Okavango Horse Safaris
Okavango Horse Safaris boasts a wonderful stable of over 50 horses, comprising full and part Thoroughbred, pure Arab, Anglo Arab, Friesian cross, and Botswana Warm Bloods (American Saddle bred cross African Boerperd), with sizes ranging between 14 and 17 hands.
A minimum riding ability is essential for the Okavango Horse Safaris - and one must be able to post to the trot for stretches of 10 minutes at a time, to be comfortable at all paces and to be able to gallop out of trouble. As you can imagine, it is a great advantage if you are a fit and a proficient rider.
All of the rides are led by qualified, specialist and/or professional guides. In addition a 375 rifle is carried on all the rides. All camps and vehicles have radio communication and guides also ride with hand held radios.
As you are in the Okavango Delta, a keen interest is taken in birds as well as other fauna (and flora). Other activities that you can enjoy include game drives, mokoro excursions, walks and power boats trips, all of which are are also led by qualified guides.
The tack is English Style and South African Trail saddles, and each saddle has a seat saver for comfort. Tack is of high quality and kept in good condition. Saddles are well known makes such as Ideals, Albion, and Symonds; most of the horses are in snaffle bridles.
Okavango Horse Safaris has 3 camps that take 6 guests each so the rides are normally no larger than a group of 6 riders.
The itineraries below are subject to change, depending upon water levels in the Delta.
A minimum riding ability is essential for the Okavango Horse Safaris - and one must be able to post to the trot for stretches of 10 minutes at a time, to be comfortable at all paces and to be able to gallop out of trouble. As you can imagine, it is a great advantage if you are a fit and a proficient rider.
All of the rides are led by qualified, specialist and/or professional guides. In addition a 375 rifle is carried on all the rides. All camps and vehicles have radio communication and guides also ride with hand held radios.
As you are in the Okavango Delta, a keen interest is taken in birds as well as other fauna (and flora). Other activities that you can enjoy include game drives, mokoro excursions, walks and power boats trips, all of which are are also led by qualified guides.
The tack is English Style and South African Trail saddles, and each saddle has a seat saver for comfort. Tack is of high quality and kept in good condition. Saddles are well known makes such as Ideals, Albion, and Symonds; most of the horses are in snaffle bridles.
Okavango Horse Safaris has 3 camps that take 6 guests each so the rides are normally no larger than a group of 6 riders.
The itineraries below are subject to change, depending upon water levels in the Delta.
DAY 1 Kujwana Camp
You are met at Maun Airport our representative, and assisted onto a helicopter for the 25 minute flight to Camp. Alternatively, you can enjoy a light aircraft flight to an airstrip close to camp, with a 60 minute vehicle transfer. Once you arrive Kujwana Camp you have time to settle in before lunch and an introductory briefing, with a demonstration on tack.
The briefing includes advice on game viewing from horseback. This is followed by an orientation ride for approximately 1 – 2 hours – allowing time to get to know your horse, and to get an idea of what the area is like.
DAY 2 Kujwana Camp
Your riding safari starts each day an hour before dawn. This ensure you are out game viewing at one of the best times of day. After breakfast, enjoy a morning ride in the Xudum area, wading through lush green malapos that lead you from island to island. Commonly seen game are herds of lechwe and zebra moving through the open spaces.
Return to camp for lunch followed by a much needed siesta. This afternoon enjoy a game drive with sunset drinks and an evening night drive with a spot light (a great way to see the night life). Get back to Camp for a delightful three course candlelit meal.
DAY 3 Mokolowane Camp
Today you will ride from Kujwana to Mokolowane camp (a distance of some 30 kilometres). Your route takes you through open floodplains and scattered islands towards the Matsebe River system, where you have the chance to see a wide variety of game.
Enjoy a picnic lunch - served on a shady island followed by siesta with camp beds, and perhaps a swim. There is a further 2 hour ride to Mokolowane camp.
Arrive at sunset and enjoy a refreshing drink as you admire the endless over the floodplain. The open skylines of Mokolowane camp make for great star gazing.
DAY 4 Mokolowane Camp
After the long ride of the previous day, your morning starts with a game drive. As Mokolowane camp is on the Matsebe river system, it features wide open flood plains interspersed with Mokolowane palms - favourite food of elephant and baboon. It is also a good area for plains’ game.
Alternatively, you may wish to take a peaceful mokoro trip up the river and enjoy the tranquillity of the delta from your dugout canoe.
In the afternoon you head out for a 2 to 3 hour ride (depending upon game viewing) and enjoy the beautiful colours of the Delta as the sun starts to sink below the horizon.
DAY 5 Kujwana Camp
Today is a full day’s ride from Mokolowane to Kujwana with a picnic lunch along the way. This ride covers about 35 kilometres, with 4 hours ridden in the morning and 2 hours in the afternoon. The ride moves through a variety of game areas, as you ford the Xudum River at numerous hippo channels. Your planned arrival at Kujwana is at sunset.
