My District Commissioner would have exploded.

Our first day was an eye-opener. From the Gorge of Gonies, we clambered from sea level to 1,100m. Six hours into the ride, and the horses were straining under the effort. Macho’s flea bitten white coat blackened and glistened as he toiled up the craggy path. But Macho, a tough little Berber pony is bred to cope with this sort of vertiginous, rocky terrain. I just had to learn to cope with his way of going. He likes to surge on at a pace, than take a break, panting and looking round rather helplessly.

I couldn’t fathom what he was trying to achieve-he could scarcely go home for a bran mash only 20 miles in. But no sooner had I resigned myself to the idea of tethering him to the nearest olive tree and bedding down for the night than he strutted on again with renewed purpose.

Caroline’s ride, Billy Diamond, was bred for the flat, but less affiliation to a racehorse than a tadpole. He likes to amble along at his own pace, his noble head lobbing metronomically as he slithers down the asphalt tracks and climbs methodically uphill on his long legs.

After a gargantuan effort like this, horses need their R&R, but on a different evening, when we’d only spent a couple of hours meandering through the orchards of the Lasithi plateau in the morning, we decided that a dusk hack was in order.

The horses seemed delighted to be out in the cool of the evening, without their cumbersome saddlebags. While we plucked figs, grapes and pomegranates from the trees fringing the sandy tracks, the horses snuffled around in the dust for windfalls like pigs searching for truffles. It beats my typical blackberry-fueled hack. This carefree attitude abruptly translated into a mad homebound gallop, hurtling round the unfamiliar bends-Macho’s blood-sugar levels had evidently soared due to the over-ripe figs.

On the hottest day of all, warmed by the drying African winds, we rounded off seven long hours in the saddle with a dip in the Libyan Sea. The horses initially seemed reluctant to tackle the breaking surf, but once they were confident we weren’t going to take any contact on the reins, dragging them underwater, they bobbed around happily.

Again and again, these horses surprised me with their versatility. Macho is an all-singing, all-dancing circus pony. The trail winds through sleep whitewashed village, incorporating a descent of 100 chapel steps. Admittedly Diamond got his lanky legs in a twist, but Macho strutted down as if to the manor born.

The guesthouses and villages, like the trails, vary enormously, from hotels and taverns to a family spare room-while the horses are patiently tethered to any nearby tree. The accommodation isn’t exactly salubrious-spartan, clean and with a private bathroom, but far from plush five-star deluxe. But the hosts, without exception, were charming and helpful, despite the insurmountable language barrier.

We ate local Cretan fare-breakfasts of yogurt and honey and suppers invariably incorporating lashings of olive oil, vine leaves, Greek salads, lamb and fresh grilled fish. Every night we would be plied with a carafe of raki-“the Cretan spirit”, ominously translated as firewater-and two shot glasses, often from an anonymous donor at the taverna.

Mercifully, we were warned that is it the height of impropriety to refuse the offer, even if you have no intention of drinking it. And you don’t-raki tastes like tequila mixed with petrol, but possibly rather worse.

At the end of the trip, Manolis and Sabine generously took us you to supper in the bright lights of Heraklion to celebrate our safe return. The sudden immersion into a buzzing tourist city, neon lights, gaudy sarongs and sun burnt Englishmen, pitched a stark contrast with the rustic, peasant-like idyll we’d so enjoyed.

A 120 mile trek is far from a “happy hack”. It was adventurous, challenging and at times remote-with only a good friend and dependant pony as company for an entire week. The rich tapestry of landscapes was compelling, the people delightful and-when each extraordinary day is over-you slept with that smug contentment of time well spent.

Hidden Trails offers a guided version of this trip today – which is probably the better way to go. Have a look on their website at www.hiddentrails.com/europe/greece/crete.htm

At a canter but not hands down Endurance riding in Namibia

admin — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 22:28:00 GMT

Read a travel story by Steve Moger about their experience in Namibia on the Sambulenni Endurance Ride.

………….. We arrived at Okapuka Ranch, a large, well-stocked private game reserve a short drive north of Windhoek, the following morning, relatively calm and relaxed once more. This offers a combination of game viewing and active trail riding on the savannah plains and in the mountains. The horses are mainly pure Arabs and are therefore also ideally suited to endurance riding in this hot, dry and dusty country. Ingeborg, who runs the horse operation, is a keen, competitive and successful endurance rider and is only too happy to offer fit, competent riders the chance to train and take part with her. We had never tried or even thought of trying endurance before Okapuka was suggested to us, and it was largely because of this new dimension that, along with the precocious and loquacious Zoë, we became the first guests from the UK to take advantage of the opportunity.

Ingeborg welcomed us and showed us around the luxurious stables, introducing us to our horses - two each for the week, one for safari riding and the other for endurance - and acquainting us with the tack. Later that afternoon, after a lunch of springbok salad, we reported for a familiarization ride on our endurance horses. It was fairly uneventful; my horse only kicked out at one other and only bucked once. This inevitably led to the conclusion that she was called Sultaanah because she was a bit of a fruitcake (sorry, couldn’t resist), but no, within a day or so, we had arrived at an excellent understanding: I didn’t interfere in her business, and she didn’t in mine. The irrepressible and voluble Zoë had an injured wrist and incipient lumbago, but this holiday was a birthday present, and there was no way she was going to forgo it or be stood down. So, just in case, she was paired with the more experienced horse that had been earmarked for Pin, and Pin was switched onto the lively young Ameer. It was decided that the regime would consist of endurance training bright and early before breakfast followed by safari riding later in the day, although we did take the endurance horses for a long safari ride one day, the highlight of which was cantering alongside a string of oryx, and we missed training another day when we went for a long picnic ride up into the Otjihavera mountains and back through Leopard Valley, the highlight of which was … we should have been so lucky; this meant a double helping of training the next day. Training was essentially trotting and cantering.

And we also had to practice superfast untacking, sponging down to reduce the horses’ heart rates and trotting up on a longish lead rope for the veterinary inspections. By Friday, the day before the big day, Ingeborg was confident, certainly more confident than we were anyway, that we could manage the first two legs, which would be around 60 km. She stressed that the most important thing was for us all to finish. Places would be a bonus. We loaded the horses and set off on the long drive north through Okahandja to Otjiwarongo. At the riding club there, we unloaded, registered, collected our numbers, weighed in and presented the horses for the preliminary vet check. Fiendishly cleverly, we were all entered in different classes - Ingeborg 100 km senior, Nina (the older daughter of Fritz and Monika, the owners of Okapuka Ranch) 100 km junior, the chatterbox Zoë 66 km junior, Pin 66 km senior and myself 66 km heavyweight (scraped in by a couple of ounces!) - so would not be competing against each other and would ride as a group. In the late afternoon, we took the horses on a short circuit to stretch their legs and then went for the race briefing. This was all in Afrikaans, so it was agreed we would just do as we were told by the boss.

