Attention all Wine Lovers! New Rides for the New Season!

We are currently in Chianti checking out some new rides for you all for the new season...watch this space!

The Tuli Block area of Botswana is a beautiful place. It combines African bush, riverside scenery alongside the Limpopo river and sandstone outcrops which seem to glow red at dawn and dusk.

Its a historically significant area as well , an area that Cecil Rhodes frequented as it spans the borders of three countries, Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

The riding here can be combined in a two country horse safari with South Africa or as an itinerary on its own. You can even mountain bike here with a guide of course.

This is big game country. Riding with Zebra and Wildebeest for example cantering alongside them is a thrill I will never forget nor the shrieks of delight from the guests I was riding alongside. If you like Elephant this is the place to be. At a careful and respectful distance watching these powerful yet graceful animals is a privilege. Its their land and they are allowing us to share it.

The owner operators here are great fun and with their staff cater for your every need. This is wild bush camping five star treatment

Its an exclusive wonderful experience to have vast areas of unnamed bush all to yourself. In three days hard riding we never saw another soul.

It doesn't get better than this.

Botswana, Tuli Block. I recommend it.

Talking of Botswana. You will never believe the way in the the country! In a little open cable car over the Limpopo river. Perfectly safe but just Africa all over. The border post is a small hut with two smiling gentlemen no queue just you!

So you are in Botswana. Our operators here are a great young couple both horse mad , she english and he south african,and good business people too.

The horses are exquisite. Beautiful condition one and all, really beautiful and I don't eulogise too much about the horses but here stunning and english saddles hurrah

This is Africa a la David Attenborough. Open bush, acacia trees, Wildebeest, Impala, Waterbuck, Warthog, Hyena and of course Elephant and Lion. ,and that's just in the first few hours

The local people are the Tswana. Gentle courteous and welcoming.

More later. Bye for now from the country of the Tswana, Botswana.

Sign up for an escorted tour in 2010 and make Africa easy

There is an amazing lodge called Dinaka nestled under the Waterburg outcrop a series of cliffs called the seven sisters as there are seven bits which jut out more than the rest of the cliff. As you can see I'm no geologist but I hope that you get my drift.

Anyway its beautiful. To the rear of the lodge you have these ochre cliffs with nesting vultures and in front a large lake and the plains of Africa beyond. Quite something . The lodge is very remote although only four hrs from Jo'burg, many kms up a dirt track with little signposting but when you get there its luxury all the way. The best wines, beers, and spirits all included so just help yourself. And the food. Its very good indeed with lots of opportunities to taste the local delicacies like Kudu steaks whilst having the choice of vegetarian and other dishes to suit all tastes

One thing is for sure the bacon eggs and hot strong coffee goes down well after a three to four hour morning ride starting as soon after dawn as is feasible

And so to the riding. This ride is for intermediate riders and above as there are buffalo in the area and you need to get away sharpish on rare occasions. Also its quite fast so you need to be confident as well as competent. The horses are fit and raring to go.

So there you have it. This beautiful lodge normally attracts riders who have done some limbering up at the sister ranch Horizon or those who go from here to Botswana a three hour transfer to ride in totally open bush with the excellent chance of spotting elephant and lion. Both these safaris are offered by Redlands and are very popular with riders who are looking for a bit of spice

So hot up your riding and join me

There will be an escorted ride here later in the year

In Africa there is something for everyone

Its not a scary place believe me. Of course you need to avoid some parts of some cities but hey what about London, Sheffield or Bristol? Out in the countryside its a different matter. Life goes on very much as it always had done

So I'm in the far north of South Africa in the Limpopo region not too far from the border with Botswana

The Waterburg mountains are remote and beautiful but still only about four hrs from Jo'burg. Here you can ride a choice of about 60 horses and have great time. They take absolute beginners up to very experienced and you won't get eaten as there are no lion to do that to you and spoil your fun

You can stay here and swim in the glorious pool or with the horses in the lake . The food is very good and the english owners are lovely and nothing is too much problem. That's why so many people return to this haven

The horses are fast mind you if you want it and the game is there to be seen. Today I saw two beautiful bull Kudu with huge twisted horns. Google them to see what they look like. Imagine them passing within 20ft of you and your horse

Its an all year round destination which is great to know as we all can't plan ahead nor can be u restricted in our getaways

.......For those of you who have been following this blog over the past weeks you may have guessed

1\ I love horses
2\ I love to travel anywhere and have travelled a lot
3\ I love Africa and feel very comfortable with the people the country and the climate

So what does that mean? Well what I have in mind is the concept of escorted tours. There are a lot of people saying to me, I'd love to go to ... But! I'm not sure. If only you could come with us?

I've also talked to a lot of out best operators overseas and they would love us to organise escorted trips to take the hassle out of what can be a stressful experience into the unknown

So I think we should do it. I've cleared it with my managing director Karen Johnson and she's happy. So here we go we should set aside some dates in the year to do some amazing adventures!

What do you think?

.....

This is transcontinental travelling made easy

The trip out of Mozambique could not have been easier nor more memorable.

It started with a call from the manager of the resort rounding up the reluctant souls who were departing. The speedboat motors started turning two giant 200bhp beasts. Our bags were taken aboard and we , with flip flops in hand waded through the azure, warm Indian Ocean shin deep through the silkly sand and were whisked to the mainland 30 mins away. A mini bus was waiting the other end after more paddling, and the drive to the airport took all of 10 mins which included several stops for the driver to say hello to assorted people en route

Hardly time for a coffee before boarding and a two hour flight to Jo'burg and with loads of flights to choose from you are on your way back to home. About eleven hrs to Heathrow, overnight flight and only two hour time difference.

Jo'burg is a fantastic airport these days having received massive investment for the soccer world cup which South Africa is hosting this summer.
So its a fine place to act as a hub to Southern Africa

So that's it folks. A wonderful set of ideas and experiences. It can be yours too

Off again next friday so look out

M