Ant's River Lodge

South Africa

Overview Description Horses & Riding Food & Accommodation Other Activities Travel Itineraries

Overview

Ant's River Lodge is the newest addition to the Ant Safari family and is located just one hour from their renowned Ant's Hill and Ant's Nest lodges, on the Kaingo Private Game Reserve. Spanning 16,400 hectares of bushveld savannah, valleys and striking mountain scenery - enhanced by the winding… read more

Highlights

Be the first to discover this new, exciting safari
Search for elephant and other big game from horseback
Fast riding on sandy tracks
Comfortable accommodation besides the river
Well-known and respected guides

Essential Facts

1 itinerary available
£4270 $5765 €4925 - £4795 $6475 €5530 per person
Max 6 riders per group (12 in camp)
Average of 3 - 5 hours riding per day
Weight limit: 90 kg / 198 lbs/ 14st 2lbs

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Description

Ant's River Lodge is the newest addition to the Ant Safari family and is located just one hour from their renowned Ant's Hill and Ant's Nest lodges, on the Kaingo Private Game Reserve.

Spanning 16,400 hectares of bushveld savannah, valleys and striking mountain scenery - enhanced by the winding Mokolo River - this reserve hosts more than 50 mammal species and over 250 bird species. Kaingo provides exceptional ecological diversity and a truly African wildlife experience within a 'Conservation First' reserve, where all tourism revenue directly supports meaningful conservation initiatives.

This is a Big Five reserve, where elephant, lion, leopard, rhino and buffalo roam, as well as giraffe, zebra, antelope, hippo etc. For this reason, these rides are for experienced riders only, who are looking for a fantastic safari experience with plenty of good riding.

Horses & Riding

Tack

McClellan saddles, made locally and based on the famous old US cavalry saddles, designed for the comfort of both horse and rider alike. The horses are ridden English style.

Horses

The horses range from big strong forward going thoroughbreds to tough African Boerperd and exciting crossbreeds.

The riding pace on the horseback safaris can vary from galloping with giraffe and wildebeest to meandering along high rocky bluffs, watching the setting African sun, or quietly riding through a herd of grazing zebra or family of rhino. Canters can be fast, twisty, and on undulating ground, so riders must be secure in the saddle.

Riding

There is 1 itinerary:

Ant's Big Five Safari is a based ride

Ages

Riders must be aged 16 years or older

Weight

90 kg / 198 lbs/ 14st 2lbs

Food & Accommodation

Food

Your hosts take great pride in their sumptuous home cooking using a delicious blend of local and international cuisine, dining outside whenever possible under shady trees. Morning riding activities may end with a bush lunch, whilst at night you sit around open fires under the stars. Excellent South African estate wines are served and all dietary requirements can be catered for.

The day normally starts off with a light breakfast of cereals, fruits, yoghurt and toast. A light lunch with a variety of salads and other delicious dishes is usually served around midday, followed by high-tea prior to your afternoon game viewing. A scrumptious three-course dinner or barbecue rounds off the day.

Accommodation

The lodge has ten double/twin rooms, each with en-suite bathroom and a verandah overlooking the river. Each room also includes a mini bar, tea and coffee facilities, and air conditioning.

There is also a main lodge area with comfortable lounging and dining areas, a bar, riverside viewing deck and swimming pool.

Itineraries

Ant's Big Five Safari Luxury accommodation.

Other Activities

Game drives, game walks and a river cruise are available to offer a different perspective and for non-riders.

Massages can also be arranged (payable locally).

Travel

You should fly into Johannesburg airport.

Group transfers (additional cost) are available providing your flights meet the following timings:

On arrival day, your flight must land before 09:30am for a transfer departing at 10:30am.
On departure day, you flight must depart after 7:30pm (19:30) - the vehicle leaves the lodge at c. 1pm.

Private transfers are available for additional cost if you cannot make these timings, but you may miss the first/last ride - please enquire.

Itinerary & Pricing

Day 1 - Arrival

Riding: 1 hours

You will be transferred from Johannesburg airport to the lodge in time to settle in before your first afternoon ride.

Days 2 to 7

Riding: 4 - 6 hours

Each morning you will have breakfast and then set off on horseback to explore the bush in search of wildlife. The exact itinerary will vary depending on game movements, so some days you may be tracking elephant, whilst other days you follow the water courses looking for hippo, or head out across the plains in search of giraffe.

Return to the lodge for lunch, and then an afternoon ride. Some days you may go in the vehicle instead, to get close to lion, or even on a river cruise to experience the wildlife from a different perspective.

Each evening a delicious dinner will be served, either candlelit under the stars or inside the lodge's dining room.

Day 8 - Departure

Riding: 1 - 2 hours

A final morning ride before packing your bags and heading back to the airport for your flight home.

Experience	Experienced You should be an experienced rider who is capable in all paces across varied terrain. Canters can be fast, twisty and on sloping ground. This is a Big Five area, so you should be secure in the saddle and in control at all times. Riding helmets are compulsory.
Minimum group size	2
Maximum group size	6 Accommodation for up to 12.
Departure windows	May 16, 2026 - May 23, 2026 June 27, 2026 - July 4, 2026 Aug. 1, 2026 - Aug. 8, 2026 Sept. 5, 2026 - Sept. 12, 2026 Oct. 3, 2026 - Oct. 10, 2026 Nov. 14, 2026 - Nov. 21, 2026 Dec. 12, 2026 - Dec. 19, 2026 Jan. 9, 2027 - Jan. 16, 2027 Feb. 13, 2027 - Feb. 20, 2027 March 20, 2027 - March 27, 2027 April 17, 2027 - April 24, 2027 May 15, 2027 - May 22, 2027 June 19, 2027 - June 26, 2027 July 10, 2027 - July 17, 2027 Aug. 15, 2027 - Aug. 22, 2027 Sept. 11, 2027 - Sept. 18, 2027 Oct. 9, 2027 - Oct. 16, 2027 Nov. 13, 2027 - Nov. 20, 2027 Dec. 12, 2027 - Dec. 19, 2027

Pricing

£ $ €

2026 Rider, sharing	£4270 $5765 €4925
2026 Non-Rider, sharing	£3710 $5005 €4275
2027 Rider, sharing	£4795 $6475 €5530
2027 Non-Rider, sharing	£3475 $4695 €4010
Included	7 nights accommodation, all meals, all drinks (except premium spirits and champagnes), riding, game drives, bush walks, river cruise and conservation fees.
Not included	Flights, airport transfers, premium spirits and champagnes, off-site activities, personal expenses and tips.

Extras