Sambulenni Safari

Introduction
Namibia Namibia
A one-hour drive from Windhoek, located in a richly varied landscape with one of the best stocked private game reserves in Namibia, you will ride on endless trails covering an area of 100,000 acres. For many years a German colony, Namibia is now independent, politically stable and reputed as the safest country in Southern Africa. For riding enthusiasts in particular, the country is irresistible!

Overnights are at the luxurious Lodge, in comfortable thatched bungalows with wonderful views of the Otjihavera river bed or in one of the rooms near the stables. The restaurant offers just the right mixture of a tranquil relaxed atmosphere with friendly, high quality service- Just what you'll need after a long day in the saddle. The restaurant is reputed to be one of the best in Namibia and has an extensive à la carte menu which combines fresh, local produce with African and European cuisine.

Windhoek is a malaria-free private game reserve of 14,000 hectares. On the safaris you will be accompanied by an experienced guide (also successful endurance rider) and you will ride beautiful Arabian horses through a very varied landscape always on the lookout for game and enjoying the stunning scenery. We have riding rights throughout the neighbouring farms, which makes the total area 35,000 hectares and the possibilities almost unlimited. You will feel part of this fascinating surrounding; an unforgettable experience! The wildlife is outstanding for its variety and quantity. Great effort is put into maintaining the best stocked private game reserves in Namibia. The rides will have you explore the different habitats of the game and the diverse topography. During your stay you are likely to see white rhino, giraffe, eland, blesbok, gemsbok, kudu, black blue wildebeest, red hartebeest, waterbuck, steenbok, duiker, ostrich, impala, springbok, black-backed jackal, bat-eared fox, mountain and plains zebra, and the rare sable antelope. Sightings of cheetah, leopard, and brown hyena do happen, but you need to be lucky.

The terrain is a combination of savannah and rocky mountains up to 2,000m. Some of our rides are designed to explore the mountainous trails where the views are stunning yet the game is scarce and difficult to spot. Other rides, mainly along game trails on savannah plains will bring you in close contact with the game.
All trails are designed to provide you with as much variation as possible and are focused on quality riding. During a week’s stay you will ride an average of 4 hours per day. The riding can be fairly intensive and you are welcome to take either a morning, afternoon or day off  “out of the saddle” to enjoy the other activities or just recuperate by the pool. It goes without saying that our trails are for experience riders only.

Accomodation


Accommodations
This is a stationary ride, so all nights will be spent at the farm.

Description
The thatched Park Rooms overlook the riverbed of the Otjihavera or have a view over the savannah. The rooms are spacious and have an en-suite bathroom (shower, toilet and wash basin), safe, coffee and tea making facilities, small fridge, fan, telephone and a terrace. Laundry service available: prices vary from N$ 10.00 (underwear/socks) to N$ 25.00 (long trousers / skirt).
Amenities for your enjoyment: 2 Swimming pools, Hiking trails, Game drives, Sunset drives, Mountain drives, Wifi & Souvenir shop.



Room Occupancy
Single supplement is mandatory if we are unable to find another rider to share.



Meals
All meals are included from lunch on Day 1 to breakfast on Day 8.

The restaurant specializes in game dishes based on Namibian and German/Austrian cuisine. The dining and bar area overlook the lawn and waterhole. This drinking spot is frequented during the late afternoons and evenings by many different species of game. Relax here and enjoy a meal or just a drink at the bar.

Alcoholic drinks are included with picnics and sundowners only, however you can purchase additional drinks at the bar. The wine list is extensive boasting top quality South African wines.

Dietary Restrictions
We can cater to dietary restrictions with prior notice.

This trip includes and can accommodate special dietary requests.

Riding


Safari Trails
The safari trails are designed to provide you with as much variation and choice as possible. The goal is to ensure that you ride in some of the most spectacular landscape this planet has to offer and come into very close contact with the game. You can ride more or less anywhere with few restrictions. Most of the trails follow natural paths created over hundreds of years by the local wildlife. As such, a trip to this enchanting country is a unique experience for adventurous visitors.

