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Safari South-Africa & Botswana
  • Norah Benmeridja

Safari South-Africa & Botswana

A 10-day adventure by Norah Read more
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  • Trip start
    July 11, 2019
    Norah BenmeridjaSafari South-Africa & BotswanaTraveler

    Departure Time

    July 11, 2019 in Belgium ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    Hi there! My name is Norah, and together with my Twin sister we're about the experience the journey of our life: It’s finally departure time for a safari by horse in South-Africa!

    We've had sleepless nights dreaming about this vivid adventure by horse, what better way to discover the Big Five by horse? You get to come extra close, feel the excitement and danger from closely and truly blend in nature. Both of us were very happy to start this adventure together, because what better way to share such incredible journey than with your own family.

    After our positive experiences with "Vakantie Te Paard" (aka In The Saddle in UK) in Brazil and Finland, we definitely wanted to go for another ride this year, 2019. Stephanie did an amazing job guiding us through all questions and materials, so everything was well prepared and ready for departure. Saddle the horses, here we come.

    Tip: Lara and I bought 2 Power banks of 18k mAh, because we weren't sure about the electric facilities in our tent camps. These power banks are quite small, but still considerable weight, so depends on your personal preference. We took this capacity because it can charge iPhones covering 3 days. Personally, I had 3 iPhones with me: one for the excellent camera, one for the blog writing and apps (takes more energy) and one spare iPhone. Looking back at it, I didn't need my spare one, but I was happy to bring two iPhones so we could constantly charge to other one when riding. So, depends on yourself, but the power banks we would really recommend (especially in Botswana).

    Tip: Always try to ask for an upgrade to business class at the canter of the airport when checking in. Lara proved this brilliant idea, because sometimes airline companies give away left-over seats in business class for fair prices. And lucky us, we had the two final seats available for just €70 extra (flight from Brussel to Cairo, 4hour flight). This not only gave us additional leg space and bigger sleeping beds, but also access to airport business lounge (Brussels Airport) with free food, drinks and good Wi-Fi. Out trip started off well I'd say! Here we go.    Read more

  • Norah BenmeridjaSafari South-Africa & BotswanaTraveler

    Climate in South-Africa

    July 11, 2019 in Belgium ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    Why go on winter safari in Africa you’re thinking? Winter or Summer, it’s always a good time to go to South-Africa. Still the best timing for a safari is during winter (dry winter month from June to August) and spring (September to November).

    In winter animals are thirsty and gathering around water holes and rivers. Also, the grass is much smaller, so you'll have a better chance to spot animals. Last but not least: no mosquitos or insects during winter, because it's simply too cold for them. Western tourists as we are, we were very happy to ride during winter months.

    For those lovers of spring, from September to November the rivers start to flood again with water, providing nutrition and food to the animals and plants. The environment starts to floral with beautiful colours and new baby animals are born. Also, big recommendation.

    Looking at the climate in South-Africa, there is four options. When landing in Johannesburg, we’ll drive to Camp Davidson close by Matlapeng Reserve (3h), meaning we’re staying the Temperate Climate Zone. This means warm temperatures during the day (15 - 26 degrees Celsius) with rather cold nights (4 - 10 degrees Celsius). So, don’t underestimate the cold nights and pack some warm cloths.

    Tip: Looking back at the adventure, I would truly recommend some warm slippers (with sheepskin) to keep your feet warm in your lodges. After the horse riding, you'll be happy to slip into some comfortable shoes with warm socks.    Read more

  • Norah BenmeridjaSafari South-Africa & BotswanaTraveler

    The Big Five Game

    July 11, 2019 in Belgium ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    So, what is "The Big Five Animals”? It means: the elephant, buffalo, rhino, lion and leopard (from biggest size to smallest). The term was used by big-game hunters, referring to the five most difficult animals in Africa to hunt on by foot, but now it's also widely used by safari tour operators.

    The elephant is known as world’s largest land mammal, weighing up to 7 ton. They can live up to 70 years and reside mostly in big groups. Knowing they're herbivore, elephants need to consume up to 300kg of plants per day. Very often resources are scarce, so the animals wander around and end up on the agricultural fields of poor farmers.

    Next up the buffaloes. They look like innocent cattle, but nothing is less than it seems. The animals are considered to be one of the most dangerous animals in Africa. Did you know even hunters fear them? Then can grow sizes up to 3m long and weight up to 600kg.

