Limpopo Valley Horse Safaris
Limpopo Valley Horse Safaris, owned and run by Cor and Louise Carelsen, operates on Mashatu Game Reserve which is located in the Northern Tuli Game Reserve - the eastern tip of Botswana. Mashatu is 30,000 hectares within a greater area of 70,000 hectares.
With Cor, Louise and their team you can enjoy fabulous riding on wonderfully schooled and fit horses.
The horses have been individually selected for their temperament and ride-ability. They have been carefully chosen from the various South African breeds, which are well known for being of a tougher nature - able to cope under extreme conditions. These breeds include the Boerperd, Shire Cross Thoroughbreds, Appalosas, and the S.A. Warmblood. They range in size from 14.3h.h to 17 h.h.
Click here to see a Limpopo Valley Horse Safaris sample itinerary.
The area is perfect for riding; good going with natural ditches and logs to jump gives an exhilarating ride. Regular game sightings not only of the elephants and cats but also of antelopes, wild dogs, jackals, bat eared foxes, giraffe and the occasional canter with zebras and wildebeest across the plains leaves you with an unforgettable holiday.
Most safaris are tented and mostly mobile. Choose from:
» a traditional 7 night Tuli Safari (mobile safari)
» the Big 5 ride with 4 nights in South Africa and 4 nights at Limpopo Valley Horse Safaris (mobile)
» The Limpopo Lodge Ride - a 7 night mobile safari minus the camping
» The Two Mashatus ride (static ride for flexible number of nights)
(Please ask us for further information on any of these rides)
 ACCOMMODATION Wilderness accommodation is in A frame tents. These tents are 3.5 x 6 metres so that you have the space you need. With beds, sheets and duvets this is very comfortable camping. A Bucket shower is shared, while each tent has a long drop of its own. Meals are cooked around the fire. The “Two Mashatus “camp is where the static safaris are based in February, March & November. This camp is also used as the last night of the Tuli safari and the first night for all Big 5 ‘s. This camp is in a wonderful location near the Limpopo River but also has a view over open plains to the west. Loos are long drop but each tent has its own toilet and shower in a private area behind each tent. The central dinning area is built on a teak platform using the local building style with a lala palm thatch roof. The Kgotla is an old tribal court and now peforming the function of a wilderness camp. It is built from leadwood poles in the sandstone formations of the Limpopo basin. Equipped with running water ablutions and hot showers, the Kgotla provides an alternative exciting night out under the stars.
THE TULI SAFARI - This ride is unique in southern Africa. Moving every day enables you to cover vast tracts of the Mashatu and surrounding game reserves. This safari has an old-style feel to it. Excellent guiding and horsemanship combined with attention to detail and comfort make for an unbeatable experience. An early start makes the most of the day and you will be in the saddle for at least 4 to 7 hours a day.
Area: |
Limpopo, Botswana |
Length: |
7 nights / 8 days from end of March to end of October |
Level: |
Experienced; riders under 16 yrs are not permitted |
Highlights: |
Quality horses, excellent guiding |
Price |
from £1,750 excluding flights and road transfers from Jo'berg which are £200 rtn per person. | Itinerary (subject to change due to local conditions etc) Day 1 Upon arrival at the Pont Drift Border Post or Limpopo Valley Airfield, you will be met by your guide, Cor or West, and transferred to Two Mashatus Camp. After a light lunch it is time to get acquainted with your horse. You will then embark on an introductory ride along the banks of the mighty Limpopo River. Your first evening is spent enjoying sundowners at the Stable Bar whilst watching the horses roll in the setting sun, before a delectable dinner is served in the beautiful Lala Palm Rondavel. Day 2 The day begins at sunrise with tea/coffee brought to your tent, followed by a light breakfast. Mount up and head off in a northwesterly direction for Jwala Camp on the banks of the Jwala River. Six to seven hours are spent in the saddle enjoying the abundance of game and the magnificent scenery synonymous with the Land of the Giants. After arriving at Jwala Camp, lunch is the order of the day followed by a guided afternoon walk, examining the bush around you in detail. Dinner is prepared over an open fire by Martha or Grace – our truly brilliant chef whose “bush cuisine” is renowned far and wide. Retire to your spacious tent where you will experience the “music” of the African bush as it gently serenades you to sleep. Day 3 An early wake up call heralds a new day and tea/coffee and a delicious light breakfast is served around the log fire. Test the amazingly sure footed Boerpherd as we cross over basalt ridges following age-old elephant trails, and enjoy long sustained canters to make up for the lost time traversing the ridges. This ride will be about six to seven hours. Camp is at the Kgotla Camp. This is an old tribal court from a nearby community that was relocated to the banks of the Mocloutse River on the western periphery of Mashatu. The open-air traditional African enclosure is made of leadwood logs in the shade of a century old Mashatu Tree. Sundowners are enjoyed from a sandstone kopje overlooking the Mocloutse River as it meanders and disappears into the African landscape. Guests enjoy dinner around a large log fire. The night is spent sleeping under the stars in the cacophony of sound generated by the African bush orchestra. Day 4 We will spend another night at Kgotla Camp, enjoying a full day exploring the sandstone formations including the famed Solomon’s Wall. Ancient civilizations harbored their wealth among these hills, where two mighty rivers meet; the Limpopo and the Mocloutse. This day’s riding will be about four to five hours, leaving time to explore the surroundings on foot in the afternoon. Day 5 Another early rise and a good breakfast around the log fire will set the morning off to a good start. Today you wind your way through the mopane bush before reaching the more open plains. This will probably be your longest day of riding, about eight hours. On arrival at Liana Camp you will be welcomed by a well-deserved drink and a refreshing lunch. Tonight is your opportunity to explore Mashatu from a game drive vehicle; you will try and locate the elusive leopard, cheetah and lion the area is well known for. Day 6 This morning will begin a little slower, as this day will be spent exploring the banks of the Mojale and Matabole Rivers, following their courses north towards Zeederburg site. The day will offer riding up and down river banks in riverside forest, game sightings and plenty of opportunities for more fabulous photo footage. Today’s riding will be about five to six hours. Lunch under the bows of an old Mashatu tree, where a century past, Zeederberg transport riders had their midday break before finally reaching Fort Tuli. Spend the afternoon at leisure before you embark on a guided walk into the bush. The evening is enjoyed with sundowners around a log fire and a delicious meal sees the close to another exhilarating and rewarding day. Day 7 This ride is rich in history and offers a variety of interesting tales of the past. The open Pitsani plains so characteristic of this area are perfect for a really good gallop, hopefully with zebras and wildebeests! You head in the direction of the Mojale and Limpopo confluence where lunch awaits you upon return to the Two Mashatus camp. This ride is about five to six hours. Dinner is in the Lala palm Rondavel. A dreamless sleep no doubt awaits you as the final day draws to a close. Day 8 Today is your last day in the bush and begins with your final early morning tea/coffee and breakfast snack over the open fire. The morning is spent riding along the Limpopo River. We head back to Fort Jameson’s, a shorter ride about two hours giving you some time to get ready for departure. After a fond farewell to your horse, you head back to Two Mashatus for a quick brunch and then it’s off to Pontdrift in time for your return transfer.
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Intermediate