That evening, over a nightcap at our hotel C’est Si Bon, Ingeborg gave Pin and me a detailed mathematical explanation of exactly how many times we would have to rise over a distance of 60 km, so we went off for our early night in the comforting belief that we would cover the distance in a measured combination of trot and canter. The next morning we were up at 4 and grooming and tacking up at 5 and we set off at 6, just as the sun came up. It wasn’t very long at all before the scales fell from our eyes and we realized that, with the exception of areas of rough ground where we would have to trot and watering points where we would obviously have to stop, we were going to canter. And canter. And canter some more. Crikey, we thought, we still hadn’t made our wills! After 10 km of long, sandy tracks and dust, Pin was vermilion and looked as if she might explode. Ameer was full of beans but settled when he went on a little in front. The 5 km markers followed one another at what seemed to be distances of at least twice that. Ingeborg reminded us that she would not take any prisoners and that no whining was allowed. Not even from Pin. Canter, canter, canter …

After 36.2 km of long, sandy tracks, dust and virtuous patience, the first leg was finished. We hopped off to enter our grooming area and prepare for the vet check and discovered that our legs were finished too. I was numb from waist to toe, the slightly less garrulous Zoë tumbled over in a tangle of limbs, and Pin had to sit very quietly and breathe very deeply for the duration of this brief period of respite. Ingeborg’s niece Sasha trotted Ameer up for Pin, but the vet was clearly more concerned about Pin than her horse. Not wishing not to be taken prisoner, and with her heart rate back down to close to normal, Pin rallied. After all, the second leg would be only 30 km, so we were more than halfway there! All the horses were passed fit, and off we went again, fully aware now of what lay ahead. And of course, apart from aches and cramps straining every muscle in our bodies, except the ones used for smiling, the second leg proved slightly easier than the first. Or maybe we were simply dehydrated and delirious. The 5 km markers followed one another at what seemed to be distances of only 8 or 9 km. Mind over matter. We kept quiet about the oasis we were sure we could see up ahead in the distance. Canter, canter, canter …

After 30 km of long, sandy tracks, dust and saintly patience, we dismounted, more elegantly this time. The horses and Pin passed the vet again, so, after a little under 4 hours, it was suddenly all over, for us anyway. Ingeborg and Nina had to go again for their last legs (we were already on ours!). Zoë was lost for words and went for a kip in the Land Rover. We could even have got a few in edgeways but were quite happy to sit in the shade like zombies and drink the cool boxes dry. In the evening, washed and brushed up, we returned to the club for prize giving. 47 riders had taken part altogether. The big question: how had we done? It was all Afrikaans to us, but to our surprise, although perhaps not Ingeborg’s, the result was a clean sweep. We had all won our classes, with average speeds of around 17.5 km/h, and each beaten off at least 3 other competitors. All except Ingeborg, that is, who had not realized but had been racing only herself. We think she might have done OK anyway. The icing on the cake had a cherry on it: Ingeborg’s and Nina’s horses won “best conditioned” titles as well! Fortunately, the locals were friendly and didn’t seem to mind 3 British holidaymakers appearing out of the blue and muscling in on their event. And we were over the moon with our Okanjande Uithourit Klub certificates (who would ever believe us without them?). The team had a celebration dinner at C’est Si Bon and continued in the same vein back at Okapuka the next day with a few bottles of South African bubbly and some rather delicious smoked zebra, a special end to what had been a very special experience and achievement.

For more information on riding in Namibia, check out the Hidden Trails website at
http://www.hiddentrails.com/africa/namibia/sambulenni.htm .

Chose from a riding safari “The Sambulenni Safari” or join Ingeborg on one of the endurance rides scheduled for this year !!

Spectacular Trail Ride

Dale Andrews — Fri, 02 May 2008 12:56:00 GMT

I rode he northern rim of Lake Tahoe and it was awesome. A long ride with camping and a pack horse. Another ride I enjoyed was Nehalm Bay in Oregon. Riding on the beach on the long penesulia with mountains at each end beach while watching giant whales in the Pacific Ocean was an memorable experience. Ride my profile to find out more about my trail riding adventures. Dale

Banff National Park riding trip - a true escape from a busy life

admin — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 20:16:00 GMT

By Cheyenne Steffen

Summer vacation time is almost here. It’s nearly time to start wrapping up that last work project, take some time off and attempt to not think about e-mails, phone calls and deadlines. But how well did you do with “putting work behind you” during your last vacation?

In recent studies in Canada and the USA majorities of the people polled admit to being hooked on their cell phones for work and to keep up with social buzz. An AP-Ipsos poll reports that many people interrupt their time to unwind by checking in with the office, checking work e-mails or being inundated with social obligations.

Being “connected” is great for convenience and instant communication but not for quality rest and relaxation. However, there is a way to completely escape the trappings of our hectic lives and enter a world where an entirely new level of relaxation manifests. Last summer that’s exactly what 25-year-old Katie Long from Toronto came to Alberta to discover.

Her mom, Gail Marshall, agreed to be Long’s traveling companion and together they tucked away their beloved cell phones and lap tops in favour of cowboy hats and trail mix snacks. The pair headed to Banff, Alberta to begin their horseback adventure in the Canadian Rockies.

“My Blackberry is attached to my hip 24/7,” says Long, an account representative for a chemical firm. “It’s the first thing I touch in the morning and the last thing I touch at night. This trip is a chance to re-charge myself and put the Blackberry away for a while.”

The traveling mother and daughter booked a three-day trail ride with two nights staying in a log cabin lodge at one of Banff National Park’s historic sites. It’s a popular trip offered by Hidden Trails (www.hiddentrails.com).

The ride leaves from the stables in Banff where the first leg of the trip meanders at a leisurely pace through picturesque forest trails. The views, even in the early portion of the ride, are fabulous and include glorious mountain ranges, crystal clear flowing rivers and quite often a sighting of a herd of elk or two.