    The rhinos are very interesting, because of their impressive size and rare appearance. Mostly known sub-species are the Black Rhino and White Rhino. These two types differ in upper lip, not in colour: The White Rhino is actually grey, but ancient people were talking about the animal as the "wide" type, because of its "wide" mouth for grazing. Today they’re still being hunted for their horns, so they live in protected areas. We were never allowed to share pictures from the Rhinos we've spotted, because hunters might localise the animals by looking at the surroundings.

    Then the lion, the king of the Africa jungle. They are one of the most social cats, living in prides up to 20 lions (1-4 males per pride). Lions are widely spread in South-Africa and Botswana, with the biggest difference that South-Africa is all fenced (National or private Parks) whilst Botswana is not. That’ because South-African land can be bought privately, including the animals, as in contrary to Botswana where only land can be bought but the animals remain proprietary of the government. That's how we understood auctions are a big thing in South-Africa, so that private land owners can introduce new game into their lands without them running away.

    Finally, the Leopard. This animal is very rare to see, as they're night hunters. They differ from cheetahs by looking at the legs and skin "rosettes": Leopards have shorter legs and “rosette” marks on the skin, whilst cheetahs have longer running legs and more round spots on the skin. If you’re lucky to spot a leopard, you’ll probably just see one because the live solitaire (unless for mating). They can produce nests up to 3 babies all your round.

    Now time to see them ourselves. Cannot wait.    Read more

  • Norah BenmeridjaSafari South-Africa & BotswanaTraveler

    The Itinerary

    July 11, 2019 in Belgium ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    // Day 1 - Friday 12.07 - South Africa (SA) //
    From Johannesburg South-Africa to Camp Davidson (3h drive). Time for Lunch and first encounter with our guides and safari horses.
    🐾 Animals we've spotted: Hippos, antelopes (impala and kudu) and zebras.
    ⛺️ Sleeping spot: Glamping Lodge (Camp Davidson).

    // Day 2 - Saturday 13.07 - SA //
    Morning and afternoon ride in Matlapeng Reserve, with lunch back in Camp Davidson.
    🐾 Animals we've spotted: Zebras, antelopes (impala, kudu, wildebeest), ostriches, hyenas.
    🐎 Tempo: tracking pace in walking, trot or counter.
    ⛺️ Sleeping spot: Glamping Lodge (Camp Davidson).

    // Day 3 - Sunday 14.07 - SA //
    Morning ride in Matlapeng Game Reserve. followed by jeep safari in Entabeni Game Reserve after lunch in Camp Davidson.
    🐾 Animals we've spotted: Rhinos, lions, giraffes, jackals, antelopes (kudu, impala, wildebeest).
    🐎 Tempo: tracking pace in walking, trot or counter.
    ⛺️ Sleeping spot: Glamping Lodge (Camp Davidson).

    // Day 4 - Monday 15.07 - SA //
    Day ride in Matlapeng Game Reserve, with lunch at private property.
    🐾 Animals we've spotted: Antelopes (kudu, impala, wildebeest), jackals, giraffes.
    🐎 Tempo: high speed with long canters.
    ⛺️ Sleeping spot: Glamping Lodge (Camp Davidson).

    // Day 5 - Tuesday 16.07 - SA & Botswana //
    Morning ride going back to Horizon. Afternoon it’s time to head towards Botswana, towards Mashatu Game Reserve (4-5h drive). Afternoon we had the test and small ride to our tent Camp.
    🐾 Animals we've spotted: hippos (SA), giraffes, ostriches, antelopes, jackals, zebras (Botswana).
    🐎 Tempo: tracking pace in walking, trot or counter.
    ⛺️ Sleeping Spot: Glamping Lodge (camp Two Mashatus).

    // Day 6 - Wednesday 17.07 - Botswana //
    Long morning and afternoon jeep safari in Mashatu Game Reserve.
    🐾 Animals we've spotted: elephants, antelopes (kudu, wildebeest, impala), lions, cheetahs, leopards, wild cats, crested porcupine, baboons.
    🐎 Tempo: tracking pace in walking, trot or counter.
    ⛺️ Sleeping Spot: Glamping Lodge (camp Two Mashatus).

    // Day 7 - Thursday 18.07 - Botswana //
    Long morning ride and afternoon safari by foot starting from the Horizon Tree camp.
    🐾 Animals we've spotted: elephants, antelopes, baboons, zebras, crocodile.
    🐎 Tempo: high speed counter.
    ⛺️ Sleeping Spot: Glamping Lodge (camp Two Mashatus).

