Horse holidays abroad · Tanzania
Horse Riding in Tanzania: Kilimanjaro, the Serengeti and Zanzibar
Horse riding in Tanzania ranges from fast safari trails below Kilimanjaro and across the Serengeti migration route to beach riding on Zanzibar, on trips of 4 to 9 nights.
- Best monthsJun-Oct or Jan-Apr
- Level
Experienced to expert - Typical trip4 to 9 nights
- Price guide
Higher to premium
At a glance
What does a riding holiday in Tanzania involve?
- Best monthsJune to October below Kilimanjaro; January to April for the Serengeti; Zanzibar is open June to March
- Riding level
Experienced, confident at every pace including gallop - Hours in the saddle2 to 7 hours a day, longer below Kilimanjaro
- Typical trip4 to 9 nights, with 6 riding days on the mainland
- Weight limit85kg, on every ride checked
- Group sizeUp to 12 riders on the Kilimanjaro route
- HorsesLocal breeds crossed with Thoroughbreds, plus Appaloosa, Boerperd and Welsh Cob crosses, 14.2hh to 16hh
- TackEnglish or polo saddles with snaffle bridles; hard hats compulsory on the mainland
- AccommodationA lodge night near Arusha, then mobile camps; a hotel on Zanzibar
- Price guide
Higher to premium for this kind of holiday, per person, before flights
The riding
What is horse riding in Tanzania like?
Horse riding in Tanzania covers three different areas: the foothills below Kilimanjaro, the edge of the Serengeti, and the beach at Zanzibar.
Below Kilimanjaro, riding runs across open foothills and the Maasai steppe from a base near Arusha, past elephant, giraffe and plains game, with camps moving every few nights.
On the edge of the Serengeti, rides are timed to the wildebeest migration, riding among the herds in a way a vehicle cannot match.
On Zanzibar, riding is based at one hotel, with beach canters, village and forest rides, and swimming with the horses at the right tide.
Kilimanjaro foothills
The Serengeti and Loliondo
Zanzibar
When to go
When is the best time to ride in Tanzania?
Kilimanjaro rides run in the long dry season, June to October, when the ground is firm and game gathers near water.
Serengeti rides run January to April, when the migration is in the south of the ecosystem and the calving season is under way.
Zanzibar is open June to March and closes in April and May, when the horses rest at the ranch during the long rains.
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Your level
What riding level do you need for Tanzania?
You need to be experienced and confident at every pace, including a gallop in company, because the mainland rides pass through open country with elephant and buffalo.
Novice
Intermediate
Experienced
It suits you if
- You are secure at gallop in open country
- You want to ride among big game rather than view it from a vehicle
- You are comfortable with an early start and a working pace
It is not for you if
- You weigh more than 85kg
- You are learning to canter
- You want a fixed base and a slow week
Hours in the saddle run 2 to 7 a day, shorter than a Namibian trail but ridden at a working pace from an early start.
Zanzibar asks less of your nerve and more of your balance, since swimming with a horse is easy to fall off.
The horses
What are the horses and tack like in Tanzania?
The mainland strings are mixed, mostly local breeds crossed with Thoroughbreds, plus some Appaloosa, Boerperd and Welsh Cob crosses, standing 14.2hh to 16hh.
Many are polo trained, which gives a horse that turns and stops well when a herd of game moves close.
You ride English style, in English or polo saddles with snaffle bridles, and hard hats are compulsory on the mainland.
Where you stay
Where do you stay on a riding safari in Tanzania?
Below Kilimanjaro, you spend the first night in a lodge near Arusha, then move between mobile camps as the ride goes on.
On the Serengeti routes, camps move with the ride, and one night may be a simple fly camp under the stars.
On Zanzibar, you stay at one hotel on the north coast for the whole visit.
The cost
How much does a riding safari in Tanzania cost?
A short Zanzibar beach ride is a higher price, and a Kilimanjaro or Serengeti safari of six riding days is a premium price, as a safari is.
Kilimanjaro foothills safari
Price guide
Premium
Serengeti migration safari
Price guide
Premium
Southern Serengeti calving safari
Price guide
Premium
Zanzibar beach and village ride
Price guide
Higher
The Kilimanjaro and Serengeti safaris both run for six riding days, while Zanzibar can be booked for as few as three nights and works well added on after a mainland safari.
Rides we can arrange
Which rides do we recommend in Tanzania?
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.
Kilimanjaro foothills safari
Fast riding through the foothills of Kilimanjaro and the Maasai steppe among elephant and plains game, from mobile camps after a first night in a lodge near Arusha.
Serengeti migration safari
A mobile camping safari in the Loliondo area on the eastern edge of the Serengeti, timed to the herds returning from the Mara, on polo-trained safari horses.
Southern Serengeti calving safari
The southern Serengeti in the calving season, on Appaloosa, Boerperd and Welsh Cob crosses with Thoroughbreds, with a night in a fly camp under the stars.
Zanzibar beach and village ride
Beach canters at Nungwi and Kendwa, village and forest rides, and swimming with the horses, from a boutique hotel base. Open June to March; minimum age sixteen.
Common questions
Tanzania riding questions
Can you go horse riding on safari in Tanzania?
Yes. Northern Tanzania runs mobile riding safaris below Kilimanjaro and on the edges of the Serengeti, among elephant, giraffe and the migration herds. They are for experienced riders because of the big game.
When is the best time for a horse riding safari in Tanzania?
June to October for the Kilimanjaro rides, and January to April for the Serengeti migration. The long rains, March to May, close most mainland riding.
What is the weight limit on a Tanzanian riding safari?
85kg on every ride checked, including the beach riding on Zanzibar.
Is Tanzania or Kenya better for a riding safari?
Kenya runs more riding weeks, especially on the Laikipia plateau. Tanzania has fewer, but the Serengeti migration rides and the Kilimanjaro rides are hard to match.
Can you ride horses on the beach in Zanzibar?
Yes. Riding from the north coast includes beach canters, village and forest rides, and swimming with the horses at the right tide. It closes in April and May, and the minimum age is sixteen.
Do you need to be experienced to ride in Tanzania?
On the mainland safaris, yes, since you need to be secure at all paces and able to gallop in company. Zanzibar also asks for experienced riders, though the pace is gentler.
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.