One of the best features of this excursion generally comes as a surprise to most travelers – it’s the air. The oxygen itself is delicious in this grand area of Banff Park. Your senses will thank you for the opportunity to breathe in the clean, crisp mountain air filled with the fresh aromas of forest foliage and rich dark soil.

“This is so much better than I thought,” said Marshall, 60-years-old. “I wasn’t sure about doing this at first but Katie was really insistent. Once I got here and took a deep breath… the air smells so good! I felt instantly relaxed.”

The first leg of the morning takes about 90 minutes at which point most guests are eager to stretch their newfound saddle-legs. The guides on these rides also double as cooks on the trail. They quickly whip together a portable cook stove, fire and all the fixing for a barbeque lunch. There is lengthy time to explore the area or even have a little nap before mounting back up and heading onto the trail for the remainder of the 10-mile ride to Sundance Lodge.

Completed in 1991, Sundance Lodge now sits on the original site of the horse corral for Ten-Mile cabin, built by Canadian Pacific Railway in the 1920s. The original cabin remains standing and was declared a historic site in 1990.

Sundance Lodge, built to accommodate vacationing guests, sits alongside a gentle curve on Brewster Creek with the Sundance mountain range as a backdrop. Built entirely with fir logs, the lodge has 10 sleeping rooms, a large country kitchen and a cozy living room area complete with a woodstove.

At the end of the afternoon ride travelers are rewarded by their arrival at the beautiful lodge. The accommodation is several levels above camping out in the open. It’s fairly luxurious and even offers electricity and hot showers. However, the lodge sits in Banff’s backcountry so don’t bother trying to use your cell phone because there’s no coverage. There’s also no television and no computer. What’s left? Just a flowing creek and resplendent mountain range to enjoy, not to mention a gourmet meal prepared by the lodge’s in-house cook.

“I’ve completely geared down already,” says a glowing Long at the end of the first day. “I love that there’s no way to check my e-mail or cell. The scenery here is amazing.”

There’s a fire pit and benches in the yard so several visitors gather in the evening for a bonfire and to be regaled by stories from the trail guides. The next day there’s a valley ride along Brewster Creek. You’ll spend about five hours in the saddle on day two but there’s another long lunch break and an entirely new mountain range to see.

Riders are mostly inexperienced or novices. You don’t need experience on horseback to enjoy these trail rides. The guides offer brief training and tips along the way and, of course, the horses are trained for the backcountry.

Traveling by horseback is generally the only way to access the backcountry in Banff National Park. The trails and area are secluded enough that you won’t see many, if any, other travelers outside of your group. This provides an optimal environment to spot wildlife of various species. It’s a photographer’s paradise and whether you’re a practiced photographer or not, the scenery itself will guarantee you’ll take spectacular shots.

“I haven’t thought about work at all during this trip,” said Long. “I’ve never been able to say that after a vacation before. I’ll be back next year, but I’ll book a longer trip next time!”

Hidden Trails offers various trail ride ‘escapes’.
In Banff you can chose between camping and lodge rides from 3 to 6 days:
http://hiddentrails.com/canada/rt/ab-banff.htm#Backcountry%20Lodge%20Rides

Jan’s Pack Trip into the Blue Wilderness Area – New Mexico / Arizona

admin — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 21:51:00 GMT

This spring I decided to take a pack trip somewhere in New Mexico. I looked in my equestrian magazine and saw a trip in the Southwest of New Mexico. They promptly answered my email and allowed me to bring my own horse. Since I had no experience with a professional outfitter, I didn’t have any idea what to expect. The contact suggested several times that I should ride one of their horses, however I had visions of dude ranch horses that would only stay head to tail and were dull and lifeless. I also didn’t trust that the horse would come away from the string if necessary, so I insisted on bringing my own horse. I chose my most broke, most calm & experienced trail horse, my 13 year old, Missouri Foxtrotter mare Easter. I could trust her in any situation.
The trip was over 900 miles from my home in Kansas. I made reservations to stay at Tucumcari, New Mexico at the Empty Saddle RV Park. Tucumcari was the half way point for me. The Empty Saddle was a nice safe place to stay with a horse. They had electric and water hookup and a large pen for the horse. It was close to a Kmart, Conoco and a motel and had easy access on and off two major highways (54 and 40). The owners live there on the premises so you are not left alone if there aren’t other campers.

I chose late April/early May because the days were warm (mid 70s to low 80s) and the nights were cool (mid 40s) and not much chance for rain. Jim will take people to different elevations depending on the time of the year. This trip we camped at around 6000 feet but rode up over 9000 feet. We actually got to ride two states in one week. We rode New Mexico and Arizona.

When I arrived, Jim, my guide for the trip, provided a nice pen to put my horse complete with hay and fresh water and fixed me a hamburger since I only stopped for gas and didn’t take time to eat. The place is on top of a mesa with beautiful mountain views all the way around as far as a person can see. That part of New Mexico is very desolate and cell phones do not work. You have to have satellite phones. Also, when traveling across New Mexico there can be 80 miles of NOTHING between towns, so it is a good idea to get gas every chance you can.

Monday, we loaded up in Jim’s trailer and headed for the trail head. All I had to bring was my sleeping bag, air mattress, clothes and personal items. They provided food for me and feed for my horse and a tent. Everything was packed on Jim’s stock. Since we were packing into the wilderness area, everything gets fed sweet feed and alfalfa pellets so it would be a good idea to get the horse accustomed to that type of feed before the trip. Easter didn’t have any problems luckily because I didn’t do anything to get her accustomed to it.

The trail to the base camp was beautiful with huge juniper trees and pinion pines everywhere and awesome mountain views as we dropped down in the canyon where we were to set up camp. Camp was shaded and had a nice creek running alongside it. Jim had some things already set up like the canopy over the dining area and the tent where he stored the horse feed and human food. He had picket lines run through the trees where we tied the horses and mules.

As we dropped into the base camp, we came from relatively flat terrain around the side of a mountain where we could look out over a valley that went down so far I couldn’t see the bottom of it. It was just kind of hazy with tops of trees WAAAY down in the valley. We were on a trail as wide as the horse which was no time or place for the horses to act up. My flatland horse did fine following the pack string. My heart skipped a couple of beats when I saw the outside foot of Jim’s horse kicking off the edge of the trail….

