13 ‘MAVERICK Mums’ from across Somerset took an extreme leap out of their comfort zones as they spent 10 days traversing the Namibian wilderness to track elephants.

The Maverick Mums Matriarch Adventure™ saw 13 mums from across our county leave their lives and families behind as they attempted to track down the elusive desert elephants, described as the “most iconic matriarchs”.

The Matriarch Adventure™ expedition was created and headed up by experienced explorer Catherine Edsell and the adventurous group of women were brought together by Rhiannon Sully-Newman who set up Maverick Mums – a group that offers a range on outdoor activities and a space to reconnect with nature, yourself and other women.

The group were sleeping under the stars

The group says it “draws upon a matriarchal strength that enables you to step into adventures into yourself and the wider world, at a pace that works for you.”

Rhiannon explained that the women (aged between 36 and 66) took part in the trip for a myriad of reasons.

The Maverick Mums were tracking elephants

“Reasons ranged from people wanting to experience a belated gap year, some said that they wanted to experience an adventure before they get too old and sadly, some said that they lost their identity in the chaos of motherhood,” she said.

The group took part in dawn yoga, daily journaling, slept under stars and even met with Namibian mothers to share stories with one another.

Picture: Christin Winter

Not a single text or direct message could reach them as they camped out, travelling by 4×4 self-contained land cruisers, in a shower-free, no-hotel, real life, wild adventure.

For more information about Maverick Mums, visit their website.