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AFRICAN HORSEBACK SAFARIS
African Horseback Safaris is owned and run by Sarah Jane Gullick, who draws on her passion for horses and years of experience to organise riding safaris that are as adrenalin packed as they are comfortable. Guests are based at the luxurious Macatoo tented permanent camp, located on the western side of the Okavango Delta in a 500,000-hectare private concession. Mornings are devoted to exploring the game rich Delta landscape, with shorter rides, walks and mokoro expeditions available after a lunchtime siesta. These safaris offer the added excitement of a day long ride out a remote corner of the concession where a couple of nights are spent fly camping beneath the stars. Here you can experience the delights of a bush shower before sitting down to dinner cooked over an open fire.
Read what our clients have to say about African Horseback Safaris
Wild and Exotic fact sheet for African Horseback Safaris
Accommodation:
"Macatoo" camp which is situated on the western
side of the Okavango Delta, features large twin bedded
tents, each with their own en-suite shower and toilet.
These provide you with the creature comforts of life
while allowing you to experience the wild beauty of the
African bush. Centrally there is a large furnished mess
tent and discreet private pool. On the longer safaris guests
have the opportunity to experience riding out to a mobile fly camp with
traditional bucket shower and toilet (seasonal variations).
Activities:
Although our priority is riding, we offer alternative activities during
the afternoons that are not day rides. A 6 hour morning can be tiring so
afternoons are spent at leisure with evening bird walks or mokoro rides (water
levels permitting). Afternoon game drives and night spotting are also offered.
Children:
We do accept children of 12 years and over but they must be strong competent riders. No adjustment in price of children.
Clothing: A separate
clothing list will be sent with all booking forms. Laundry can be done in camp
(except at fly-camp). Light aircraft transfers have
a weight restriction of 10kg. Any extra luggage can be left with our office in Maun. Luggage for light Aircraft should be soft holdall type. Riding clothes
& clothes of bush colours are important (not white).
Drinks:
Iced drinks are available. Beer, bottled water, an assortment of cool drinks and
limited choice of spirits. Cordials, tea and coffee are freely available.
Game viewing:
African Horseback Safaris operate in a private concession. Game is plentiful,
including Elephant, Buffalo, Giraffe, Zebra, Blue Wildebeest, Kudu, Red Lechwe, Bushbuck, Reedbuck, Steenbok, Impala, Roan Antelope, Duiker,
Bat-eared fox, Sidestriped and Blackbacked Jackal, African Wildcat, Baboon,
Vervet Monkey, Honey Badger, Spotted Hyena, Mongoose, Meerkat, Warthog,
Pangolin, Python, Tortoise and Ostrich; special nocturnal creatures - Porcupine,
Aardwolf, Aardvark, Civet, Genet, Serval, Spring Hare; Water species - Hippo,
Crocodile, Cape Clawless and Spotted necked Otter; predators - Leopard, Lion,
Cheetah, Wild Dog. Guests are given a high level of personal attention. A
demonstration is given at the beginning of the safari with a talk on how to
handle big game situations.
Indemnity:
Guests will be asked to sign an indemnity form in camp before they ride.
Insurance:
Guests must take out medical travel insurance.
Length of the ride: Between 4-6 hours in the saddle a day. This is broken up by refreshment stops of picnic breakfasts or lunch.
Meals: Safari cook prepares 3 meals a day plus saddlebag picnic breakfasts and vehicle support picnic lunches. Champagne breakfasts sometimes await you after an early start. Emphasis is made on fresh vegetables and salads. Fresh bread is baked every day. Vegetarians can be catered for. Light lunches, cold meats, salads and 3 course dinners served by candle light at the dining table near the campfire.
Medical:
A medical kit is kept in the camp. Clients should take Malaria tablets.
Safety: All
rides are lead by qualified profession guides. A rifle is carried on all
the rides. All camps and vehicles have radio communication and guides ride with
hand held radios. A demonstration is given at the beginning of the safari with
a talk on how to handle big game situations.
Single supplement:
This is only enforced when the guest will not share a tent.
Size of the Rides:
Maximum of 8 guests.
Tack: There are good quality English and Western Style trail saddles, each with their own water bottle.
Terrain:
Has been described as a water meadow. The Okavango is a Delta not a swamp. Palm
islands, grassy flood plains, mopane forests and clear streams. Highest water is
normally between May to September. Many of the flood plains are full at this
time and the horses wade through from island to island. The going is normally
quite good and firm along the edges of the islands allowing the ride to move on
at a trot and canter.