The most amazing thing about being in this wilderness area is you cannot see a radio tower, cell phone tower or anything civilized forever! It is just purely wilderness. There is no motorized vehicle access and we never saw other trail riders. This is why it is so important to hook up with a reliable guide service to experience this wilderness. Water is scarce so it’s important to be with someone who knows where water for human and animals is, as well as someone who is knowledgeable in surviving in a place like this.

After setting up base camp we rode out from there to several different places. There is so much varied terrain and the neatest rock formations that there is no way a person can get tired of any one trail. Every ride we took resulted in some kind of surprise for the day. We rode a canyon for miles until we came out on top of a mountain. The canyon was so narrow in places that my knees were inches away from the sides of the rocks on both sides. I prayed Easter wouldn’t shift from one side or another or stumble. The canyon was very rocky with boulders and narrow trails we had to negotiate. One day we met up with a mother cow that had just had a calf in the canyon. These cows are free ranged and they are not gentle. Jim had a heck of a time getting the cow to head up out of the canyon away from us but he got the job done after we got hold of his dogs to keep them back. They were trying to help but were making the cow mad and she was trying to charge Jim on his horse.

On one ride we found a marking on a tree. Jim and I are still trying to determine the meaning of the marking. He thinks it might be an old trail marking of some kind and wants to do concentric circles out from it to see if there is another one. I thought it might be an apache marking but someone else more knowledgeable of apache markings said the apache never carved on trees. One trail ran alongside some hoodoos. These are tall spirals of rocks. It was really neat looking up to see how high they went. At one point we were on a very narrow trail, with one side dropping into the canyon with boulders and the other side was at the base of these hoodoos. I was behind Jim and something snorted way above my head. Easter’s head came up and her ears were back and she got very tense, she tried to step sideways to look up toward the hoodoos. There was nowhere to step and I just took hold of her reins and asked her to stay going forward. She snorted back and got a little jiggy but otherwise stayed controllable. Jim thought it might have been a bull elk snorting. I figured it was a ravenous mountain lion!!!

We stopped in shady places to rest the horses (especially since mine hadn’t ever ridden in the mountains before) and I went looking for elk sheds and deer antlers. I found several. One of the wranglers named Paul had analyzed where the elk would spend their spring days and he felt that was where we’d find their sheds. One place we stopped, I went hiking around and before I knew it I lost sight of the guys and horses. I found out really quick how insignificantly small I am in comparison to that country. Every rise I’d walk up would not look familiar. I just knew I needed to go in a certain direction (or so I thought) but when I’d get to where I could see, it wouldn’t be where I needed to be. I whistled really loud hoping Easter would hear and whinny back but nothing. I started to get panicky because the last thing Jim told me and the wranglers when we headed out, was “DON’T MAKE ME GO INTO RESCUE MODE…” I was getting really nervous. I found a huge pinion pine that had fallen and stood up on it trying to see where I was. I tried to get still and quiet and try to “feel” where my horse was. I felt like I needed to go to my left up this hill. I made my mind up that if I got to the top of the hill and they weren’t there, then I’d go back to the pine tree and stay there until they came looking for me. I walked to the hill and THERE WAS EASTER AND THE GUYS. Whew!!! What a relief….I decided to walk in like I knew where I was the whole time, not a problem, piece of cake…until I got to Jim…then I blurted out I ALMOST GOT LOST!!! It was funny. He said well, you were out over an hour and I was wondering when you were coming back but the guys said she’s got her GPS…..NOT I’d left it in my saddle bag that time….I made sure that didn’t happen again!

On the last day of riding, we rode to a place Jim had found in the early spring while clearing trail that he called Mystery Lake. There wasn’t any water in the lake this time but it was an amazing place. It was more wooded as we were over 9000 feet. The aspen trees were larger around than any I had ever seen and there were huge Douglas firs everywhere. Jim said it was an old-growth forest and had never been logged. The Mystery Lake hadn’t been seen in 100s of years. The old-timers knew there had to be a lake or some water source up there because the animals would go up in that area and stay for days before coming back down but no-one had ever found the lake. We found parts of an old wagon up there and I carved my initials in an aspen tree to be forever immortalized in that special place. The only way into this place is by horseback.

The day we were packed out of our canyon headed home, Paul, one of the wranglers saw some fresh bear sign not far from where we were camping. The night before we heard turkey gobbling late into the night which we thought was unusual. We wondered if the turkey knew the bear was there and kept gobbling. Here is a picture of the bear poop on the trail…

I will definitely ride with Doug again and can’t wait until I get enough vacation built up to make another trip back. The next time I go out I will probably not haul one of my horses because I did not realize the risk I took in taking a flat land horse out in that wilderness (not to mention the horse was 4 days in the trailer getting there and back). My horse did great but Jim told me that usually flatland gaited horses don’t do as well as mine. He said most of them get too high strung having to walk slow on the trails, they’re not used to the altitude and not in good enough shape to handle the tough terrain. It is imperative to have a horse that doesn’t get upset when other horses leave it, that stands still and quiet if you have to get on or off the horse on a narrow trail, it has to be sure footed and be able to pick its way through rough terrain without getting anxious. The horse also can’t be a spooky type horse, and if it does spook, it should spook in place, not bolt, run backwards or whirl to the side as a lot of the trails do not have room to allow this kind of behavior without dire consequences. The wilderness is not a place you want to come off of your horse and get hurt, there is no way to get out quickly, or to get help to come to you. You have to trust and rely on the guide who is experienced in surviving in these conditions. I spent 3 months getting my horse in shape for this trip and I took my most broke horse because I knew she’d be able to go slow if necessary and that I could depend on her surefootedness and level headedness. Jim’s horses are all used to this terrain as he uses all of them every day and they’re good mannered horses in good shape. They are not your typical dude ranch horses. Outfitter horses are a different deal and I would recommend riding one of his rather than taking your own. Jim will plan the pack trip to accommodate the persons riding experience and ability. If he sees you are an experienced rider, he’ll take you on a more challenging so you don’t get bored. If you are inexperienced or would rather ride a less challenging ride, Jim will make that possible. In the 15 years Utrail has been in business, there had never been a guest sustain major injuries on a pack trip. My trip to the Blue Wilderness Area was a once in a lifetime magical experience. I actually felt as if I left a part of my soul out there and that just means I’ll have to go back again and again to find it!!

