{"id":7533,"date":"2018-08-23T13:06:11","date_gmt":"2018-08-23T13:06:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.timbuktutravel.com\/blog\/?p=7533"},"modified":"2025-04-23T10:28:15","modified_gmt":"2025-04-23T10:28:15","slug":"best-horseback-safaris-africa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.timbuktutravel.com\/blog\/best-horseback-safaris-africa","title":{"rendered":"The Best Horseback Safari Adventures in Africa"},"content":{"rendered":"

Over the years, we\u2019ve dedicated many column inches to the wonders of the walking safari and will espouse the magic of game viewing by canoe to anyone who\u2019ll listen. Now, it\u2019s the turn of horseback safaris. Atop your trusty steed, away from the reassuring grind of a Land Rover (and the comfort of an accelerator pedal!) you\u2019re no longer merely an observer of the bush; you become part of the natural world and indeed the whole circle of life, trotting after towers of giraffe and creeping past lazing lion. Adrenalin-inducing perhaps, but for a completely different way to wildlife-watch, there\u2019s not much that can beat a riding safari. Here are our top horseback adventures across Africa that will have you chomping at the bit\u2026<\/p>\n

\"Botswana<\/a><\/p>\n

Uncover the hidden corners of the Okavango<\/h2>\n

Botswana<\/em><\/p>\n

Starting our list of top horseback safaris in Africa with a bang are riding veterans, Ride Botswana<\/a>. It\u2019s no secret that the Okavango Delta<\/a> is one of the finest wildlife destinations in the world, but to discover it from the saddle with one of Ride\u2019s inimitable guides is awe-inspiring. Much of the great wetland is inaccessible to vehicles during the annual flood, so venturing out on horseback really does give you the edge. Think splashing across glittering channels from one hidden island to the next and cantering through the waterways alongside Botswana\u2019s giants. In the evenings, you\u2019ll settle down to campfire-cooked cuisine and snooze in style in the lightweight fly camp.<\/p>\n

Take a closer look at the Ride Botswana 7-night horse safari<\/a>, then play around with adding it to any of our Botswana routes for something extra special. We rather like the idea of spending a week in the bush before popping up to Victoria Falls for some R&R \u2013 this route right here<\/a> will give you a good starting point.<\/p>\n

\n
\"Okavango<\/figure>
Okavango Delta<\/div>
Learn more<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>\n

\"Serengeti<\/a><\/p>\n

Ride out in style in the Serengeti<\/h2>\n

Tanzania<\/em><\/p>\n

If there was a land made for horseback safaris, it would probably be the Grumeti, an exclusive reserve on the western border of the Serengeti National Park<\/a>. Waving grass plains and acres of pristine wilderness just cry out to be explored with a four-legged companion and the wildlife in the area is plentiful and stunning. Time your visit right (May to July<\/a>) and you might also be in with a chance of galloping alongside the two-million strong herds of the Great Migration<\/a> as they follow the rains. Riding here is varied and you can choose from two-hour morning rides, full-day explorations or even multi-day adventures. Accommodation-wise, you\u2019ll also find something to suit all tastes; base yourself at the fabulous Sasakwa Lodge<\/a> for a spot of luxury (and a great spa to soothe aching muscles) or up the adventure at Singita Explore Camp<\/a>\u00a0and do exactly as it says on the tin.<\/p>\n

\n
\"Serengeti<\/figure>
Serengeti<\/div>
Learn more<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>\n
\"Kalahari<\/a><\/div>\n

Discover the Kalahari at your own pace<\/h2>\n

South Africa<\/em><\/p>\n

For a bush experience on horseback that\u2019s not of the saddle-whirling, adrenalin-pumping sort, try out the horseback safaris at Tswalu Kalahari<\/a>. Typically, the rides last for around 90-minutes (but can be extended on request) and you\u2019ll trek gently through the golden dunes and grassy plains, the Korannaberg mountains glowing pink and mauve in the background. Wildlife-wise, the reserve is known for its black-maned lion, sable antelope and cheetah, but these rides are more about enjoying the sun on your face and the wind in your hair than galloping around looking for animals. The perfect, laidback introduction to horseback safaris in our opinion!<\/p>\n

