This horse riding holiday itinerary consists of a combination of 3 days canoeing through some of the most remote parts of the Okavango Delta followed by a night on the Thamalakane River where we can view riverine game up close and easily and finally ride the Makgadikgadi Pans in all it's glory. While we've created this itinerary to enjoy a real overview of Botswana and its scenery and wildlife, each portion (3 nights canoeing in the Okavango, 1 night riding the Thamalakane River, 5 nights riding in the Makgadikgadi pans) can be done separately from Maun and you are welcome to join any parts that are of particular interest or where the dates suit.
No supplement if willing to share. Otherwise:
2012 complete itinerary: £1,055/€1,315/$1,615
SAMPLE ITINERARY - MAKGADIKGADI AND OKAVANGO CANOE SAFARI
Day 1 28 May 2012
Arrive Maun depart on canoe safari. Replicate the safari experience of old and canoe some 45 kms along the Selinda Spillway through one of Botswana’s richest wildlife areas. Paddle through this wild country with no other souls to be seen except your safari companions. Keep a wary eye on the resident hippos, stop to track on foot vast herds of buffalo or old bull elephants, and enjoy the rich birdlife.
Three nights camping in a simple, comfortable camp that moves with you and is put up by the safari support staff wherever you find yourself at the end of the day.
Day 2 29 May 2012 Canoe safari
Day 3 30 May 2012 Canoe safari
Day 4
31 May 2012
We arrive at the luxurious Royal Tree Lodge just outside Maun. The Royal Tree Lodge is a small, intimate lodge with luxurious accommodation nestling in 400 acres of riverine trees and acacia woodland on the edge of the Thamalakane River. The eight en suite safari tents are stylishly appointed and superb meals are served in the main dining area or on an expansive shady deck under the majestic leadwood and bird plum trees. A refreshing swimming pool allows you to cool off in the heat of the day. Here we can ride up close to giraffe, zebra, eland, kudu and oryx. Enjoy wonderful riding ground through the endless acacia woodlands passing by many traditional Botswana cattle posts. Canter through the water on the edge of the picturesque Thamalakane River and marvel at its stunning birdlife. Indulge in sumptuous picnic breakfasts under groves of jackal berry trees and experience swimming the horses through the lily pad covered waters. The perfect place to relax and a contrast to the emptiness of the pans.
Day 5 1 June 2012 After a morning ride at Thamalakane we transfer by air or road and settle into Camp Kalahari, nestled amongst the acacias and Mokolwane palms of Brown Hyaena Island, on the edge of the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans, adjacent to the Makgadikgadi-Nxai Pans National Park, Botswana.
It’s refreshingly simple, yet comfortable, with a traditionally built thatch library, living/dining area and a swimming pool for those hot Kalahari days. Head off after tea in the beautiful afternoon light, for an introductory ride – primarily to match horse and rider but also your first opportunity to experience the beauty of this magical area. Return to the camp for sundowners followed by dinner and to kraal the horses close by, before the lions of the Kalahari commence their nightly prowling.
Day 6 2 June 2012 Up with the dawn, a light breakfast is followed by a long morning ride through the “land of a thousand islands”. Stranded on the ancient lakebed, these sand dunes covered in palm trees are one of the most beautiful and fascinating areas of the Botswana wilderness. At the height of the wildlife migration season, the islands and adjoining grasslands are awash with zebra, wildebeest, hartebeest and ostrich - and of course the attendant predators!
The white encrusted pans between the islands provides excellent going for the horses. Returning to the camp for lunch, rest through the heat of the day in the welcome shade of the camel thorn trees or cool off in the camp swimming pool.
After tea, head off by vehicle to see some unique desert species such as springbok, gemsbok, red hartebeest and the elusive brown hyaena; these consummate desert specialists survive in arid areas where both food and water are scarce. The brown hyaena is a timid nocturnal, solitary forager, rarely seen by humans, but in spite of this, are very social animals, living in clans of up to 10-12 hyaenas.
Enjoy a night game drive back to camp, and with the aid of a spot light, look for nocturnal desert inhabitants such as aardvark, bat eared foxes, aardwolves, porcupine, honey badgers and perhaps even a black maned Kalahari Lion. Arrive at Camp Kalahari in time for dinner.
Day 7: Xau Xai 3 June 2012 Today is a long ride eastwards to Xau Xai Fly Camp, so an early start is imperative. Be sure to pack a few essentials for the next two days of adventure. The journey takes us away from the edge of the Pans and through the mopane and acacia woodlands interspersed with short grasslands allowing for lovely long, relaxed canters. Whilst the area is rich in birds of prey, bustards, korhaans and numerous other unusual dry woodland bird species; there is also a chance that we will sight kudu and the odd elephant bull.
By lunchtime we reach the famous Greens Baobab proudly positioned alongside the well-travelled Missionary Road, traversed by David Livingstone on his journeys northwards. The magnificent trunk of this ancient tree is scarred with the initials of early travellers dating back some 150 years thus providing a living testimony to the rich history of this area. Break for lunch at the adjacent Gutsa Pan under a stand of palm trees where we may find Stone Age artifacts and the hunting blinds used over millennium by the Bushmen.
Siesta through the midday heat and after tea, continue the journey on to Xau Xai Fly Camp. Camp will be made up of comfortable dome tents, a central mess tent, loos and bucket showers. Enjoy a long cool drink as you watch the sunset followed by dinner out under the magnificent Kalahari sky.
Day 8: Pans 4 June 2012 Wake up to a steaming hot cup of coffee and a light breakfast, before heading off on your horses in search of some of the Kalahari’s most fascinating inhabitants, the meerkats.