Author Jan Stalcup, Benton, Kansas

For more information on this trip and reservations, please contact Hidden Trails 1-888-9-TRAILS
http://hiddentrails.com/usa/rt/nm-southwest.htm

Zambezi Horse and Elephant Safari

sklimko — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 19:04:00 GMT

I recently read Hidden Trails article about travelling in Zimbabwe. I went to Zimbabwe in September 2005 and had the best time of my life. Never did I feel like I was in danger. The safari pretty much stayed around the Victoria Falls area and there was a large number of security personal everywhere. More than once I was asked by the security personal if I was having fun and I what was I going to tell people back home about my trip to Zimbabwe. My response was that I was having the best time of my life and I am sincere in this statement, " Everyone should visit Zimbabwe". The Zimbabwe people are very sweet and kind hearted. They are very curious and very well educated. I have never been treated so well in my life as I was treated on this trip. This trip is a true adventure as you get to see a lot of wild life, we started in a 5 star lodge and then in some hunting camps in the bush, which were not really camps, they were more like a local bed and breakfast and one night we did actually camp along the Zambezi River in tents under the full moon. The staff waited on us hand and foot and even heated up the water for the "bush shower". What an experience! We took a two hour ride on an elephant and learned a lot about the preservation program in place for the elephants. Also did a side trip into Zambia to do the Gorge Swing. Similar to a bungy jump but the cord is not spongy. Another must do!

Surf and Turf - a special riding adventure in Uruguay

admin — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 17:00:00 GMT

Jennifer Gordon Smith flies via three different countries to discover Uruguay on horseback, but proclaims it the ride of her life.

“Where’s the nearest pub?” piped up one member of the group, as we approached the first sign of civilization for miles- a remote estancia and our base for the following two nights.

Of course there wasn’t one, but you don’t need pubs on this riding holiday. The sparsely populated, lush green interior is what makes Uruguay a rider’s paradise. It has enormous pastures to canter over, miles of sandy beaches without a sunlounger or overstuffed bikini in sight, and not a whiff of petrol fumes. After that, who has energy for a pub anyway?

It was in mid-March that I, and seven other riders, converged in South America to experience this equine utopia.

I knew little about Uruguay beforehand, other than the random trivia that it was the first country to win football’s World Cup- and I had to study an atlas before my eights day adventure (it’s on the east coast, wedged between Brazil and Argentina, for those equally in the dark).

Among our group of eight were a hurley maker (the wooden stick used in the Irish game of hurling) from Tipperary and an othopaedic surgeon from Limerick who had been riding only a year but had already spent the season hunting with his legendary local pack.

From the USA we had a 69-year-old bionic lady who ran her first marathon at the age of 65, and a Connecticut businessman, plus three high-flyers from London.

The ride began on the Brazilian border, in the beautiful province of Rocha, a four-hour drive from Montevideo, along one of only 10 paved roads in the country. Sally and two gauchos led the way-Martine, who played the “mean and moody” part, and the cheeky-faced Cesar. Both rode what seems to be the regulation gaucho accessory- a fiery chestnut.

Each day we rode for up to eight hours, covering nearly 30 miles. Having ridden sedately for an hour at a time around a London park in preparation, it was a shock to the system, but by day three, and after some medicinal gin and tonics. I had adjusted- with the help of huge sheepskins covering the saddles.

The sturdy native breed of South America is the Crillo. All our horses had fantastic temperaments, sure-footed yet forward-going and responsive enough to turn on a peso. In Uruguay, the horse is still considered primarily a mode of transport, but Sally is introducing British bits and vet treatment and our horses were well cared for. She had done her homework and we were perfectly matched with our respective steeds. Apparently the first canter, with Sally nervously looking on, is the litmus test. Her sense of relief when nobody fell off or revealed they hadn’t learnt to canter yet (which has happened) was visible.

I fell in love with Laura, my little roan mare. She was a pleasure to ride and didn’t mind my enormous hugs and pats too much (South Americans don’t do petting).

The tack is minimalist- some bridles consisted of little more than a string headpiece, cheekpieces and bit. Oh, and the girths have no buckles and are tied implausibly far back. But it all seems to work.

I’d never ridden Western before, but as soon as you get the hang of neck-reigning you’re away. To master the lope- the most common pace at which the Uruguayans ride- you slouch your back and sit with your shoulders behind your hips. Unfortunatley, this goes against everything my dressage instructors have drilled into me over the years and after a couple of days bouncing around with my poker-striaght back, I reverted to rising trot.

We quickly settled into a daily routine: three- or four- hours riding: picnic or BBQ lunch: siesta: another couple of hours in the saddle in the cool of the late afternoon, and finally a swim, drinks and dinner before bed. We felt very spoilt by having our horses tacked up and waiting for us every morning, getting banquet-proportions of food delivered to picturesque picnic spots and riding to the door of the next night’s accommodation.

As we traveled south along the Uruguayan coast, every day brought different scenery and unexpected sights, all beneath blazing skies. The riding is fast paced, with exhilarating gallops along miles of empty beaches- one of the highlights of the holiday. We passed through huge estancias and weird and wonderful villages, where we received a warm “hola!” from the locals.

We spotted a wealth of wildlife, including birds such as the rhea- a smaller version of the ostrich- storks and owls, Vultures unnerved us slightly as the circled overhead, and we also saw armadillos, one of which may have ended up as road-kill as we galloped (unintentionally) over it.

My favourite day’s ride was heading inland over wetlands, then up through the Don Bosco hills and the 300-year-old palm groves where Aberdeen Angus cattle grazed. We were then treated to lunch next to Laguna Negra (“the black lagoon”) by landowner Fernando. We started with a few tumblers of hooch, a potent alcoholic liquid fermented from palm fruit. The gauchos enjoyed the tradition of passing around a cup of mate (rhymes with latte), which they carry around everywhere in a thermos flask. It is a bitter, green, tea-like liquid drunk through a straw, apparently full of antioxidants as well as a mystery stimulant.

A full rack of wild boar ribs, stuffed beef fresh from the estancia, sausages, wine, salad and vegetables were all consumed as though it was our last supper. We ate extremely well on this holiday.

Our afternoon ride set off slightly later than planned, as our horses made a bid for freedom and sent gauchos running, Benny Hill-style, after them. Safely back on board, we scrambled to the highest point in the area for fabulous views and the regulation photo opportunity.

Beach riding in Uruguay is amazing. One rider described arriving on the huge sandy expanse of Barra Chuy as an “awakening”. As we neared the beach, the sound of crashing Atlantic waves and the scent of salt mixed with pine and aniseed had my senses working overtime. Visitors rarely reach this stretch of sand, so for six mile we walked, cantered, galloped and splashed our way in spending isolation.