Both Tswalu Motse Lodge<\/a> and Tswalu Tarkuni<\/a> in South Africa\u2019s Kalahari offer horse riding as part of their day to day activities. Add either one to the route Grapes and Game Parks<\/a> in South Africa and combine your wildlife-viewing with a little wine-tasting too.<\/p>\n

\n
\"Tswalu<\/figure>
Tswalu Kalahari<\/div>
Learn more<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>\n

\"Kenya<\/a><\/p>\n

Ride wild in Laikipia<\/h2>\n

Kenya<\/em><\/p>\n

According to Winston Churchill, \u201cNo hour of life is wasted that is spent in the saddle\u201d \u2013 and that definitely couldn\u2019t be truer when riding in the Borana Conservancy<\/a> in Kenya\u2019s Laikipia Plateau<\/a>. A slice of pure wildlife heaven, the landscape is a melee of verdant forests, rolling hills and views that will make your eyes water – and the epic, seven-day ride is the ultimate way to explore. Whilst riding makes up most of each day, you\u2019ll also have the opportunity to visit ancient rock art sites and hyena dens and take short bush walks, discovering the smaller flora and fauna as you go. At night, you\u2019ll sleep in a simple fly-camp – but there\u2019s a very comfortable night on either side of the ride in the thatched cottages of Borana Lodge<\/a> to look forward to.<\/p>\n

The beauty of a horse-riding safari in Laikipia is that it combines wonderfully with several other regions in Kenya. Add the Borana North Ride<\/a> to the route Conservation & Culture<\/a> in Kenya and spend a few days in the Samburu<\/a> region after your trip, or go all out with an epic trip around Kenya\u2019s highlights with this route<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n
\"Laikipia<\/figure>
Laikipia<\/div>
Learn more<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>\n

\"Zimbabwe<\/a><\/p>\n

Venture off the beaten track on a Zambezi horseback safari<\/h2>\n

Zimbabwe<\/em><\/p>\n

Zimbabwe\u2019s rugged Zambezi Valley is a little-known area of towering granite rock faces and deep riverine valleys that are rich in wildlife. Dig even further into the beautiful region however and you\u2019ll find the Mavuradonha Mountains, a totally unpopulated area that\u2019s outstandingly rugged and even more unique. With only one real road in the area, the only way to get around is on horseback<\/a> and although the going is tough, the rewards more than make up for it. Here, it really is just you and your horse blazing a trail through the wilderness, accompanied only by herds of elephant and dainty antelope. Oh, and fantastic guide James Varden, who, with 23 years of experience in the area, will make sure you don\u2019t get lost!<\/p>\n

A five-night horse riding adventure in the Mavuradonha Wilderness Area combines perfectly with a safari in Mana Pools<\/a> or Hwange<\/a> or even a flying visit to Vic Falls<\/a>. Simply choose your route, add your lodges and contact us for more details about adding a few days of riding into the mix.<\/p>\n

\n
\"Zimbabwe<\/figure>
Zimbabwe<\/div>
Learn more<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>\n
\n
<\/div>\n
\n
\"General\"General<\/figure>
Design your own trip<\/div>\n Choose a destination, pick your properties and we'll do the rest<\/span>\n
Design a trip<\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\"Masai<\/a><\/p>\n

Gallop with the experts in the Masai Mara<\/h2>\n

Kenya<\/em><\/p>\n

Experienced riders looking for something different in Kenya\u2019s iconic Masai Mara won\u2019t go wrong with one of Offbeat Mara\u2019s epic horseback safaris<\/a>. Operating since the 1980s, Offbeat are the best in the business when it comes to saddles and stallions, and their seven-night adventure is the bee\u2019s knees. The endless, open plains invite long gallops, the Mara Triangle will get you up close to prides of lion and curious giraffe and, from July to October<\/a>, you\u2019ll cross the Mara River with stampeding herds of wildebeest in the Great Migration<\/a>. It doesn\u2019t get better than that.<\/p>\n