    // Day 8 - Friday 19.07 - Botswana + SA //
    Morning ride in Mashatu Game Reserve back to Horizon Botswana. Finally, heading back to the airport of Johannesburg in South-Africa (5h drive).

    // Day 9 - Saturday 20.07 - back Home //    Read more

  • Norah BenmeridjaSafari South-Africa & BotswanaTraveler

    Transit in Cairo, Egypt

    July 11, 2019 in Egypt ⋅ 🌙 31 °C

    We arrived safe and sound in Cairo, Egypt for a transit of 3 hours to Johannesburg. Unfortunately, the flight was already scheduled with delay of 45min. So, after our Business Class upgrade with EgyptAir, we tried to enter the Business Lounge in airport as well. Points for us because we actually made it inside without paying anything, knowing that is costs normally 40$ per person.

    The story is that actually our VISA’s got declined (which is very strange, because VISA should work internationally and Lara even tried out 3 VISA’s), they didn’t accept cash, so we were basically stuck to a wall with no food or drinks to buy in the entire airport. So the guy allowed us to sneak in, so thankful!

    Funny side note: The guy was clearly flirting with us, so there was definitely some room to score a free entrance. “Do you have a map? Because I’m lost in your eyes.” - please Mister that won’t work. But thank you for letting us in. You can have a picture in return (which actually happened as the Chef wanted one).

    Tip: Activate your debit card for transit countries as well. In this case, Egypt was not activated because we stayed there only for 3-4 hours. As our VISA was not working, luckily they accepted cash (€ or $).    Read more

  • Norah BenmeridjaSafari South-Africa & BotswanaTraveler

    Safely arrived in South-Africa

    July 12, 2019 in South Africa ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    After our 7h flight, we made it to South-Africa. The flight was very comfortable as we were seated next to the emergency exit. We managed to sleep on the ground with our legs upright on the chairs. Imagine that image coping pasted by two: yes, we are twins, are we were doing exactly the same thing. Unfortunately, no picture from that.

    When entering the airport, it was already 8.30am, whilst we should have arrived at 7am. We contacted Laura from the agency via WhatsApp (free Wi-Fi here yes) to notify her from the long queues. Finally, at 9.45 we made it to her (almost 3h later).

    Surprising discovery: When entering the douane, each person is scanned by a facial heat sensor to check if you’re ill with low body temperatures. This could indicate you have a serious disease, potentially damaging this country. Think of deadly Ebola disease which is still residing in some African countries. Good initiative, but very strange feeling.

    Finally, we made it to the group. The driver Abraham was very nice and told us the group was complete now with about 10 riders. One member (Severine) even arrived the day before, so some were really excited to start of the journey. Off we went all together for a 3h drive to Horizon and Camp Davidson.

    Tip: Exchange your money in the airport, because there is no option to do it along the way. We exchanged each 100 EUR per person to South African rand (ZAR) and it was enough to cover the full trip. No need to get Botswana pula (currency Botswana, P) because the guides in Botswana accepted ZAR as well.

    Tip: No need to buy a local adapter, because Horizon SA and Botswana both have facilities with European plug (flat, two-pole, round-pin with 250 V). We did buy one, but never had to use it.    Read more

  • Norah BenmeridjaSafari South-Africa & BotswanaTraveler

    Road to our first Camp

    July 12, 2019 in South Africa ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    Along the way we passed Pretoria, which is known as the government city - which we could understand looking at the beautiful lodges and residential houses. The highway is mostly 2-laned with English driving style on the left, with beautiful savanna images surrounding our journey. I was trying to spot some animals, but the driver told us that it would be very hard during day-time.

    Next, we encountered several payment stops and even roadblocks by the police, searching for drugs or other illegal items. Luckily the driver knew what to do on those situations, so we never had any issue - even when pulled over once. Just that one sign still shows how careful you must be in South-Africa stating “Potential crime for the next 5km, so do not stop”. The driver explained several local communities reside inside the savanna bush and come out at night towards highways to stop cars and potentially look for food or drinks. So better not stop in order not to be stolen of.

    We also noticed some agriculture along the way, such as large wheat cultivations. Strange to see dry red savanna soil suddenly change to green soils - of course fed by human watering system. Also, the agricultural territories are round instead of squares, so that machines can cultivate them easier. As space is not an issue in this enormous savanna, they are quite smart to do so. In the province of Limpopo, they mostly grow oranges and avocados, so you see many little selling spots along the road.