Towards the end, we stayed on private estancias. The 12,000- acre Estancia El Sauce was our first sample of traditional living and the brothers who owned it welcomed us heartily. Together with their gauchos, they work the cattle, keep 120 horses and produce a substantial rice crop. Even riding round the estancia for four hours, we didn’t manage to see the whole property. But it provided plenty of opportunities to ‘Vamos!” (“Let’s go!”)- Sally’ cue for us all to up the tempo across the flat grasslands. My new mount was called Gato (“cat”, so called, as he is the traditional Crillo colour of chestnut with a dorsal stripe and tiger-striped legs).

We were led by Carlos, the estancia’s gaucho, and his two sons, both of whom had been allowed the day off school provided they learnt six words of English from us. I don’t think they learnt one, but they certainly taught us a lesson in race-riding, as they left us for dust galloping across the estancia.

Our second ranch stay, Estancia El Charabon, was the ultimate in luxury. It is set in a beautiful location and owned by Jorge and Graciela who, with their exceptional team of staff, went out of their way to spoil us with their hospitality and platefuls of exquisite local food, including slow-roasted pig. Evenings were spent sitting on the terrace watching the sun set, the reverie spoilt only by the incessant scratching of mosquito bites- a real hazard on this holiday. They paled into insignificance, however, when, one night one of the horses was feasted on by a substantially larger bloodsucker- a vampire bat.

On our final day we all donned our cowboy hats and tried our hands at gauchoing. We herded a field of Herefords into a corner and, after being shown how it should be done by the pros, had to peel them off and count them. It soon brought home how skilled these gauchos are. The bulls tended to do their own thing and we didn’t argue.

We were a morose bunch as we rode back to the estancia for the final time and said farewell to our hosts, horses and guides. Some 180 miles and a few bow legs after we’d all set out, broad grins and not forgetting a few thousand photos, it was time to go home. The thrill of galloping across grasslands, beaches and experiencing the Uruguayan rustic lifestyle had us all vowing to join Sally again soon to find out what other equine adventures South America has to offer.

Article first published by Horse and Hound July 2007

What to wear: December to March is summer and days can get hot. Be prepared for the odd downpour, though.

Preparations: some basic Spanish would be useful- we were all frustrated by our inability to converse with the locals.

Group Size: 4-10

Riding Ability: Intermediate to advanced standard is recommended, as you will spend up to 8 hr a day in the saddle with plenty of fast-paced riding.

Contact:
Ryan Schmidt at Hidden Trails.
Hidden Trails offers a variety of riding tours all over the world and came across this ride three years ago.

For more info on this trip, check out the Hidden Trails website at

http://hiddentrails.com/america-south/uruguay/laguna-negra.htm

The trip is called: Laguna Negra Estancias Ride

Call Toll Free: 1-888-987-2457 (604-323-1141)

Waterberg Safari Lodge - South Africa

admin — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 20:13:00 GMT

Here is a recent article about our Waterberg Safari Lodge - Ants Hill from "Horse and Rider" in the UK
Check out this fabulous deluxe Horseback Riding Safari on the Hidden Trails website at:
http://hiddentrails.com/africa/africa-south/waterberg-lodge.htm

For more information on this riding safari in South Africa, check out the Hidden Trails website at:

http://hiddentrails.com/africa/africa-south/waterberg-lodge.htm

Drag Hunting in the Western Cape of South Africa

admin — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 01:04:00 GMT

After an overnight flight, direct from Heathrow to Cape Town, despite the early breakfast, it is a welcome relief not to have any jet lag. And as there is only 1 hour time difference during the SA winter or Cape green season, we can start our holiday programme straight away. We are met at arrivals by our genial host and guide Carl, who is our Guardian Angel for the full duration of the next 8 days of our tour.

After checking in at our luxurious, Victorian guest house and enjoying a light lunch we are introduced to our hunters at the nearby Cape Hunt’s country base where the hounds are kennelled. The huntsman and his wife, who is the stable manager, along with Carl, accompany us on our first ride around the Hunters Valley estate where there are ample opportunities for cantering and jumping. The ground is mainly soft sand with numerous natural jumps made from brush, stones, logs and hay bales as well as a tyre wall, bank drop and coffin, all of which are between 18 ins to 3 ft high. We ride through wooded areas, bush, and savannah-like prairies and along the edges of rolling hills of wheat fields for the next two hours before stopping to let our horses cool their legs in a dam. After an exhilarating ride we return back to our guest house for a sumptuous dinner of a traditional Cape Malay dish of ‘Bobotie’ – curried mince with a baked egg and milk topping, followed by a welcome early night.

The next morning we return to Hunters Valley where a special drag hunt has been organised for us and we are pleased to meet some of the Cape hunt members who also join us. We all thoroughly enjoy our hunt, with most of us taking all the jumps enroute, although there is also the option of going round them for those not wishing to jump. The hunt breakfast, which follows, is cooked on a traditional South African open fire. We enjoy one of the huntsman’s special lamb ‘potjie’s’ (casserole) whilst sitting under the trees, on the lawn outside the Cape Dutch club house of the stables. In the late afternoon we drive via the beautiful Franschhoek pass with its stunning sandstone rock formations of cliffs and gorges and the Dutoits River flowing far below enroute to the historic Houw Hoek Inn, where we stay for the next four nights.

After a short drive down the Houw Hoek Pass the next morning, we meet our horses which we will ride for the next three days, as well as the characterful, Afrikaans stable owner, Manfred, who entertains us with his tales over lunch during the following days’ rides. We set off along a totally empty, pristine beach where we enjoy some of the longest canters any of us have ever experienced with most of the horses happy to splash through the edge of the water as the Atlantic Ocean waves lap up the beach. Later, as we walk the horses along the shoreline we are thrilled to be able to watch from the saddle, numerous whales gathered together in a giant pod that seems to stretch for up to half a mile, just 20 meters or so from us. We ride on to explore the Kleinmond Lagoon Nature reserve and are lucky enough to see some of the wild horses living there as well as flamingos and pelicans. After a picnic lunch we thoroughly enjoy ourselves following Carl as he leads us at a canter up and down and round the sand dunes ‘bundu bashing’ before we reappear on the shore line again for the canter home, back along the deserted beach. Next, to refresh ourselves, Carl drives us to the Beaumonts’ Wine Farm where we all enjoy tasting their various different white and red wines, before we return to the Inn for dinner.

