Maasailand Safaris and Luxury Lodge (Ride Kenya), Kenya
Horses
Type of horses:
Various breeds to suit all needs including Boerperds, Warmbloods, Thoroughbreds, small Somali ponies and even a Percheron.
Nature of horses:
Well schooled, experienced and sure footed.
Height of horses:
13hh - 17hh
Weight limit:
95kg for safaris, 100kg for novices at the lodge.
Tack type:
English with some South African Trail saddles
Weather
Current Conditions:
Mostly Cloudy, 12 C
Forecast:
Fri - Showers. High: 23 Low: 13
Sat - Showers. High: 23 Low: 13
Full Forecast at Yahoo! Weather
(provided by The Weather Channel)
Pricing
Ol Donyo Wuas Lodge Based Stay
Low Season ( 1 Oct - 22 Dec 2010):
Standard Suite - £340 per person per night (based on two people sharing)
Pool and Family Suite - £468 per person per night (based on two people sharing)
High Season (01 July - 30 Sept 2010, 23 Dec - 1 Jan 2011):
Standard Suite - £391 per person per night (based on two people sharing)
Pool and Family Suite - £519 per person per night (based on two people sharing)
Single Supplement (2 Jan 2010 - 1 Jan 2011):
Standard Suite - £77 per night
Pool and Family Suite - £205 per night
These nightly prices include accommodation, all meals, scheduled game activities, guided bush walks, bush breakfasts, guided mountain biking, HALF DAY HORSE RIDING, Maasai cultural visit (excluding money paid directly to Maasai), laundry, return airstrip transfers and alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages (excluding champagne and imported premium drinks).
Children sharing with parents in the same room (maximum 2) pay 50% of sharing adult nightly rate.
Price does not include flights or travel insurance.
Chyulu Hills Safari
£2016 per person sharing + £308 park fee per person per departure.
£607 single supplement
Guaranteed Departure rates include full board luxury tented accommodation, all meals, all alcoholic & non-alcoholic beverages (excluding champagnes & imported premium drinks), laundry, schedule return air transfer between Nairobi’s Wilson Domestic Airport & Ol Donyo Wuas airstrip, road transfers between Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport & Wilson Airport on arrival & departure, Mbirikani Group Ranch Conservation Fees & temporary Flying Doctor’s Society of Africa membership
Price does not include flights or travel insurance.
Amboseli Safari
£2144 per person sharing
£644 single supplement
Guaranteed Departure rates include full board luxury tented accommodation, all meals, all alcoholic & non-alcoholic beverages (excluding champagnes & imported premium drinks), laundry, schedule return air transfer between Nairobi’s Wilson Domestic Airport & Ol Donyo Wuas airstrip, road transfers between Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport & Wilson Airport on arrival & departure, Mbirikani Group Ranch Conservation Fees & temporary Flying Doctor’s Society of Africa membership.
Price does not include flights or travel insurance.
Availability/Booking Form
Ride Description
Set in the South-East of Kenya, these riding holidays are luxurious and breathtaking. Twinned with Ol Donyo Wuas Lodge, set between Amboseli and Tsavo National Parks, Ride Kenya offers based stays in a sumptuous lodge or mobile safaris with luxury tented camps and fabulous game viewing. Ol Donyo Wuas Lodge looks out towards Mount Kilimanjaro and the open savannahs which make Kenya so special.
Owned by the local Maasai people and protected by the Maasailand Preservation Trust (MPT), the area surrounding the lodge is full of amazing wildlife - elephants wander past the lodge everyday, lion and cheetah concentrations are increasing and the black rhino population has stabilised. You can ride with up to 38 species of mammal including the big five (elephant, rhino, lion, leopard and buffalo) and there is access to over 1.4 million acres of outstanding wilderness. Excitingly, they have started seeing some elephants here that disappeared during the drought last year. Estimates now are about forty elephant living close by and recently they rode will one old bull they hadn't encountered in the area for six years. Herds of female elephants have been bringing their youngsters to the waterhole for the first time this year. There is also a new resident cheetah near the stables - a beautiful female with six cubs which are regularly being seen by guests. The three brother cheetahs are also in residence.
