Big 5 Horse Back Safari

De ultieme Horse Back Safari in Afrika... Op zoek naar de Big Five vanaf de rug van uw paard! Gelegen bij Kruger Park.

Day 1

horse back accommodation You will be picked up at either Hoedspruit or Phalaborwa airport by our transfer service. A pick up from Johannesburg OR TAMBO direct can also be arranged. On arrival at Wait A Little a light lunch or afternoon tea and coffee awaits you. The Wait A Little team, including Philip and Gerti, are there to welcome you. Gerti or Philip, your guides, will introduce you to the safety procedures before going on your first riding 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 towards the Drakensberg 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 three nights is in old style safari tents with en-suite bathrooms, mounted on platforms above the Makhutswe River at the
Wait A Little main camp.

Day 2

horse back big 5 We wake you with tea or coffee in the morning. After a light, continental breakfast we are ready to mount our horses and go on safari.
The weather will create our day. But usually we ride for 3-4 hours in the morning and 2-3 hours in the afternoon. After we return from our morning ride a big lunch awaits us with homemade quiches, pizzas or pancakes, freshly baked bread and lots of green salads, meats and cheeses. After lunch the hardest time of the day has arrived, siesta. You can spend your well deserved rest in your room, or at the swimming pool or maybe you would like to improve your knowledge about Africa by reading one of the books provided in our library. Afternoon tea and coffee strengthen us for our next adventure. Our afternoon ride ends at a beautiful sun-downer spot where drink in hand we enjoy an often colourful sunset!

Day 3
horse back big 5 Another exciting day awaits you. The morning is similar to the one on day 2, but today we will go on an exciting drive to our buffalo project in the afternoon. Gerti will take you to the furthest northern corner of the reserve, all along the Makuthswe River to hopefully find the beautiful beast. Here we enjoy our sundowner followed by a night drive back home to Wait A Little. Over lunchtime you are welcome to have a relaxing massage by our therapist. There is a well prepared massage sala where everything is there for your comfort. Today is also the chance to acquire some of our merchandise material. From fleeces, fleecy jackets and sweatshirts to shirts, T-shirts, golf tops, hats, beanies to beads there is a beautiful and fashionable selection of safari outfits available.

Day 4
horse back big 5 In the afternoon we pack our bags, leaving for another camp, staying away for all in all three nights. The luggage will be brought by vehicle, whilst you set off on horseback. Riding south, passing with baited breath between the twin rock formations 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 maneuvering through the veldt. Beacon Rock, our 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 fall behind the looming Drakensberg Escarpment. Under the stars, around a campfire, surrounded by our horses, we spend the night. Listening to the call of the hyenas or jackals, which might visit us in the night. Steaks or chops, cooked over the open fire, with snakebites, baked potatoes and salads are the perfect fayre to help us into a deep sleep tonight.

Day 5
horse back big 5 Waking to the rich colors of the sunrise we revive the fire for coffee and breakfast before embarking on our longest ride. Entering the Makalali Game Reserve, dominated by huge open planes, where you might find yourself cantering next to giraffes, zebras or wildebeest. Spectacular views, over big distances show you the way to Phiva our camp for the night. This camp is truly spectacular. Built and designed by Silvio Rech, one of Africa’s most famous architects, this camp seems to have grown out of the African Bush. Silvio’s inspiration came from the colors of Africa; red like the soil, white like the bones, brown like the branches, orange and grey like the rocks. Clay, reed, wood, skulls and lots of other natural resources provided the materials to build this unique camp. As with all the Makalali camps, accommodation is in private chalets, each equipped with en-suite bathrooms, outdoor showers and private salas for your relaxation. The afternoon siesta is followed by a game drive. An open top Landrover will follow the directions of your native tracker as he reads the signs left by the big cats during the day. After a long, slow Gin, watching the sunset, the drive continues into the night, where, with luck, some of the nocturnal wildlife will show its face. Bushbabies, owls, maybe even a leopard, may complete your day’s
excitement. Dinners are served either at the edge of a big dam, in the dining area or outside under the stars in a torch lit booma. Makalali’s chefs are famous for their cuisine with a mixture of European and East African flavors.

Day 6
horse back big 5 Today we go exploring, cutting through the veldt at a canter, twisting and turning around the trees “what Philip calls bushwhacking” and your surefooted horse carries you nimbly through the undergrowth, changing direction as you guide his course, having just as much fun as you. Here and there a tree, felled by an elephant, provides an irresistible jump. Or perhaps the eland, or kudu, seeing us pass, fall in front of us to show us the best path. At the top of the hill you pause for thought, as mile after mile of unspoiled Africa stretches away before you. Served on banana leaves, have fresh salads, meats and cheeses for lunch on Makalali’s veranda, whilst you watch nyala, waterbuck, kudu or other little animals roaming the river systems. Refreshed after a well deserved siesta, we ride to a nearby dam, where Hippos live during the heat of the day. Let them entertain you, playing in the water, rolling and laughing. With luck, a crocodile will be relaxing on a sandbank, enjoying the warm evening sun.

Day 7
horse back big 5 A long ride lies ahead of us, leaving the Makalali camp Phiva behind us, riding back to Wait A Little. What will we see on our way? This is always open to the wildlife, tracks of elephant, lion, rhino, and giraffe determine Philips path. Home at Wait A Little the team eagerly awaits your exciting tales whilst we enjoy another one of Ana’s fantastic lunches.
The last sundowner on Wait A Little's open plain will be sad, but beautiful, impressive and absolutely unique. The African fever might have caught you as well and the good bye can be hard. For your farewell dinner Gerti chooses something special - perhaps game fillets like kudu or eland served on pasta with sherry sauce.

Day 8
An early wake up will get us on the horses quickly, so we can enjoy a short, sporty ride before the transfer service brings you to the Airport. Thank you so much for your visit.

Klim in en gaan geniet dit baie!