Why a combined riding safari delivers a better experience

The zebra migration on the Makgadikgadi Pans, Kalahari. Botswana

Warning: when planning a riding safari, using a specialist riding holiday agency may lead to disappointment. Of course, it sounds counter intuitive, but bear with me. Those who specialise in riding safaris may know a lot about individual riding operators across Botswana, Kenya, Namibia, South Africa and Tanzania, but that is where their expertise ends. Few of them know much about the wider questions associated with your holiday.

Boating safaris in the Okavango Delta with Jacques Conradie

Is this a good time of year for game viewing in this particular area? Should we stay in one place for a whole week? What will the non-riders do all day? What else is there on offer other than riding? Where else should we consider visiting to give us the best overall game viewing?

You only have to meet people who have spent five days riding around in one spot, at the wrong time of year, and without seeing anything more exciting than a stray baboon to know that sometimes focusing just on the riding element can be mistake. Of course it is important to know about the quality of horses and the facilities of the camp, but few people invest in a safari to simply fly in, ride and visit one place.

Consider this: wildlife areas with high populations of lion or other dangerous mammals are not generally suitable for riding. By definition, environments that are safe for horses may exclude some of the most interesting animals.

Best not seen from a horse: 

a lioness viewed from a vehicle, Selinda, Botswana

For most, a combined safari works better; visiting other areas which may be higher in predators and big game and enjoying game viewing from vehicles, boats or on foot, for a complete game viewing experience. The riding element of the trip should be central to the planning but it should not be its sole purpose. 

An experienced African agent, who also specialises in riding safaris, will know all the options and will be able to advise you on the best camps (and the best times of year) to meet your needs. Nor should their safaris cost you any more than booking a riding safari direct. But they will also give you inside knowledge about the other opportunities available within a reasonable distance which will enhance your trip, delivering a better all-round experience and lasting memories. 

When is a tent not a tent?

A tented room at Kings Pool, Botswana

Anyone who has ever wondered whether they would find a tented safari in Africa a bit primitive needs to reconsider their definition of the word ‘tent’. For many of us the word conjures up images of soggy canvas, constricted space, outdoor ablutions and charred food. But tented camps in Africa have taken the term ‘tent’ and elevated it to a whole new level. Think glamping and then double or treble it, adding a long list of creature comforts along the way. This is luxury at the highest end of the scale; and tents are veritable palaces. While some retain an element of canvas, at the top end of the scale, they come with thatched roofs and wooden floors, vast canopied beds and sumptuous armchairs, flushing loos and power showers, decks, day beds and plunge pools.

Bathroom with a view: Serra Cafema Camp, Namibia

Of course, you don’t go on safari simply to enjoy the indoor facilities. So it is important when selecting camps to visit to ensure that you will be visiting areas with great game viewing too. Many of the top camps have been long established in the best spots in the finest concessions, making game viewing from your own terrace a realistic prospect. What is more, from the dining and sitting areas of the camp, it is often possible to see animals crossing a river or grazing in the near distance. This is what makes a high end safari so special: privileged game viewing without any compromise to your creature comforts.

Pride of lions viewed close up from game vehicle at Selinda Reserve, Botswana

Proximity to big game delivers an inevitable thrill, but not at the expense of safety. Viewing from specialist safari vehicles gets you extremely close to animals, especially in areas where they have established trust that these large mobile objects will do them no harm. The expertise of local guides, working with a network of trackers, will ensure that you have the best chance of seeing whatever game is in your area, but they also have deep knowledge of the wildlife they are following and will ensure that no risks are taken.

Sundowners, Linyanti Reserve, Botswana

Game drives are usually early in the morning, followed by a delicious breakfast; and evening game drives are never undertaken without the traditional ‘sundowner’ overlooking a breath-taking view. There is no compromise with food and drink; they are an important aspect of the high end safari experience. Fresh food is flown in regularly and chefs are highly skilled, so after an excellent lunch you have nothing to do but snooze the afternoon away. And that is where the tent comes in.