The next day we ride out directly from the stables following a former ox wagon trail up the Houw Hoek Pass, and at times along the side of an old railway line, which still has the occasional train running along it. The horses are used to the train, so when it does appear, we stop and let them face it, and the train passes without incident. We ride to the top of the mountain through the beautiful indigenous shrub land known as ‘fynbos’, where we stop to take in the spectacular view, before descending down to the Houw Hoek Inn for a late lunch, leaving the horses tied up in a paddock in the grounds. In the afternoon we complete our days ride by returning back to the stables.

The next morning we set out directly from the Botriver Stables again and spend the day riding along the edges of fields of wheat and vines of grapes and through fields of cows and sheep before reaching a wine farm where we stop for lunch. We complete a circular route back to the stables and say goodbye to our horses, and Manfred. In the evening we spruce ourselves up for a dinner dance held at the Houw Hoek Inn and despite the fact that we must get up early the next morning, we all make the most of dancing and partying with the locals until the end of the evening, although none of us can match the ‘two-step’ (a variation of the foxtrot), which the Afrikaner couples of all ages do so elegantly and effortlessly to the music from the 60’s onwards.

Somewhat subdued, we have an early breakfast dressed in our full English hunting attire, which we have all tried to keep as pristine as possible in our suitcases up until now. We have an hour to cat-nap or admire the scenery as Carl drives us to Spiers Wine Farm, the venue for our drag hunt. Our horses which we rode when we first arrived have all been plaited and tacked up and transported to the hunt so that when we arrive all we need to do in jump on ready for the stirrup cup of whisky or sherry (or hair of the dog…). We are lucky to be attending one of the most popular hunts in the calendar of the Cape Hunt Club and we find out that we are part of the 65 hunters that are riding that day. We have a great hunt around the wine farm over the next two hours and are able to enjoy spectacular mountain views when we stop at the checks enroute, as well as trying out different ‘nips’ from the hipflasks of various members of the hunt club as well as one or two glass of Champagne when the support team meet us at the halfway point. We say goodbye to our horses and join many of the club hunters for lunch in the restaurant at Spiers, before saying goodbye to them too. Carl then drives us to Cape Town and to our splendid Victorian guest house, nestled beneath Table Mountain. Changing our hunting attire for our glad rags once more, Carl takes us to the picturesque Victoria and Alfred waterfront. He leads us past stylish restaurants and a parade of shops full of African curios and souvenirs to the upmarket, Quay 4 restaurant. The speciality here is fish, which we enjoy whilst taking in the impressive view of the harbour.

The next day, Carl becomes our tourist guide and we explore the Cape Peninsula. We start at the magnificent Groot Constantia wine estate, which is a superb example of Cape Dutch style buildings, and we wander around admiring the traditional furnishings and paintings. On to the very British ex naval base at Simon’s Town in False Bay and then the really cute Jackass Penguins which gather of their own accord at Boulders and are only a few feet away from the admiring public. We drive through the Cape Point Nature Reserve to the most southerly tip of the peninsula and then walk up the steep path and steps to the lighthouse standing on Cape Point before descending for a well deserved lunch. Our last ride is in Noordhoek and is again another wonderful beach ride, but this time we ride ex racehorses - some of which still go down on their haunches before going into canter! We enjoy a good steady canter up the beach and explore the sand dunes at the end before we have our last, long canter home, through the lapping ocean waves. Carl drives us back into Cape Town via the dramatic cliff-edge road around Chapman’s Peak, enhanced by the spectacular view of the deep, orange-red sun, setting into the ocean horizon. We round off our day when we are joined for our farewell dinner by the Master of the Cape Hunt and his wife at the very lively and friendly Africa Café. We eat an eclectic set meal, which allows us to sample 30 different, traditional, Black African dishes.

On our last morning we take the revolving cable car to the top of Table Mountain where we enjoy wonderful views of Cape Town and its harbour spread out below us as well as the cute Dassies or ‘rock rabbits’ that have somehow made it to the top on their own and are only a few feet from us. We enjoy a 2 hour walk around the flat perimeter of the mountain to McClears Beacon and back before taking the cable car back down. Lunch is a real treat as Carl takes us to Cape Town’s top hotel – the very prestigious Mount Nelson where we are greeted by the white gloved doorman wearing top hat and tails. After lunch we take a stroll through the historic Company Gardens past the old Parliament buildings to the old centre of Cape Town, where we look around until it’s time for Carl to take us to the airport for our overnight flight back to Heathrow. It’s sad saying our farewells to Carl who has done such a wonderful job of not only looking after us but educating and entertaining us too with his vast knowledge of South Africa including its history and society. He has taken us on such a varied journey where we have experienced so many different landscapes, animals, birds, vegetation and people and of course, two great hunts. It was much more of an amazing and incredible experience than just another holiday and one which will remain very fondly in all of our memories.

by Janet Stevens

For more information on this trip and others in Southern Africa, check out the Hidden Trails website at:

http://hiddentrails.com/africa/africa-south/cape-drag-hunts.htm

Riding at Mt Kilimanjaro - Tanzania

admin — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 23:04:00 GMT

Private riding safari in Tanzania

Day 1: After an uneventful flight we arrive at the Arusha Klimanjaro airport. We paid for our visas, grabbed our luggage, and Laszlo arrives shortly to take us on a half hour drive to Makoa Farm. Laszlo and his wife Elisabeth own and operate this working coffee farm located at the southern foot of Mt Kilimanjaro. They’re both veterinarians, originally from Germany, and moved to Tanzania 10 years ago. They’ve been at this current location for 6 years and have quite a menagerie of farm animals, some which they intended to own, some that are patients, and others they somehow just acquired along the way. They have 25 horses which are used for the riding safaris (though they normally take no more than 6 guests at a time).
The horseback safaris are their primary business and either Elisabeth or Laszlo or both accompany each safari. Riders can stay at the farm, at a base camp, move from camp to camp, or a combination of locations.
Ndarakwai is essentially a 10,000 acre private ranch in West Kilimanjaro. Riders can opt for fly camping or stay at the tented camp on the ranch.
Accommodations on the farm consist of two guest cottages with stunning views of Kilimanjaro, a room in the farmhouse, and a separate guesthouse. Elisabeth and Laszlo are gracious hosts and the farm fresh food is delicious. Their cook, Miriam, bakes the best bread in East Africa! This afternoon after getting settled in, we went on a short ride through the coffee fields to get acquainted with our horses and tack (good thing as I couldn’t get comfortable on the Australian stock saddle I tried and had to switch to an English one). I’m on Marvin and Mark is riding Chinrose. On the farm ride, we saw guinea fowl, francolins, go away birds, silvery cheeked hornbill, baboons, sykes and vervet monkeys. Tomorrow we move to Ndarakwai for the start of our safari rides.

