BIG 5 SAFARI - SOUTH AFRICA

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The "Big 5" is what everyone dreams of seeing on an African Safari. Lion, elephant, buffalo, rhino and leopard. For experienced riders here is an exclusive safari which gives you the chance to see all these and experience Africa as our forefathers did - from the back of bush wise Boerperd horses. A must for anyone serious about game viewing. One difference is a greater level of comfort and safety available today. Luxurious safari tents are perched on wooden platforms overlooking the Makhutswe River, with hot and cold shower and a toilet with a view to remember! Gourmet meals are prepared over an open fire daily. There is a swimming pool to relax around at midday. A qualified and armed ranger who is the owner of the operations accompanies you in exploring the 31000 hectare private reserve on this wonderful horse riding holiday.

Trip length 8 days riding / 7 nights mobile Safari Ride only price 2008 - £1,679 2009 - £1,959 Departure dates Saturday to Saturday dates throughout the year (please enquire) Approximate riding time per day Usually 4 - 7 hours/day Riding ability required Must be riding fit and able to control a horse at all paces. Min age 12. Group size 3-6 Meeting point (getting there) Hoedspruit or Phalaborwa Airport, South Africa Transfer 2008; £57 per person return from Hoedspruit and £70 per person return from Phalaborwa. 2009; £60 per person return from Hoedspruit and £80 per person return from Phalaborwa. Flight guide London - Hoedspruit return from £550 - £850. See below for flight info. Single supplement none if willing to share or £979 if available.

SAMPLE ITINERARY - BIG 5 SAFARI

The Big 5 Safari is one of the few places in the world where you can see wildlife in its natural environment from the back of a horse. On this riding holiday, good riding skills are essential. This itinerary is an example, not a guarantee.

Day 1
You will be picked up at either Hoedspruit or Phalaborwa airport by the transfer service. On arrival a light lunch or afternoon tea and coffee awaits you. Philip, your guide, will introduce you to the safety procedures before going on your first safari. This orientation ride takes you through the area surrounding the camp as you unwind from your journey and forget yourself in the peace of the African bush. This is your chance to become accustomed to our horses and riding style. We might even see the first giraffe or zebra. Sundowners, looking out toward the mountains, are a perfect prelude to the generous 3 course dinner, accompanied by hand picked South African wines, which awaits you in our dining area. Furnished with antique African art. The first night, with all its fantastic sounds and noises, is probably the most exciting one. Accommodation for these first two nights is in luxury safari tents with en-suite bathrooms, mounted on platforms above the Makhutswe River.

Day 2
We wake you with tea or coffee in the morning. After a light, continental breakfast we are ready to mount our horses. The search for the wild game can begin! Whatever tracks Philip finds he will try to follow. An elephant track often leads toward the Kufunyame River, where huge palm trees and tall river reeds provide a good meal for an elephant. Lunch will be served on the terrace. Fresh salads, home-made breads, pizzas and quiches are served together with light meats and cheeses. The lovely smell of home-made cake ensures you awake in time for the afternoon ride. We ride to a huge dam, where Hippos live during the heat of the day. Let them entertain you you, playing in the water, rolling and laughing. With luck, one will be relaxing on the sandbank, enjoying the warm sun. Tonight is 'Ranger's Pub' when friends, guides, rangers, researchers and other employees from neighbouring lodges come for a drink or two. It is a great chance to meet some of the human characters on the reserve and to become part of the overgrown family, when you listen to the exciting news rangers or researchers can tell you about animals and their behavior.

Day 3
When we hear a leopard roaring in the night Philip looks for tracks in the riverbed to show you this impressive cat. You find him; he stands up, stretches, and stalks to a shadier spot. Philip guides you closer, and everyone is silent as the excitement of entering his world grabs you.. Simply by observing him, you share a moment in harmony with an animal that is just as curious about you as you are about him. In the afternoon we pack our bags, leaving for another camp. The luggage is taken by vehicle, whilst we set of on horseback. We ride south, passing with bated breath between the twin rock formation of Lion and Leopard Hill. The gently undulating roads in this area lend themselves to long easy canters. Giraffe, Zebras or Wildebeest may pick up the pace and run by your side elegantly manoeuvring through the veldt. Suddenly Philip dismounts and considers the ground around him, before turning to you to say, come! I think the wild dogs are close. Beacon Rock, the first fly camp is situated at a giant rock formation from where you can overlook the whole lowveld escarpment. A quick scramble up to the top rewards you with a spectacular panorama over the whole reserve and the perfect vantage point to witness a blood red sun falling behind the looming Escarpment. Under the stars around a campfire, surrounded by our horses, is where we spend the night. We listen to the call of the hyenas or jackals, which might visit us in the night. Steaks or chops, cooked over the open fire, with baked potatoes and mielies are the perfect fare to help us into a deep sleep tonight.

