Okavango Horse Safari - The Details
The first and most important strength about Okavango Horse Safaris is the sheer knowledge and experience that lies within the staff and guides. Owned and run by Barney and PJ Bestelink, with Pj being a 4th generation Motswana, who built and started the first ever photographic camp in the Delta, spent his whole life in the Okavango and has more knowledge of this 40,000km² of the world than pretty much anyone else around in the industry
Not only is horseback the best way to see wildlife and generally do a safari, but here you are getting the best guiding and local knowledge than anywhere else around. All rides are lead by qualified profession guides. A keen interest is taken in birds and game as well as fauna & flora. Most wildlife don’t see horses as foreign to them, allowing for the best game viewing in the world!
The Accommodation is comprised of 3 lodges Kujwana (base camp), Mokolowane and mobile fly camp. Kujwana camp offers spacious safari tents with shower en suite (flush toilet). There are two double-bedded tents and four twin bedded tents complete with attractive furnishings, bedside tables, hanging cupboard, luggage rack, floor rug, and chairs. Mokolwane has tree chalets with bucket and pulley showers and flush toilets. Fly camp has dome tents with camp beds, bedrolls with cotton sheets, duvet and towels. Long drop toilets for each tent and bucket and pulley showers with hot water. A tent personnel is on hand at all times
Riding is between 4-6 hours in the saddle a day. This is broken by refreshment stops - picnic breakfast or lunch and a 10-minute walk for every two hours spent in the saddle.
The Okavango Delta has been described as a water meadow. Palm islands, grassy flood plains, mopane forests and clear streams. Highest water is normally between May to September. Many of the flood plains are full at this time and the horses wade through from island to island. The going is normally quite good and firm along the edges of the islands allowing the ride to move on at a trot and canter. Okavango Horse Safaris operate in a private concession 2,500 sq. km situated on the western side of the Okavango Delta bordering on Moremi Game reserve. The area includes three major river systems of the Okavango Delta, the Xudum, the Matsibie and the Kiri.
Okavango Horse Safaris can accommodate non-riders who have their own guide and enjoy game drives, walks and mokoros. They move with the riding guests to the various camps and join non-riding activities and picnics.
For further information please see our blog post all about
horseback safaris in Botswana.
2023 Guest Reviews
Kruger Walking Safari
Botswana Trip Report
