Big Five Horse Riding Safari & Game Drives in Kruger

Fly to Hoedspruit via Johannesburg to touch down in the northeast of South Africa. One glance, and you sense the expressiveness of the landscape. Nature seems to roll uninterrupted, the bushveld unfurling until it blurs into the horizon. Observe the lack of development as just a couple of roads wind beneath the jackalberry trees as you are picked up at the airport for a short transfer to camp, where your luxury suite hangs elegantly above the Makhutswe River. Hippos are already visible, along with the tentative drinking of impala and springbok. In the late afternoon, head out on horseback, an easy ride that's designed as an introduction to the horses and the landscape. It's nothing strenuous, just a chance to get familiar before your big adventure begins.

Wake up to an exciting morning as you canter across the plains and encounters the animals of Kruger.  A blur of black and white stripes passes by, and you follow the zebra on the move. Springbok skip across the grassland as you and the horse saunter slowly past. Then onwards, cross the rivers as hippos look on, then jump across the logs that elephants have pushed over. After the morning ride, return to camp for lunch and rest, perhaps while game viewing from the swimming pool before your afternoon ride begins.

Tomorrow, you will journey deep into the bush, so today is another chance to ensure you're comfortable on the horse and happy with the ride. There's a large paddock to choose from and always an emphasis on matching riders with the right horses, from bubbly young runners to beautiful stallions who are easy to control. This itinerary is tailored towards experienced riders as you'll need to be able to manage a horse confidently as you ride into the Big Five landscapes of Kruger. This evening at the camp is relaxed as the moonlight reveals what's drinking from the river below.

A favorite cliché is that the journey is as important as the destination, and that is certainly the theme of the day as you gallop off into Makalali, a private game reserve on the western fringes of Kruger National Park. Cross the vast open plains where the panoramas stretch for eternity, every angle filled with ungulate herds. Zebra and wildebeest dapple the landscape as you gallop up to and travel alongside. On a horse, you are just another plains animal, another small piece of the vast Kruger ecosystem. Cross the rivers as kudu drink, then canter along until you reach a tower of giraffes. Stop, admire their elegance, and return their inquisitive stare. Onwards, cross the open plains as elephants begin to grace the horizon as their trunks swing in the distance. It's a long ride and a raw adventure across a landscape that cannot be accessed by vehicles.

Expect five to six hours in the saddle today as, throughout the itinerary, the guides will operate at your preferred riding speed. The horses were born and raised on these wild open plains, so while they are not racehorses, they do have the stamina to maintain a gallop, or fast canter, for as long as you can. After lunch and rest, spend the late afternoon lounging on your verandah, as you gaze down on a dam. A resident hippo pod dominates the water, while elephants and hyenas regularly come here to drink. As night falls, notice even the odd lion roar to keep you company, an example of just how wild today's journey has been.

Explore as you canter through the veldt as you twist and weave around the trees as your surefooted horse reveals the clues. An elephant herd drinks from the river, so you stop and admire as you watch them from the opposite bank. Eland and kudu dot the trail, and you can follow as you trust their instinct and saunter along the best path. Ascend the hill and mile after mile of untouched Africa spills out before your eyes, the landscape draped in a carpet of mystique. Wildebeest and buffalo are found by the edges of the dam and deep in the forest you find evidence of Africa's predators. After the morning ride, return to camp for lunch and a few relaxed hours to let the heat of the day drift away. The afternoon is open, and you can choose between another horse riding safari or a game drive in an open-sided vehicle.

Onwards, you will gallop deeper into the unspoiled bush land of the Kruger. You are getting further from the traditional trail, as you traverse the valleys that are out of the reach without a horse. An early start is essential, as the chance to see wildlife at its most active calls. Wildebeest are rutting, as they gallop with a bizarre frenzy to impress the females. Impala and springbok jump around to seek out new grazing pastures. Follow the black and white stripes along a remote trail, until a herd of bachelor buffalo stands in the way. Stop, retreat, and stay clear of their testosterone. The guides have an exceptional knowledge of this environment having grown up amongst the wildlife, so they are always analyzing behavior and understand when to turn around and when to approach a herd.

While the guides know today's destination, the route is always flexible to allow you to follow tracks and maximize game viewing. Arrive at a remote camp by early afternoon, where lunch is waiting and the surroundings continue the scent of exclusivity. An aromatherapy treatment at the camp's spa helps to soothe and reenergize for the next two days of Kruger horse riding safari. Like every evening, expect a gourmet dinner beneath the stars, and a beautiful view over the water.

Keep riding to follow the rhino horns that grace the bushland. White rhinos are relatively shy and showcase a grace that belies their certain power. Stay silent, respect their space, and you can ride just ten or 15 meters away from them. Likewise, the elephants and the buffalo as today you follow the giants as you ride north and rise onto the highest hill in Makalali. A luxurious picnic is waiting, set out in a wooden treehouse high above the reserve. It's an indelible view as the horses rest on the slopes and the Kruger landscape stretches out beyond imagination. From here, you can trace your route and gaze back at the almost 100 miles that you've ridden from the Makhutswe River. In the afternoon, the adventure continues, and the pace is decided by you. Either canter back to the camp or keep exploring the remote realm to savor all of the encounters with Africa's big game.

It’s been nearly a week of riding, and your legs might be sore, but the temptation of the wild is always too great. Pack your saddlebag with a picnic and savor your last day on horseback. Stop beside a small waterhole as a white rhino frolicks in the natural mud bath. Watch the elephants that snooze among the river reeds and gaze up to see the eagles elegantly circling. Zebra herds are on the move, and you follow, another set of hooves that kick up dust. The Drakensberg Mountains glisten in the distance, but often it's the foreground that grabs your attention as a hippo moves out of the water, rambunctiously charging around.  The eland and giraffe share the same sense of serenity as more rhinos roll around the waterholes. Picnic on a vantage point and watch the show before you climb back on horseback for your final gallop across the plains and take the wild ungulate herds with you.

After your early starts and hours spent in the saddle, this morning is all about sleeping in to rest your legs. Your time on horseback is over, but the safari continues as an open-sided vehicle transfers you to nearby Balule, another reserve along the abundant western side of Kruger. Now it's time for the big mammals to come to you as you lay back at the lodge and watch the life that graces the Olifants River. Baby elephants playfully splash as hyenas sip furtively. Hippos quarrel with buffalo to suggest that their wading space has been invaded as tropical birds flutter above.  The procession continues throughout the afternoon as  Kruger's famous game is visible without you having to move. Just sit back and enjoy the show.

Throughout your time on horseback, you have been avoiding the big cats. It's simply not safe to approach a lion pride on horseback, or enter a leopard's realm when your ride is potential prey. This last safari day is all about these predators, with morning and afternoon game drives to seek out the kings of the environment. Something moves in a tree and get closer and spot the tail as it swishes languidly as the leopard sleeps with one eye open. Cheetahs are equally concealed as they lounge in the grass to avoid detection. Lions are far more boisterous as they slumber in the shade but are always alert to new noises. As the safari truck approaches, they wake, and the lionesses wander over to inspect their visitors. Manes flow in the breeze and beneath a jackalberry tree, there are two cubs play-fighting. Like yesterday, this safari experience is about sitting back and enjoying the show, as you tick off the final pieces of your animal jigsaw.

After nine days on safari, you will fly from Phalaborwa Airport back to Johannesburg, for transfer onto your international departure. So many safari memories accompany your flight home as you galloped across the savannah alongside zebra and encountered Africa's giants from the back of a horse.