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Jonny's Travel News
Make 2012 the Year to Ride High!
For those of you that like to holiday on horseback, this year we have some really exciting trips for you - From the Mongolian Steppes to the beaches of Mozambique, and the Chilean Andes to the mountains of Albania, plus new treks across the Kenyan Highlands and the Jordanian Desert! There really is something for everyone, long haul and short, great value and great quality make 2012 the year to ride high!
Mozambique Tropical Beach Ride
Free over May bank holiday and looking for something completely different? Then look no further than this fascinating adventure on the edge of the Indian Ocean. A riding holiday with a difference, this trip will see you fly down to Mozambique to enjoy the wonders of riding along pristine beaches, up into the African bush and out onto the coral islands of the Bazarouto Archipelago for more riding, and some of the world’s best diving and snorkelling...A great trip for those short on time but long on intrepid spirit... and uniquely, great fun also for non riding friends and partners!
Starting: 26 Apr 2012 for 10 days
Land Only Price: £2,295
Kyrgyzstan: Ride The Mountains of Heaven
The king of the horse trekking destinations, an equine journey through the Mountains of Heaven is the best horse adventure money can buy. In a land who’s people are totally obsessed with our four legged friend, this is a ride that will see you caste out into a high mountain wilderness with only nomads for company. Riding from the ancient Silk Road caravanserai of Tash Rabat to the stunning 3,000m glacial lake of Son Kul, it is a ride that will have you feeling like the poets, traders, travellers and adventurers that have been plying this route for millennia. I first did this ride back in 1999 for my third book, Silk Dreams, Troubled Road, and I truly believe there are none better.
Starting: 28 Jul 2012 for 14 days
Land Only Price: £2,235
There is second summer departure on 11 August 2012.
Albania Horse Trek: In the Footsteps of Lord Byron
If time is an issue and you’re ready for a more quirky trip, ride in Byron’s hoof-prints through the mountains of southern Albania. I led the inaugural trip last year and although it was a little rough around the edges, it was also a cracking adventure. Just a two hour flight from London, yet totally devoid of any other tourists, this is a journey on a historical route following Greek and Roman armies, British poets and war time spies. You’ll visit ancient sites, obscure monasteries, UNESCO World Heritage sites and eat some truly delicious Mediterranean food. The horses are perfect for the terrain, and our great friend Dom Mocchi, who many of you may have ridden in Kyrgyzstan with, is leading. And that means its bound to be fun!
Starting: 2 Jun 2012 for 9 days
Land Only Price: £1,490
Mongolia: Mountains, Lakes & Shamans Horse Trek
Probably the most iconic of all the horse riding destinations Mongolia, with its vast steppes and open skies, its magnificent mountains and equine tradition, really is the quintessential land of the horse trek. On this trip you’ll visit the cultural city of Ulaanbaatar before being whisked away to the majestic north of the country, and the southern fringes of the Siberian Taiga; a land of mountains, lakes and shamans. Having saddled up onto our Mongolian steeds, you’ll ride off into the mountains and lush green meadows, passing through nomadic Mongol family encampments where you’ll stop and enjoy their local hospitality. This is a region of dramatic landscapes: of snow-capped mountains, turquoise rivers, beautiful lakes in the great meadow of Darkhad Valley, where few foreigners venture. We plan to visit with a famed local shaman - who be known to anyone who has read The Horse Boy by Rupert Isaacson - in his Tee-Pee (similar to the Indian Tee-pees) and witness him at work conjuring up the spirits before then returning to Ulaanbaatar. A trip that will inspire and open your eyes to the uninterrupted wilderness of a beautiful country dotted with beautiful and generous people.
Starting: 10 Jun 2012 for 14 days
Land Only Price: £2,695
Kenyan Highlands Horse Safari (Recce Tour)
Ever since my recce to Borana Lodge in April 2010 I have been planning this ride and now I am delighted to see it is going to happen. Travelling up north to Kenya’s stunning Laikipia Plateau, in the foothills of Mount Kenya, we’ll ride with elephant, buffalo, cheetah and lion. And we’ll be doing so in some style. Like the safaris of old, we’ll enjoy silver service, luxury tents and amazing lodges – not to mention riding some of the best horses I have ever seen – as we take a trail across this high savannah. Book soon, this trip is filling fast!
Starting: 13 Oct 2012 for 8 days
Land Only Price: £3,350
Georgia - Ride The Caucasus
Now a mainstay of our summer equine departures, this trip, set up by Richard Dunwoody and myself back in 2006, is really one of the best short haul departures we offer. Riding high into the remote regions of the Caucasus Mountains, on horses descended from the Russian military steeds that were used to subdue the region’s unruly tribes back in the 19th century, you’ll cross meadows ablaze with wild flowers, crystal rivers tumbling from the passes, pass through Europe’s highest ancient villages and stay in Tolkienesque, medieval watch towers. And of course you’ll experience firsthand the legendary warmth and hospitality of the people that live among them. Another trip led by Dom, you’ll be in safe and fun hands!
Starting: 4 Aug 2012 for 9 days
Land Only Price: £1,295
A second departure is scheduled for 11 August 2012
Jordan: Ride through Wadi Rum with Richard Dunwoody
Trust Richard pick one of this year’s best new equine adventures! With a history that stretches back to the pages of the Old Testament and a desert landscape that is amongst the most spectacular anywhere in the Middle East, Jordan is a land of incredible contrasts. Along the Jordan Valley and the King’s Highway it is steeped in biblical lore and the chronicles of the Crusades, whilst the imposing majesty of Petra presents us with one of the world’s most magnificent monuments. This incredible horse-bound adventure will take you deep into the heart of the Hashemite Kingdom, following in the footsteps of the ancient Bedouin and Lawrence of Arabia, as you journey on horseback into the beautiful and evocative landscapes of Wadi Rum. Spending some five hours a day in the saddle, you’ll explore a world that has changed little over the centuries, spending your nights camped beneath a desert sky and your days riding across a land of towering dunes and red cliffs that even Lawrence himself considered to be divine.
Starting: 16 Nov 2012 for 10 days
Land Only Price: £1,495
Argentina Gaucho Christmas
Following a tip off, in November 2010 I headed up to the Corrientes Wetlands region of Northern Argentina to check out Estancia La Rosita; what I found so inspired me that put this trip together. La Rosita offers a gaucho experience that is hard to beat. Whether rounding up steers, injecting calves, moving bulls, our hosts, the Landgraf brothers – whose family have farmed here for 3 generations – will help us to get involved in all aspects of this 10,000 acre estancia that is home to two thousand cattle, one hundred and forty horses and a few hundred sheep. On this tour you will be encouraged to muck in with the farm chores but you are just as welcome to chill out by the pool, go for walks, indulge in a bit of bird watching or fishing – as well as learning to play polo and have tango classes. The home cooked food is wonderful as is the wine! For the outdoor enthusiast this undiscovered corner of the country, and our unique gaucho holiday, offers the perfect Christmas getaway. I for one will be there!
Starting: 23 Dec 2012 for 11 days
Land Only Price: £2,495
If you would like to hear more about our horse riding holidays, come along to our information evening in March.
Client Presentation Evening - Wild Horses
Wild Frontiers will be hosting an client presentation evening at the Frontline Club, in Paddington London, on Thursday, 22 March 2012. Visit our Events Page for more information.
