Shiwa Ngandu Horse Safaris, Zambia
Horses
Type of horses:
South African Boerperd, SA Warmblood, Quarter Horse cross and THB crosses.
Nature of horses:
Responsive horses that like to work, as well as able to cope with the harshness of the African bush - sure footed, intelligent, hardy and brave. All horses are schooled in basic dressage movements in classical English style to produce a soft and responsive mount.
Height of horses:
14hh to 17.3hh
Weight limit:
16 stone/100 kg /220 lb.
Tack type:
South African stock saddles designed for comfort and long hours in the saddle. Pelham bridles are used for control, although you will normally ride on a loose rein.
Weather
Current Conditions:
Unknown, 11 C
Forecast:
Fri - Sunny. High: 27 Low: 11
Sat - Sunny. High: 27 Low: 10
Full Forecast at Yahoo! Weather
(provided by The Weather Channel)
Pricing
Zambia Safari
Please contact the office for details on prices
Shiwa House
A stay at Shiwa House is £304 per person per night.
This is a fully inclusive rate for all meals, beverages, activities and horse riding. It does not include flights, gratuities, merchandise or any activities off the Shiwa House Reserve. There is a minimum 4 night stay.
If you are accompanied by children under 10 (who are not accepted for the horse riding itself) then a 25% discount off their stay is offered.
Price does not include flights or travel insurance.
Luxurious Zambian Christmas
The price for this programme is £381 per person per night. We are offering a £50 discount on bookings over the Christmas period.
Price does not include flights or travel insurance.
Availability/Booking Form
Ride Description
Steven Rufus is the guide for this ride and, as an advanced open eventer in RSA, he is a truly experienced horseman. He has lectured in equine studies and is a registered farrier. Having grown up with horses in Matopos National Park in Zimbabwe, he has a wealth of experience with Big Game and is considered to be one of the foremost horse guides in the industry today.
Steven has a passion for all African History and its wildlife and at Shiwa House he has found the perfect location to impart this knowledge to guests. He will cover both modern and ancient history of the area and how Gore-Browne played an integral part in forming modern Zambia.
Shiwa Ngandu Safaris prides itself on having some of the best horses in the safari business and they have received many accolades on their quality and schooling. All the horses are personally selected by Steven & Lucy Rufus and are chosen with the same criteria as selecting an event horse i.e. pace, confirmation, ride ability and temperament. The various breeds include South African Boerperd, SA Warmblood, Quarter Horse cross and THB crosses. In particular they look for responsive horses that like to work, as well as ones that are able to cope with the harshness of the African bush. They are all fit, in excellent condition and range in height from 14hh to 17.3.
The South African Boerperd (literal translation farm horse) is a wonderful breed, renowned for its hardiness, intelligence and paces. These horses have evolved to cope with extreme temperatures and terrain of Africa and you will be amazed at their sure footedness and bravery as they guide you safely through the bush. All their horses are schooled in basic dressage movements in classical English style to produce a soft and responsive mount for clients on safari. They are a much loved and well produced herd of horses that provide the perfect accompaniment for a horse riding holiday.
For Shiwa House riding you should be competent at walk, trot, canter and gallop. This ride is for good confident riders only, they will not accept beginners. All riders should have an independent seat and be secure in the saddle should they need to react quickly if a situation arises. The riding can be fast with long canters and gallops along beautiful sandy tracks and through forest paths. There are beautiful open plains where there is opportunity to view and potentially gallop with the Zebra or other Antelope species.
Encircling one side of the reserve is a mountain region which provides wonderful opportunities to explore on horse back and just maybe sight the elusive mountain Leopard. The views are amazing and of course what better way than to see the whole reserve than from the back of a horse! As you are riding in an area with game, all riders will have to pass an assessment before going out in to the bush.
Terrain is diverse with open plains and beautiful sandy soil to magnificent forestry areas cloaked with a canopy of leaves to allow for exploration on the hottest of summer days. The combination of history, large herds of game, diversity of antelope species and other wildlife make this estate and horse riding a truly amazing experience.