Day 2: We awake this morning to a glorious view of Kili. As we have our morning coffee and tea on our verandah, we’re joined by Josie and Sukari, two of the farm cats, who’ve come for their morning milk (ask for a cat bowl). Our horses and gear are being loaded and transported this morning and after breakfast, we drive part way where we meet the horses and ride the remainder of the way to our fly camp arriving in time for lunch. As there had been some recent rain here, the landscape is very green.
The camp setup is similar to what we experienced in Kenya, only here we have slightly larger tents with mattresses on the floor rather than on cots. There are shower and toilet tents and a tented dining area. At an elevation of only approx. 3000 feet, temperatures are surprisingly comfortable during the day and not as hot as we expected.
In the late afternoon, we start another ride from camp. We saw banded mongoose, impala, eland, Burchell’s zebra, Masai giraffe, common waterbuck, vervet monkeys, and baboons. We found that taking photos of wildlife can be tricky while on horseback, and trying to take photos of wildlife with your riding companion in the foreground while on horseback is especially tricky! Like walking, riding provides a very different perspective from which to view game. As we’re heading back to camp, I spotted our first elephant on the ranch. I could just see some ears flapping in the trees but as we rode a little nearer, but not too close, to the thicket of trees, we got a better view. The landscape is beautiful with the surrounding hills and the sun setting behind Mt Meru.
This evening after dinner, Laszlo takes us on a drive for our first look at spring hares. They’re adorable, like mini kangaroos, but dart around much too quick to photograph.

Day 3: We were up early after a very restful night’s sleep. I slept better camping on this trip than I did anywhere else. When asked if we heard the elephants near camp during the evening, we had to respond “Didn’t hear anything!” After a light breakfast, we head out on a morning ride. Generally what we did was go out on a longer morning ride, have lunch at the camp, followed by a shorter afternoon ride but on a private safari such as ours the length of the rides can be tailored to guests’ interests. At night and in between rides, the horses stay at a paddock nearby. During the rides, we would occasionally find a place to dismount in order to rest, have some water and snacks, and enjoy the views. Their horses are very well trained and responsive. A gentle squeeze is all that’s needed to put them into a trot. We were told never to kick as they’ve taught their horses that kicking means “an elephant is charging, run!” Aside from the previous day’s animals, this morning we saw spotted hyaena, warthogs, Von der Decken’s hornbill, lilac breasted roller, white headed and red billed buffalo weavers. We also came across a herd of skittish elephant.
A strong windstorm and some rain kicked up in the afternoon which made our second ride of the day look not so promising, but it eventually passes and we were able to head out around 4:30pm. The afternoon turns out to be beautiful and at the end of our ride, Elisabeth and Laszlo surprised us by bringing us to the waterhole viewing platform where they left us to have our own private sundowner before returning by car to camp.
This evening after dinner, we visited some friends of Elisabeth and Laszlo who live nearby. News that Mark plays guitar had traveled, and we spent the evening on their rooftop under the stars, listening to guitar music, while bush babies were screeching and fruit bats were flying overhead. It was a surreal and memorable experience that I’ll never forget!

Day 4: This morning we rode to the other side of the hills where the landscape is very different with open plains, not as much vegetation, and much drier. We saw the wild eland that decided to join the cattle herd years ago. Her offspring have all joined eland herds, but she apparently likes to stay with the cattle. We saw wildebeest herds crossing the plains and today I’m finally successful in my attempts to get photo of wildlife and rider together. It’s sprinkling for much of the ride which feels great. During the ride, Elisabeth spots some wild mushrooms that have sprouted on the side of a termite mound and we stop to harvest them. These will be lunch tomorrow. We drop the horses off at the paddock instead of riding back to camp, and there we got a chance to meet Nkarsis the 6 year old orphan elephant that was raised on the ranch. We greet her by blowing into her trunk to which she responds by blowing hot elephant breath back at us
We took a short walk back to camp for lunch before packing up and heading back to the farm where the first thing I do is have a long hot shower! For dinner this evening, we’re treated to a delightful concoction called ‘Makoa curry’. It starts with a base of rice and chicken or vegetable curry to which you can add a selection of a dozen little side dishes of chopped nuts, eggs, cheese, veggies, and fruits to mix in to your liking. On the walk back to our cottage, I got my first bite from a safari ant. Boy do they hurt!

Day 5: This morning we were asked how active we wanted our last day in Tanzania to be to which we replied “not very” and that we were quite happy to just relax around the farm before our evening flight home. Laszlo gave us a tour of their veterinary clinic on site as well as most of the animals on the farm. Among their patients were rabbits, dogs, cats, a pair of Verreaux’s eagle owls, and 2 bush pigs. Other animals living on the farm aside from the horses include a few cows, pigs, Frisky the baby donkey who likes to chase the dogs around and nip me in the back of the knees to get me to play, 2 peacocks, ducks, geese, 7 dogs, many cats, rabbits, and countless guinea pigs. All are friendly except for one vicious goose

We took a short guided walk from the farm to a waterfall cave to see the fruit bats and look for monitor lizards. No lizards today, but we did see lots of bats. The mushrooms we harvested yesterday were chopped and sautéed with garlic and served with a vegetable quiche for lunch. This afternoon there’s a strong downpour lasting a few hours, the most rain we’ve experienced in a single day all trip. After an early dinner, we sit around and chat some more with Elisabeth and Laszlo. I look at my watch to see that it’s already 7:30pm (our flight is at 9:45pm) though no one else seems to be the least bit concerned. Another 15 minutes later, it’s suggested that we should head to the airport and we say our goodbyes to our hosts, take one last pic, and are off on the half hour drive to the airport.

Patti and Mark (published on Fodor’s website)

If you want to see more about this riding safari or make reservations, please go to:
http://hiddentrails.com/africa/tanzania/kilimanjaro-trail.htm