Endurance Ride Options
The opportunity exists for you to compete in an endurance ride. You will receive instructions during your stay and will be accompanied by Ingeborg, giving you the do's and don’ts and the why and why-nots during your training. She will also set the pace and give you further instructions during the actual competition itself. Your stay will be a combination of game viewing from horseback, the training for and the actual endurance competition. This means you will have the luxury of having 2 horses; one you will train for the endurance and the actual competition itself and the other horse is for your safari rides.
Please, inquire about the endurance ride dates.

Riding Level
You should be riding fit and strong. We have to take the safety and enjoyment of our horse(s) as well as yourself and other riders into consideration. Therefore, we require the following level of competence:
•you are confident at all paces and can control a (very) forward going horse across vary varied terrain
•you can rise/post to the trot
•you can stand in your stirrups when in canter/gallop
•you have a balanced and independent seat
•you have horse sense
We reserve the right to prevent any guest from riding if we feel they do not fulfill the competence level detailed above. If you are not riding regularly we strongly recommend that you get in practice before joining us on safari.

Pace
During your week’s stay (6 riding days), you will ride an average of 4 hours per day. The riding can be fairly intensive and you are welcome to take either a morning, afternoon or day off “out of the saddle” to enjoy the other activities or just recuperate by the pool.

Riding Terrain
The terrain is a combination of savannah and rocky mountains up to 2,000m. Some of our rides are designed to explore the mountainous trails where the views are stunning yet the game can be scarce and difficult to spot. Other rides, mainly along game trails on savannah plains will bring you in close contact with the game. All our trails are designed to provide you with as much variation as possible and are focused on quality riding.



Horses
Our horses are our greatest and most important assets. We have 24 pure-bred Arabian horses and 4 Arabian crosses. We have chosen our horses for their even temperament and to ensure a safe yet exciting ride. Some of our lovely creatures were bought in Namibia or born at our own stud, whereas others were imported from South Africa, Europe and the United States. Not only do they compete successfully in national and international endurance rides, but also achieve excellent results in the show ring.
At the stables, the horses live in large sandy paddocks. On a regular basis, they go on holiday in a 1,500 hectare camp where they can graze and play. When it is time for work we pick them up, school them and make sure that they are ready for you. This keeps their mind and spirit alive.
It goes without saying that we've trained our horses in all aspects of trail riding. It is with great pride that we can say that we have happy, fun loving and forward going horses!
All effort is made to ensure the right combination between horse and rider.
We expect you to groom and tack up your own horse. This creates a bond between horse and rider that both parties will rely on during the day’s adventures. When you return from your ride, you will be asked to assist in showering your horse.

Weight Limit
For the welfare of our horses and their size, we limit the weight of our riders to 85kg for our safari rides and 80kg for our endurances and mountain trails.

Tack
We use light-weight endurance saddles covered with sheep skin bumnahs. These saddles –made by Leon Liversage– are comfortable for both horse and rider and designed for long hours in the saddle. All saddles carry a saddle bag that have enough space for cold water (provided) and your personal equipment (camera, suntan lotion, binoculars, etc.).
The stirrups are wide and give you plenty of support. Some of our horses are ridden either on an eggbutt snaffle bit or a French loose ring training snaffle bit.

Staff
The team consists of the grooms Venantius and Jeremie and Ingeborg.
Ingeborg’s love for Arabian horses started when she was still a youngster. During one of her dressage competitions as a child, she fell in love with a gorgeous white Arabian horse performing some magnificent dressage steps and promised herself “Later, when I’m all grown up I want to have an Arabian horse”. Now, years later she is the proud owner of a herd of 28 Arabian horses. Dreams can come true!