Children:
Riding at Shiwa House gives families the opportunity to experience African Wildlife together from the unique vantage point of being on the back of a horse. Riders from 10 years and over are very welcome with lots of other activities for younger members of the family to enjoy.
Our horses are all professionally trained and responsive with a number of suitable mounts for the younger visitors. Charlie Harvey is especially good at imparting his wealth of knowledge of game and the area to the younger generation, so even for non-riders there will be plenty to do to keep young minds occupied.
All children under the age of 18 years must wear a hard hat when riding and it is recommended that they bring their own as there is no riding equipment for rental at Shiwa House.
See Programmes.
Food & Accommodation
Shiwa House is located in the heart of northern Zambia, to the north of the Luangwa National Park and overlooking Shiwa Ngandu, the 'Lake of the Royal Crocodiles'. The house was originally designed and built by Sir Stewart Gore-Browne in the 1920’s, but fell in to disrepair and had been all but abandoned. In November 1999, Charles Harvey, the eldest grandson of Gore-Browne and his wife Jo and children Tom & Emma, bought the house and estate from other family members. They then lovingly took on the restoration project for the house and whole estate, including local hospitals and schools and the house now retains its former glory.
The Harveys welcome guests as part of their own family in four double rooms with ensuite facilities. All rooms are simple with original hardwood furnishings, fireplaces and paintings very much in keeping with the dream and design of Gore-Browne nearly 100 years ago. Within the building is housed the very comprehensive library and extensive archive base of documents and photographs which were built up by Gore-Browne during his time at Shiwa.
The Shiwa Estate includes a 10,000 hectare game reserve with 22 mammal species, of which the there are large herds of Zebra, Blue Wildebeest and numerous herds of antelope. Leopard, Caracal, and Serval Cats are amongst the predators and on occasion a pack of Wild Dog come through from the neighbouring reserves providing exciting game viewing as they hunt their way through to their next destination.
Shiwa House was nominated for “Best Safari House’ at the 2009 Good Safari Guide Awards and has had numerous books and articles written about it. We highly recommend The Africa House by Christina Lamb.
Jo & Charlie produce over 90% of all food consumed on the estate and pride themselves on the quality – and quantity! – of the meals supplied. They provide delicious wholesome farm food, which is the perfect accompaniment to long hours in the saddle or invigorating walks around the estate. Typically breakfast is served after the mornings activities and consists of full English style breakfast ingredients, with piping hot homemade muffins and a choice of cereals, farm produced fruits and yoghurts. A lighter lunch is served, again typically consisting of cold meats, salads home made bread.
In the evening you will enjoy a sumptuous three course meal served in the original dining room and once more home made fare and farm produce is the key element of all the courses.
Vegetarians can easily be catered for. If you have a gluten intolerance then please ensure that we are given a minimum of three weeks notice to cater correctly.
IMPORTANT NOTE – as over 90% of all food is produced on the farm we can not guarantee any produce will be free of nuts.
For all his meals Stewart Gore-Browne used to dress correctly in dinner jacket or other such attire – even when dining alone! Shiwa House is a magnificent stately home, and whilst in these modern times there is no dress code for meals per say we really encourage our guests to enter in to the sprit of this wonderful building and be presentable for all meals to really feel part of the history of the house.
Activities
The fishing is excellent, and there are 450 different species of birds on and around the lakes, historic walks around the estate, river walks and day trips to Kapishya Hot Springs. In addition there is the David Livingstone Memorial on the estate as this area is where he lost his medicine and completed his last writings shortly before his death investigating the source of the Nile.
There are plenty of activities to keep everyone busy at Shiwa House and non riders are very welcome. In addition to game walks, and game drives there is opportunity learn more about the extensive history of the area and have a guided tour around the main house itself.
Shiwa House is a working reserve and all visitors can be involved with the everyday tasks that this wonderful estate has to perform.
Our guests are welcome to take part in any of the following activities all of which are included in the cost:
Bird walks, Game Drives, Boating, Forest Walks, Historical Walks, Brick kilns and Archaeological Tours, Visits to Waterfalls, Fishing and Mountain Biking.