DAY 6
If your onward flight time permits, enjoy an early morning game ride out of Kujwana Camp. You leave after a tasty breakfast - one hour’s game drive to the nearest airstrip for transfer by light aircraft into Maun or a 25 minute helicopter ride.
You are met at Maun Airport our representative, and assisted onto a helicopter for the 25 minute flight to Camp. Alternatively, you can enjoy a light aircraft flight to an airstrip close to camp, with a 60 minute vehicle transfer. Once you arrive Kujwana Camp you have time to settle in before lunch and an introductory briefing, with a demonstration on tack.
The briefing includes advice on game viewing from horseback. This is followed by an orientation ride for approximately 1 – 2 hours – allowing time to get to know your horse, and to get an idea of what the area is like.
DAY 2 Kujwana Camp
Your riding safari starts each day an hour before dawn. This ensure you are out game viewing at one of the best times of day. After breakfast, enjoy a morning ride in the Xudum area, wading through lush green malapos that lead you from island to island. Commonly seen game are herds of lechwe and zebra moving through the open spaces.
Return to camp for lunch followed by a much needed siesta. This afternoon enjoy a game drive with sunset drinks and an evening night drive with a spot light (a great way to see the night life). Get back to Camp for a delightful three course candlelit meal.
DAY 3 Mokolowane Camp
Today you will ride from Kujwana to Mokolowane camp (a distance of some 30 kilometres). Your route takes you through open floodplains and scattered islands towards the Matsebe River system, where you have the chance to see a wide variety of game.
Enjoy a picnic lunch - served on a shady island followed by siesta with camp beds, and perhaps a swim. There is a further 2 hour ride to Mokolowane camp.
Arrive at sunset and enjoy a refreshing drink as you admire the endless over the floodplain. The open skylines of Mokolowane camp make for great star gazing.
DAY 4 Mokolowane Camp
After the long ride of the previous day, your morning starts with a game drive. As Mokolowane camp is on the Matsebe river system, it features wide open flood plains interspersed with Mokolowane palms - favourite food of elephant and baboon. It is also a good area for plains’ game.
Alternatively, you may wish to take a peaceful mokoro trip up the river and enjoy the tranquillity of the delta from your dugout canoe.
In the afternoon you head out for a 2 to 3 hour ride (depending upon game viewing) and enjoy the beautiful colours of the Delta as the sun starts to sink below the horizon.
DAY 5 Kujwana Camp
Today is a full day’s ride from Mokolowane to Kujwana with a picnic lunch along the way. This ride covers about 35 kilometres, with 4 hours ridden in the morning and 2 hours in the afternoon. The ride moves through a variety of game areas, as you ford the Xudum River at numerous hippo channels. Your planned arrival at Kujwana is at sunset.
DAY 6
If your onward flight time permits, enjoy an early morning game ride out of Kujwana Camp. You leave after a tasty breakfast - one hour’s game drive to the nearest airstrip for transfer by light aircraft into Maun or a 25 minute helicopter ride.
Day 1 Kujwana Camp
Upon arrival at Maun Airport, you will be met by our representative and assisted onto your flight to Camp. This is a choice of a 25 minute helicopter flight directly to camp, or a light aircraft charter to a neighbouring airstrip, with an approximate 1 hour game drive.
Once you arrive in camp you do have time to freshen-up and settle in before lunch. This is followed by an important introductory briefing, which includes a talk and demonstration regarding tack, and tips on game viewing from horseback.
This afternoon you enjoy a short (1 to 2 hour) orientation ride.
Day 2 Kujwana Camp
As your Safari day starts early (to allow for the cool of the morning and the chance of better game viewing), wake up each day is 1 hour before dawn. After a delicious breakfast, there is a morning ride in the Xudum area, as you wade through lush green malapos that lead you from island to island. Game viewing is likely to be plains game, such as lechwe and plains zebra. The group returns to camp for lunch followed by a siesta (a Safari essential). This afternoon, there is a game drive, followed by sunset drinks. The drive continues into the evening, with the aid of a spot light, returning to camp for a delightful three course candlelit meal.
Day 3 Mokolowane Camp
Today is mostly spent in the saddle, with a 30 kilometre ride, taking you northwest. Your route moves through open floodplains and scattered islands towards the Matsebe River system, where there is a chance to see an excellent variety of game. A picnic lunch is served on a shady island followed by siesta with camp beds, perhaps a swim, and then a further 2 hours ride to Mokolowane camp itself.
Arrive at sunset, when you can enjoy a refreshing drink as you taken in the endless vista of the floodplain. The open skylines of Mokolowane camp make for great star gazing.