Type of horse:
A variety of Thoroughbreds, Namibian Hanoverians, Arabs and Kalahari-Arab
crossbreeds. They range from 14 to 16.2 hands high.
Every effort is made to match horse and rider.
Visas: UK citizens do not require visas in Botswana.
Weather Conditions: The flood waters normally arrive in May-June (this varies each year) and recede in early October. From May to August it rarely rains, days are clear and sunny but it is winter and early mornings and evenings can be cold. Daily temperatures range from 8 - 24 degrees Celsius. In summer months from November to March temperatures will range from 12 - 38 degrees Celsius with rain at all times. Please see "The best time to go" below for more in depth information on the weather.
Weight Limit: Maximum weight is strictly 210 lbs for both novice and experienced riders (15 stone or 95 kg). Over this and you will need to enquire, but only if you are an advanced rider.
Wild and Exotic sample 7 night itinerary for African Horseback Safaris
Day 1: On arrival in Maun you will be met and transferred by plane and a game drive to camp, which overlooks a seasonal flood plain lagoon. After lunch under the trees, there is time for a rest before the evening ride where you can get to know your horse. We return, as every evening, to a candle-lit dinner.
Day 2: Awoken by a cup of tea or coffee in bed, followed by a light breakfast we then ride westwards following elephant trails from one palm island to another through seas of grass into the backcountry. After lunch and a siesta we ride out into the plains, later enjoying a drink while the sun goes down.
Day 3: We leave camp early to investigate fresh game tracks, joining semi-aquatic red lechwe as they thunder through the water meadows. A champagne breakfast is waiting for us under a large baobab tree. The evening ride is spent exploring the lower flood plains where elephant often gather at a pool. As dusk closes in we have drinks around the fire.
Day 4: We ride through different country, making our way through clouds of bushman hair grass to plains with fig trees. We might encounter giraffe or shyer antelope while passing through mopane woodlands. Our pace increases as we break out onto the flood plains, often disturbing troops of baboons. Returning to the camp for an afternoon spent at leisure and later a night drive by spotlight.
Day 5: While staff pack up we leave for our fly camp riding deeper into the heart of the delta. On reaching another river system we find our fly camp looking out over a hippo pool. Here we stay for the night. The afternoon may be spent swimming or walking. Fires are lit at night to create a strong human presence to keep marauding animals away from the horses. Night watches are fun and guests usually join in.
Day 6: Having kept watch under the stars the next morning we splash through water on the vast open plains, home to wildebeest and zebra. The riding may be fast as we approach deep reedy areas full of bird life – heading back to main camp for a hearty lunch.
Day 7: For our last full day we ride through the shallow flood plains admiring the deeper pools of lilies. Here the buffalo gather in numbers and we have to creep up to them using islands for cover. The evening offers a last quiet ride with memorable smells of sage as the sun goes down.
Day 8: For your final ride we will go along some of the high palm islands which offer great vistas. We’ll maybe take a final exhilarating gallop and run with the game before returning to camp to prepare for your onward journey.
We are sure you will never forget the true sense of freedom which you will experience on your horse with us in the Okavango Delta in Africa.
Notes:
Sample itinerary only. This itinerary only serves as a guide; all scenarios are dependent on the season and levels of the Okavango flood. At times it may not be possible to go on fly camps and during cooler months one longer ride may replace the normal morning and evening rides. AHS reserves the right to alter the itinerary in any way and leaves this to the discretion of the guides. Local weather conditions may also affect game movements.
Please note this horse riding safari is exciting but not strenuous.
The price includes accommodation and all activities described.
The price does not include flights, items of a personal nature, visa fees, gratuities.
Please contact Wild and Exotic for the latest prices, departure dates and prices.
Neither Wild and Exotic nor the operators or suppliers can accept any responsibility for changes to itineraries or dates that may arise due to weather or unforeseen circumstances such as changes, disruptions or delays to airline flights for whatever reason. This holiday is subject to Wild and Exotic’s terms and conditions, a copy of which is enclosed with your booking form.
Calendar for the Okavango Delta
March and April: Warm/hot during the day - pleasantly warm at night. There is a small possibility of rain. The bush is green and lush - grass tall and green. Temperature - Day: 25 - 35 degrees Celsius. Night: 10 - 20 degrees Celsius. Water - There are plenty of rain pools left over from the rainy season, but the floodwater is unlikely to be within riding distance of the camp. Game - Because of the rain and waterholes, the game is dispersed all over the country - so not yet concentrated in herds, although it is possible to see the plains game : zebra, wildebeest, impala etc as well as elephant, maybe buffalo and cats. Clothing - lightweight riding gear, a raincoat and swimwear.