Day 4
Waking to the rich colours of the sunrise we revive the fire for coffee and breakfast before embarking on our longest ride. Today we cross from the furthest South Eastern point into the North Western corner of the reserve. Demonstrating the rich floral diversity, we follow rhino road, always scouting for tracks of this ancient beast. Sandy roads and riverbeds give us the ground for the right pace we need to cover this distance.We arrive at Bush Lodge, tired, ready for a drink and a good lunch in the shade of the veranda. The horses take a well earned rest while we join a game drive in the afternoon. Tonight the search is on for lions specifically and other nocturnal creatures that we cannot see from horseback. A huge fire and traditional South Africa cooking awaits us to the lantern lit boma of Bush Lodge. We are lodged in luxury safari tenets along the Makhutswe River.

Day 5
What are we missing out? Of course, Buffalo. Today we ride into the Buffalo projects, where these disease free animals are kept for breeding and research purposes. They are very curious about visitors, seeking out as eagerly as we look at them! At lunch time we relax at the swimming pool. The elephants love to play in the river outside the lodge vying with the mud-bathing rhino for you attention. Sometimes, when you are lucky, you see the big male lion, scratching and cleaning himself in front of the platform. It is where we have sundowners, with an ice cold drink in our hand. Watching and listening to the sounds of the African bush

Day 6
The ride back follows the Makhutswe River. Many antelopes including nyala, waterbuck, kudu as well as many bird species, choose the riverine vegetation a their habitation. We arrive at lunch time and decide to spend the afternoon in the swimming pool, go for another short ride or visit Jessica, the tame Hippo in the area. Anna's excellent cake will defiantly be welcome once again.

Day 7
The weather will create our day. If it is cooler, we ride out all day to visit Crocodile Dam, Crocodiles, fish, eagles, hippos and lots of water birds can be seen in the biggest dam on the reserve. Under a big tree in the shade we unpack our picnic from the saddle bags. Later that afternoon we take our ride back. All of a sudden Philip stops, fresh tracks.....Cheetah. Lets change our route to go and look for this beautiful cat, the fastest animal in the world. If we are lucky we can follow them hunting or join their peaceful repose as they relax on a termite mount. The Last sundowner on the open plain will be sad, but beautiful, impressive and absolutely unique. The African fever might of caught you as well and the goo bye can be hard. For your farewell dinner Gerti chooses something special - perhaps game fillets like kudu or ostrich served on paste with sherry sauce. It is also one of the staffs favourite meals!

Day 8
An early wake up will get us on the horses quickly, so we can enjoy a short, sporty ride to finish your horse riding holiday before the transfer service brings you to the airport.

NOTES - BIG 5 SAFARI

The Big 5 Safari consists of a 7 night mobile safari; 4 nights in base camp, 1 night in a fly camp and 2 nights at the Makalali camp Phiva.

Private transfers are available from Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport to the Big 5 Safari - prices below;
1 person - £240 each way
2 people - £130 per person each way
3 people - £90 per person each way
4 people + - £70 per person each way

The weight limit for this ride is 15 st/209 lb/95 kg, please enquire if you are an experienced rider exceeding this weight.

WHAT IS INCLUDED
Tariff is fully inclusive of all meals, accommodation & bedding, teas & coffees, soft drinks, beers and house wines (apart from at the Makalali Camp), taxes, experienced safari guides, horses & tack, back up vehicle, one game drive and laundry service at base camp.

WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED
Excludes telephone calls, selected wines, spirits and champagne and all drinks at the Makalali Camp, transport to and from safari, entrance fee to the Makalali Reserve (R130 paypable on site), additional game drives, staff gratuities and aromatherapy. Alternative dates can be requested and safaris tailor made.

FURTHER DETAILS
As we are specialists in our field we have extensive knowledge of all our products from details of accommodation and meals to number/size/type of horses to pace of riding ... and much more.

Should you wish to receive further details of this ride please click here.

CLIENTS WHO BOOKED THIS RIDE ALSO ENJOYED :- 
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Why not spoil yourself with a few days on a tropical beach after your safari? We recommend one of our Mozambiquan Beach Extensions as an ideal way to round off a safari.

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