    After 1h, the road became bumpier and changed to 1-lanes, so we knew we were entering the bush. We passed along an auction place for antelopes. The animals are sold to other national or private parks. Apparently, the Kudu is the best animal to breed. We even passed a small prison, local shops and KFC store. Those American franchises are everywhere, even in the savanna bush.

    Finally, we took a 30min sand road and arrived at the domain of Horizon. We dropped off Lena as she was doing only the South-African tour and we continued to Camp Davidson for our African Explorer in South-Africa and Botswana.    Read more

  • Norah BenmeridjaSafari South-Africa & BotswanaTraveler

    Welcome to Camp Davidson

    July 12, 2019 in South Africa ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    Around 1.30pm, we made it to Camp Davidson guided by Rachel. She explained that the week would be basically all about eating and riding, which are the two things we absolutely love this most. Seems like we're already at the right spot.

    Next, we were introduced to our lodges and accommodation. Lara and I had tent 1, but I wouldn't really call it a tent, because it was more glamping. It was just amazing! Rachel explained us how baboons trashed our tent the previous night, so they didn't have enough time to fix it. This resulted in our bathroom with open roof. We could already see ourselves have a bathroom stop or shower outside under the stars.

    The main living room was a big tent, with this beautiful zebra carpet and colonial furniture. We could already see ourselves reading some books in here, or chit-chat around the table during all meals. We also noticed the big swimming pool when walking towards the living room tent, it was breath-taking! The view, the colour of the water and the jungle around it: so perfect. There are no mosquitos in winter, however the water was a bit too cold to swim (10 degrees Celsius). But I might try out the sun beds later. Love this place!!    Read more

  • Norah BenmeridjaSafari South-Africa & BotswanaTraveler

    Lunch time: Meet the chef

    July 12, 2019 in South Africa ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    Lunchtime was in group together in the main tent, cooked by Bryan and his lovely assistance Helen. Helen had never seen a twin before, so she asked us to take a selfie to post on her social media. We had a good laugh. Such warm people!

    Bryan really surprised us with his excellent level of food. It’s amazing what they can do with so limited resources and equipment, they kept surprising us every time. Bryan himself was very humble, but still very proud of his “boiling bread”. He makes this bread boiling it into a pan instead of an oven, because they simply don’t have an oven. He puts the dough into a plastic bag, inside a pan, and then boils it. The bread tastes exactly the same as any other conventional bread and maybe even more delicious!

    The meals contained a lot of fresh vegetables, fruits and protein, so that we'd be well equipped for the horse riding later. Even our vegetarian ladies had their own proper cooked meals with beans and other alternatives. Bon appetite!    Read more

  • Norah BenmeridjaSafari South-Africa & BotswanaTraveler

    Safari rules for our first ride

    July 12, 2019 in South Africa ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    After introduction to our fantastic guides Owen and Bianca, it was time to align all together upon the rules for horse riding in the jungle:

    1) Never dismount your horse in the jungle, because you might need your horse to outrun a dangerous situation. Even when the horses are scared, calm them down but never jump off.

    2) When there’s a dangerous situation with animals trying to charge (means attack), the front guide will try to resolve the situation by making whipping sound (sounds like a gunshot), so that meanwhile the group can escape taking the backdoor with the back guide. If necessary, the guides are allowed to kill the animal, because the wild animals are smart so whenever they encountered a conflicting situation with humans, they’ll keep remembering it and be even more aggressive next time. That’s why unfortunately you’ll need to take them down. During that fight, if there’s one person to be killed, it will be the guides giving their lives for the group. Just like a captain of his ship: they will stand and take full responsibility of the situation.

    3) When facing a lion, never turn your back and never run away. Simply stay on the horse and start walking backwards. The guide will take over and shoot in the air or flap the whip, so the group can escape. As long as the guide is not in-flight mode, the lion won’t chase the group.

    4) When facing buffaloes, run for your live. As said before, they are one of the deadliest animals in Africa, so you don’t want an angry herd chasing you. Their deadly capability lies into their grouping, speed and sharp horns.

    5) Never reach an animal closer than your guide.

    6) You’re allowed to walk and trot next to each other, but during canter (galop) stay in one line or the horses start outracing each other.

    7) Last but not least, enjoy the ride and the crazy adventure !!