With our horses tethered we will proceed on foot in to the midst of the group. Due to an ongoing habituation programme by Uncharted Africa Safari Co. it’s possible for us to get up close and personal with these captivating creatures. Remember, they are not tame – just used to our non-threatening presence. On chilly mornings, you might well find a meerkat snuggling up to you for warmth. Or, in the absence of a termite mound or tree, using your head as a sentry lookout post…
By spending quality time with these incredibly social, superbly adapted animals, you will be able to see how they interact with each other and their environment. You also get the chance to see the desert through the eyes of a meerkat – which, despite the fact that it’s only a foot off the ground, is a pretty spectacular vantage point, and definitely one of the most special and memorable game experiences you will encounter in Botswana As the day warms up, leave the meerkats to continue foraging. Mount up and follow the well-worn trails that lead to the resident herds of zebra and large congregations of ostriches attracted to the area by permanent freshwater in hidden waterholes. Return to Xau Xai for lunch and a refreshing shower. Set off in the late afternoon for one of the greatest adventures imaginable - a ride straight out into the middle of the ancient lakebed! Eventually all that can be seen is the vast flatness stretching in every direction. Watch the sun set and the stars rise and if the phase of the moon is right continue riding in the moonlight.
This is one of the only places in the world where the silence is so complete you can hear the blood circulating through your ears. There is not one visual landmark to be seen and one swiftly loses one’s sense of perspective - 16,000 square kilometres of baking soda void, are inhabited only by you and a few gazillion invisible brine shrimp! And it is here that we’ll make camp. Sleeping on bedrolls under the silence of a star studded sky!
Day 9 5 June 2012 Wake up on the moon! As the dawn greets this extraordinary landscape and the last of the stars disappear, mount up and head homewards at a fast pace directly across the Pans to Camp Kalahari.
We may be lucky enough to see the extraordinary sight of ostrich deep in the middle of the Pans and then from a great distance the famous Chapman’s Baobab.
Also known as the Seven Sisters, it is acknowledged to be one of the largest trees in Africa, measuring 25metres around its girth and was the campsite of early explorers like Livingstone and Selous when they pioneered the area.
It is near here that we break for lunch before our ride back across the grasslands and into camp.
Day 10 6 June 2012 The horses are loaded early and trucked to their home base in Maun. A non-riding day commences with an early morning walk with Zu/’hoasi Bushmen trackers. Uncharted Africa has pioneered and passionately supported cultural tourism in Botswana since the company’s inception. They have been working closely with the Zu/’hoasi people of the Western Kalahari for many years and are privileged to have a small group of these extraordinary men to guide us on a morning’s walking safari.
Offering a window into the past, they teach us how they have survived in this harshest of environments, using their
vast and ancient knowledge of plants, animal behaviour and survival skills. Time for one more Camp Kalahari lunch before you bid farewell to Camp Kalahari and fly back to Maun for onwards travel.
Please note: This itinerary only serves as a guide; all scenarios are dependent on the season and local conditions. At times it may not be possible to go on fly camps and during cooler months one longer ride may replace the normal morning and evening rides. Local weather conditions may also affect game movements.
The weight limit for this ride is 15 st/209 lb/95 kg, please enquire if you are an experienced rider exceeding this weight.
FURTHER DETAILS
As we are specialists in our field we have extensive knowledge of all our products from details of accommodation and meals to number/size/type of horses to pace of riding ... and much more.
Should you wish to receive further details of this ride please click here.
WHAT IS INCLUDED
All accommodation is in private classic style tented camps, all meals, snacks, tea and coffee, all drinks (reasonable amount), daily laundry and ironing and all safari activities including riding, canoeing, guiding and 4WD backup.
For price details click here
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED
Visas, travel and medical insurance, transport to and from home to Maun and Maun to camp airstrips, personal items, airport taxes, gratuities
Why not spoil yourself with a few days on a tropical beach after your safari? We recommend one of our Mozambiquan Beach Extensions as an ideal way to round off a safari.
What you see on our web site is exactly how much your invoice will come to and this will not change once booked. Unlike some other companies the prices on our web site are fully inclusive of often hidden extras such as: VAT, Sales Tax, state taxes, city taxes, service charges, non-optional tips, fuel surcharges which can add 20% or more to the advertised cost. Prices are available in £ sterling, Euros and US$. Once invoiced, prices are guaranteed against adverse currency fluctuations. Contact us for package prices which include flights from the UK and see each ride for exact details of all items in individual itineraries.
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Day 4
to cool off in the heat of the day. Here we can ride up close to giraffe, zebra, eland, kudu and oryx. Enjoy wonderful riding ground through the endless acacia woodlands passing by many traditional Botswana cattle posts. Canter through the water on the edge of the picturesque Thamalakane River and marvel at its stunning birdlife. Indulge in sumptuous picnic breakfasts under groves of jackal berry trees and experience swimming the horses through the lily pad covered waters. The perfect place to relax and a contrast to the emptiness of the pans.
After a morning ride at Thamalakane we transfer by air or road and settle into Camp Kalahari, nestled amongst the acacias and Mokolwane palms of Brown Hyaena Island, on the edge of the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans, adjacent to the Makgadikgadi-Nxai Pans National Park, Botswana. 
Day 6 
hartebeest and ostrich - and of course the attendant predators! 
Day 8: Pans 
Set off in the late afternoon for one of the greatest adventures imaginable - a ride straight out into the middle of the ancient lakebed! Eventually all that can be seen is the vast flatness stretching in every direction. Watch the sun set and the stars rise and if the phase of the moon is right continue riding in the moonlight. 
Day 9 
Day 10 