Further Details
Languages: English.
Health requirements: Fit and healthy, able to withstand long hours in the saddle.
Age limit: 10 years and above. Clients over 65 years should have written confirmation from their doctor that they are fit for the ride and that there are no medical conditions of which the guide should be aware.
Tuition: No
Included: All meals, accommodation, community levy, professional guide, horse riding, guided walks (where detailed in itinerary), all beverages (note - alcohol will be local brands only), car transfer from Ngoma Airstrip to Lodge.
Not included: All flights, plane or car transfers (other than where indicated), park fees (to be paid locally) gratuities, laundry service.
Travel Information
International flights to Lusaka go direct from either the UK (British Airways) or connections via Nairobi using Virgin Airways / Air France. Daily flights to / from Johannesburg (SAA or Zambian Airways) provide another alternative to reaching Lusaka.
From Lusaka you have a number of options to reach Shiwa House and the rates and connections are as follows:
1-4 Passengers
Mfuwe – Shiwa – US$ 1020.00 – ONE WAY PRICE
Lusaka – Shiwa – US$2295.00 – ONE WAY PRICE
Ndola – Shiwa – US$1550.00 (note from Ndola there are scheduled flights up from Johannesburg in South Africa) – ONE WAY PRICE
5-8 Passengers
Mfuwe – Shiwa – US$ 2040.00 – ONE WAY PRICE
Lusaka – Shiwa – US$4590.00 – ONE WAY PRICE
Ndola – Shiwa – US$3100.00 – ONE WAY PRICE
A strict luggage limit of 15kg per person is enforced for your safety and all bags must be soft sided for the hold.
For flights direct from Lusaka guests are required to pay a departure tax of US$ 8.00 per person in cash prior to leaving the main terminal.
All rates are subject to availability and quoted on lowest possible rate for plane size. Should that plane be unavailable then rates may increase to cover a different model.
Self Drive
Shiwa House is located approx 1000km from Lusaka and takes approx 10 hours to drive. This is a wonderful option should you wish for an extended holiday to see parts of Zambia along the way and split the journey in to a couple of days.
The roads to the Northern Province are good in parts and we can recommend a number of places to stay en route should you wish to take this option. Please note you should organise your trip to drive only during the day time as you do need to be aware of potholes along the way.
Airport: Lusaka
Programmes
Zambia Safari
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Please note that the following is an example itinerary. The actual daily itinerary through the National Park and local villages will be determined by the guide with the best interests of the group and horses in mind and taking into consideration terrain, weather conditions and game patterns. Expect an amazing experience as your horse takes you through the stunning sights and sounds of the African bush. Tuesday - arrive in Lusaka to connect with light aircraft or car transfers from Lusaka airport. Light aircraft will fly you to the bush airstrip in Kafue National Park - called Ngoma. You will be collected at the airstrip and driven the 18km to the lodge arriving mid afternoon for either late lunch or high tea. Car transfers will bring you direct to the lodge. Once settled into the rooms you will change in to riding gear and have your first introductory ride. Here you will have the opportunity to meet your mount and try out the trail saddles as the guides take you for your first glimpse of the park and potentially game viewing on the way. Sundowners overlooking the water pan precede a delicious evening meal and your first night in the bush with all the exciting noises that darkness in the bush offers. Wednesday / Thursday - Typically the safari days will start with an early morning call and a light breakfast of drinks, rusks and toast before departing to start the adventure of exploring the National Park and tracking game. Riding will be split to three hours in the morning with brunch back at the lodge and the chance to relax by the pool. A shorter ride of two hours in the afternoon returning for sundowners and delicious evening meal. Friday - Leave the lodge early in the morning game tracking and riding through the park to arrive at a very special location for lunch. Here you will get the chance to relax after a longer morning ride and then in the afternoon a guided walk will give you a very different viewpoint of Zambia and its amazing animals. Return to the lodge for evening meal and sleep. Saturday - After light breakfast riding back through the park, game viewing and enjoying the ambiance of riding your horse through the bush. Arrive back to lodge for late lunch and then afternoon of relaxation. Potential for guided walk later afternoon. Overnight at lodge. Sunday - This is another very special day as you will once more leave the camp early to ride and visit the local villages and see how people live today in rural Zambia. A