About

Hi, my name is Chad Wratten and at times I become Chadmanwalking. Chadmanwalking was first thought of sometime in 2006. My lifestyle could not be considered the healthiest and during conservation friends mentioned this chap who walked across the USA to improve his physical  and mental health. I loved the idea and imagined myself walking from Swakopmund to Victoria Falls. This route came to mind as it would allow me to take my dogs and source water along the way. Unfortunately nothing came of it but the seed had been planted….

In 2010 after some stressful times I just needed to get away! And that’s when a good friend suggested I should walk from Lüderitz to Swakopmund … My first response was: “how the hell am I going to find water?” – “By simply walking around the Namib Sand Sea instead of walking through it”, was her quick answer. Yeah right, just walk around it … And of course, take a backup vehicle to carry water. Jeez, that makes it sound so easy! – So, within 5 (five!) days I packed up my Kombi and drove down to Lüderitz – I did mention before that I just needed to get away, didn’t I?! At 5am on 1st July 2010 I dipped my toe in the sea and started walking. I had never felt so alive in my life. 65 days of peace and nature. From that moment on I was hooked.

Four years later the pressures of life, the universe and everything started to take its toll again. So after one last big night out decided to walk again – again I was on the road within five days. This time I walked from the Orange River to Karibib in the Erongo. Once again a life changer. Living a simple life governed by the sun and eating healthy was exactly what I needed.

Chadmanwalking is now something I would like to do (more or less) regularly as long as I can still walk. There seems to be quite a need for it. One place I really want to walk is through the Skeleton Coast, Damaraland and Kaokoveld.  There are many things I dream of doing and hopefully they will come to fruition, however the peace i find in nature is incomparable.