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10 Days 9 Nights Makalali Ride
10 Days 9 Nights Makalali Ride
These highly personalised riding safaris include incredible game-sightings and some lovely, long canters, in addition to spectacular hospitality. Years of experience and training enable the horses to remain calm in front of big game to ensure close but safe viewings of all of the Big Five, as well as numerous plains game, birds and reptiles. The riding is sporty and fun and the horses are beautifully schooled making them responsive and interesting mounts for accomplished riders.
Highlights
- You ride in the 30,000 hectare Karongwe and Makalali game reserves, home to all of the Big Five.
- These riding safaris are mobile so you can cover greater distances.
- On the main Big Five Safari programme you stay in Wait A Little's main camp, in beautiful tents on wooden platforms built alongside the river, before spending a night sleeping out under the stars.
Route & Itinerary
11 Days / 10 Nights
1
Day 1:
You will be met at either Hoedspruit or Phalaborwa Airport, and transferred to Camp. Depending upon your arrival time at Wait A Little enjoy a light lunch or afternoon tea and coffee. Philip, your guide, does a safety briefing, and then you are introduced to your horse, and go on your first ride. The ride takes you through the area surrounding the camp as you unwind from your journey. This allows you to get to know your horse, and riding style. There are refreshing sun downers, looking out towards the Drakensberg Mountains, before returning to Camp. Here you will enjoy an excellent 3 course meal. Accommodation for the first three nights is in classic style safari tents with en suite bathrooms, mounted on platforms above the Makhutswe River.
2
Day 2:
You are woken with tea or coffee, before a light, continental style breakfast. Now you are ready to go on safari. The weather dictates the routing, and if is cooler, you will ride out to the Croc Dam, and see hippo, fish eagle, a multitude of crocodiles, and water birds. Enjoy a picnic lunch under a shady tree, and a short siesta. You return to Camp in the cooler afternoon, enjoying some wildlife tracking along the way, with your guide.
3
Day 3:
This morning is also spent tracking, and find wildlife, and what better way than on horseback, where you can often get much closer than you would in a vehicle. The thrills of the morning’s sightings are relived over lunch, served on Wait a Little’s terrace. Fresh salads, homemade breads, pizzas and quiches are served together with light meats and cheeses are sure to satisfy. The smell of homemade cake will entice you to tea, and then its off for the evening game drive to the buffalo project.
4
Day 4:
Wake to the sunrise this morning, and set off on a long ride, heading for the Greater Makalali Game Reserve – which is dominated by huge open plains, where you might find yourself cantering next to giraffes, zebras or wildebeest. There are spectacular views on the way to your next camp – Phiva, where you will be staying for the next two nights.
The Camp has been built using the natural materials found around their locations: clay, reeds, wood and skulls have been put to innovative use to make this camp unique, yet firmly nestled in their surroundings. Accommodation is in private chalets, each equipped with en-suite bathrooms, outdoor showers and private salas for your relaxation.
The afternoon siesta is followed by a game drive, with the main aim of looking for lion. After a relaxing sun downer, the drive continues into the evening, when you have the chance to see of the nocturnally active species, such as bush baby, owl, and even leopard. Upon returning to camp, enjoy an excellent dinner, cooked by Makalali’s chefs, famous for their fusion of European and African flavours.
5
Day 5:
Today is for exploring, cutting through the veldt at a canter, twisting and turning around the trees, as your horse carries you nimbly through the undergrowth, changing direction as you guide his course, and having just as much fun as you. Here and there a tree, felled by an elephant, provides an irresistible jump. Lunch is served back at Camp. After a refreshing siesta, you ride out to a nearby dam, where there a number of hippo, and perhaps some crocodiles basking in the sun.
6
Day 6:
Today you head north, and to the luxuries of Garonga Safari Camp. Tucked into the edge of a steep cliff, and overlooking a tributary stream, Garonga is home for the next three nights. The morning ride to Garonga is quite long, but there is the chance of cantering through grassy plains, and tracking wildlife. In the afternoon, you might want to enjoy an aromatherapy treatment back at camp. Dinner is a group arrangement, and you get to meet other lodge guests.
7
Day 7:
After the pampering of yesterday, it is time for another long ride – to Garonga’s tree house. The route takes you over one of the highest points in the reserve, with breath-taking views. Lunch is at the deck – a picnic in true sense. Enjoy some game viewing, while indulging in an excellent meal. Spend the afternoon in the saddle, do further explorations, before returning to Camp.
8
Day 8:
Enjoy further game viewing this morning, it might be elephant, or plains game, but it will be fascinating and diverse. Return to Camp for lunch. This afternoon the activity is a choice of a bird walk, a game drive, or just a lazy few hours at the swimming pool.
9
Day 9:
Today promises to be another full day in the saddle as you make your way across the Reserve to the Wait A Little Camp. Over sun downers, you can discuss the sightings of the last couple of days. Enjoy a sumptuous dinner on this last night of your Safari.
10
Day 10:
An early wake up will get you up for a last, short ride, before your transfer back to the Airport.
Included
- Accommodation in top class game lodges and tented accommodation at Wait A Little main camp
- All meals
- Drinks at Wait A Little and Garonga
- All rides
- Game drives
- Guiding
- Chaps and helmets provided
Excluded
- Flights
- Transfers
- Travel insurance
- Tips & other personal expenses
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We travelled with Falcon Safaris in Zimbabwe and Botswana for 16 days. Falcon designed a wonderful trip with private guide to the most interesting sites in both countries. The organization of the whole trip was excellent, flights within the country, accommodation and activites. The guides were very knowledgable and told us a lot about the countries, their history, people, economy and much more. We visited the Great Zimbabwe Ruins, the Victoria Falls Tour and a number of national parks in both countries.
Rhino tracking was a real adventure! We had tremendous further game drives and saw very many animals - we did the Big Five. We had much more Victoria Falls Activities than planned and enjoyed very much.We strongly recommend Falcon Safaris to everyone planning a trip to Southern Africa and East Africa.
Wonderful trip to Zimbabwe and Botswana with excellent organization and very competent guides
Our Consultant Vimbai was very helpful and accommodating. We stayed at the Elephant hills hotel which was nothing short of amazing.Our activities included a helicopter flight, dinner cruise as well as a morning game drive. All the activities were absolutely amazing.
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We worked with Gertrude to schedule and organize everything and she did an excellent job. I asked a lot of questions via e-mail and she answered everyone in a timely helpful manner. Our guide at Victoria Falls was also great. He met us at the airport, provided a thoughtful tour of the Falls and got us to our next guide in Botswana. Our lodgings at River View Lodge were just as described- very comfortable and excellent food. All the staff were so pleasant and helpful. If I had to do it again I would arrange a morning boat ride as well. We only did the sunset boat rides and they were the high point of our entire trip- we saw so many animals and our guide was very knowledgeable. Just a great experience. Our lodgings at Oddball's Enclave was rustic and we loved it. So great to disconnect from the world for a bit. Leo, our guide, was the best - got us out and about, saw fantastic wildlife and got back to camp safely each time. Doc manages the camp so well. This whole trip was planned and organized by Falcon Safaris and we could not have been happier.
Fabulous, well planned trip
Falcon safaris have given my the correct advice with excellent service. The only suggestion will be to work closer with the lodges to confirm bookings as soon as possible. We have booked and pay our deposit a year in advance. We have only receive our final convermation from Chobe Safari lodge a week before departure. I do realize its not within your controle but with limit alternatives and a group of 14 people it becomes an issue to find alternative accomodation if the booking was cancelled.
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