Words: Archie Rutland
If you are tired of monotonous beach holidays and want to experience this amazing planet from another dimension whilst creating everlasting memories, then the following story of how two adventures in the Southern Hemisphere came to life, might inspire you to think a little differently about your next trip abroad.
In the mid 1980s, amidst a golden era of travel when flying was considered a luxury, former cavalry officer Tristan Voorspuy embarked on a remarkable venture that combined his passion for horses, exploration and wild Africa. Intent on creating a truly unique and off-grid holiday experience; Voorspuy set his sights on Kenya. He started out taking small groups of guests and friends deep into the savannah on horseback to experience wild Africa from another perspective. Resulting in the subsequent birth of aptly named Offbeat Riding Safaris, his expeditions became legendary and quickly captured the attention of nature lovers and thrill seekers looking for something different.
Image: Anya Campbell
Throughout the year, countless wildebeest, zebra and gazelle pass through Kenya’s fertile lands in search of fresh pastures and breeding grounds. Amidst perilous prides of lions and crocodile infested rivers, the Masai Mara’s wide-open planes play host to the never-ending cycle of life and death in the wild. Voorspuy’s intrepid approach allowed his guests to get up close and personal with this unrivalled spectacle, whilst causing minimal disturbance and leaving only hoof prints in the dirt.
Image: Anya Campbell
Unlike traditional safaris, which are typically conducted in national parks using static lodges, well-worn tracks, and off-road vehicles, Offbeat carved out its niche orchestrating horseback expeditions through privately owned reserves in remote and secluded locations. Accommodating a limited number of guests in erected mobile camps, each trip provided a fascinating escape from everyday life.
Image: Georgina Preston
With the aim of getting as close as possible, respectfully, to the creatures inhabiting the expansive surrounding wilderness and becoming fully immersed in nature, the team would continuously reassemble camp in different locations depending on the movement of the wild and the unique desires of each group of guests. From shady intimate riverbanks to exposed vantage points with uninterrupted panoramic views across the rugged savannah and celestial night sky, Offbeat’s regular visitors became enchanted by the magic of Kenya.
Image: Anya Campbell
If you happen to be interested in such a trip but like me appreciate a good night's sleep, you will be pleased to know that double beds, Egyptian cotton sheets and your very own sit-on wooden latrine for doing your morning’s business are just some of the home comforts that bridge the gap between expedition and holiday. Water heated over a wood fire supplies your private shower with a strangely irresistible smokey aroma whilst you wash away a long day in the saddle. Watching a glowing orange sun disappear over the distant horizon as you sip on an ice-cold gin & tonic next to a crackling fire allows you to fully unwind as night descends over camp each evening. Freshly brewed tea and coffee in the mornings helps you gently awaken to the majestic sound of Africa coming to life; there is little compromise for being worlds away from modern civilisation. This powerful combination of action bookended by relaxation, means there is never a stale moment.
Image: Georgina Preston
Image: Georgina Preston
For some, the first thing that may come to mind when considering a horseback safari in Africa is a sausage riding a steak in the middle of the bush – you can’t be serious!? And yes, whilst you could momentarily seduce a hungry cat, or be confronted by a disgruntled elephant, that’s as close as they will get, if you stand your ground. Having become accustomed to Offbeat’s regular visits over the last thirty years and because of the extensive experience of the trackers and guides involved, generally very little interest is shown towards a group of mounted riders.
Image: Georgina Preston
That said, a few pulses may be raised from time to time, but it’s all part of the allure, like the adrenaline rush you get from skiing down a steep mountain that keeps you coming back to Courchevel, year after year. And if you are wondering about horsepower, you will need more experience than the camel riding you did on the beach during your post-covid trip to Dubai. These beautiful and well-oiled equine machines are carefully bred from a strong lineage of thoroughbred and Irish draught breeds, meaning they are steady in the face of adversity, but also provide for an exhilarating riding experience.