    Tip: Besides your riding gear (pants, riding boots or shoes & chaps, helmet, gloves), also bring a scarf for the dust. As we will be cantering many times through the dusty and sandy jungle, you might need a scarf to protect your mouth and nose for breathing.    Read more

  • Norah BenmeridjaSafari South-Africa & BotswanaTraveler

    Day 1 - Antelopes & Zebras

    July 12, 2019 in South Africa ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    After arrival, lunch and tea time, it was already time for our first safari by horse. Today we would take it slow, just so we could get to know the horses and riding style along with the group. I was surprised how smooth everything went, the horses and full group (10 people!) were all at a very good level and coherent speed. We did mostly walk and trotting, but many canters as well to enjoy our first savanna rides. And there they were: our first animals to admire in the savanna: antelopes, zebras, ostriches and aardvarks.

    1) The antelopes were quite frequently present in this Matlapeng valley, however they stay impressive to watch at. We saw both Impalas and Kudus, both known antelopes with the beautiful antlers for the males. The Impala is the most common antelope in the bush, which are way smaller as compared to Kudus.

    2) Of course, the zebras couldn’t miss out, so we encountered several small herds of zebras, quietly grazing without any disturbance of our horses. We could observe them from very close by, as horses are very quiet and peaceful animals themselves. It was almost as if we were blending in the wildlife. Amazing! Olwen told us you see the difference between male and female by the size of the belly and the stripe under the tail: females have a bigger belly and black stripe under the tail, whilst males have smaller bellies and white stripe under the tail.

    3) Next, we also saw some ostriches. They were passing by and funnily picking the ground. These animals keep amazing me, they look so weird yet some form of elegance with the feather package and small neck and legs. They can run very fast and be dangerous so we couldn’t get too close.

    4) Finally, he big deep holes in the ground are made by aardvarks, also called “earth engineers” in Afrikaans because of their brilliant digging and making of underground halls. Even though aardvarks damage roads and fences, they are regarded as important ecosystem engineers. The aardvarks create structures which may hide food resources and provide refuge for other species from predators, climatic extremes and fires.    Read more

  • Norah BenmeridjaSafari South-Africa & BotswanaTraveler

    Evening at the pool

    July 12, 2019 in South Africa ⋅ 🌙 14 °C

    After we returned back to the lodge, a refreshing picnic box was awaiting us at the pool with several drinks. We were enjoying a wonderful Cyder Beer or Grapefruit Juice next to the pool, enjoying each other’s stories along with a beautiful sunset. Just breath-taking!

    As soon as the sun set, you feel temperature dropping down immediately towards 8 degree. Time to get a warm shower and put on some warm clothes for dinner. Bryan did again an amazing job cooking 3-course menu, along with some African red and white wines. Finally, we ended the day in beauty with beers or hot tea along the fireplace. What a start!!    Read more

  • Norah BenmeridjaSafari South-Africa & BotswanaTraveler

    Day 2 - Good morning South-Africa

    July 13, 2019 in South Africa ⋅ ☀️ 8 °C

    Good morning lovely South-Africa! We were woken up by Bryan the chef with some fresh hot tea on our bed. He opened the doors and allowed the sunlight to come in. As the sun rises only at 7.30am in winter, the day was still waking up itself along with the animals. We could already hear the snoring of our horses nearby, they were ready for the ride! So, after breakfast with freshly baked croissants, we started of the morning ride on Day 2.

    First stop was the main camp of Horizon, so that Richard and Aisling could switch to another horse. As our firs ride was an introduction ride, any rider could give feedback about this horse and switch if needed. Horizon herds 94 horses (!) in total, so choice enough to switch to another horse. They use horses only 20 days per month, because of the exhausting trail so that’s why they have so many.

    On our way to the Horizon camp, we saw the African Sea Eagle. It’s a big beautiful eagle with a white head.

    When arriving at the camp, the border collie dog was welcoming us with his branch in its mouth. We had a quick toilet stop, but I couldn’t resist to check out the swimming pool with this amazing view on the lake with hippos (once in a while). This place is absolute paradise! Camp Davidson belongs to the same owners (group of 4 South-African shareholders), both very luxurious camps, yet one with nature.    Read more

  • Norah BenmeridjaSafari South-Africa & BotswanaTraveler

    Morning Ride - Giraffes

    July 13, 2019 in South Africa ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    So Today our major priority was to look for the giraffes. Long-necked animals in a low-bushed area how hard can it be? Well I can tell you, it sure isn’t an easy cookie to trace down these animals. With their spotted skin, they blend in perfectly with the trees and graciously hide themselves. Luckily bless god, we found them at the end of our morning ride just returning back to the camp. Just as we were about to give up hope for (after 3h of searching) we spotted the animals just next to the entering gate of our lodge’s domain. Wow what an experience!!

