Horseback Safari

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kayb

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Some call it a bus mans holiday I call it fun and adventure. After a fantastic holiday this year ranching cattle in Montana, I have the bug.
I would be very grateful or your tips and experience of Horseback Safari and Africa. What are the must/ must not do places and activities? Did you book it all yourself or go through an agent? Would you do it again, was it worth the £££. I would like all the information I can get as its quite £££ and I want to spend mine wisely, and do all the back ground research I can.
Also so did any of you travel with anon rider? Did they enjoy it and see the same sites, or were they stick back at camp all the time and envious of your sighting of the big 5?
Many thanks.
 
Hi

I did a horseback safari in South Africa several years ago & loved it.

I went with another rider, but we decided to go for a 'permanent' base safari rather than one where you stay somewhere different every night, mainly because it gave us flexibility to do other things as well.

We went to Horizon Horseback Safaris. They cater for all abilities of rider & have facilities for non riders as well. The outfit was very well run, the food was great, rooms fine, lovely horses. They have a small reserve on site & lots of tracks etc for a good gallop or a nice amble around. They also have a large cross country course onsite & did jumping lessons, polo lecross etc. We did a 2 day trip out to another game reserve so see a different variety of animals including rhino & a day trip to see lions & elephants.

I thought it was a good holiday, although if you want to ride with lions etc this isn't the one for you! Good if you have a beginner/novice or non rider though.
 
Hi years ago I did an overland trip (Nairobi to Cape Town) and while in Malawi we spent a few days up in the hills and did a horseback safari.
Have to say I can't remember seeing much in the way of wildlife although there were lions locally, but just to ride in those surroundings was amazing and I would definitely do it again.
I can't remember how much it cost - was over 10 years ago though so probably will have gone up since then anyway!
 
Forgot to say.....

I booked accommodation & flights separately myself. I can't remember how much it cost me (somewhere around the £600/£700 mark I think), but got a really good deal on BA flights & it was a few years ago.

We saw quite a few animals while we were there & got some fabulous photos.
 
I went to Horizon with In the Saddle, they are a fanastic company, also went to Mexico with then. I thought Africa was good but Mexico wins hands down although it's not safari.

I went on my own both times - most people did at Horizon.

I did the big 5 in an open top vehicle and non dangerous game - apart from rhino on horse back.
 
Kayb, if you don't mind me asking what company did you go with for the ranching holiday? I've been having a look through various companies recently but can't find any that I like the look of.
 
I went to Horizon as well - I had to go to SA for work so took a few days to go do some riding and they could be flexible.

Really good quality horses and accomodation, not sure whether a non rider would get bored just going for walks or sitting by the pool however if they were interested they could have lessons.

They can also combine a stay there with safaris on a reserve nearby or one in Botswana.

I booked direct but i think you can also book through in the saddle.
 
Dobby, We went with Ranch Rider, to a working ranch. It combined the best of both. Trail rides of up to 8 hours a day, in amazing scenery out of the Western films. I never thought a horse could cross some of the terrain we did, but they did and loved it as much as i did. Then there were the cattle working days, i loved these in the thick of it. I like to think i helped  i will never forget quotes such as “if you get lost follow the cows they know the way!”. I would go back and stay forever tomorrow if i could. Such beautiful, friendly, rounded, get the job done people. When they say Montana is big sky country they aren’t kidding.
Thank you all for you tips and site recommendations, i can’t wait to get home and start looking at them all.
 
Back in the mists of time when I had a well paid job I went to Kenya with Offbeat Safaris-loads of friends been with them since-absolutely awesome! We rode past all the game with no one else in sight-felt very sorry for all the people crowded round lions on a kill with ten other minibuses. When we saw lions we were sat on the top of a jeep in the middle of nowhere drinking gin and tonic eating billtong with lions walking round us as the sun went down. They also had really good horses-plenty of them have played polo so very responsive and the Voorspuys who run it are proper horse people-Cindy evented in this country before she went out there. Can't recommend them highly enough and would def go again just need to win the lottery!
 
Selling safaris and other riding holidays is my job (though I can't really say which agency I work for without it being advertising!).

A lot of the big safari companies are extremely well known and reputable, they tend to work with most of the agencies and some will not take bookings direct (you can find an 'agents' page on their website usually). Despite what people often think, booking through an agency is usually the same price as booking riding holidays direct but provides you with financial insurance and the added benefit of someone who can give you an unbiased suggestion for a destination to suit your needs. You can't go too wrong with any of the big safari names and I would suggest that you shop around to see which agency can offer you the best deal.

You will also find that agencies offer loyalty discounts on future bookings - if you are someone that goes on riding holidays a lot then this can be a substantial saving on your next holiday, perhaps making it even cheaper than it would be to book it direct.

For the majority of the safaris where you are encountering big game, you do need to be an experienced rider with good 'stickability' and one who is comfortable riding at all paces. Having said that, they do have safety measures in place for what to do in the incident that a rider falls off and there are elephants nearby (dangerous as they can charge!) or other dangers. You will find that guides carry rifles when necessary so you are safe. :)

Horizon is a great destination as it offers all round riding and cattle work too, as well as some luxury. However, it does not provide the lion sightings and can be geared more to less experienced riders (though they can up their game if required). There are a variety of wonderful options for a safari holiday but it also does depend on your budget.
 
if you have very deep pockets, I would recomend the Okavanga delta in Botswana - there is a horse back safari company working out there (knew the vet nurse who had worked there so horses are well kept), Botswana is very expensive though.
 
i went to st lucia national park in SA to do a 6 day horseback safari in july 2008. it was amazing & would definately do another when i have the money! i booked with in the saddle who were extremely helpful & well organised. i dont think this particular safari was suitable for non riders but i remember others in the booklet being advertised as such. it was amazing, go for it!
 
I went to this place http://www.waitalittle.co.za in South Africa for the first time as a Holiday of a Lifetime in 2007 and am about to go back for my fourth time this November.

It is a truly magical, utterly amazing place. Wonderful horses, a fast safari - lots of fast gallops, and off-roading into thick bush where you can jump trees that the elephants have knocked down, brilliant food, a real adventure. And that's before you even get onto seeing the wildlife.... Galloping alongside giraffes and zebra, spotting a hyena slinking through the bush, hearing lions roaring in the night and coming face to face with them on horseback (having a lion look you in the eye like that - it's like they can see into your soul). Just magic.

And no, I don't work for this place - it's just the best place on earth, and something i recommend (you do need to be unstickable - i had an unfortunate fall during a gallop once and was alarmed to see a family of hyenas coming up the track as i waited to be rescued) you beg, borrow, steal to get together the ££s for it. whatever it takes.

Oh, and book through In the Saddle - they're really fantastic.
 
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