Image: Anya Campbell
Almost ten years after Offbeat was conceived, a young Argentinian, slightly lost after leaving school in Buenos Aires, joined Voorspuy’s team in Kenya as a gap-year job. Born in Austria and raised on a farm in Argentina, Jakob Von Plessen was already an accomplished horseman, having ridden with the gauchos for as long as he could remember. He immediately fell in love with both Africa and Voorspuy’s unique creation of thrilling adventure deep in the wild, so much so that he stayed on guiding with Offbeat until, ultimately, he earned his place as one of the honchos, despite his first three years being practically unpaid and living off tips.
Image: Anya Campbell
Von Plessen quickly learned how to navigate and guide Offbeat’s guests through the vast, and at times daunting, territories of the Northern Masai Mara. Here, you can still ride undisturbed for up to 200 kilometres without encountering a single fence or human being, except, on occasion, the welcoming members of the indigenous Masai community who own and maintain the half-million acres of conservancy where Offbeat exclusively conducts its tours.
Image: Anya Campbell
Having mastered his skills with Offbeat, Von Plessen started guiding his own expeditions during the summer season back home, in Argentina. Based out of an old hunting lodge in Northern Patagonia, Jakotango Riding Adventures hosted its first guests in 2004. Trekking through dramatic landscapes amidst snowcapped summits, traversing steep mountain passes and submerging in glacial-blue waters, all whilst on horseback – you could easily mistake this Patagonian paradise for some kind of fairytale land; like Narnia thawed out after winter’s icy hold.
Image: Anya Campbell
After years of dreaming it finally came true and I was lucky enough to join one of Jakotango’s exclusive tours in January. Fully adorned in gaucho attire, boina, poncho, bombachas and all, reminiscent of a scene out of The Revenant, we set off from base camp on our sturdy criollo ponies, the gaucho workhorses of Argentina. As we voyaged through the wilderness, slept out under the stars next to a warm campfire and swam and fished for trout in the waters of the Filo Hua Hum River, I felt a profound sense of childlike liberation. In Argentina, maté (traditional herbal tea) and asados (open-fire grilling) are revered as ancient ritualistic traditions for beginning and concluding each day and are very much ingrained in the way of life at Jakotango. However, there are certain customs to be aware of if you truly want to fit in, such as only saying ‘gracias’ when drinking maté with the gauchos if you no longer wish to participate.
Image: Anya Campbell
Riding through luscious vegetation and across shaley peaks – the result of a millennia’s-worth of volcanic activity – offers a real sense of what life was like centuries ago for the indigenous nomadic Tehuelche people who once roamed these spectacular Andean lands.
Having tasted entrepreneurship, in 2019, Von Plessen helped establish the 500-kilometre annual race through Patagonia, known as the Gaucho Derby. And so, while at times riding with Jakotango can be somewhat terrifying for some and simply thrilling for others, you do not feel unsafe blindly following him through the affectionately named ‘Gates of Mordor’ and ‘Pass of Tears’.
Image: Anya Campbell
His wonderfully charismatic co-host, Daisy Soames, has been an integral part of the Jakotango and Offbeat family for the last nine years. Marcos Villamil, who rode over 6,000 miles from the Obelisco de Buenos Aires to Terra del Fuego during Covid, recently joined the Jakotango team. Not only do they understand the reserve incredibly well, but they are also fantastic entertainers with a great sense of humour, making base camp feel like a true home away from home. Following the outstanding success and popularity of Jakotango, a new location is set to open next season, in Tierra Del Fuego, with plans to start taking rides from November.
Image: Anya Campbell
Adventures such as Offbeat and Jakotango are a rarity. In an age where it has become increasingly difficult to escape our busy lives and the hordes of tourists, thanks to the hype of social media, it is reassuring to know that places still exist where you can truly lose yourself in the unknown, away from the crowds and without compromising on comfort. Of course, it goes without saying, if you haven’t already, I recommend you learn how to ride a horse so you can go on these trips. It’s not just about commanding a new skill, opening yourself up to more exhilarating experiences will allow you to see the beauty of the world from another perspective. As Churchill famously once said, “No hour of life is wasted that is spent in the saddle.”
- Offbeat Mobile Riding Safaris operates throughout the year, with short breaks during April, May and November. Jakotango Riding Adventures runs from November until the end of February
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