Botswana ~ Okavango Horse Safaris

Riding: 4-6 hours a day.

Horses: mainly TB and TB crosses.

Pace: moderate, with good chances for long canters.

Riding ability: confident intermediate to experienced riders.

Weight limit: 90kg (14 stone) or 95 kg (15 stone) if paying a supplement.

Accommodation: 5∆+ camping.

Group size: maximum 8.

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The horses include Thoroughbreds, part Thoroughbreds, Arab crosses, Boerpede crosses and Saddlebreds. They are between about 14.2hh and 17hh, are well schooled, sensible, responsive and forward going to ride. Grooms look after the horses on safari and prepare them for rides. Tack is English style. Groups are a maximum of 10 guests.

Hours: There is usually about 4 to 6 hours riding a day, riding out from camp or to fly camp. Rides are broken with rests, for lunch and game viewing.

Pace and experience required: To join a safari you must be a fairly experienced rider who is comfortable riding at all paces from a walk to fast canter in open country. You will be riding in a varied, open area where there is big game including elephant and lion. The going on the safaris is good, there are places for long canters and you will enjoy it more if you are riding fit. If in doubt about ability please contact us.

Accommodation on these safaris is in a very comfortable semi-permanent tented base camp, which sleeps up to 10 guests and on some nights at simpler 'fly' camps (the name comes from the days when you moved your fly sheet off your permanent tent to make a temporary camp). The base camp is raised on teak decking and has spacious double / twin walk-in safari tents with beds, tables, chairs and linen provided. Each tent has its own bathroom with hot shower and flush loo. There are plenty of staff and service is excellent. Fly camps are simpler, sometimes using spacious two man dome tents and sometimes tree house platforms. Fly camps have shared showers and shared long drop loos.

The meeting point is Maun in Botswana. We will arrange private charter transfers from there to the horse safari camp. To fly to Maun from London it is usually easiest to go to Johannesburg and to take a connecting flight from there to Maun. British Airways, South African Airways and Virgin all have direct flights from London to Johannesburg, departing every evening. Air Botswana have daily flights between Johannesburg and Maun. For an economy return flight from London, budget around £750 to £900 (fares vary with seasons).

Example Itinerary (10 nights)
Day 1 You will be met in Maun and shown to the charter flight that will fly you to the Xudum airstrip in the heart of the Delta. Collected at the airstrip and taken on a game drive to Kujwana base camp where lunch is waiting. Lunch in camp before meeting the horses and a late afternoon ride to try them, returning to camp as the sun sets. Dinner and overnight in camp.

Day 2 An early morning wake up and set off to ride in the Xudum area while the game is at its most active. The ride takes you across open grassland where there are often herds of lechwe and zebra, to palm islands where you may surprise timid bushbuck. Return to camp for lunch and a siesta. An afternoon walk or game drive before dinner and the night in camp.

Day 3 Today's ride takes you east to Beacon and Lion island. Mopane and acacia forest, criss-crossed with game paths are home to giraffe and kudu as well as breeding herds of elephant. Arrive at Xwaapu camp for lunch and perhaps a bird walk in the afternoon. Dinner and night at Xwaapu camp.

Day 4 Ride north towards the Moremi reserve. This area forms a seasonal marshland and hosts a great variety of birdlife. This is also good elephant and buffalo country. Return to camp for an afternoon game drive with sunset drinks. Dinner and night Xwaapu camp.

Day 5 An early start and set off on a full day ride back to Kujwana by a different route. The ride takes you along the edge of permanent water where papyrus beds and deep lagoons home to hippo and lechwe. Stop for a picnic lunch set up on a shady island and ride on to Kujwana in the cool of the afternoon. Dinner and night Kujwana camp.

Day 6 Perhaps a rest from riding and a chance to explore the area by game drive vehicle, on foot or by makoro (canoe) instead. In the evening set off on a short ride as the wildlife begins to stir. Dinner and night Kujwana camp.

Day 7 An early wake up call and set off riding west to an area where beautiful baobab trees grow. There are numerous small islands linked by hippo trails and this is good habitat for cheetah and also breeding grounds for the spectacular carmine bee eater. Ride back to Kujwana for a late lunch and afternoon game drive. Dinner and night Kujwana camp.

Day 8 The ride today takes you north west to a new area through open floodplains and scattered islands. Stop for a picnic lunch under the shade of a tree before riding on a further two hours. Arrive Moklowane camp at sunset for dinner and night.

Day 9 Moklowane camp is on the Matsebe river system and features wide open flood plains interspersed with moklowane palm trees. The palm trees are a favourite source of food for elephant and baboons. A morning ride explores the area and in the afternoon you may take to the water in makoros, meandering through the maze of channels and pools of the river system. Dinner and night Moklowane camp.

Day 10 Another early start, with a full day ride of some 40km back to Kujwana. The ride takes you through a variety of game areas and fords the Xudum river at a number of hippo channels. A picnic lunch en-route, arriving back at Kujwana at sunset. Dinner and night in camp.

Day 11 A final early morning ride then return to camp for brunch before transferring to the airstrip for your onward charter to Maun. Own arrangements from Maun.

Contact us on 01837-82544 for further information, detailed itineraries, dates and answers to questions