Experience some of Africa's most diverse and unique environments on horseback. From the barren Magadikgadi salt pans to the sprawling woodlands of the Kalahari plains, Uncharted Africa Riding Safari is a truly unforgettable way to explore Botswana.
Sundowners around the campfire after a long day riding
Fit, well-schooled horses, matched to the riders ability
Sleep out under the stars on the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans
Get up close and personal with the meerkats
Uncharted Africa's Riding Safari is led by one of Africa’s most experienced riding safari guides, David Foot. He has extensive knowledge of the history and wildlife of Botswana and his energy and enthusiasm make him an exceptional leader in the bush.
The riding safari starts with three nights in Camp Kalahari, a luxury, permanent camp nestled amongst the acacias and mokolwane palms, on the edge of the salt pans. It is the perfect place to start and finish your riding safari. The fly camping experience takes place out in the middle of the pans. Accommodation comes in the form of large dome tents, there's a mess tent for dining and relaxing after a long days riding, this is a truly authentic safari experience.
The riding safaris operate year-round, except for October, and the route varies depending on whether it is the dry season or the wet season. Although very different, both safari routes do include three nights in Camp Kalahari and two nights fly camping out in the bush. During the dry season from mid April to the end of September you ride right out into the middle of the pans, where all you see for miles around is empty space, before the heat haze of the say blurs the horizon, the curve of the earth is clearly visible in this lunar landscape. It is the perfect going for long canters and, as the nights are dry, you can camp out under the stars. In the wet season from early November to mid April, the terrain changes completely, rain brings high rich grasses and the largest migration of land mammals in Southern Africa. The grasslands are rife with thousands of zebra and wildebeest, and with them come the predators: jackal, cheetah and the majestic black maned Kalahari lion. The elusive brown hyena is a common sighting here, some lucky guest can even catch sight of the mysterious aardvark.
When to visit
Send some time with the meerkats and they may use your head as a lookout post!
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Inquire NowSituated in the Makgadikgadi Pans, which was once the largest inland sea in Africa, Camp Kalahari, where the riding safari begins is quite literally in the middle of nowhere.
Botswana Riding Safari
Gallop into the wild on this journey across Botswana’s wildernesses. A riding safari boasts encounters that cannot be had on foot or by vehicle. Watch elephants ford the waterways of the Okavango, unnoticed on horseback. Admire the sweeping desert and endless views of the Kalahari as you traverse the grasslands of Botswana’s deserts. For riders, this is the ultimate adventure led by expert guides who put yours and your horse’s safety first – get off the map as you ride into the African bush.
Meerkats on the Makgadikgadi
Down in the Makgadikgadi Pans, and accessible from both Jack's and San Camp, is a very special, habituated clan of meerkats, which have been studied by scientists for years. Guests to Jack's and San are able to visit and observe quietly.
Walking with the Kalahari Bushmen
The San interpret the signs of the bush like no one else, all senses build a picture of their world. Beyond this, on the hunt, San tap into the spirit world, entering the minds of their quarry. This natural understanding has to be seen to be believed.