    We saw 3 giraffes, a male with his 2 females. In the whole domain there’s 5 giraffes in total: just 1 male and 4 females, so the male has to split him up into groups of 2 because the ladies don’t like each other that much. So once in a while he just switches camp and enjoys his female company. As the male is still very protective over them, he can get quite aggressive so we couldn’t approach them too close. Luckily, we went close enough to get beautiful pictures and views on these gracious and elegant animals.

    They feed on leaves of trees (that’s why for obvious reasons their long neck), with main preference for the Victoria Tree. Apparently, the juice of this tree was used as abortus medium back in the ancient times. Today local people still drink it as tea, but in small amounts because it can get poisonous. This way everything gets recycled in the savanna: the grass by antelopes and zebras, old or sick animals by hyenas and high-up trees by giraffes. So blessed to see these animals, felt so unreal. As if we were walking in the zoo, on the back of a random horse. Just wow.

    Along the way we also passed some ostriches again, zebras, impalas and kudus. In one scene there was even zebras together with just 1 impala, because they wanted to take care of him. He had wandered off the group, so now he found comfort with another animal species. Beautiful how nature collaborates and survives this way.    Read more

  • Norah BenmeridjaSafari South-Africa & BotswanaTraveler

    Afternoon ride - Hyenas

    July 13, 2019 in South Africa ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    After lunch, it was time to grab the horses for a new ride. I love watching them rest all together in the sand stable, they look so peaceful. For the afternoon ride, Olwen told us we wouldn’t see many animals but have some good canter (galop). We were heading to the hyena whole with some climbs and rocky parts included in the journey. But first it was time for lunch outside, after we released the horses in their open stable. Lunch time is usually from 11.30am followed by a 2h siesta until 3pm. Feels really good to have a little nap, or simple relax in the sun at the pool. At 3pm, we gathered for tea time again and left for horse riding at 3.30pm. Here we go!

    When arriving close by the hyena whole, we had to descent our horses and tangle them to trees. This way we could climb down the rocks and examine the hyena whole. Olwen told us previous guests had already been lucky seeing them sunbath on top of the rocks and the crawl back in the whole, however we didn’t see them as they ran too quickly back into their whole.

    Apparently, a family of hyenas is residing here, with mum, dad and children. Whenever there’s danger, they’ll go back into the cave and protect themselves. It’s a small hyena type in this domain, so they won’t attack humans. However, when you would throw a shoe or even camera towards the whole, they will come get it once we’re gone. Anything that smells like meat or has been touched by humans, they’ll eat it or rip it apart.

    Hyenas are not the smartest hunters. Once they grab their prey, they won’t let go until they have that exact square piece of meat. So, when biting the back of an impala, they’ll rip out a part and let the pray run away until they’ve eating their piece of meat. Once it’s finished, they’ll chase the pray again, but it might have been escaped already.

    Overall very exciting to see the whole and know they were inside it. A bit scary though, you could really feel the tense of the horses as well. Off we went back to the camp with another experience in our memories.    Read more

  • Norah BenmeridjaSafari South-Africa & BotswanaTraveler

    Day 3 Morning Ride - Hippos

    July 14, 2019 in South Africa ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C

    Good morning beautiful jungle! The snoring horses had woken us up, ready for a new day in the bush. Bryan gave us again a delicious morning tea at 7.30am, ready to kick off the day.

    For the morning ride, the focus was to look for hippos. There were too in the area close to the water ponds, but it was not easy to spot them. Sometimes they’re in the water, so you can only see them pop up once in a while. Hippos can only hold their breath for 7 minutes, so they have to pop out of the water, but you still might see just the noise or month. Today we were lucky to see them full body, as they were grazing on the other side from the pond. It was hard to spot them, but our guide Owen had a good eye. The hippos look like a mix between grazing cows and grey elephants. I couldn’t believe I saw these animals for the first time in my life, and this from the saddle! After a short break admiring them, we continued the ride back home, ironically passing some grazing cattle. I remember realizing these hippos must have been huge, seeing these small innocent grazing cows.

    Along the way, Owen showed us the nest of a weaver bird. These birds make impressive nests attached to tiny branches, so that snakes cannot reach the nest. I wonder how the weight keeps hanging on these fragile branches, but apparently nature has figured it out quite well.

