OKAVANGO HORSE SAFARIS

7 - 10 NIGHTS | FROM £5,390 PP | OKAVANGO DELTA, BOTSWANA

SPORTY LUXURY WILDLIFE SAFARI

OVERVIEW

Okavango Horse Safaris operates out of a 90,000 hectare unfenced private concession in the south west of the Okavango Delta.

The Okavango Delta is a vast inland river delta which floods seasonally covering an area of up to 15,000 square kilometres.

After rainfall from the Angolan highlands flows into the Okavango River, across the Caprivi Strip and into the Kalahari Desert the delta comes to life with lush grassy plains and verdant river systems creating an incredibly beautiful, diverse environment for some of the world’s most endangered species.

There is no better way to savour the Okavango Delta and experience its unparalleled wildlife population than on horseback.

Game is plentiful including elephant, buffalo, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, leopard, lion, cheetah and much more.

HIGHLIGHTS

Exhilarating rides across floodplains, palm islands and forest
Close encounters with elephant, buffalo, lion and wild dog
Over 50 well-schooled horses to match every rider
Luxury ensuite suites and tents on a private river island
Swimming pool and riverside decks between rides
Optional fly-camp — sleep under canvas in remote wilderness
Rest days on offer: game drives, mokoro trips, birdwatching
Small groups of 8, with experienced, safety-focused guides

Overview

RIDE GUIDE

Duration: min three nights, most guests stay 7. No minimum Dec - Feb.

Cost: Seasonal pricing from £5,390 pp for 7 nights

Operator: Okavango Horse Safaris

Where: Maun, Botswana

When: All year

Riding level: This is a sporty ride for advanced riders. Riders must be able to post to the trot for stretches of 10 minutes, be comfortable at all paces, and 'be able to gallop out of trouble.

Non riders: Welcome. Non-Riders have their own guide and enjoy game drives, powerboats, fishing, walks and mokoros. They move with the riding guests to the fly camp and join non-riding activities and picnics.

Weight limit: Maximum of 90kg / 200lbs

Time in the saddle: up to 7 hours a day

HORSES

There is a string of over 50 horses at Okavango Horse Safaris.

The horses are chosen with temperament and suitability at the forefront. Many of the horses are selected from well-known breeders in Botswana and South Africa with others coming from Zimbabwe.

The team are made up of a huge variety of breeds, shapes and sizes to suit all of our guests. We have Arabians and Arabian crosses, Boerperds Thoroughbreds and Thoroughbred crosses as well as Friesian crosses. There are also a number of lovely homebreds on the team.

When not on safari the horses graze the grassy molapos of the delta through the day and come in to their stables as a herd for the night, truly one of the best sights to see in the delta!

ACCOMMODATION

This is a centre-based safari at luxurious Kujwana camp. Guests staying at least five nights during mid and high season can spend up to two nights at fly camp.

The camp is nestled into the island's woodland where you’ll be surrounded by the calls of our incredible birdlife. Expect to visited by the vervet monkeys and enjoy a wake up call from an elephant casually grazing the marula fruits along the river bank. With a total of 6 rooms it’s are a small, exclusive camp perfectly designed for anyone who wants a true wilderness experience with a touch of wild luxury.

All osuites and tents have verandas to relax on and watch the elephants wallow in the crystal clear waters of the delta whilst the king fishers take a well earned break on the over hanging limbs of the riverine trees that line the banks. Lie in bed and listen to the hippos grazing whilst eagerly awaiting the beautiful sunrise that floods the suite with warm light every morning.

GET IN TOUCH

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WHAT'S INCLUDED

Accommodation, meals, drinks supplied locally, riding, game drives, walks & mekoro safaris

WHAT’S EXCLUDED

International flights, charter flight from Maun to camp (see rates below), visas, full travel and medical insurance - which is essential, gratuities for camp staff and guides (recommended £25 per day).

SINGLE SUPPLEMENT

RIVERSIDE SUITES

For honeymoon clients or guests who want to add a little luxury to their stay, we highly recommend the Riverside Suites with an extra large bathroom, additional seating inside and spectular views of the river. This option is available at a surcharge cost of only £105 per night

RIDING LEVEL

You must be an advanced rider with a natural sticky seat to ride in the Delta. Best suited for lifelong riders used to controlling a horse galloping in a herd. You should be able to keep your horse behind the guide at all times, sit and take back control of a horse that shies (pumba can run out of the bushes unexpectedly at any time) and you must be able to maintain light seat (standing in the saddle) at canter without bouncing on the horses back for up to five minutes at a time.