Add Offbeat\u2019s seven-night ride to your Kenya itinerary and then rest saddle-sore bottoms on the beautiful Indian Ocean coastline. Our Classic Kenya Bush & Beach<\/a> route will get you started.<\/p>\n

\n
\"Masai<\/figure>
Masai Mara<\/div>
Learn more<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>\n

\"South<\/a><\/p>\n

Take the whole family to the Waterberg<\/h2>\n

South Africa<\/em><\/p>\n

Drive just a few hours north of Johannesburg and you\u2019ll find yourself in the magnificent Waterberg<\/a> region of South Africa<\/a>. It\u2019s a serene and peaceful place that offers superb riding country \u2013 think pristine bushveld, gin-clear streams and a good smattering of wildlife to add some excitement! Lodges Ant\u2019s Nest<\/a> and Ant\u2019s Hill<\/a> both offer gentle horse rides through the private reserve they are situated in, with well-schooled horses that match rider\u2019s abilities from beginner to expert. You can pick from a herd of 60 horses and even take a refresher lesson before riding out into the bush. Kids are also very welcome and as the entire area is malaria-free, it couldn\u2019t be a better choice for a family horseback safari!<\/p>\n

Add either Ant\u2019s Nest or Ant\u2019s Hill to our family safari route<\/a> in South Africa and enjoy quality time together in the bush before heading off to Mauritius for some real R&R.<\/p>\n

