Ultimate Riding Safari

Day 1. A new experience.

We pick you up in the Hoedspruit or Phalaborwa airports -even the Johannesburg airport- with our transfer, or you can choose to hire your own transport, if you prefer it. We head to our refugee Wait a Little, which has a breathtaking view to the Makuthswe River, covered with African ebony trees. Considering that for the following days we will be submerging ourselves in the depths of nature, we will first receive a safety talk to understand how we need to take care of ourselves. We use the first horse ride to explore and get to know our horses. We use it to get rid of our former selves, that is, the persons we were before this journey, and let ourselves be taken over by the African universe. Dinner will include wines especially selected for the occasion. The tents are made of canvas and wicker roofs, equipped with private bathrooms, and external showers. The combination of nature and comfort is in perfect balance.

Day 2. At the mercy of the African Nature.

We wake up and have a light breakfast. There is no strict schedules, it all depends on the weather and the animals we find on our way. Physical activity is crucial on our journey: we jump logs and avert bushes. Lunch, cooked by our beloved Ana, may include quiche, cheese, pizzas or pancakes. We then take a few hours to rest: we may take a nap, go to the pool, or get to know more about Africa by consulting the books available in our library. In the afternoon, we give ourselves in to a quiet ride until we reach a place where we can behold the sunset while having a drink.

Day 3. Men propose and Africa disposes.

Generally, horseback riding lasts 3 to 4 hours during the morning, and 2 hours in the afternoon. On the least expected moment, we may find zebras, giraffes, lions, rhinos, crocodiles and cheetahs, to mention a few examples. Afterwards, during the afternoon, we look for the perfect place to contemplate the sunset.

Day 4. Horseback riding to Beacon Rock.

We head to another campsite, which will be our home for the following 3 days. Our luggage will be taken by a car while we ride our horses towards this new place. We ride South, over a slightly uneven ground that allows us to speed up and feel the wind on our faces. The campsite is called Beacon Rock and is located over a rock formation from which we can observed Lowdel’s steep. At night, we have dinner around a bonfire, under the starry night. From afar, we hear the call of hyenas who are taking over the night. Even if we are safe here, we cannot help but think that we are still in the African nature.

Day 5. Hippopotamus and elephants in front of our dwelling.

We have breakfast by the fire and then head to a private hunting reserve called Makalali, an open area where we can gallop and get near giraffes, zebras and wildebeests. In this manner, little by little, we get near XiDulu, the campsite which will be our home for the following 2 days. XiDulu is an idyllic place: the chalet has internal and external showers, a pool and terrace. The deck has a view to the dam where hippopotamus and elephants rest. In the afternoon, we go around with our guide, who reveals the secrets of this area to us. Then, at night, we go out to explore again. We can see owls, galagidae, and maybe -who knows- leopards.

Day 6. Among a dense coppice.

We gallop through the meadow and practice what we call bushwhacking, that is say, we ride our horses through a dense coppice. We jump fallen logs, which elephants may have torn down, or maybe, we encounter antelopes and kudus, that may accompany us on our way. There is a chance to find black rhinos in this zone; our guide knows it and may help us track them down.

Day 7. The big five.

After a light breakfast we ride our horses back to Wait a Little. We may find elephants, rhinos, giraffes, and even lions on our way. Once we reach the campsite, we meet our team and share some delicious home-made meal. The melancholy of the last sunsets confirms that Africa is a turning point in the life of any traveler, nothing will be the same from now on.

Day 8. Farewell.

The last time we saddle our horses. We wake up early and take a morning ride, at dawn, before having breakfast. This is the last time we saddle our horses before we go back to our routine, the last ride with our partners in adventure. Then a transfer service will take us to the airport.