6 Best Things to do on Safari

GUEST REVIEWS

If you love horse riding and the African wilderness, we would not hesitate to recommend. What a lovely experience! We were riding forward going, responsive horses. Setting out from base in various directions, in search of adventure across varied terrain. Saddle bags loaded with tea and cake in the mornings, or a sundowner to enjoy just before returning home at the end of the afternoon ride armed with cameras and binoculars. Doug’s experience as a field guide and horseman very quickly matched our level of skill with what he felt we could and could not do, and he allowed the kids in us a loose rein! Herds of wildebeest and Zebra dominate the flood plains. Lechwe and puku roam the wet grassland. Reedbuck and duiker jump from their hiding spots in the tall grass as you ride along. The more elusive sable haunt the woodland areas and beautiful giraffe hang out in the Mopani scrub. Being on horseback made us part of the environment, and we could ride close to the moving herds. We were out on horseback during the most beautiful time of the day, mornings and late afternoons. During the hotter time of the day we would rest in camp.

Whilst in camp we felt that we were in experienced hands as far as the hospitality industry is concerned and wanted for nothing in terms of catering. We were extended every consideration in what we may want or need despite the remote location. The meals did not disappoint either, as each was skilfully put together. We experienced the communal area as welcoming and relaxing. It is a cleverly designed and orientated artwork, achieved through the combination of Doug and Gail’s love for nature, existing natural features and incorporation of local skill in using mud instead of cement. It fits into the environment seamlessly. The simple tented accommodation felt absolutely private and was elegantly artful and luxurious. Unexpected comforts and conveniences thoughtfully incorporated were such a pleasant surprise and made us feel right at home. We carry with us memories of clear and starry night skies, the sounds of the bush at night, good company around the campfire and dinner table and the hoofbeats of our horses as we galloped across the flood plains amongst the game.

A big thank you! The trip far exceeded my expectations. I loved the riding through those plains. Your horses were excellent and well schooled. Tents / food / staff all great. I absolutely loved it.

Horseback Safari in the Simalaha.

I was very nervous for this trip ! I am not a big horse rider but as an agent I really wanted to experience Zambia's first and only horseback safari camp… WOW! This is a little piece of heaven and I definitely had the most gentle amazing horse. I cannot speak highly enough of everything Gail and Doug have put into this project. Truly spoilt to have had this opportunity in my life. Thank you.

Kerry Macfarlane - Owner, Ntanda Safaris

Bucket List Experience

I approached my first horse safari with a little trepidation at the prospect of 6 hours a day in the saddle and 4 nights in a tent. In fact, our stay at Simalaha surpassed all expectations.
On arrival the setting of the camp, overlooking a vast expanse of golden flood plain, quite blows you away. Nestled amongst the trees are 4 luxury tents with outside en suite, king size beds, crisp cotton bed linen and discreet solar lamps complete with USB sockets. Every detail is eco-friendly to blend with this unique, unspoiled wildlife conservancy. The main dining area under the stars with its stunning views is furnished for comfort with bright cushions and plenty of throws for the chilly nights where the campfire blazes as we exchange our stories of the day. Each horse has a personality but they are all perfectly trained and paired to individual riders for safety and comfort as we explore the flood plain in search of wildebeest and zebra - both of which are plentiful. We ride amongst waterbuck, red lechwe and hartebeest as they graze across the plain and marvel at the elegance of the giraffe looking down at us through the acacia trees. Four hours in the saddle is broken by a welcome coffee and home-made biscuits, we then continue our safari before heading home for showers and lunch. The food, prepared freshly on site, is exceptional and the service faultless. A welcome siesta is followed by tea and delicious cake before we set out for a shorter ride as the colours deepen under the late afternoon sun. Stopping for sundowners amongst the trees the sunset is breathtaking. Whilst the daily pattern is repeated somehow each ride is different providing an ever changing landscape rich in colour and wildlife. An unforgettable experience. Thank you Doug, Gail and the Simalaha team.

Horse Safaris are my personal addiction and I have ridden all over Africa with many horse safari companies where I have taken clients. I would highly recommend Simalaha as an excellent horse safari to go on. Some of the best schooled horses I have ever ridden, great accommodation, food and hospitality, not forgetting a fabulous horse safari. I can't wait to go back!

Daphne Lyndsay - Managing Director, Zamag Tours & Safaris

I am happy to say that it was one of the best experiences I have had in a long time. One of the first things that struck me on arrival was the big open plains that we found ourselves in. It reminded me of Liuwa - 360 degree uninterrupted views. The camp itself is delightful with so many wonderful touches giving it a very personal and special feel. There are 4 tented chalets with ensuite bathrooms, a lovely main area with stunning views over the Simalaha Plains and a small plunge pool for cooling off during the heat of the day. During our 2 night stay we never ate a meal in the same place. Gail and the staff had us moving around to eat in different settings including an incredible sundowner out on the plains with our own special little Covid Snack Jars. Our final dinner was around a campfire under the stars. Delicious home cooked food and friendly and efficient service. Riding amongst big herds of wildebeest, zebra, giraffe and lechwe... enjoying the peace and beautiful scenery surrounding us and the most spectacular sunset. Gail drove us to one of the villages just outside the conservancy. There we got to meet some of the locals involved in the project and get an insight into their day to day life. On our drive we saw the transient fishing villages set up on the banks of the Zambezi - with Namibia and the Caprivi just in the distance.
From Simalaha we then drove back to Livingstone and spent our final night at Chundukwa. The perfect end to this safari. Chundukwa is a wonderful little lodge - full of Gail's special personal touches and hidden treasures, an ideal spot to enjoy a couple of nights on the river and take part in some of the activities in Livingstone.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING.

