Africa

There are many countries in Africa that offer different horse riding experiences. The continent itself is vast with the Northern countries of Morocco and Egypt offering a diverse culture with influences from the East and rides through arid deserts. In Eastern Africa there is Mount Kilimanjaro and fabulous riding in Kenya and Tanzania with its extraordinary terrain and wildlife spectacles. In the south there are riding safaris in Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa; Namibia offers extraordinary desert riding and Mozambique has wonderful beaches, offering opportunities for swimming with your horse in the beautiful clear waters.

Africa offers many opportunities for horse riders and for riding with wild game. You can ride safely with giraffe, zebra and antelope or there are more challenging rides, for those confident in the saddle, where you may come upon predators such as lion or cheetah and big game such as rhino and elephant.

In South Africa you can stay at luxurious lodges with your family or friends, where riding with plains game is on offer for all abilities; or for the more competent riders you can join a trail staying in fly camps or luxurious lodges to hopefully glimpse some of the Big Five in the Waterberg or Kruger regions. There are also glorious beach rides along the wild coast of the eastern cape and stunning wine tasting rides in the world-renowned Cape Winelands near Cape Town.

In Botswana there is exciting horse riding on offer in three regions: the Okavango Delta, the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans of the Kalahari and the Mashatu Reserve in the eastern Tuli block. These areas are all home to some of the African Big Five animals, offering exhilarating riding where you may also see cheetah, hippo and wild dogs from horseback.

Just over the border in Zimbabwe, you can ride in the world-renowned Hwange national park, another Big Five area which teams with wildlife. And in the small Kingdom of Eswatini you can explore three different parks on horseback, discovering the diverse terrain and Swazi culture.

Riding in Kenya’s Masai Mara offers magnificent game viewing where you may also meet local Masai tribesmen. The wildebeest migration takes place from July to October - where thousands upon thousands of wildebeest and zebra head into the Mara seeking greener pastures. The migration then moves into the Serengeti of Tanzania where you can also join a magical riding safari across the plains or within sight of Mt Kilimanjaro.

The wide open spaces of Africa offer opportunities for some fast gallops on well schooled horses, particularly in Namibia. Here you will find a completely different experience with less wildlife because of the arid desert environment, amongst gloriously scenic landscapes and lots of fast riding. Riding across the desert to the sea is one of our most exciting rides for experienced horse riders only.

In the north of Africa, you can ride adventurous and sportive trails through the upper Sahara desert or into the Atlas Mountains of Morocco, either camping under the clear starlit skies, or stay in riads and guesthouses. Egypt is also a thrilling destination for lovers of history and ancient culture - cantering towards the famous pyramids of Giza is also a not to be missed bucket list favourite.