    When almost arriving home, Owen explained us about the “Baboon Tails” or the black plants in savanna. They look like burned plants with their black stamina, but these plants look like this in winter and colour green in summer. Very strange plants!    Read more

  • Norah BenmeridjaSafari South-Africa & BotswanaTraveler

    Lunch Time - Swimming with horses

    July 14, 2019 in South Africa ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    Around lunch time, we could have a little play in the water with the horses. All horses all capable of swimming, however they might prefer to avoid the water. The temperature of the water was just 15 degrees, so quite cold as compared to 25 degrees outside. Not all members wanted to go for a swim, because we were told at university not to swim in enclosed (African) water ponds with not current, because there might be parasites inside. Of course, we were not sure about these statements, but we didn’t want to take the risk. So, as I was not swimming myself, that gave me a wonderful chance to get some photos for the girls Yasmine, Tina, Aisling and Severine.

    When arriving at camp Horizon, it was amazing to see the 94 horses all together resting. The girls had to ride bare back with swimming suits, so that the horses could go really deep. Lovely to watch!

    Tip: As described above, in winter the water is very cold and reaches temperatures of only 15-18 degrees. No need to bring a wet suit, but might be useful to take a bathing suit instead of bikini, along with shorts or long pant.    Read more

  • Norah BenmeridjaSafari South-Africa & BotswanaTraveler

    Afternoon - Jeep Safari

    July 14, 2019 in South Africa ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    For Lunch, we went back to Camp Davidson. Owen advised us to eat as much as we can, because we would return back quite late to the camp quite late (9pm instead). We were advised to pack warm cloths and bring our cameras. So at 1.30pm Abraham came to pick us up for a 1.5h drive towards Doornstok, the private game park close by.

    This game park is owned by 4 South-African shareholders and because of an internal dispute, only jeep safaris are allowed in this park and no guides horse riding. It felt like a good brake in between all of our riding, plus our muscles could get a good rest. The game park has antelopes, monkeys, lions, leopards and elephants. So 4/5 Big Five’s, except for the buffaloes.

    Tip: The tour starts around 2 and finished around 7pm, so make sure to bring really warm clothes for the evening. I brought my scarf, extra jackets and even my riding gloves. The jeep is open, so you feel all wind coming in. The jeep also offers some blankets to share togethers, so it was very cosy in the evening with the sunset and animals.    Read more

  • Norah BenmeridjaSafari South-Africa & BotswanaTraveler

    Day 4 - Day ride with fast galop

    July 15, 2019 in South Africa ⋅ ☀️ 11 °C

    Today we went for a full day ride, with lunch out there in the jungle. We would only return back home in the evening. For this trip we would visit a local village and have some nice long canters (fast galop). The group was excited and the energy was intense. We truly start to feel like a family all together with Owen and Bianca, so smiles were everywhere.

    Owen’s horse is the leading horse with usually the fastest pace in galop. The horse is so fast, that almost nobody can outrun him. Expect 1 horse: the horse of Jasmine. During the long galop roads, all reins were loose and horses went full speed! Owen could not believe he was being passed by Jasmine’s horse. We had a good laugh. In between canters, I swopped horses with Jess because my horse Sunday is quite young so not very fast on sandy roads. Jess’ horse (aka “Barbie” because of her beautiful white coat) “Shenanigan” is very fast, so I had the chance to enjoy some good galops in front of the group as well. Lovely feeling!

    For Lunch, we stopped at a small farm with beautiful lodges. They all looked amazing, so we truly felt at home in these luxurious jungle places. Bryan went by to drop off his amazing Lunch, and we enjoyed some delicious cyder beers.

    After lunch, Lydia the South-African massage lady passed by, for all who were dreaming about relaxing body massage. 30min was about 300ZAR or a small €20, so we decided with 5 of the group to have a relaxing oil treatment for our muscles. I must say that the saddles are very comfortable, so I didn’t really feel any muscles pain. However, some people are more prone to horse riding muscle pain, so then it might help to bring some anti-inflammatory gel (eg. Voltare gel).

    In the afternoon, we saw our gracious friends the giraffes again and enjoyed our walk alongside their cantering. Absolutely amazing!

