Horse holidays abroad · Botswana
Horseback Safari in Botswana: the Okavango Delta and the Kalahari
Riding safaris in Botswana take place in the Okavango Delta and the Kalahari, crossing floodplain, grassland and open water on horseback, on trips lasting five to ten nights.
- Best monthsMay to Oct
- Level
Experienced to expert - Typical trip5 to 10 nights
- Price guide
Premium
At a glance
What does a riding holiday in Botswana involve?
- Best monthsMay to October
- Riding level
Strong; gallop under control, in company, on request - Hours in the saddle4 to 6 hours a day
- Typical trip5 to 10 nights, camp based or mobile
- Weight limitAbout 95kg in riding clothes
- Group sizeSmall groups, usually up to 8 riders
- HorsesThoroughbred, warmblood and Boerperd types, safari trained
- TackEnglish or South African stock saddles
- AccommodationTented camps, from simple to smart
- Price guide
Premium for this kind of holiday, per person, before flights
The riding
What is horse riding in Botswana like?
Horse riding in Botswana centres on the Okavango Delta, an inland river delta that floods in the dry season because the water arrives months after the rain that made it.
Riders cross floodplain, palm island and open grassland, and on the high water routes the horses wade through water above the knee.
There are no fences and no vehicle between horse and game, so groups ride among elephant, giraffe, zebra, buffalo and lechwe at close range.
Weeks are camp based or mobile between two or three camps, with a midday break through the heat and a second ride most afternoons.
Okavango Delta
Makgadikgadi and the Kalahari
Tuli Block
When to go
When is the best time to ride in Botswana?
The riding season in Botswana runs from May to October, the dry months.
June to August bring the highest flood water in the Delta and the crossings that come with it.
September and October are hotter and drier, with game gathered around the water that remains.
Camps close outside this season, when the rains make the ground unrideable.
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Your level
What riding level do you need for Botswana?
You need to be a strong rider, able to gallop under control in company and stop on request.
Novice
Intermediate
Experienced
It suits you if
- You ride several times a week and are fit
- You are comfortable in open water on a horse
- You weigh under about 95kg in riding clothes
It is not for you if
- You are learning to canter
- You weigh over about 95kg
- You want a fixed daily schedule
Riding among unfenced game depends on the whole group moving away together at speed when a guide calls it.
You should be comfortable riding four to six hours a day, mounting from the ground or a leg-up, in an English or a South African stock saddle.
Weight limits are strict, usually around 95kg in riding clothes, and operators ask about this before you book.
The horses
What are the horses and tack like in Botswana?
The strings are Thoroughbred, warmblood and Boerperd types, with Shire and Friesian crosses on some routes, standing 14 to 17 hands.
Horses are chosen and schooled for calm behaviour near game, since a horse that startles close to an elephant is a hazard to the whole group.
They are ridden in English or South African stock saddles and work at a forward pace across the season.
Where you stay
Where do you stay on a riding safari in Botswana?
You stay in tented camps that range from simple canvas tents to smart en suite accommodation.
Some weeks are based from one camp; others move between two or three camps by vehicle or light aircraft.
Luggage and camp equipment travel separately, so riders carry only what they need for the day.
Most camps run to a maximum of eight or ten guests at a time, which keeps the group small on the ride and quiet in camp.
The cost
How much does a riding safari in Botswana cost?
A riding safari in Botswana is a premium price, as safaris are, for seven nights before flights.
Tuli Block safari, Mashatu Reserve
Price guide
Premium
Okavango Delta camp, a week
Price guide
Premium
Prices rise with the season and the camp, and a week in the Delta at the busiest time of year is still a premium price.
Rides we can arrange
Which rides do we recommend in Botswana?
We know horses, and we know the people who run these rides. Tell us how you ride and where you want to go, and we will put you with the right one.
Okavango Delta camp ride
Riding weeks from a camp in the Okavango Delta, offered at five, seven and ten nights, with game drives, walks and mokoro trips between rides.
Tuli Block safari
Seven nights in the Mashatu Reserve in the Tuli Block, where Botswana meets South Africa and Zimbabwe, riding among large herds of elephant.
Makgadikgadi salt pan ride
A short ride out on to the Makgadikgadi salt pans from a camp on the edge of the pans, among zebra herds and desert-adapted wildlife.
Common questions
Botswana riding questions
How good a rider do you need to be for a horseback safari in Botswana?
Strong. You need to gallop under control in company and stop when told, on unfamiliar ground, without hesitation. Most operators treat this as a minimum standard.
Is it safe to ride among elephant and buffalo in Botswana?
Guides are experienced, the horses are chosen for calm behaviour near game, and the group is expected to stay together and follow instructions at once. Riders who do so rarely have trouble.
What is the weight limit for an Okavango riding safari?
About 95kg in riding clothes, and camps enforce it. Ask when you enquire rather than on arrival, since the limit protects the horses rather than the rider's comfort.
Do the horses swim in the Okavango Delta?
On the high water routes, yes, for short crossings. Riders take their feet from the stirrups and sit still while the horse swims.
When is the best time for a riding safari in Botswana?
June to August for high water and the crossings it brings; September and October for drier ground and game gathered around the remaining water.
What do you wear on a horseback safari in Botswana?
Neutral colours, long sleeves and long legs, half chaps or long boots, and a hat kept on all day. Mornings in June and July can be near freezing, so warm layers are needed.
Where to go next
Nearby, and next
Tell us how you ride
Tell us your level, your dates and the country you have in mind, and we will point you to the ride that fits.