May: Cooler at night but still pleasantly warm during the day. It is very unlikely to rain. The bush is still green but the grass is getting shorter. Temperature - Day: 20 - 30 degrees Celsius. Night: 5 - 10 degrees Celsius. Water - The Okavango annual floodwaters normally arrive in May or June - so are within riding distance for a couple of weeks before they actually reach camp. The floodwaters bring long shallow water canters on the flood plains and deeper channels to cross. As water levels rise, motorboat replaces vehicle game drives and mokoros are also in use in November. Game - When the water arrives initially the bird life is great as they feed off the shallow water areas. Game comes to drink from the water, with the buffalo and lechwe moving in as the water levels increase. However, there is a lot of water - so much of the game is still dispersed. Clothing - A splash proof jacket, a fleece/sweater for the evenings and 1 pair of long rubber riding boots plus one other pair of riding footwear and swimwear.
June - August: This is winter and conditions can be chilly / cold in the early morning and evenings. It is warm in the middle of the day. The bush is getting drier except around the edges of the islands where the green shoots start to come through. Temperature - Day: 20 - 25 degrees Celsius. Night: 3 - 5 degrees Celsius. Water - The water is at its highest levels, so there is plenty around for us to ride through and go boating in either the motor boat or the mokoros. Game - Large herds of lechwe forming in the wetlands and perhaps hippo and crocodile in the area. Good potential for buffalo sightings with impala, tsessebe, kudu etc moving inland on islands. Clothing - Splash proof jacket, a warm fleece/sweater for the evenings and one pair of long rubber riding boots plus one other pair of riding footwear.
September - October: Winter is over and it gets progressively hotter building up to the first rains, which clear the hazy days and the skies are big and beautiful. Trees come into flower and then the leaves go green and fruits grow. Evenings are warm and the plunge pool gets a lot of use! The bush is dry and the grass is short. Temperature - Day 30 - 40 degrees Celsius. Night 15 - 25 degrees Celsius. Water - The floodwater normally stays around the camp area until October - but this of course depends on how big the flood was to start with. As the floodplain water recedes, drinking pools of water remain - hopefully until the next rains come. Game - The game now tends to concentrate as the water source lessens. One will often see large herds of buffalo and elephant and with shorter grass more plains game can be seen. You are more likely to see wild dog as well as cats (such as cheetah) which favour dry savannah, young giraffe and lechwe, and also hyenas are more evident as they cool off in the pools. Clothing - Lightweight riding gear, a fleece/sweater and swimwear.
November - January: The rainy season is any time from November onwards but it is impossible to say exactly when and how much rain will come. Normally the rain comes for an hour or so every day and then often goes away for a week or more before it rains again. It is warm to sticky hot before the rain and cooler after each rain. The bush turns green with the rains and many of the trees and flowers come into bloom while the sunsets become increasingly dramatic. Temperature - Day: 30 - 40 degrees Celsius Night 15 - 20 degrees Celsius. Water - Depending on the flood level, there will be some water around with the rain topping up the pools. Game - Very good until the first rain when it disperses again - the young antelope are born at this time and are very entertaining to watch. Clothing - Lightweight riding gear, a raincoat and swimwear.
2008 prices and terms and conditions (valid 1st January 2008 up to and including 31st December 2008)
The Secret Green Season: Jan - April, Nov & Dec: £275 per person per night.
Mid season: May - July & October: £325 per person per night.
High Season: August & September: £375 per person per night.
Rates are per person per night and are fully inclusive of all activities, accommodation, meals, beverages and concession fees and taxes. Rates exclude visas, travel and medical insurance - which is essential, transport from your home to Maun and return, charter flight from Maun to camp, gratuities for camp staff and guides, purchases from the “bush boutique” such as caps, shirts and toiletries
Charter Flight and game drive transfer from Maun : £275 return inclusive of airport taxes and meet and greet in Maun. This is a 30 minute flight from Maun to Abu over the remote Western side of the Delta followed by a 1 - 2 hour game drive in an open vehicle to Macatoo camp, depending on water levels. An extra airstrip transfer fee of £35 per trip will be charged for self booked charter flights.
Wild and Exotic are licensed by the Civil Aviation Authority (license number 6445) to sell the international flights necessary for this itinerary. Please contact us for further details and our recommended airlines.
A single supplement of 50% applies to guests who require separate accommodation.