Itinerary


Sample Itinerary: Safari Week - subject to changes

Day 1 - Introduction
We will pick you up from Windhoek or Hosea Kutako. After a one hour’s drive you will arrive at the farm, where we will be waiting for you with a refreshment and do the introductions. After a good shower and lunch you will be expected at the stables to be introduced to our beautiful horses. Depending on your arrival time (before 12:00pm) a short afternoon ride can be organized. After the ride the bar and restaurant are calling!
Meals included: Lunch & Dinner
Overnight at the Farm

Day 2 – Morning Ride
After breakfast we will leave for a ride over the savannah tracking game: sable, gemsbok, springbok, black and blue wildebeest, giraffe, white rhino and so much more. After approximately 4 hours in the saddle we will return to the lodge to enjoy a good lunch. The afternoon will be at your disposal or you may choose to join us to the camp where our horses are on a holiday (a drive of approx. 25km north of us). Dinner will be served whenever you are ready.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight at the Farm

Day 3 – Picnic Ride
Today we’ll leave slightly later than other days. The ride will be split into a morning and an afternoon ride with a delicious picnic during the hottest hours of the day. The table will be laid and ice-cold drinks are ready to be enjoyed! After a short rest we will saddle up the horses and slowly meander back to the stables. Quickly to the bar for that well deserved drink!
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight at the Farm

Day 4 – Morning Ride and Sundowner Ride
After breakfast we saddle up and will be on the lookout for hartebeest, blesbok, giraffe, wildebeest, sable and so much more. Today we will be back before the end of the morning. Lunch will be served at the lodge. We will ride out later in the afternoon again. We will take you to one of our many beautiful spots where we can enjoy the sunset with a drink and a bite and the sound of the jackal in the back ground.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight at the Farm

Day 5 – Morning Ride and Afternoon Relaxing/Windhoek
Today we take the horses out for an easy and relaxing ride, on the lookout for the impressive Cape eland and many other species of game. After a few hours in the saddle lunch will be served at the lodge. The afternoon is at your disposal to hike, swim or just relax at the pool. We might pay a visit to Windhoek city.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight at the Farm

Day 6 – Mountain Ride and Sundowner Drive
An exciting and tough day for both horse and rider; we will ride into the mountains on the lookout for kudu, mountain zebra, klipspringer and hyrax. Game might be more difficult to spot than on the savannah, but the scenery is spectacular and absolutely worthwhile.
After arriving at the stables and looking after our horses, it is time for a well-deserved shower and a good lunch at the lodge. Later in the afternoon we will pick you up for another sundowner, this time by car.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight at the Farm

Day 7 – Picnic Ride
Today we’ll leave slightly later again than the other days and have a picnic in between a morning and an afternoon ride, on yet another beautiful spot somewhere in the bush. We will be gone for most of the day, enjoying the many different species of game we will meet on the way and some more long trots and canter along the sandy tracks.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight at the Farm

Day 8 – The Last Ride
Depending on your time of departure (after 12:00pm) there is a possibility to make a last morning ride. Afterwards it is time to say goodbye to the horses and the rest of the family. Your driver will be waiting to take you to the airport. We hope that you have had a wonderful holiday.
Meals included: Breakfast



Sample Itinerary: Endurance Week - subject to changes

This program is held from Monday to Monday.
We recommend that you arrive the latest the Monday before the ride as this will give you plenty of time to get to know your endurance horse and for the horse to get to know you!

Day 1 (Monday): Arrival 
We will collect you from Windhoek Airport and bring you to the farm, only an hour’s drive away. At the farm we will introduce you to your horses and give you a briefing.
Tonight you will stay at the Lodge. Sundowners and a delicious dinner of local fare await you in the Park Restaurant, while we watch the resident hartebeest, blesbok and warthogs grazing on the lawn in front us. It is the beginning of your Namibian Endurance Riding Adventure!
Meals included: Lunch & Dinner
Overnight at the Farm