Day 4 Mokolowane Camp
After the long ride of the previous day, this morning's activity is a game drive. Mokolowane is on the Matsebe river system itself, and features wide open flood plains interspersed with Mokolowane palms, a favourite food of both elephant and chacma baboon. It is also a good area for plains’ game. Alternatively take a peaceful mokoro trip up the river and enjoy the tranquillity of the delta from this traditional dugout. In the afternoon it's time to head out for a 2-3 hour ride and enjoy the beautiful colours of the Delta as the sun starts to set.
Day 5 Kujwana Camp
Today is a full day’s ride from Mokolowane back to Kujwana with a picnic lunch to be enjoyed en route. The ride covers some 35 kilometres. There is a 4 hour ride in the morning and 2 hours in the afternoon. This ride moves through a variety of game areas fording the Xudum River at numerous hippo channels.
Day 6 & 7 Kujwana Camp
Day 6 starts with a morning ride around the east of Kujwana camp. The shady rain pans and thick riverine forest make this ride an ideal place to track a breeding herd of elephants. Take a break for a chocolate bar on the edge of a hippo pool, before riding on into more open areas with the chance of picking up a herd of buffalo moving through. An afternoon mokoro allows for a relaxing trip being poled through the watery wilderness surrounding Kujwana.
On day 7 of your riding safari, there is a full morning ride exploring the western Baobab area. Small islands here are linked by numerous hippo channels which eventually lead you onto Baobab Island. This is a good area for cheetah and also breeding grounds for Carmine Bee eaters (a summer visitor). Baobab Island has thick riverine forest and is a good area for general game viewing.
DAY 8
There is an early morning game ride out of Kujwana camp if you flight times permits. Enjoy a wonderful breakfast, before your transfer to the airstrip or your helicopter flight back to Maun.
Days 1 to 7 of this Safari are identical to those of the 7 night Safari.
Day 8 Fly Camp
Your days starts with a morning ride east towards Beacon and Lion Islands. These are two very large islands for the area, and are cut off from Kujwana by the Qwaapu River. The area is criss-crossed with game paths which lead you through a chain of rain pans. This is a great contrast to the open flood plains. Here mopane forests and acacia woodlands offer a good variety of food for elephant, kudu and giraffe. Breeding herds of elephant enjoy the security of the dense forest and should the pans be holding water, zebra, wildebeest and buffalo are also present.
In the afternoon there is a bird walk which, in addition, also offers the opportunity to learn more about the traditional uses of the plants and trees of the area. Tonight your accommodation is in a "fly camp" set up under stars for anight in a true wilderness. You sleep under a mosquito net... a unique and fascinating way to experience the Delta.
Day 9 Return to Kujwana
Start your day with the sun rise and enjoy a game drive back to Kujwana. There is a hearty lunch today, followed by a 2 hour evening ride followed by sunset drinks on one of the flood plains... a truly lovely way to end an active day.
Day 10 Kujwana Camp
This is your final full day on your riding Safari. This morning there is a ride to the pans, which is an excellent area for game viewing. Return to camp for lunch. In the afternoon there is a powerboat trip up the River, to do some general game viewing and birding (and the chance to spot the illusive and beautiful Pel's fishing owl. You might also wish to throw in a line and catch a delicious bream for dinner.
Day 11
There is an early morning game ride out of Kujwana Camp if you flight times permits. Enjoy a last safari breakfast, before your transfer to the airstrip or your helicopter flight back to Maun.
Day 8 Fly Camp
Your days starts with a morning ride east towards Beacon and Lion Islands. These are two very large islands for the area, and are cut off from Kujwana by the Qwaapu River. The area is criss-crossed with game paths which lead you through a chain of rain pans. This is a great contrast to the open flood plains. Here mopane forests and acacia woodlands offer a good variety of food for elephant, kudu and giraffe. Breeding herds of elephant enjoy the security of the dense forest and should the pans be holding water, zebra, wildebeest and buffalo are also present.
In the afternoon there is a bird walk which, in addition, also offers the opportunity to learn more about the traditional uses of the plants and trees of the area. Tonight your accommodation is in a "fly camp" set up under stars for anight in a true wilderness. You sleep under a mosquito net... a unique and fascinating way to experience the Delta.
Day 9 Return to Kujwana
Start your day with the sun rise and enjoy a game drive back to Kujwana. There is a hearty lunch today, followed by a 2 hour evening ride followed by sunset drinks on one of the flood plains... a truly lovely way to end an active day.
Day 10 Kujwana Camp
This is your final full day on your riding Safari. This morning there is a ride to the pans, which is an excellent area for game viewing. Return to camp for lunch. In the afternoon there is a powerboat trip up the River, to do some general game viewing and birding (and the chance to spot the illusive and beautiful Pel's fishing owl. You might also wish to throw in a line and catch a delicious bream for dinner.
Day 11
There is an early morning game ride out of Kujwana Camp if you flight times permits. Enjoy a last safari breakfast, before your transfer to the airstrip or your helicopter flight back to Maun.
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Okavango Horse Safaris... riding holidays
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