MOOLMANSHOEK

7 Nights | From £2,450 | South Africa

Beautiful Riding in South Africa

OVERVIEW

Experience comfort, tranquillity, and natural beauty in the heart of the Witteberg Mountains. Nestled at the foot of the majestic Witteberg Mountains, the Sandstone Lodge is the beating heart of Moolmanshoek Nature Reserve — a place where timeless elegance meets untamed wilderness. Whether you’re seeking rest and rejuvenation, a romantic escape, or a base for outdoor adventure, the Sandstone Lodge offers you comfort, charm, and unforgettable views.

Because you never stray far from home, the programme flexes to the group. Riders are split into small groups of similar ability, so the bold can chase the horizon while others take the mountains at their own pace. Ride up to five hours in the saddle a day, break for a gourmet picnic beneath the willows, cool off in a waterfall, and end the day with sundowners over the savanna.

LET’S RIDE

TRIP HIGHLIGHTS

Ride the legendary Boerperd — sure-footed, forward and bred for this terrain
Canter the open plains among giraffe, wildebeest, hartebeest and sable
Discover Bushman rock art estimated at over 400 years old
Summit Sekonjela's Hat, the second-highest peak in the Witteberg range, for views deep into Lesotho
Optional overnight in Holkrans cave around an open fire (summer only)
Ride to the Seven Pools and swim in crystal-clear mountain streams
Picnic lunches, sundowner rides and a game drive to change the pace
Return each night to a warm bed, a fire and the Bamboesbos table

OVERVIEW

RIDE GUIDE

Duration: 7 Nights

Cost: From £2,450

Max Riders: 8

Arrival / Departure: Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

Riding Level: Our rides are for experienced riders who are balanced on their horses and in control galloping in open spaces. We only accept advanced riders for social reasons. Most of our guests are life-long riders.

Airports: OR Tambo (Johannesburg) International, or Bloemfontein

Weight Limit: Maximum of 95 kg / 205 lb

Time in the saddle: Up to five hours a day

HORSES

Moolmanshoek is first and foremost a Boerperd stud. The Boerperd is a true South African breed descended from the horses of the early settlers, hardened by generations in this landscape into an animal that is calm, willing and extraordinarily agile on rock. The young horses are raised loose in the mountains; you will often see them grazing on the slopes above you as you ride.

For guests this means a horse you can trust on ground that looks impossible: sandstone ledges, donga forest, steep canter tracks and long open plains. They are forward and love to move, but they are gentle and level-headed. Every rider is is marched to a horse for their ability and build over the week, and the guides ride with you throughout.

Tack is comfortable English or trail saddles.

ACCOMMODATION

Elegant, Country-Style Accommodation

Standard Queen & Twin Rooms: Comfortable and inviting with fireplaces or Queen Anne stoves for chilly evenings.

Executive and Classic Suites: Spacious and refined with underfloor heating, luxurious furnishings, and private seating areas.

Cosy Rooms: Intimate, budget-friendly rooms for guests looking for a simple yet charming stay.

Each room includes: En-suite bathroom (with bath and/or shower) Coffee & tea facilities Writing desk Fireplace or heating options Fresh linen, towels, and daily housekeeping.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

Full board, with buffet and full English breakfast, light lunches, 3 course dinners nightly, up to 5 hours of riding per day, 1 picnic lunch ride with gourmet picnic, 1 game drive, 1 sundowner ride with cheese platter and sundowners, 1 daily sundowner drink plus half bottle house wine daily, tea, coffee and juice.

WHAT’S EXCLUDED

The price does not include international or domestic flights, mandatory travel insurance, or staff tips (which are optional but appreciated).

RIDING

The terrain in these mountains can be quite rocky and uneven. You must be an experienced, balances rider with good horse sense.

You should be able to control a fit thoroughbred at all paces, ride with soft hands, and be balanced and light in the saddle. If you usually ride in a ring or arena, hold the saddle when you canter, or have not ridden regularly in recent years this would not be the right ride for you.

Most of our riders have ridden for most of their lives.

TRAVEL & VISAS

UK passport holders don't need a visa for tourist visits to South Africa and are granted a stay of up to 90 days on arrival, free of charge. The same visa-free 90-day entry applies to travellers from the US, Ireland, most EU countries, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. Your passport must be valid for at least 30 days beyond your intended departure date (six months is safer) and have at least two blank pages for entry and exit stamps.

At immigration you may be asked to show a return or onward ticket, proof of accommodation and evidence of sufficient funds. South Africa is gradually rolling out an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system, but it currently applies only to a limited pilot group of nationalities and is not yet required for visa-exempt visitors; travellers on other passports should check whether they need an eVisa.