There is a selection of twenty five horses here which are some of the highest quality and best schooled in East Africa. There are different breeds to suit all needs and all riders are catered for; from the novice who can ride out from the Lodge to the advanced rider who may wish to take part in a mobile safari or stay in the lodge and ride from there daily.
The ecology and landscape here offer variety and diversity with each area as beautiful as the next. The going is great for the horses all year round with sandy ground surface - excellent for long canters and faster riding. With Mount Kilimanjaro as an unbeatable backdrop, the guides will often take you through the wide open plains, game rich swamps, beautiful acacia woodlands and scenic hills. The climate is ideal for this type of holiday with warm sunny days and cool evenings.
Not only are you gifted with luxurious accommodation (both at the lodge and during the safaris), excellent horses and exceptional surroundings but you are also accompanied by highly experienced and charismatic guides. Nicola and Patrick are enthusiastic about the area, the wildlife and the horses and will offer you personal attention, friendly companionship and an unforgettable experience. In addition, the area of operation is highly exclusive and you will not have to share it with other tourists or see other lodges or vehicles. This is a real Kenyan getaway!
See Programmes.
Food & Accommodation
The Lodge:
Accommodation during the based stay is in the stunning Ol Donyo Wuas Lodge, set in the heart of 270,000 acres of wild Africa and teeming with wildlife. This luxury lodge, in the Amboseli-Tsavo ecosystem of south-east Kenya, is located on the Maasai-owned Mbirikani Group Ranch, on the slopes of the Chyulu Hills. The lodge was rebuilt and refurbished in 2008, and offers breathtaking views of Mount Kilimanjaro, whilst the bedrooms are spacious and luxurious, and also comfortable and homely.
The lodge features ten magnificent guest suites in six stand-alone 'cottages'. Some of these suites are two bedded whilst others are four bedded private bush homes with their own lounges and swimming pools. Each separate cottage has been designed with versatility in mind - the four bed lodges are great for families or groups of friends whereas the smaller ones are fabulous for independent couples looking for some privacy.
Each suite is truly opulent whilst maintaining the atmosphere of a true bush lodge. All but two have their own private pools and some are even complete with private vehicle, guide and chef. All the bedrooms at Ol Donyo Wuas have "star beds" which are on the rooftop and allow guests to sleep safely and comfortable out beneath the beautiful stars. This area also makes for the perfect sundowner, or private dinner, and offers dramatic views over the plains and onto Mount Kilimanjaro.
All individual cottages have en suite bathrooms with a view, including indoor and outdoor showers and a romantic bath. There is also an in room massage service at an extra cost, perfect for relaxing after a day in the saddle.
The Mobile Safaris:
During the mobile safaris guests stay in luxury tented camps which are extremely comfortable. These offer wrought iron twin or double beds, fine linen, private en suite bathrooms, a central dining tent with a high standard of food and drink. The mobile safaris are well-supported by an experienced staff of grooms, chefs, waiters and helpers.
Food is delicious and of a high standard with meals accompanied by an extensive wine list. Al fresco lunches on the veranda, candlelit dinners by your private cottage and picnics out on the plains are all included. Both the lodge and the safaris offer excellent standards of food, with a great variety of fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as meat and fish. Fresh bread, cakes, and biscuits are made daily, and all dietary needs and special children’s meals can be catered for, with advanced notice please.
Activities
There are many other activities at Ol Donyo Wuas Lodge and something to suit everyone. For those who are tired of being in the saddle but want to see more wildlife, there is the option of heading out on a game drive (day or night). Guests may also hike or mountain bike (accompanied by an armed guide) across the savannahs and around the area. Hiking into the mist forests is an exceptional way to appreciate the large variety of habitats surrounding the lodge. Foot safaris and wildlife tracking with Maasai trackers and the two resident bloodhounds are not to be missed.
One of the greatest activities available at the lodge (other than horse riding of course!) is to spend time at the 'log jam' hide. This is an open-air viewing facility located just below the lodge and consists of a mass of heavy logs stacked so as to create a square enclosure. This acts as a great area from which guests can safely and quietly view animals at exceptionally close range as they visit the waterhole. You can spend as long as here as you like, depending on your interests.