\n
\"Waterberg<\/figure>
Waterberg<\/div>
Learn more<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\"Wizard\"Wizard<\/figure>
Not sure where to go?<\/div>\n Answer a few simple questions to get instant trip recommendations<\/span>\n
Start the wizard<\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div><\/a><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Take to the saddle for a wild encounter<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":7534,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[122,173,176],"tags":[3258,2139,3076,3234,3235,2858,53,58,66,5294,70,3226,3227,3230,2786,72,1502,3141,3232,135,3231,1540,79,3239,142,3238,92,3228,93,96,3237,3135,3236,2580,1529,3233,1526,3229,1430],"class_list":["post-7533","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-dream-trips","category-safari","category-top-10s","tag-active","tag-adventure","tag-adventure-travel","tag-ants-nest","tag-ants-hill","tag-borana-lodge","tag-botswana","tag-family-safari","tag-great-migration","tag-horseback-riding","tag-horseback-safari-2","tag-horseriding","tag-horseriding-safari","tag-hwange","tag-kalahari","tag-kenya","tag-laikipia","tag-mana-pools","tag-mara-river","tag-masai-mara","tag-masaii-mara","tag-okavango","tag-okavango-delta-2","tag-ride-botswana","tag-samburu","tag-sasakwa-lodge","tag-serengeti","tag-serengeti-national-park","tag-south-africa","tag-tanzania","tag-tswalu-kalahari","tag-tswalu-motse-lodge","tag-tswalu-tarkuni","tag-vic-falls","tag-victoria-falls","tag-waterberg","tag-zambezi","tag-zambezi-valley","tag-zimbabwe"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nThe Best Horseback Safari Adventures in Africa - Timbuktu<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Atop your trusty steed, you\u2019re no longer merely an observer of the bush; you become part of the natural world. Here are our top horseback safaris!\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.timbuktutravel.com\/blog\/best-horseback-safaris-africa\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Best Horseback Safari Adventures in Africa - Timbuktu\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Atop your trusty steed, you\u2019re no longer merely an observer of the bush; you become part of the natural world. Here are our top horseback safaris!\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.timbuktutravel.com\/blog\/best-horseback-safaris-africa\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Timbuktu\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/timbuktutravel\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2018-08-23T13:06:11+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-04-23T10:28:15+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/timbuktutravel.imgix.net\/2018\/08\/0-ride-botswana-horse-back-safaris-timbuktu-travel.jpg?fm=pjpg&ixlib=php-3.3.1\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1816\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1211\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Katie Jacholke\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@timbuktu_travel\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@timbuktu_travel\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Katie Jacholke\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"9 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.timbuktutravel.com\\\/blog\\\/best-horseback-safaris-africa#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.timbuktutravel.com\\\/blog\\\/best-horseback-safaris-africa\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Katie Jacholke\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.timbuktutravel.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/cd85523c29f813c05c03532d439e22c9\"},\"headline\":\"The Best Horseback Safari Adventures in Africa\",\"datePublished\":\"2018-08-23T13:06:11+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-04-23T10:28:15+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.timbuktutravel.com\\\/blog\\\/best-horseback-safaris-africa\"},\"wordCount\":1841,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.timbuktutravel.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.timbuktutravel.com\\\/blog\\\/best-horseback-safaris-africa#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.timbuktutravel.com\\\/cdn-cgi\\\/image\\\/quality=50,format=auto\\\/https:\\\/\\\/assets.timbuktutravel.com\\\/2018\\\/08\\\/0-ride-botswana-horse-back-safaris-timbuktu-travel.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Active\",\"adventure\",\"Adventure Travel\",\"Ant's Nest\",\"Ants Hill\",\"Borana Lodge\",\"Botswana\",\"family safari\",\"Great Migration\",\"horseback riding\",\"horseback safari\",\"Horseriding\",\"Horseriding Safari\",\"Hwange\",\"kalahari\",\"Kenya\",\"Laikipia\",\"Mana Pools\",\"Mara River\",\"masai mara\",\"Masaii Mara\",\"Okavango\",\"okavango delta\",\"Ride Botswana\",\"samburu\",\"Sasakwa Lodge\",\"Serengeti\",\"Serengeti National Park\",\"South Africa\",\"Tanzania\",\"Tswalu Kalahari\",\"Tswalu Motse Lodge\",\"Tswalu Tarkuni\",\"Vic Falls\",\"victoria falls\",\"Waterberg\",\"Zambezi\",\"Zambezi Valley\",\"Zimbabwe\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Dream trips\",\"Safari\",\"Top 10s\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.timbuktutravel.com\\\/blog\\\/best-horseback-safaris-africa\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.timbuktutravel.com\\\/blog\\\/best-horseback-safaris-africa\",\"name\":\"The Best Horseback Safari Adventures in Africa - Timbuktu\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.timbuktutravel.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.timbuktutravel.com\\\/blog\\\/best-horseback-safaris-africa#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.timbuktutravel.com\\\/blog\\\/best-horseback-safaris-africa#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.timbuktutravel.com\\\/cdn-cgi\\\/image\\\/quality=50,format=auto\\\/https:\\\/\\\/assets.timbuktutravel.com\\\/2018\\\/08\\\/0-ride-botswana-horse-back-safaris-timbuktu-travel.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2018-08-23T13:06:11+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-04-23T10:28:15+00:00\",\"description\":\"Atop your trusty steed, you\u2019re no longer merely an observer of the bush; you become part of the natural world. Here are our top horseback safaris!