Welcome to the EXPEDITION.
Come ride with us, back in time, through the wild heart of Namibia!
Flanked by the red sands of Kalahari where rises the sun and by the lush Okavango Delta, in the place of early rain, the remote Boesmanland is a mysterious and unlikely oasis where life, wild and diverse, dances to an ancient conflict.
Dry sweeps of savanna and thick, tangled bush give way to winding riverbeds and towering trees,as you traverse this prehistoric land on horseback, in search of wild awe.
Flanked by the red sands of Kalahari where rises the sun and by the lush Okavango Delta, in the place of early rain, the remote Boesmanland is a mysterious and unlikely oasis where life, wild and diverse, dances to an ancient conflict.
Dry sweeps of savanna and thick, tangled bush give way to winding riverbeds and towering trees,as you traverse this prehistoric land on horseback, in search of wild awe.
Keeping it BUSHWhat an intimate way to experience an ancient ecosystem responsibly! When worlds meet in conflict and co-existance we see a trail to share, old footprints to follow and lessons to learn.. Listen to the songs of abundance as the sun sets and temperature drops, let your horses mingle with their ancient ancestors, the regular waterhole visitors or follow through the red sands and stoic shrubs of the wise Kalahari, the sure guidance of a San trekker on horseback in search of elephant or game, as we venture deeper into this unexplored bushveld. "horses give you the experience of being in nature, not just seeing it." In silent harmony with this land, leaving behind no tire-tracks, no fume clouds, no noise, go where no road leads but where hoofs confidently tread and wildlife feel at ease. |
Simondium Lodge Simondium is the homely base camp to your journey into the inhospitable desert. The gravel road from Grootfontein is empty, reflecting white in the hot sun, as makalani trees tower overhead. An unmarked gate leads into Simondium, through the sandy riverbed, past your private comfortable thatched-roof cottages standing as a last frontier against the wilderness, and down to the maroon lodge, swapping adventure stories and recent sightings into the eerie night as wide-eyed visitors nervously tip-hoof to the waterhole 50 meters away. The patient and alert guest might even catch sight of a leopardess before ever hitting the horse trail Comfortable and wild, Simondium is your home between two worlds. swimming pool.wi-fi.gamedrives.astronomy.fully-catered. (self-catering option?) |
Map source: ImageAfrica R Heunis
"You don't leave any tracks, no pollution, no need to stick to a road. Horses give you the experience of being in nature, not just seeing"
Invite freedom. |
TrailsWhat's your ride?
Every tour is custom-designed based on the riding experience, time, budget and interest of the rider, the time of the year and the safety of our horses.
We can stay in the lodge and explore during day rides, camp under trees and stars or scout a waterhole by moonlight. Longer trips can be more taxing but informative. We can follow a local trekker on the trail for Kalahari elephants, or an endurance ride taking on the impassable desert, even to seek refuge as far as the Okavango Delta in Botswana. Make a special combination and get our special rates! |
StudsMeet our horses!
The life-breath of the legendary Zahara stills storms through the horses in CHAHANIC. Zahara earned her reputation as the toughest endurance mare in the country. At the ripe age of 19 she still competed 200km races for the National team. Her Arabian bloodline runs through all the horses here, part of a legacy and tradition stretching to the earliest colonial presence in Namibia. What makes Boesmanland ideal for horseback travel is the comfortable sandy terrain with relatively fewer potholes, dug up by warthogs, squirrels and others mammals and sufficient grazing. Waterholes provide water stops along the trail. The rider has the advantage (over most vehicles) to survey above the dense bush in which an elephant could easily remain camouflaged mere meters away, giving a unique insight into the wilderness. Nature-lovers and conservationists will appreciate low-impact style of these rides and build a personal relationship with their horses. Of course the old dispute of whether the Arabian Studs or the famed Boerperd are the true Queens of the desert, is still open, but it's clear which side of the fence CHAHANIC is on! |
Meet your hosts!
Megan Wise
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"Being on a horse tends to relax the (wild) animals, they all start grazing together" Says Megan, your guide and co-founder of chahanic safaris. She is a reservoir of energy with a passion for "animals, trees and birds" of Namibia and an incredible work ethic. Having guided horse trails trekking the mystifying elephants in Damaraland and explored soaring Sossusvlei dunes on horseback, she is definitely someone you want alongside you in any desert! Megan has been riding since the age of 10 and for the past twelve years is an active participat on the National team as a show-jumper and endurance rider. Expect Megan and her pet sheep, James, to go the extra mile! |
Chanté Nell
Chanté Nell is part of a new generation who are coming back home to reclaim and navigate the identity of this vast area. She has grown up in untamed contact with this harsh land, learning its customs and turbulent nature, experience that she brings back many fold. Her expert knowledge of desert life and her exceptional passion for endurance riding give Chanté an edge that can very well save a life in the depth of the bush. One of Namibia's top endurance riders, she has completed a record 5000km race. The Chahanic Arabian Stud has operated under her guidance for 14 years, but her ambition today is to tackle the massive conservation challenges in and around Boesmanland. Not your average run-of-the-mill farmgirl, Chanté has a kaleidoscopic variety of tricks, and jokes, up her sleeve! |
Conservation
The dry sweeping savanna of Boesmanland holds a special appeal for the modern day african explorer. Underdeveloped and hard to access, it offers wide spaces criss-crossed by enormous farms and conservancies still relatively abundant with unique fauna and flora, history and culture.
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