Adventurous guests may enjoy a night under canvas by fly camping. Campsites are chosen according to season and guests experience traditional camp amenities including drinks by the fire and delicious campfire cuisine. You can choose to travel to the fly camp by foot, vehicle or on horseback and a famous overnight spot is Seduction Rock (apparently it always works!). For fly camping you must pre-book.
As if that's not enough there are also day trips to Amboseli National Park, trips to local Maasai villages (an excellent insight into Maasai culture) and primary schools, clay pigeon shooting, bush survival courses for kids and the chance to sleep in 'star beds' on the rooftops to view the stunning night sky.
Anyone taking part in a mobile safari also gets to enjoy bush walks, hill hiking, day and night game drives and of course amazing horse riding. The itineraries are designed to be flexible allowing guests to pick and choose what they will enjoy the most.
Further Details
Languages: English
Health requirements: Fit and Adventurous
Age limit: None within reason for the lodge stay but we recommend children be over 12 for safaris.
Tuition: Yes - riding lessons for children and adults are offered in our sand school.
Included: Luxury accommodation (lodge or tents), all meals, all alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages (excluding champagne and imported premium drinks), laundry, schedule return air transfer between Nairobi's Wilson Domestic Airport and Ol Donyo Wuas airstrip (included in safaris only), road transfers between Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and Wilson Airport on arrival and departure (safari only), Mbirikani Group Ranch Conservation Fees and temporary Flying Doctor's Society of Africa membership.
Not included: Champagne and imported premium drinks, massages, day trips to Amboseli National Park or Chyulu East National Park, staff gratuities.
Travel Information
Fly into Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi. Guests are advised to spend a night here to rest before heading out for their riding holiday (particularly for those taking part in safaris). Guests are then transferred to Wilson Airport just outside Nairobi before taking a small flight to Ol Donyo Wuas airstrip.
Airport: Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi
Programmes
Ol Donyo Wuas Lodge Based Stay
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Positioned in the remote Chyulu Hills of Southern Kenya, away from the heat and malaria, is the beautiful Ol Donyo Wuas Lodge. After 21 years of running their lodge and riding operation, the hosts decided to rebuild the main lodge and the surrounding individual cottages and these were reopened in 2008. The lodge and family are forming a new model for sustainable conservation to ensure the protection of the area's wildlife. They use an innovative sharing-of-benefits scheme with the local community to do this and do important work in creating conservancies. They have already greatly improved the populations of elephant, lion, cheetah and black rhino. There are a variety of activities available here and riding is on the agenda everyday (for those wishing to partake). This programme is therefore a wonderful option for those who would like to enjoy the superb horses and riding whilst having the added benefits of staying in a luxury safari lodge. Riding can be enjoyed early in the morning or at sunset and these rides usually last for about two to four hours (however different needs can be catered for). This is a great option for any kind of rider as all needs can be catered for. It's also a lovely opportunity for families or groups of different abilities to enjoy a ride out together, looking up to Mount Kilimanjaro and across the vast savannahs, rich with the magnificent African wildlife. |
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| Minimum group size: | 1 |
| Maximum group size: | 8 |
| Ability description: | Novice - Advanced |
| Type of ride: | Based |
| Total riding time: | Half day rides |
| Departure dates: | Flexible |
| Pricing: | See Pricing |
Chyulu Hills Safari
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As the destination's signature ride, the Chyulu Hills Safari has always been popular and for good reason. It provides exceptional scenery and wildlife whilst also offering ideal going for the horses. It's a wonderful option for families, small groups or individuals and those who want the great sightings involved with a safari in this outstanding part of Africa but at a more relaxed pace. With no other tourists in the area, this is a great place for fans of Africa to explore a rare treat: exclusive wilderness and its wildlife. As this is not a heavily touristy area, the wildlife is more shy, which makes it less intense for those riders worried about close encounters with big game, and rewarding for those riders who appreciate the rewards of looking for truly wild