Wild Coast Trails
It’s mundane, but a reality worth mentioning, that South Africa is a long way from the US. It’s a long time to be in transit — crossing 9 time zones going east, plus the equator and a number of latitude lines going south – and nobody should underestimate how tiring that can be. The afternoon introductory ride seemed like a great idea until we actually arrived, at which time a hot bath and a horizontal bed were all that mattered.
The next day when we crossed the great Kei River, leading our horses onto the pontoon, we all perked up and the fun began. Nine horses and riders, two cars, fishermen, and a couple of backpackers seemed like a whole lot of potential wreck scenarios to pack onto one creaky flotation device. We disembarked on the north side of the river, impressed by our calm horses and anxious to explore the relatively undeveloped beaches and rocky promontories of the Transkei which is known to South Africans as the Wild Coast. 
The Transkei is the traditional tribal homeland of the agrarian Xhosa people, and the presence of their cheerful smiles and pastel-colored rondhovels makes the Wild Coast Trails‘ coastline route absolutely unique.