If you used to ride as a child but haven’t been riding much recently please talk to us about where your fitness is. The morning rides are four hours long. If you aren’t riding fit you can choose to join a game drive in the morning and ride in the afternoon for 1.5 hours at walk and trot.

TACK

You’ll ride in South African trail saddles. The tack is of high quality and kept in good condition. Most horses are in snaffle bridles. All saddles come with seat savers and pouches for your camera, suncream and water bottle (provided).

TRANSFERS

Most guests reach camp by flying to Maun via Johannesburg or Cape Town. Flights to Maun normally depart Johannesburg around 10am so you need to ensure that your international flight connects in order to avoid losing a day of your holiday. (BA, SAA and some Virgin flights connect with the Air Botswana flight to Maun).

On your return journey, it is advisable to book the latest available, but certainly not before 8pm in order to avoid the risk of missing your onward connection

There are two options for transfers.

Option 1: Helicopter transfer Maun to/from OHS. The helicopter transfer is a 25 minute scenic flight. This brings you directly from Maun to land on the camp island with plenty of time for afternoon activities. It offers a fantastic opportunity to view the Delta from tree top level and is the perfect way to start your safari. £340 per person one way.

Option 2: Fixed Wing / Seat Rate transfer to/from Maun Via Xaranna Airstrip Please note camp is 1 hours drive from the airstrip and activities on day of arrival and departure may not be possible depending on timings. £280 per person one way.

We recommend the Helicopter transfer.

MEALS

The kitchen team prepares three meals a day plus saddlebag snacks, sundowner canapes, picnic lunches and bush dinners.

Emphasis is on fresh vegetables and salads and as much as possible is sourced locally. Eggs come from the family's chickens in Maun, meat is Botswanan and they buy what veggies we can locally along with an array of condiments made and bottled in Maun. Delicious bread and cakes are baked every day.

Dietary requirements are catered for.

WHAT TO PACK

Refer to our FA Q for what to pack on a horse riding holiday. Once your booking is confirmed we will share a detailed packing list.

All clothing should be neutral coloured to blend in with the bush (Preferably shades of khaki, brown, beige or green) Light weight cottons are advisable. Please take into consideration when you are coming as the weather does vary.

For safety and logistical reasons all bags must be soft sided and easily manageable with a maximum dimension of 35cm x 70cm. Hard suitcases and bags with wheels or frames will not be able to fit into the aircrafts resulting in clients having to repack before they are able to fly.

We recommend that you wear your riding clothes and boots on the plane and bring your hat and wash bag as hand luggage as luggage sometimes gets delayed.

Helmets are not provided and are not mandatory. If you would like to wear one please remember to bring your own.

POWER & INTERNET

Each tent has a multi-plug with UK and US fittings for you to charge all your gadgets.

LAUNDRY

Laundry can be done in camp.

PRICES & AVAILABILITY

You are able to see wildlife all year around in Botswana.

The high season of June to Oct is when the floods are arrive and you experience the typical wetlands that the Okavango Delta is famous for. You will get wet from splashy canters!

June and July are winter months and the temperature can drop to single digits Celsius. You will need a fleece.

September and October is the hottest time of year but has the best wildlife viewing. October can be very hot, some days over 40 degrees.

The green season is when the rain arrives and the baby animals are born.

The mid season has lower water levels.

For full guidance on the benefits of visiting the Okavango Delta at different times of year read our article here.

2026

Standard Rate: 1 January - 27 March & 28 November - 31 December £770 per person per night sharing, £5,390 for 7 nights

Mid Season Rate: 28 March - 29 May & 3 October - 27 November £925 per person per night sharing, £6,475 for 7 nights.

High Season Rate: 30 May - 2 October £1,135 per person per night sharing, £7,945 for 7 nights.

NON-RIDERS

Non-Riders have their own guide and enjoy game drives, powerboats, fishing, walks and mokoros. They move with the riding guests to the fly camp and join non-riding activities and picnics.

THE OKAVANGO DELTA

The Delta is one of the world’s largest inland river systems and one of its most incredible wildlife sanctuaries. Perhaps most remarkable of all, is that this 15,000km2 wetland paradise is located deep within the Kalahari Desert.

Each year, an influx of water from Angola, 1000km to the north, floods into the Delta to create this natural miracle, a patchwork of river channels, lagoons, islands and floodplains.