animals. On average there is 4 - 7 hours (usually 15 - 30 miles) spent in the saddle each day with guests being offered bush walks and game drives (day and night) in the rest of the time. Guests should be fit, adventurous and capable of a good canter at minimum. This safari takes you through and around the area of the Chyulu Hills (which runs for about 40 miles) and is a wonderfully varied and memorable Kenyan safari experience. Itinerary: Arrival into Nairobi - Take any day time flight from London Heathrow or another European city to Nairobi (JKIA). Guests should aim to spend their first night in Nairobi to rest. Day 1- Nairobi to Chyulu Hills (Lenkiliriti)- Transfer from the hotel early in the morning to Wilson Airport in Nairobi to catch the Safarilink scheduled flight at 0730 to the Chyulus (or to a private charter from other safari destinations in Kenya if desired). Guests will be met by Patrick and Nicola, the guides and hosts, and transferred to the first camp site. After lunch in camp, guests have a chance to catch up on sleep before heading out for an afternoon ride at about 4 o’clock. The horses will already be in the camp waiting for you upon arrival. Having received detailed information on each guest, Patrick and Nicola will have chosen a horse for everyone. This afternoon’s ride is designed to give guests a taste of the safari to come and to ensure a perfect match between horse and rider before the safari departs. The ride will meander through a spectacular volcanic landscape, known as Lenkiliriti to the local Maasai. You are likely to come across klipspringer, baboon, Coke’s Hartebeest, rock hyrax and gerenuk who reside in and around the volcanoes. The ride will emerge onto a vast plain where you will end the day with a sunset drink in a picturesque location. You will then return to camp for a hot shower, drinks by the fire and a three course dinner. Anyone who is not happily paired with a horse has a chance to change horses on this first day. Day 2 - Macaruru - After a delicious breakfast at the camp, guests and their guides will set out on a five-six hour ride through an area of Chyulu East National Park, known as Macaruru. This is a wild and untouched area of Kenya, where the scenery is incredible. The ride will take guests through a spectacular and wild landscape, with a picnic lunch to break up the riding. Guests will be met by a vehicle for lunch. Under the shade of a sprawling acacia tree, guests enjoy cool drinks and a picnic before continuing with the ride back to the Lenkiliriti camp. On the ride today, guests might be lucky enough to come across signs of black rhino, which reside in the park. These are the last truly wild black rhino in Kenya, and it is possible to find fresh tracks to follow on the ride. Other wildlife which can be seen on today’s ride includes eland, kudu, giraffe, coke’s hartebeest and mountain reedbuck, a rare antelope which resides in the hills around the park. Tonight guests can try their luck on a night game drive, as the area around this campsite is excellent for viewing nocturnal wildlife such as hyena, bat-eared fox, serval cat, porcupine and much more. Day 3 – Crater Camp - Today’s ride leaves camp after breakfast and proceeds through the acacia forest up towards Chyulu East National Park. En Route, the ride will trek through seemingly endless stands of whistling thorn acacia as you begin your ascent into the Chyulu Hills. As you make our way, there are ample opportunities to canter, gallop and jump. Deep in the forest, guests are likely to come across some of the exceptionally large, resident bull elephants browsing. As you ride, you are likely to meet zebra, wildebeest, giraffe, oryx, gazelle, cheetah and even lion. Over the course of the day, the ride ascends about 2,000 feet above the plains with stunning views stretching for 90 miles on a clear day. On the way, you will have a picnic lunch before making your final ascent into camp. Today’s camp is nestled into a forest next to a large volcanic crater. It is situated over looking the quintessential East African plains that lead up to Mt. Kilimanjaro. Upon reaching the camp, guests are invited to spend the late afternoon climbing the volcanic crater in pursuit of the very rare Verreaux’s Eagle which nests in the nearly inaccessible rocky outcrops that line the rim of the crater. As an alternative, guests can opt to explore the lava tubes that lie within walking distance of the camp. These jagged caves stretch for miles as they lead away from the crater and have been used by hunter gatherers for generations as shelter. Guest return to camp before sun-down for a shower, drinks and dinner. Day 4 - Mist Forest - Today’s ride ascends another 2,000 feet higher into the Chyulu Hills. A noticeable change in climate and temperature occurs as you reach over 7,000 feet above sea level. The ride is dominated by incredible views of the vast wildernesses of Tsavo East National park to