beautiful picnic spot will provide the location for lunch and this great opportunity to gain an insight in to the real Africa whilst enjoying the beautiful open plains and riding. Return to the lodge later afternoon for sundowners and the last evening meal Monday - Light breakfast again with riding early morning, arrive back to lodge for delicious brunch and relaxation with riding again late afternoon, across plains and game viewing. Tuesday - For the last morning this will be a shorter ride to allow you to open up across the plains and really embed your bush experience with your horse in the memories. Arrive back to the lodge mid morning in time to allow you to shower and change and be driven to local airstrip for onward flight back to Lusaka or connect with car transfer. |
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| Minimum group size: | 2 |
| Maximum group size: | 8 |
| Ability description: | The ride is for intermediate and advanced riders only. Riders should have an independent seat and be secure in the saddle as riding is challenging and fast with long canters and gallops. Not suitable for nervous riders! |
| Type of ride: | Safari |
| Total riding time: | As per itinerary. |
| Departure dates: | 2010: 7-15 August, 21-29 August, 4-12 Sept, 18-26 Sept, 2-10 Oct, 16-24 Oct |
| Pricing: | See Pricing |
Shiwa House
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The actual daily itinerary will be determined with the clients with the best interests of the group and horses in mind and taking into consideration terrain, weather conditions and what each group would like to do. They can tailor make itineraries to suit all clients and can happily include day rides with picnics and visits to the local hot springs. There are lots of opportunities for lovely canters through forest areas and for the more adventurous long gallops along sandy tracks on the open plains. Visits to Shiwa House for horse riding are for a minimum 4 night stay, and they are happy to accommodate both riders and non riders for numerous activities. |
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| Minimum group size: | 1 |
| Maximum group size: | 8 |
| Ability description: | Experienced and confident. |
| Type of ride: | Based |
| Total riding time: | To suit |
| Departure dates: | All year round |
| Pricing: | See Pricing |
Luxurious Zambian Christmas
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Christmas is always a time for experiencing a little bit of luxury and this English-style country house is the idyllic setting for a Christmas horseback getaway. Designed by Stewart Gore-Browne, a famous white settler and supporter of Independence in Zambia (then Northern Rhodesia), the house is built of bricks made entirely on the estate and is beautifully designed to match the formal mindset of Gore-Browne. Not only is this house great in size and stature, the estate comprises of various other buildings and facilities (originally it included its own schools, hospital and post office) and has been described as an 'African Utopia'. The house reminds guests of the grandeur of the bygone colonial era and is fascinating both historically and in the splendor of its design. Christmas here is a luxurious and memorable treat - the grand dining room being a magnificent setting for your Christmas meal. This is the perfect opportunity to dress up and get into the spirit of the house and its history! It's also a lovely way to support an estate which represents Gore-Browne's own applaudable ideas relating to Zambian Independence and the fair treatment of locals. It's believed that over a thousand Africans were involved in the creation of this residence and today it provides a significant source of employment in the area. It is also part of a Non Govermental Organization that plays an important role in raising funds for the area, improving services to local people and improving education. New Years Eve here promises a special event at Kapisha Hot Springs, a sumptuous dinner and an evening of fireworks and making new friends. The horse riding is not compromised at this time of year and there is still plenty of wildlife and sights to see. There are not many places in the world offering luxurious English -style country house accommodation, organic and delicious food as well as the chance to gallop amongst the antelope and zebra. You could even spend your Christmas morning looking out for a mountain leopard from the back of your Boerperd companion! Remember to book your places early - there is only space for 8 guests here and you don't want to miss out on the remote beauty and exceptional riding of this African paradise. |
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| Minimum group size: | 1 |
| Maximum group size: | 8 |
| Ability description: | Experienced and confident |
| Type of ride: | Based |
| Total riding time: | To suit |
| Departure dates: | Flexible dates over the Christmas period |
| Pricing: | See Pricing |