The area is a magnet for birds and animals and sustains a vast variety of fauna and flora, making it the ideal safari destination at any time of the year.

The Delta boasts a massive elephant population that roams throughout the area, along with large herds of buffalo. Red lechwe, common reedbuck and hippo are most populous in the floodplains, lagoons and channels. Dryland species such as zebra, impala, blue wildebeest and giraffe are commonly found on the sandveld areas; warthog, tsessebe and kudu travel widely. Carnivore sightings occur regularly, mostly commonly are lion and spotted hyena, but leopard sightings are seen regularly and wild dog packs are common.

WEATHER AND CLIMATE

ITINERARY

This is a sample itinerary only. Every day your guide will choose where to take you based on wildlife activity and the weather though over a seven night stay you should experience most of this itinerary.

You'll be met at Maun Airport before a 20 minute transfer by helicopter straight into Kujwana camp, or by light aircraft to the nearest airstrip, which is then roughly an hour’s drive to camp by vehicle or boat (water permitting).
Once you arrive in camp you will be given time to settle into your spacious tents before lunch/afternoon tea and an introductory talk.
This is followed by an orientation ride for approximately 1.5 - 2 hours.
Dinner with your guides and other guests in the lovely raised dining area.
You’ll be woken up in the early morning with a tray of tea or coffee to enjoy in bed whilst listening to the sounds of the bush.
After breakfast, a morning ride in the Xudum area, wading through lush green molapos that lead you from island to island, surprising a timid reedbuck out his dense cover on a heavily wooded island, or enjoy the herds of elephant, buffalos and zebra moving through the open spaces.
Return to camp for lunch followed by a siesta or a swim in the pool. In the late afternoon head out for a peaceful mokoro expedition on the river and enjoy the tranquillity of the Delta from our dug out canoes. Soak up the beautiful colours of the Delta as the sun starts to sink behind the horizon.
A full day ride from Kujwana Camp, of approximately 30km heading to our flycamp. The route moves through open floodplains and scattered islands towards the Qwaapu river system, where you will see a wide variety of game.
A picnic lunch is served on a shady island followed by a siesta with camp beds, maybe a swim, and then a further 2 hours ride in the afternoon. Arrive at our wonderful fly camp at sunset and enjoy a refreshing drink as you admire the stunning views over the floodplain.
You’ll find luxurious tents with comfortable beds, hot showers in your ensuite bathroom and a large mess tent complete with sofas and a library. Fall asleep to the sounds of your horse munching its hay on the picket line.
To give your horse a rest we’ll spend the morning on a game drive incorporating a bush walk and tracking. A drive is the perfect time to go looking for predators, including the endangered African Wild Dog and the numerous leopards we find in this area.
Lunch, a siesta and perhaps some games in camp before an afternoon ride exploring the eastern side of the concession. This ride moves through a variety of game areas fording numerous hippo channels in this truly remote area.
A full days ride back to camp picnicking at a different spot and completing the journey you set out on two days before.
The route takes you through a chain or rain pans, a great contrast to the open flood plains. Mopane forests and acacia woodlands offer a good variety of food for elephant, kudu and giraffe. Breeding herds of elephant enjoy the security of the dense forest and should the pans be holding water, zebra, wildebeest and buffalo can also be found.
A chance to swim your horse back into Kujwana Camp if water levels permit.
A morning ride and chance to try a new horse perhaps one of our lovely homebreds, a wonderful Boerped or one of our many fun Arabs.
A long lunch before a rest then a drive to a bush dinner and night drive back to camp.
A chance to look for nocturnal creatures and do some star gazing.
A morning ride searching for any game that has eluded you throughout the week! Enjoy a barbecue lunch by the pool hosted (and cooked!) by your guide.
After siesta an activity of your choice or simply find a shady spot and enjoy the views with a good book. A final evening dinner with a few tales from your safari to tell!
Early morning game ride if flight time permits before brunch and a goodbye for now.
Don’t worry, you can always come back so many of our guests do!

KUJWANA CAMP

ACCOMMODATION GALLERY

Our four tents offer exceptionally comfortable and stylish accommodation.

Equipped with fans for a refreshing breeze, an ensuite bathroom with a powerful hot shower, high quality linen and gorgeous riverside views, siesta time has never felt so good!

Our living spaces are designed to be welcoming and relaxing areas to while away quiet afternoons and convene for delicious meals and fireside stories.

Our lovely pool and barbeque area is the perfect spot to cool off in after a long ride and enjoy an al fresco lunch.