the east and Mount Kilimanjaro and Amboseli national park to the west. Today’s riding traverses steep slopes and valleys and leading of the horses may be necessary at times. Due to the altitude of the area, clouds often sit on the top of the Chyulu Hills. This consistent moisture has given rise to miniature jungles that dot the summits of the hills. Today’s ride takes about four hours and ends at one of the largest mist forests in the hills. Whilst the horses get sent back to the Crater camp, guests and guides have a chance to enter the mist forests on foot, in pursuit of the buffalo, leopard, syke’s monkey and giant forest hog that reside within it. You will have a picnic lunch on the edge of the mist forest, overlooking the vast landscape below. After lunch guests will be driven back to the camp, where they can enjoy a relaxing sundowner, hot shower and dinner. Day 5- Kopjes- Today the ride descends out of the hills, through a sprawling acacia forest and on into a large, open, sandy lugga. Over the years, wind erosion has exposed these ancient soils in which archeologists have discovered stone tools made by some of the first hominids to walk the earth. Stone chips and simple stone tools known as hand axes have been collected in this region. As you ride, the group always keeps their eyes out for signs of artifacts used by your ancient ancestors. In this area, you will also keep your eyes out for signs of lion. Although, it is highly likely that the lions will be fast asleep deep inside the shady lava flow, you will be able to get a picture of their most recent activity by the tracks they have left the night before. With these tracks, you will be able to formulate a plan to come back after dark, in a vehicle with a spotlight and try your best to locate the lions as they come out to hunt. After about a five hour ride, guests will arrive at the new campsite which is set on the plains, with a view of some spectacular granite rocks, or Kopjes. This evening you aim to enjoy sunset on top of the rocks themselves, with a stunning view of Mount Kilimanjaro. Day 6- Kopjes - For our final day’s ride the plan is to explore the vast wilderness out behind the Kopjes, heading towards a dry river bed. As it can be hot riding in the area during the midday heat, your guides suggest a dawn ride, enjoying the wildlife early in the morning, and watching the sunlight catch on the summit of Kilimanjaro as the sun rises over the Chyulu Hills. On this ride you can expect some sightings of large groups of elephant, which dig in the dry riverbed for water. Riders will love the chance to canter up and down the banks of the riverbed and can let their horses gallop through the soft sand. You are also likely to encounter some local maasai herdsmen, who also survive in this area by digging into the dry riverbed for water. Today’s five hour ride will finish back at the Kopjes camp for lunch, after which guests can plan to enjoy a last game drive or bush walk, or both. Day 7- Airstrip-After breakfast, guests will leave on the Safarilink schedule flight, at 0830, (or private charter) to Wilson airport in Nairobi. From Nairobi they can go on to their next Kenyan destination or leave from the international airport that evening. |
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| Minimum group size: | 1 |
| Maximum group size: | 8 |
| Ability description: | Intermediate to Advanced - must be fit, adventurous, capable and comfortable at a good canter. There are plenty of chances to gallop but this isn't compulsory. |
| Type of ride: | Safari (trail) |
| Total riding time: | 4 - 7 hours per day |
| Departure dates: | 2010 dates: 20 - 26 September; 10 - 16 October; 6 - 12 December (Fully Booked) 2010. |
| Pricing: | See Pricing |
Amboseli Safari
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This safari is perfect for the seasoned rider looking for adventure. It offers exhilarating riding with stunning scenery, amazing African wildlife and the enjoyment of riding on a well-schooled horse. Your guide will lead you through swamps filled with elephants, buffalo, lion, hyena and many other wonderful species. There is a large variety of ecosystems to be seen and plenty of chances for some faster riding and jumping. There is nothing like galloping alongside a giraffe! The luxury tented camps provide the perfect way to relax after having ridden up to 30 miles and there is even an in tent massage service. Camps are well staffed and prepared for your arrival at each point. Riders for this trip should be experienced and adventurous, able to travel at a fast pace and control their horse whilst admiring the wildlife. Itinerary: Day 1: Arrival Depart Wilson Airport at 0730 for a 60 minute schedule flight from Nairobi to Amboseli National Park. Guests will be met by their guides Patrick Stanton and Nicola Young at the airstrip. Upon leaving the strip, guests will enjoy a game drive through the park as they make