WHERE TO GO IN SEPTEMBER
Enjoy a short break in Segovia, Spain and avoid the summer heat. Fast and sporty with a bit of jumping. This ride is one of our most technical so life-long riders, eventers and trail hunters will really feel like this is a proper ride!
Ride from castle to castle in the Loire Valley staying at small, luxury hotels and exclusive ride up access to two of the castles.
September is a great time to head to Africa. The Great Migration has bought millions of wildebeest and zebra to the Masai Mara in Kenya. Namibia is the perfect temperature for fast riding in the now-cooled desert. The floods are still high in the Delta though levels have dropped revealing sandy pathways for fast riding.
September is a wonderful time ride at Castle Leslie in Ireland, just after the busy period, the Estate will be a little less busy but the riding is still ideal.
We are developing a wild horse photography long weekend in Bosnia. You don’t need to ride to join us photograph these beautiful, truly wild horses in beautiful Livno.
FAIRY TALE SEGOVIA | SPAIN
4 Nights | €1,700 | Max 8 Riders | 4* Spa Hotel Accommodation
An easy short-break for experienced riders in stunning Segovia in the heart of Spain. The walled city has a roman aqueduct, a medieval heart and renaissance castles. Even Disney was inspired and the Alcazar was a model for the famous Disney castle.
The riding is fast paced and sporty. You’ll canter and gallop in open fields - a joy for experienced and fit riders. The horses are well trained and forward. We love the combination of incredible views, history and fast riding.
06 -13 September 2026 | Black Saddle Exclusive
13 - 20 September 2026
LUXURY LOIRE | FRANCE
6 Nights | From €3,990 | Max 8 Riders
You deserve the royal treatment and you will get it on our luxury version of the Loire Chateau ride. This progressive ride has you staying two nights each in some of the finest hotels in the Loire, sometimes on the properties of the castles themselves.
You’ll visit Chambord, Beauregard, Cheverny, Chaumont sur Loire, Fougères sur Bièvre, Chateau d'Amboise, Château de Chenonceau and Clos Lucé.
A highlight of this tour is exclusive access to ride up to the Chateau de Beauregard - usually only possible on foot.
Perfect for history buffs, lovers of french cuisine and those looksing for the happily ever after feeling.
Riding time is about 3 hours each day.
13 - 19 Sep 2026
CASTLES OF THE LOIRE | FRANCE
7 Nights | From €2,490 | Max 8 Riders | Scenic progressive ride in lovely hotels
Ride from castle to castle in the majestic Loire valley, stay in three lovely hotels twin share or have your own room for a small supplement. Ride through hunting forests of these magnificent estates, enjoying lunch time picnics and decadent french meals in restaurants for dinner.
Comfortable riding in stunning scenery with enough time to fully tour the castles. This is an excellent ride for history lovers.
September is cooler, away from the summer heat. Each hotel has a pool or spa to relax in after the days activities.
Fully Booked
MACATOO | OKAVANGO DELTA | BOTSWANA
7 Nights | US$7,245 | Max 7 Riders | Luxury Tented Fixed Camp
August is the best time to visit the Delta. The iconic floods have arrived from Angola. The rain in January there takes six months to reach the Delta. The delta is alive and electric, teeming with loads of animals in all directions. The water levels are high and you can enjoy Mokoro boat safaris - you may even be picked up from the airport in one. The dry months are the best time to visit the Okavango Delta for big game viewing due to the concentration of animals around the Okavango flood waters and the thin vegetation allowing good visibility.
Botswana is one of if not the best place in the world to see a wide array of wildlife. There is no better way to savour the Okavango Delta and experience its unparalleled wildlife population than on horseback.
Accommodation is in a lovely luxury tented camps with real flushing loos and wonderful hot showers. The ideal wildlife safari for someone who isn’t keen on camping. This is an excellent honeymoon destination. Non-riders very welcome.
Arrive any time for a minimum of three nights. We recommend seven to get the most out of your stay.
DRY SEASON: 15 JUN – 14 OCT £1,035 per person per night sharing, £7,245 for 7 nights
Discounts on the charter flight transfers for long stays (7 nights is 50% off and get free transfers when staying 10 nights).
9 - 10 Nights | From £6,600 | Max 12 Riders | Mobile Speed Safari
Is this the best safari in the world for fast riding? Andrew Gillies is the horseman in Southern Africa and has perfected the art of the safari. With one of the highest rebook rates of any safari worldwide this should be on everyone’s bucketlist. The horses are athletic and a joy to ride, the going is fast and varied, the scenery changes moment to moment.
September is generally perfect, characterized by high temperatures and almost no rainfall. The Namib ‘winter’ has arrived making the temperatures cool enough for comfortable sleeping. Temperatures often hover around 25°C. However, as the sun sets and evening approaches, there's a noticeable cool-down, with temperatures gently dropping to a more temperate 11°C.
Gallop across the Namib Desert on a fast horse, kicking up dust behind you, sleep under the stars, indulge in incredible food (often featuring local game) cooked up by the two chefs and immerse yourself in an old school adventure style progressive ride that dramatically finishes at the Skeleton Coast. Thrilling, life affirming riding and one of our all time favourites.
NAMIB DESERT: £6,600 | 26 Aug - 05 September 2026 (Fully Booked)
DAMARA ELEPHANT: £7,200 | 29 Sept - 09 October 2027 | BLACK SADDLE EXCLUSIVE
OFFBEAT | MASAI MARA | KENYA
7 Nights | US$11,950 | Max 12 Riders | Mobile Canvas Wildlife Safari
The Great Migration is in full swing in September. Large herds of wildebeest and zebra arrive from Tanzania in pursuit of the best grass. The wildlife sightings are excellent all year around in the Mara and being on the equator you’re likely to have great temperate weather almost all year too.
One of the original riding safaris and very highly regarded in the industry. We know you’ll have the time of your life with world-class guiding and more close calls with wildlife than you can crack a stock whip at. Offbeat is known for adventurous riding, there will be many fast and free gallops across the Mara, you’ll get very close to lions on horseback, and if you come across a tree pushed over by an itchy elephant, you’re free to pop your horse over it. Many of the horses are evented before they become safari horse so are exceptionally well schooled and capable.
A bucket list safari.
05 - 12 September 2026
19 - 26 September 2026
CASTLE LESLIE | IRELAND
3 -6 Nights | From €1,635 | Cross Country or Hacking Holidays
Incredibly popular Castle Leslie is usually fully booked out in August a year in advance. The hotel is stunningly beautiful, you’re accommodated in a stone mansion with the stable just next door. The Irish horses live up to the reputation being sporty and forward with a few school masters in the mix. The riding is adapted to all levels with the bravest riders popping over the 300 jumps on the 1000 acre estate, the pleasure riders enjoying gorgeous hacks at great pace and you can even learn to ride here.
Something for everyone - even your non-riding companion is welcome. There’s plenty for them to do, just ask us!
Arrive any time for a minimum of three nights. Holidays usually start on Sundays.
WILD HORSES PHOTO TOUR| BOSNIA
3 Nights | Cost TBC | Hotel based stay
We are developing a brand new tour - and it doesn’t involve riding. Visit the wild horses of Livno, spending two day photographing them and half a day exploring the town of Livno by quad bike.
Our accommodation will be in a newly developed mountain eco lodge.
No riding experience necessary.
Arrive to and depart from Split, Croatia.
You can express your interest here. We will email you once the details are finalised.
