Okavango Delta
The Delta
The Okavango Delta is the Eden for a rider: as water from floods extends to the sands of Kalahari, the flocks and the lives of birds spread out, the saddle of our horses being the best place to see all these.
- Location
- Botswana
- Duration
- 8 Days / 7 Nights
- Season
- January - December
- Horses
- Cross breeds which include Shire/TB, Boerperd/TB, Friesian/BP, Arab crosses, Quarter horse crosses.
- The Riding
- 4 – 7 hours per day
Day by Day
Day 1 - Welcome.
From the airport of Maun, we are only 30 minutes away by car from the south side of Okavango, where the safari in the so called “buffaloes area” starts. Here the horses are waiting; the luggage is loaded in mekoro canoes and is transported to the camp while the guest ride and venture on a horse in the Delta.
Day 2. First encounter with elephants.
To explore the water desert on a horse is, no doubt, unforgettable, in particular the first encounter with elephants, an experience that would not be remotely the same if we did it from a car. Before the sun sets, we ride to an isolated camp in a beautiful remote island.
Day 3. It depends.
What we do that day depends on the water levels, the moves of the wild fauna and the duration of the safari. Nevertheless, each place is exquisite since there is a great variety of islands covered by the shades projected by the trees.
Day 4. Ancient elephant paths.
We wake up early in the morning and have a light breakfast around the bonfire, at dawn. We spend the morning over the horse, following old elephant paths looking for a variety of wildlife, enjoying the prolific life of the birds and going around the plains recently flooded.
Day 5. Giraffes, buffaloes and antelopes lurk around.
Pack of buffaloes may be close to us, the giraffes lurk around and the Lechwe antelopes splash water over us, while the kudu watches us from the bushes. We head back to the camp to have lunch and take a nap under the shade of big dense trees. We take a night tour to think, listening to the sounds of bushes, and the wheeze and splashing of the horses. Afterwards, we get back to the camp and have dinner under the stars.
Day 6. Outing in mokoro canoes.
It all depends on the water level and the weather. There is a chance that, if permitted by the conditions, we may take a quiet outing in mokoro canoes, a traditional way to go through the lakes and fluvial ways, all brilliant and full of lilies. It is also a chance to submerge in an adventure and walk in order to appreciate the little creatures that inhabit the mount or learn some rudimentary tracking skills.
Day 7. Either on a horse, on mokoro, or on foot.
The way in which we go around the delta depends on the water level. The delta forces us to adapt to the circumstances, to look for the better way to move around: either on the horse, in mokoro or on foot, we go forward. In any event, the camp goes with us floating on a mokoro.
Day 8. Farewell.
No two days are alike, all days are amazing and cheerful. It is a privilege to explore the delta waters and let us take by the flow at its own whim. After saying goodbye to our horses, we head back to the Maun airport.