their way to Tall Tree Camp. As you pass through the park, there is a great chance to see elephant, buffalo, hyena, hippo, lion, cheetah, zebra, wildebeest and much more. This first camp is located within meters of the Kenya-Tanzania border and it boasts fantastic views of Kilimanjaro to the south and the vast Amboseli lake-bed to the north. Following lunch at Tall Tree, there will be a two to three hour horse ride around the pockets of forest which surround us. There is a lot of wildlife around this campsite and you will be sure to have many fantastic sightings. After the ride you will arrive back at camp for sunset. Day 2: Full-day ride to Kopjes. After breakfast in camp, the group will set off for a four hour horse ride to a stunning granite rock formation on the distant horizon. Upon arrival, you will have a picnic under the shade of a huge overhanging bolder and enjoy the views of Amboseli, Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Meru and Namanga. After lunch, you will ride back to Tall Tree Camp. Your guides expect the ride home to take two-three hours. The riding today will cover about 20 miles during which you will ride through the Acacia woodlands at the base of Mt. Kilimanjaro where sleeping lion and browsing elephant abound. Day 3: Dawn ride and afternoon game drive Today you will get up at dawn and set off very early on the horses, to enjoy some cool riding and great game viewing. This morning you might ride for about three-four hours. The ride will explore an area north of your camp where you are likely to encounter bands of nomadic Maasai herdsmen. After a breakfast in the bush, you will return to camp for a lazy lunch and chance to rest. You will then head out for an afternoon game drive, during which you are likely to encounter a wide variety of wildlife. With Kilimanjaro as the backdrop and Amboseli’s world famous wildlife in the foreground, guests should be prepared for the ultimate in photographic opportunities. After the drive, you will arrive back into camp in the evening, for a delicious three course dinner, in preparation for the long ride you will face the following day. Day 4: Ride through Amboseli to Patrick’s Camp. Today you will enter Amboseli National Park on horseback. You will do about 30 miles and will traverse the secluded and game dense Enkongo Narok swamp. Your guides expect that you will be able to ride with large numbers of elephant, buffalo and plains game and perhaps even predators as you navigate your way through and around the swamps. At one stage, you will be crossing a vast dry lake bed so there will be plenty of chances for galloping and even jumping some of the trees that have been pushed over by elephant. After 6-7 hours riding, you will camp on Olgulului Ranch, in an oasis of tall trees set in the midst of vast open country, with deep red soil and endless views. Day 5: Ride from Olgulului Ranch, to Mbirikani. Longeriti Camp. This day’s ride is to Mbirikani Ranch where you will find Longeriti Camp. This ride will be about 25-30 miles and you will take a packed lunch with you. You will set off early and aim for the north end of the Chyulu Hills. You are crossing huge areas of Acacia scrubland, so hope to see eland, kudu, oryx, gerenuk, hartebeest, giraffe and even cheetah. In the evening, you can all enjoy a sunset game drive or walk. Day 6: Day Trip to Mist Forest This morning you will give your horses some rest and set off in the car for the top of the Chyulu Hills. A noticeable change in climate and temperature occurs as you reach over 7,000 feet above sea level. The journey is dominated by incredible views of the vast wilderness of Tsavo East National Park to the east and Mount Kilimanjaro and Amboseli National Park to the west. You are heading for the mist forest which is a wonderful and vast montane forest that you can walk through while you track the buffalo, giant forest hog, leopard and Sykes’ monkeys that reside within. You will enjoy a picnic lunch outside the forest, with amazing views of your entire journey so far. After lunch, you will drive back to Longeriti camp for an afternoon horse ride, a walk or a game drive. Tonight you will enjoy the last safari night at Longeriti Camp and you can end the day with a night game drive in search of the leopard and black rhino that emerge from the dense bush after dark. Day 7: Departure One last breakfast in the bush and guests will depart camp to meet their plane at the Ol Donyo Wuas airstrip. Scheduled flight departs at 0830 otherwise guests can take a private charter anytime they wish. |
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| Minimum group size: | 1 |
| Maximum group size: | 8 |
| Ability description: | Advanced |
| Type of ride: | Safari (trail) |
| Total riding time: | 4 - 8 hours per day |
| Departure dates: | 2010 dates: 2 - 8 August (fully booked), 24 - 30 August (fully booked) , 27 December 2010 - 11 January 2011 |
| Pricing: | See Pricing |