Visitors cannot extend a tourist permit from within the country, so the trip must fit inside the permitted stay. Requirements change, so confirm against the official Department of Home Affairs guidance close to travel.

TRANSFERS

Most riders fly into OR Tambo (Johannesburg), roughly a four-hour drive, though Bloemfontein is closer.

Johannesburg OR Tambo: ZAR 7,000 (≈ £320)

Bloemfontein: ZAR 3,850 (≈ £176)

Per vehicle for up to two passengers.

MEALS

Full board, and generous with it. Mornings open with a buffet and a full English breakfast on the veranda. Lunches are light — often taken out on the trail as a gourmet picnic beneath the willows while the horses graze. Evenings are three courses in the Bamboesbos restaurant around a cosy fire.

The week also includes a sundowner ride with a cheese platter and drinks overlooking the plains, a daily sundowner drink, and half a bottle of house wine per person each day, plus tea, coffee and juice throughout. Dietary requirements are happily catered for with notice.

WHAT TO PACK

Refer to our FAQ for what to pack on a horse riding holiday.

INTERNET

Free Wi-Fi is available in the communal areas of the Sandstone Lodge — the lounge, sunroom and veranda spaces — so you can check in with home, upload photos or catch up on email between rides.

As you'd expect of a working reserve tucked into the Witteberg Mountains, coverage is best in the main lodge rather than in the rooms or out on the trails, and speeds can be modest, so it suits messaging and browsing more than heavy video calls.

For most guests that's part of the appeal: a genuine chance to switch off, ride, and let the mountains do the talking. If you need reliable connectivity for work, mention it before you travel and the lodge can advise on the conferencing facilities..

DATES + RATES

Rates are in South African Rand. We will quote you when you enquire though these rates are very close to the rates you will pay.

2026 (7-night): 01–08 Sep · 14–21 Sep · 06–13 Oct · 20–27 Oct · 03–10 Nov · 14–22 Nov · 01–08 Dec · 15–22 Dec

2027 (7-night): 12–19 Jan · 09–16 Feb · 23 Feb – 02 Mar · 09–16 Mar · 30 Mar – 06 Apr · 04–11 May · 13–20 Jul · 20–27 Aug · 01–08 Oct · 19–26 Oct · 02–09 Nov (cherry picking) · 16–23 Nov (cherry picking) · 30 Nov – 07 Dec · 14–21 Dec.

To make an enquiry you can fill in an obligation-free Rider Profile and we will get back to you with loads of information and availability.

GET IN TOUCH

Fill in an obligation-free rider form and we will share information on the ride

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Moolmanshoek

Welcome to Moolmanshoek, owned and operated by the Nel family. Secluded in the majestic Witteberg Mountains of the Eastern Free State of South Africa, Moolmanshoek’s legacy spans centuries, from its early beginnings to the thriving conservation area it is today.

Moolmanshoek offers diverse experiences, from unforgettable horseback adventures to tasteful accommodations, a spectacular wedding venue and serene mountain trails, encompassing 3300 hectares of open sky inspiration.

As a Natural Heritage Site, the Moolmanshoek landscape consists of endless green pastures and mountain streams cascading down rock faces, forming natural plunge pools. Wildlife thrives in this area, providing guests with opportunities to spot eland, black wildebeest, springbok, ostrich, zebra, warthog, porcupine, jackal, caracal, serval and more.

For nature lovers, Moolmanshoek offers stunning views from Visierskerf, Sekonjella’s Hoed, or the Pyramid mountains, which can be explored through epic hikes, trail runs or horseback expeditions.

Moolmanshoek is not just a unique destination, it’s a canvas for family-inspired memories and unparalleled outdoor adventures.

ITINERARY

As Moolmanshoek is a lodge based ride this itineray is shared as a guide. During your stay your hosts will tailor your holiday to get the best out of the weather.