Day 2 (Tuesday): Introductory Ride
During the morning we will take the time for you to get to know the horses. A session in the veld will give both you and your horse a chance to understand each other. The rest of the day is spent either being very energetic doing something around the farm, or you can be totally lazy, enjoying the horses in the paddocks while you recline at the pool with a tall glass of icy something. Late afternoon will be spent on a training ride. During the evening we will explain some of the endurance do’s and don’ts and go through the theory of vet checks.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight at the Farm

Day 3 (Wednesday): Game Ride & Endurance Training 
We will explore a little today, go into the bush to watch the game from horseback. We will return to the lodge for lunch and go for another short training session in the afternoon and practice a vet check.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight at the Farm

Day 4 (Thursday): Game Ride & Endurance Training 
We will do some more exploring and enjoy the scenery and game from horseback. The lodge awaits us for lunch. In the late afternoon, the last chance to get more familiar with your endurance horse and maybe practice another vet check.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight at the Farm

Day 5 (Friday): Preparation of Endurance Race (no riding)
It is time to pack up and begin our journey to the endurance ride. Depending on which ride you have chosen, the trip will take us anything between 1 and 4 hours. The journey might be slow trailing the horses, but you get to see (a small) part of the countryside. We will decide on where to put our grooming/holding areas and take the time to exercise the horses. The vet check, entries and weigh-in normally starts during the (late) afternoon. On Friday early evening the pre-ride briefing will be held, where the route and basic rules will be explained. The evening is sociable and we will join fellow riders for a drink, generally get to know everyone, catch up on news, have a good meal and early to bed.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight depends on where the endurance place takes place

Day 6 (Saturday): Endurance Race
Competition days! Early rise! Depending on the expected weather and your distance the ride starts around 5am. We will ride together. Even though one of our grooms will be helping us, you will be expected to assist with crewing and getting your horse through the vet check. The horses always come first, and their comfort and well being is our first priority. Depending on the terrain, distance, horse, and rider the speed will be anything between 13 and 19 km per hour. The prize giving is during the late afternoon or early evening; we’ll tuck the horses in and make sure that all is well. A drink, a good meal and soft bed is normally the order of the day after a good ride.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight depends on where the endurance place takes place

Day 7 (Sunday): Relaxed Ride After the Race
Feeling your muscles, hot coffee, check and feed the horses, breakfast, chatting, and packing up is how the day after the ride seems to go. We should be on the road by 10am. In the late afternoon we saddle our endurance horses and take them for a relaxed ride to loosen up their and our muscles.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight at the Farm

Day 8 (Monday): Departure
By now we have all gotten to know each other quite well, we have had a busy week and done some serious riding, but alas, it is time to say good-bye. We will take you back to Windhoek Airport or set you on your way to the next part of your Namibian holiday or even better extend your stay.
Meals included: Breakfast



Non-Riders
If you as a non-rider decide to keep your riding partner company, the lodge offers multiple activities: game drive, mountain drive, sunset drive, swimming pools and 2 hiking trails to observe the wildlife and birds. It goes without saying that you will also join us on our picnics and sundowners. All in all we will do our utmost to make you part of our riding program and share as much as possible with your riding partner.

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Add-ons & Extensions
For those of you interested in Endurance, you can join the Introduction to Endurance Program as an add-on to the safari week. You can also participate in some of the local Endurance races.
For those of you interested in cattle work, you should consider joining one of the special cattle drive week.

Rates and Dates for Sambulenni Safari

Dates Note:
Arrival and departure can be any day of the week as per vacancy at the lodge!

Sold Out Dates (as of 10/30/20): Feb 3-10, Feb 24 to Mar 2, Mar 30 to Apr 6, May 18-25, Jun 15-22, Jun 29 to Jul 6, Aug 21-30, Oct 12-19 & Oct 26 to Nov 2 2020

Other Info
Meeting: Windhoek
Airport: Windhoek Eros Airport (ERS)
Transfer: Windhoek Eros Airport (ERS) or Hosea Kutako International Airport (WDH)

Climate:
                                                Windhoek area