Hosts: Rob & Kathy Dobrowsky When: Anytime. For high season over December you should book up to 8 months in advance. Length of stay: an itinerary of 7 days is presented but rides of other lengths are happily customized to the visitor Minimum number of guests: 2 or more; singles can contact us and we'll see what we can work up. Competent child riders over 10 years old are welcome. Languages: English Fee: The cost is $185.00 US per person per day, or £95 per person per day. We will confirm your booking upon receipt of $200 US or £110 non refundable deposit per person. The deposit is credited to the final cost of your Safari. Full payment is due 30 days before the start of the Safari. ORIENTATION: This trip, which takes place in a malaria-free area, is exciting and adventurous. We can alter any of the routes or the itinerary to suit a clients requirements, extend this trip and go further up this incredible coastline or shorten it as well. Each day we will ride between three and six hours. We also offer a safari at Inkwenkwezi game reserve in conjunction with this trip. We ride along the beaches of the subtropical Wild Coast. This area is home to the Xhosa speaking people who live and farm in much the same way as their forefathers did. Nelson Mandela is from the Xhosa speaking tribe and his traditional home is close to where we ride. They still practise the customs and traditions that have been done for countless generations. I am fluent in Xhosa and have taken a special interest in the Xhosa traditions and customs. We take our visitors to meet with a herbalist/traditional healer. This is most definitly not on the tourist map. We also take a boat trip up one of the rivers and view the most southerly mangrove swamps in the world. Sightings of Whales and Dolphins are almost a daily occurance along the coast. There are countless bird species including some that are on the endangered list. There is never a shortage of diffirent activities that we offer our visitors to keep them fully occupied. Visitors arive as strangers and leave as friends. Our trips are suited to groups that may not necessarily ride or that may not want to ride every day. We have a backup vehicle that takes our luggage daily from one hotel to the next and although it doesnt always follow the route the horses take, the scenry is just as spectacular. THE HORSES & TRAILS You will be riding either Appaloosas, Arab or Appaloosa cross Arab horses. These horses have superb temperaments and are well suited to safaris. We also use our horses for endurance riding so our horses are fit and in good condition and extremely well looked after. We take pride in our standard of horsemanship. We reserve the right to use the Inkwenkwezi trail horses should the need arise. These are a mixture of the local Boerperd and Arab breeds. Intermediate riders will cope comfortably with our horses. We are also prepared to take novice riders with prior arrangement. The riding along the Wild Coast is at all paces. You will be riding between three and six hours each day. There are long stretches of beach where you will be able to canter, as well as rugged areas where you will be forced to a walk. We start at the Southern end of the Wild Coast, riding up the coast, each day stopping off at a different hotel for the night where a back up vehicle carrying our luggage meets us. You will also have the opportunity to swim your horse in the surf or through one of the many rivers. NB. The pace of all of these rides is determined by the ability and confidence of the riders. MEALS. On this ride all our meals are eaten at the various hotels that we stay in. All meals are set menu three course meals. A packed picnic meal is provided if we will be out riding during lunch. On Saturday nights all these coastal hotels offer a splendid seafood buffet, offering: lobster, prawns, oysters, calamari, abalone,cockels,mussels,fresh fish cooked in various ways, not to be missed!!. All drinks and South African wines are included. ITINERARY Day One. We meet up with our horses at Kei Mouth village, on the banks of the great Kei River. The first day is an easy 12 Km ride to the Trenneries hotel from the Kei river. We ride via Nongqawases pool to Trenneries where we stop for lunch. After lunch we take a boat trip and hike up the Qolora river to the gates, a spectacular rock formation with deep pools. We return to the hotel to unwind unspoiled beaches or around the swimming pool where hospitality is the order of the day. Day Two. Day two sees us depart after breakfast from Trenneries to the Kobonqaba river via the Jackaranda shipwreck. Depending on the tide and if you feel you're up to it, it will be your first experience of swimming your horse through one of the many rivers. We ride a short distance from here to Wavecrest Hotel , beautifully situated at Kobonqaba river mouth. We overnight here, having met up with the back up vehicle. Day Three & Four. The following day after a leisurely breakfast we continue along the beach to Silver bay where we rendezvous with our back up vehicle for lunch. After a leisurely lunch we ride along the shoreline heading towards Kobb Inn. We spend two nights at Kobb Inn giving you the opportunity to relax on the beach and take in the splendor and stunning scenery of the Wild Coast. You will have the opportunity of snorkeling, fishing and collecting shell fish off the rocks, in season. We visit Jujura village. This is off the tourist map and is a fully functional village with people still living as they have for generations. You will be able to visit the local resident "Sharma", before moving down to the beach for lunch. We return to the hotel and take a Sundowner cruise up the Qora river. For those with still enough energy to stay up we relax and chat in the bar, literally on the rocks with the waves rolling up to within metres of where we sit. Day Five. We depart from Kobb Inn and ride back towards Wavecrest after breakfast. This is a magnificent stretch of coast line with miles of beaches and numerous rivers to cross. We overnight here again, spending the afternoon canoeing and snorkeling or relaxing on the deck overlooking the estuary. Day Six The following morning we retrace our tracks back to Trenneries Hotel. We re cross the Kobonqaba river and head inland riding over rolling grass covered hills and through local villagers. After lunch at the hotel if you feel adventurous enough we can do some abseiling/rappelling at the gates or we could take the horses down to the beach for a swim in the surf. Day Seven. The next day we head back for the Keimouth Pont, you bid farewell to your horses and we either return you to your hotel or the airport.