Saddle up for a horseback safari at Elephants Eye in Hwange. Have you ever dreamt of galloping through the wide open vista of the African bush alongside zebra or a passing herd of impala, like a scene from Out of Africa? Well, now you can make this film fantasy a reality at Elephant’s Eye, Hwange, as our lodge has added horseback safaris to its exhilarating list of life-changing experiences. The optional half-day activity is for experienced riders and takes place in the mornings, from 8 am to 12.30 pm. It’s an experience like no other, one that provides a feeling of deep connection with nature and allows guests to tick a unique safari adventure off their bucket list.
Replace the hum of the safari vehicle with the clip-clop of hooves and occasional soft neighs of your horse. Observe game from a completely different vantage point and feel like you’re part of the action, as the antelope will acknowledge you as one of their own, allowing you to get closer even than on foot. Stop to admire the landscape of grasslands, acacia trees, and waterholes teeming with wildlife. Listen to the cry of the Hwange’s birdlife and the trumpeting of elephants on the move. Be transported back in time to a period when horseriding was the fastest way to get anywhere and is how most explorers originally discovered the continent of Africa. It’s just you, your horse, and the surrounding bush.
Guests are accompanied by an armed guide, as well as a tracker and a safety rider at the back. As one can imagine, riders need to be completely in control of their horses as they are out in the wild. Guides will, of course, be focused on the safety of the guests at all times but it is best for everyone’s experience that no one needs extra attention from guides to help manage their horse when they need to be alert to the surrounding wildlife, for this reason, the horseback safari is only offered for experienced riders who are comfortable at any pace. Allowing riders to take advantage of the horse’s manoeuvrability, height and non-threatening presence in the bush to explore the wild not as a mere observer of wildlife, but part of their circle of life.
After the thrilling outride guests will dismount at the lodge where they can refresh themselves at their tented chalets, washing off the dust and sweat either in their open-air shower or bathtub with a view and then reward themselves with a G&T by the bar reminiscing about their amazing experience in the heart of the African bush.