Arrival in the afternoon to a light lunch on the veranda of the main lodge. Settling into rooms of your choice (cozy, classic, or luxury rooms charged according to your preference) before enjoying a late afternoon introduction to the stable yard and some of our horses, along with an orientation of the lodge and immediate settings.
Drinks and welcome snacks on the veranda of the W.E.B. (Wiesman Equestrian Barn).
Dinner in the Bamboebos Restaurant.
Breakfast on the veranda followed by a morning 4 hour yellow loop trail, through the fairy forest and a climb on to the ridge behind Sekonjela’s Hoed, following a long canter track to the view point overlooking the Maluti Mountains in Lesotho.
The ride back into the shadow of Sekonjela’s Hoed stops off at the Shower Pools, a unique waterfall hidden in a cave on the side of the rocky outcrop. Here riders brave enough can enjoy a refreshing shower under the waterfall of spring water.
Mounting up, the ride back down the valley takes you down steep slopes of sandstone with breathtaking views of the Moolmanshoek Valley, where you will be amazed at the dexterity of our incredible Boerperd, as they negotiate the slopes with ease.
Light lunch on the veranda before afternoon ride
Afternoon ride includes sundowners overlooking the plains
Dinner in Bamboesbos restaurant around a cosy fire
Early breakfast before setting off on Picnic lunch ride to discover the Bushmen Paintings.
This ride takes us on the middle section of the Endurance blue loop, skirting the ridges behind the lodge. We will explore the overhangs where we find bushman paintings estimated to be over 400 years old. After exploring the first bushmen painting site, we ride over the mountains giving us spectacular views into Lesotho, before descending into the valley where we explore more bushmen paintings with a sacred entrance tunnel into the mountains.
Large herds of red hartebeest, black wildebeest, impala, giraffe and sable antelope can be discovered on the ride. A short ride down into the valley to enjoy a picnic lunch under the willows, where we can relax in the shade as our horses graze nearby. This trail is a slower pace, with some long canters before we climb up the mountain.
After our leisurely lunch, we ride back to the lodge.
Three course dinner at the Bamboesbos Restaurant.
Breakfast on the veranda before Holkrans ride departure.
A breathtaking ride through the donga forest with some exciting canters up steep trails, following a scenic route up the mountains with beautiful views into Lesotho. As we summit Sekonjela’s Hat, the second highest peak in the Witteberg Mountain Range we discover unbelievable views from the summit back to Moolmanshoek over Lesotho. All our young horses are raised in these mountains and can often be seen on our ride. Working our way back to the shower pools where, in the summer months, we enjoy a refreshing dip in the pools before indulging in a delicious picnic lunch as we warm up on the sandstone rocks.
Mounting up, we follow narrow trails, passing the rare mountain bamboo that was discovered on the reserve, resulting in it becoming registered as a Natural Heritage Site.
We ride on to discover Holkrans, a large cave chamber where a unique water break has resulted in the rocky overhang, looking out over the Sandstone Ledges.

This unique cave offers an overnight experience for the adventurous, where, in the company of friends both old and new, you warm up around an open fire. One could almost imagine how the cave dwellers of old would gather around a similar fire, sharing stories and the history of their culture. Sleep on comfortable stretcher beds and fall asleep to the sounds of nature, as the fire casts its glow on the beautiful sandstone overhang. Your horses graze contentedly a short distance away.
However, winter months are incredibly cold, therefore overnight stays are restricted to the summer months in fair weather. This overnight experience is subject to availability due to conditions that need to be met.
For guests that have chosen the overnight experience, wake to the smell of delicious coffee brewing over the open fire, where you will join your fellow riders for a scrumptious breakfast cooked over the coals.
The ride back down finds you riding past our Sugarbush Protea trees. Incredible views looking out over the valley as our sure-footed horses carefully pick their way down the mountain slopes amongst sagewood, red hairy heath, ouhout and a variety of fynbos species. A ride to remember!
For riders that have not overnighted in the cave, this morning’s ride takes us along the ridge at the foot of the Pyramids to discover the Adventure Centre at Langesnek, where there is the opportunity to book abseiling or high ropes for those adventurous enough, or to continue the ride through the valley behind Langesnek and on to the long open plains of the neighbouring farm, to discover vast herds of wildlife and the numerous “White Blesbok”.
Riding through the wetlands to discover magnificent bird life before exploring the tracks along side a small dam, where countless waterfowl can be observed. Lovely long windy canters back towards the lodge.
Lunch back at the lodge before enjoying a game drive in the afternoon for a change of pace.
This trail includes amazing game encounters as we canter through the open plain areas before a climb up the steep ridge leading up to Jacobsberg. Incredible views over the reserve before continuing to follow the valley’s edge in the shadow of Virsierskerf to discover the seven pools trail. On a hot summer’s day, the option of a swim in the pools to enjoy the crystal clear mountain streams is an option before mounting up again to ride back through the plains.
After enjoying another scrumptious breakfast on the veranda, we head out on an exciting ride up the Pyramid Mountain Trail.
Climbing the Pyramid Mountain from the rear coming out between the two pyramids, riders head down over the side of the second pyramid onto the plains, nice canters to the rocky outcrop overlooking the savannah. Game can be discovered amongst the high peaks, grazing contentedly on the steep mountain slopes above you as you ride. Amazing views and lovely rolling canters on the return ride. Enjoy the view of large herds of plains game on the open savanna en route back to the lodge.

Afternoon at your leisure or a short late afternoon game viewing ride on the plains.
It’s never easy to say goodbye, particularly at Moolmanshoek. After a week of camaraderie and adventures, its time for a final ride through the plains to bid adieu to this piece of paradise.
Enjoy a brunch on the veranda before final goodbyes and departure.