\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.timbuktutravel.com\\\/blog\\\/best-horseback-safaris-africa#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.timbuktutravel.com\\\/blog\\\/best-horseback-safaris-africa\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.timbuktutravel.com\\\/blog\\\/best-horseback-safaris-africa#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.timbuktutravel.com\\\/cdn-cgi\\\/image\\\/quality=50,format=auto\\\/https:\\\/\\\/assets.timbuktutravel.com\\\/2018\\\/08\\\/0-ride-botswana-horse-back-safaris-timbuktu-travel.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.timbuktutravel.com\\\/cdn-cgi\\\/image\\\/quality=50,format=auto\\\/https:\\\/\\\/assets.timbuktutravel.com\\\/2018\\\/08\\\/0-ride-botswana-horse-back-safaris-timbuktu-travel.jpg\",\"width\":1816,\"height\":1211,\"caption\":\"Botswana - Horseback safaris\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.timbuktutravel.com\\\/blog\\\/best-horseback-safaris-africa#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.timbuktutravel.com\\\/blog\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"The Best Horseback Safari Adventures in Africa\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.timbuktutravel.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.timbuktutravel.com\\\/blog\\\/\",\"name\":\"Timbuktu\",\"description\":\"Stories from Africa\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.timbuktutravel.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.timbuktutravel.com\\\/blog\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.timbuktutravel.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Timbuktu Travel\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.timbuktutravel.com\\\/blog\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.timbuktutravel.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/timbuktutravel.imgix.net\\\/2025\\\/08\\\/logo.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=php-3.3.1\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/timbuktutravel.imgix.net\\\/2025\\\/08\\\/logo.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=php-3.3.1\",\"width\":696,\"height\":696,\"caption\":\"Timbuktu Travel\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.timbuktutravel.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/timbuktutravel\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/timbuktu_travel\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/timbuktu_travel\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.timbuktutravel.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/cd85523c29f813c05c03532d439e22c9\",\"name\":\"Katie Jacholke\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/7c2f43fa2b0236ef83c68a906574d378560e72ccccedcfe7ad82d9b5737a60b9?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/7c2f43fa2b0236ef83c68a906574d378560e72ccccedcfe7ad82d9b5737a60b9?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/7c2f43fa2b0236ef83c68a906574d378560e72ccccedcfe7ad82d9b5737a60b9?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Katie Jacholke\"},\"description\":\"Born and raised in Scotland, Katie went to Zambia in 2011 for a six-month stint as a camp manager in the remote South Luangwa National Park\u2026 and was still there five years later. After moving to Cape Town via seven different countries, she discovered a passion for travel writing and now spends many hours dreaming up Timbuktu\u2019s blog articles, newsletters and marketing content (when she\u2019s not plotting her return to Zambia that is).\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"The Best Horseback Safari Adventures in Africa - Timbuktu","description":"Atop your trusty steed, you\u2019re no longer merely an observer of the bush; you become part of the natural world. Here are our top horseback safaris!","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.timbuktutravel.com\/blog\/best-horseback-safaris-africa","og_locale":"en_GB","og_type":"article","og_title":"The Best Horseback Safari Adventures in Africa - Timbuktu","og_description":"Atop your trusty steed, you\u2019re no longer merely an observer of the bush; you become part of the natural world. Here are our top horseback safaris!","og_url":"https:\/\/www.timbuktutravel.com\/blog\/best-horseback-safaris-africa","og_site_name":"Timbuktu","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/timbuktutravel\/","article_published_time":"2018-08-23T13:06:11+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-04-23T10:28:15+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1816,"height":1211,"url":"https:\/\/timbuktutravel.imgix.net\/2018\/08\/0-ride-botswana-horse-back-safaris-timbuktu-travel.jpg?fm=pjpg&ixlib=php-3.3.1","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Katie Jacholke","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@timbuktu_travel","twitter_site":"@timbuktu_travel","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Katie Jacholke","Estimated reading time":"9 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.timbuktutravel.com\/blog\/best-horseback-safaris-africa#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.timbuktutravel.com\/blog\/best-horseback-safaris-africa"},"author":{"name":"Katie Jacholke","@id":"https:\/\/www.timbuktutravel.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/cd85523c29f813c05c03532d439e22c9"},"headline":"The Best Horseback Safari Adventures in Africa","datePublished":"2018-08-23T13:06:11+00:00","dateModified":"2025-04-23T10:28:15+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.timbuktutravel.com\/blog\/best-horseback-safaris-africa"},"wordCount":1841,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.timbuktutravel.com\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.timbuktutravel.com\/blog\/best-horseback-safaris-africa#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.timbuktutravel.