PRESS & MEDIA

A Journey Through Simalaha - Henry Becket

2020 has been a strange year, lots of uncertainty, and certainly a feeling of unease around the whole world. It’s also the year of my 30th birthday and as with most well laid plans this year mine had been scuppered by the “new normal”. So what to do? My parents had just the idea, a three day trip to Zambia’s Simalaha Community Conservancy. The twist? We were going to do it all on horseback. 

Simalaha is situated in the south of Zambia’s Southern Province. Here, the senior leadership of two chiefdoms work together to drive community-led conservation that can protect the local peoples’ natural heritage and also promote income generation through nature-based economies and tourism opportunities.

From Livingstone, you drive out beyond the Kazungula border that leads into Botswana, and it’s a two to three-hour drive depending on who’s driving. My first impression on our trip in was the wonderful Mopani woodland that seems to be well intact compared to a lot of areas in Zambia where deforestation is a major challenge. 

Before I knew it, we had arrived at the gate to the conservancy and after a short drive in from the main road, we were at Simalaha Horse Safaris. Our hosts, Doug Evans & Gail Kleinschmidt, were there to meet us with a cold drink and we immediately relaxed onto the clay deck overlooking where we would be riding for the next three days. The camp sits on the edge of a floodplain that sprawls out for kilometres before reaching the Zambezi river. There is a waterhole no more than 50m from the deck, and who better to welcome us to the plain than a herd of relaxed wildebeest having an afternoon drink. 

Thirsts quenched we were led to our accommodation for the weekend. It must be noted that Doug and Gail are not new to the lodge lifestyle, they also own Chundukwa Lodge in Livingstone which has been a stalwart of the Livingstone tourism industry for decades. Arriving at my tent it was clear they had brought the comfort and tranquillity of Chundukwa all the way up to Simalaha. The tents, which are raised on wooden decks to overlook the plain, each have their own ensuite outside bathroom with hot water provided by, what is locally known as, a ‘donkey’ (wood-fired water heater).

After settling in, and a much-needed shower after the long trip, I heard a rustling in the long grass outside my tent. Upon closer inspection, I was greeted by the stars of the show: 14 very relaxed, unsupervised grazing horses. Doug’s herd is a mixture of Basotho bush ponies, thoroughbreds and quarter horses, proving a lovely mixture of character and colour.

Rides for Days

I will pre-empt this next chapter by saying that I really do love a safari, however, if I had a gripe, it would be the requirement to wake up before dark – I’m on holiday and it just doesn’t make sense? But alas, here we were on day one, awake bright and early for our first day’s ride. After a quick breakfast of coffee and biscuits, it was time to meet our horses, and this is when I met Maggie, a massive mare with a huge mane. She looks more likely to be pulling a cart than crossing a floodplain, but I was quick to learn that she was not short of talents for this sort of work either. 

Our first ride took us across the plain, heading for the Mopani woodland in the distance. Less than 20 minutes in one thing became abundantly clear: there is game here, lots of it. For the next three days, six hours in the morning and two hours in the evening, we were never not in sight of something.

On the plains, the zebra, wildebeest, impala and puku happily ply their trade, grazing peacefully, inquisitive of us but not afraid. It was interesting to learn that many of these had been brought in to the conservancy over the past decade by a conservation not-for-profit, Peace Park Foundation, to serve as breeding herds that would repopulate the area and rebalance the ecosystems after many years of unsustainable use of wildlife had almost cleared the area of original species.

We rode alongside these herds all day. Waterbuck and reedbuck were also amongst the herds or seen in smaller groups, sometimes in the woodland, sometimes on the plain. The reedbuck like to hide in the long grass, and when they jump out inches from where your horse puts her hoof down, you become grateful for Doug’s experience and appreciative of the work he’s put into the horses. None of them seemed bothered by the reedbuck, but I can’t say the same for my heart rate.

A Slice of Paradise

I’m not a great birder, but I can honestly describe Simalaha as an ornithologists heaven. Horseback safaris here create a phenomenon that I don’t believe can be recreated on the back on a game viewer.

Whilst riding across the plain the horses’ feet kick up a multitude of insects, which invites birds, such as bee-eaters on the hunt, to fly in amongst us. It’s a wonderful experience, an extremely close hand account of bird vs bug.

As we moved towards midday it started getting warm and I was quite relieved to be heading back. At the camp, I thanked Maggie for the ride and deposited myself on the clay deck. Having stopped moving for the first time in six hours I suddenly realised I was rather hungry. Here’s a fact: I would go to the Simalaha just for the food! Gail and Doug are gastronomic artists. Over three days the food was variable and always exactly what I needed – satay cabbage salad, roast chicken and delicious desserts, all exceptional.

After six hours in the saddle and a fantastic meal, there is only one activity in mind, a good nap before our afternoon ride. Well-rested we then journeyed off for shorter afternoon rides which ended with a sundowner overlooking the plains and its inhabitants.

An Ever-Changing Landscape

Three days were spent like this, each ride unique and well worth slightly aching joints and posterior. Before I knew it we were packed and on our way home. As we were leaving, I wondered what Simalaha would look like in a few months’ time, after the October heat has done its work, or even after that, when the rains arrive. I was intrigued at the thought that you could come here at different times of the year to have a totally different experience to what we enjoyed during this first visit. I guess there is only one way to see it really, I’ll have to come back again.

GUEST GALLERY

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