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/quality=50,format=auto\/https:\/\/assets.timbuktutravel.com\/2018\/08\/0-ride-botswana-horse-back-safaris-timbuktu-travel.jpg","keywords":["Active","adventure","Adventure Travel","Ant's Nest","Ants Hill","Borana Lodge","Botswana","family safari","Great Migration","horseback riding","horseback safari","Horseriding","Horseriding Safari","Hwange","kalahari","Kenya","Laikipia","Mana Pools","Mara River","masai mara","Masaii Mara","Okavango","okavango delta","Ride Botswana","samburu","Sasakwa Lodge","Serengeti","Serengeti National Park","South Africa","Tanzania","Tswalu Kalahari","Tswalu Motse Lodge","Tswalu Tarkuni","Vic Falls","victoria falls","Waterberg","Zambezi","Zambezi Valley","Zimbabwe"],"articleSection":["Dream trips","Safari","Top 10s"],"inLanguage":"en-GB"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.timbuktutravel.com\/blog\/best-horseback-safaris-africa","url":"https:\/\/www.timbuktutravel.com\/blog\/best-horseback-safaris-africa","name":"The Best Horseback Safari Adventures in Africa - Timbuktu","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.timbuktutravel.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.timbuktutravel.com\/blog\/best-horseback-safaris-africa#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.timbuktutravel.com\/blog\/best-horseback-safaris-africa#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.timbuktutravel.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/quality=50,format=auto\/https:\/\/assets.timbuktutravel.com\/2018\/08\/0-ride-botswana-horse-back-safaris-timbuktu-travel.jpg","datePublished":"2018-08-23T13:06:11+00:00","dateModified":"2025-04-23T10:28:15+00:00","description":"Atop your trusty steed, you\u2019re no longer merely an observer of the bush; you become part of the natural world. Here are our top horseback safaris!","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.timbuktutravel.com\/blog\/best-horseback-safaris-africa#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.timbuktutravel.com\/blog\/best-horseback-safaris-africa"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/www.timbuktutravel.com\/blog\/best-horseback-safaris-africa#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.timbuktutravel.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/quality=50,format=auto\/https:\/\/assets.timbuktutravel.com\/2018\/08\/0-ride-botswana-horse-back-safaris-timbuktu-travel.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.timbuktutravel.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/quality=50,format=auto\/https:\/\/assets.timbuktutravel.com\/2018\/08\/0-ride-botswana-horse-back-safaris-timbuktu-travel.jpg","width":1816,"height":1211,"caption":"Botswana - Horseback safaris"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.timbuktutravel.com\/blog\/best-horseback-safaris-africa#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.timbuktutravel.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"The Best Horseback Safari Adventures in Africa"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.timbuktutravel.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.timbuktutravel.com\/blog\/","name":"Timbuktu","description":"Stories from Africa","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.timbuktutravel.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.timbuktutravel.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-GB"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.timbuktutravel.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"Timbuktu Travel","url":"https:\/\/www.timbuktutravel.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/www.timbuktutravel.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/timbuktutravel.imgix.net\/2025\/08\/logo.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=php-3.3.1","contentUrl":"https:\/\/timbuktutravel.imgix.net\/2025\/08\/logo.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=php-3.3.1","width":696,"height":696,"caption":"Timbuktu Travel"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.timbuktutravel.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/timbuktutravel\/","https:\/\/x.com\/timbuktu_travel","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/timbuktu_travel"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.timbuktutravel.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/cd85523c29f813c05c03532d439e22c9","name":"Katie Jacholke","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/7c2f43fa2b0236ef83c68a906574d378560e72ccccedcfe7ad82d9b5737a60b9?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/7c2f43fa2b0236ef83c68a906574d378560e72ccccedcfe7ad82d9b5737a60b9?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/7c2f43fa2b0236ef83c68a906574d378560e72ccccedcfe7ad82d9b5737a60b9?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Katie Jacholke"},"description":"Born and raised in Scotland, Katie went to Zambia in 2011 for a six-month stint as a camp manager in the remote South Luangwa National Park\u2026 and was still there five years later. After moving to Cape Town via seven different countries, she discovered a passion for travel writing and now spends many hours dreaming up Timbuktu\u2019s blog articles, newsletters and marketing content (when she\u2019s not plotting her return to Zambia that is)."}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.timbuktutravel.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7533","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.timbuktutravel.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.timbuktutravel.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.timbuktutravel.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.timbuktutravel.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7533"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.timbuktutravel.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7533\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.timbuktutravel.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7534"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.timbuktutravel.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7533"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.timbuktutravel.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7533"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.timbuktutravel.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7533"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}