    Tip: You don’t need to bring cash money for the massage, because Horizon will keep track of the people and allow you to pay when leaving for Botswana (by cash or card).    Read more

  • Norah BenmeridjaSafari South-Africa & BotswanaTraveler

    Last evening in South-Africa

    July 15, 2019 in Botswana ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    Monday Day 4 was our last dinner in South-Africa, in the beautiful lodges of Camp Davidson. Bryan prepared a nice barbecue meal with South-African side dishes, finished with banana and chocolate dessert at the fireplace. We exchanged some final stories with Owen and Bianca before leaving for Botswana, about the animals and jungle, but also about our growing friendship and amazing adventure.Read more

  • Norah BenmeridjaSafari South-Africa & BotswanaTraveler

    Day 5 - Off to Botswana

    July 16, 2019 in Botswana ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C

    On Tuesday it was finally time to make our dreams about the lions and elephants come true! We would start our day with a short morning walk to bring back the horses to Horizon, followed by a 4h drive towards Botswana. Owen advised us to keep on our riding gear, as we would go directly for horse riding in Botswana upon arrival. That made us feel happy, because after that long drive the horses would be waiting for us again.

    To be fair: time was passing by so quickly that I didn’t even realize it was 4 hours. Abraham was such a nice driver, stopping for several snacks and toilet breaks. One of the stops was a butcher, just like we would have a supermarket attached to the petrol station. Very strange to bump into this random butcher with zebra skins outside and seeing all these types of different animal meat. Laura the manager bought some dried meat for us to try, but personally I didn’t like it very much. It felt unethical to eat these beautiful wild animals such as Kudu and Impala.

    Upon arrival in Botswana, we were hosted by Lindy and served by a fresh grapefruit juice. We had a lunch together and discussed the horses. Based on our horse riding experience, Lindy had given us a horse that would suit our needs. To ride inside the game reserve with wild animals such as lions and elephants, you must be an advanced rider. This means you must be able to control your horse at all times during the journeys.

    All horses are gallons (castrated males) so that they couldn’t interbreed with the wild zebras and dilute the original gene pool. Animals normally never interbreed unless humans force them to do so, but in this wild environment no risk could be taken.

    After lunch, Lindy made us do a small test by horse to see if our horses were matching. The test was quite simple: ride a triangle in canter, starting the first lane controlled and steady, followed by the second lane in a speeding gallop, ending with a steady canter heading back to the group. At all times we had to be seated in upright position in the saddle (jumping position), so that we didn’t harm the back of the animals too much. Also, when mounting the horse, we always needed to step up from a big laying branch or rock, so that we didn’t twist the back of the horse too much.

    Tip: Keep your passport with you at all times in the car, because you need to stop two times at the border. Once when leaving South-Africa and Pontdrift, and once in Botswana after just 2min drive to fill in the visa. You don’t need to pay extra money, so no need to exchange money.    Read more

  • Norah BenmeridjaSafari South-Africa & BotswanaTraveler

    Evening ride - crossing river banks

    July 16, 2019 in Botswana ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    We all passed the test with our horses, so time for our first ride in the Mashatu Game Reserve towards our lodges (1,5h ride). My horse was called “Hitari” and it was this stunning appaloosa horse that used to be a leading horse. My horse liked it upfront and preferred a good speed. Luckily, I was able to manage it and had pleasant journeys with it!

    Our front guides were called “Mpho” and the back guide “Mmushi”. Mpho was joking that he was the guide leading us towards the danger, and Mmushi leading us away from it if needed. This meant that we had to start at all times in between these two guides to be safe as a herd of horses (remember horses are still a prey for predators such as lions, cheetahs and leopards).

    You wouldn’t believe, but just after take-off from the main camp, we already encountered several giraffes! In South-Africa we had to search for several hours to find them, and here we simply bumped into them after 300 meters. We saw 3 giraffes, with various height and ages. Sometime later, we also saw some ostriches, bush pigs, impalas, kudus and wildebeests. Welcome Botswana!

    Next, some nature obstacles had to be “trained” to the riders, such as crossing river banks. As it was dry winter, all banks were empty and no water to be found. This made it easier to swop between areas and climb down the banks, using them as efficient “high ways” inside the complex bush.

    The horses must always walk downwards at walking pace, because otherwise the horses behind them might get too excited and the riders will lose control on these steep walls. When going back up, the horse is allowed to trot or canter upwards because it’s easier to use the energy of motion. The horses seemed quite used to it, with some exception of younger horses that still had to learn it from the others. We felt safe with our horses and trusted the herd, and that was the most important first lesson learned.

    When arriving in the river bank, you kind of felt vulnerable walking on the bottom of this empty river with all animals higher up watching you. But it was an amazing experience. I remember saying how clean these rivers are, with only shells and little amount of plants to spot.

    Once in a while we could notice big holes into the ground, made by elephants to search for water. These incredible animals have a very good smell, hearing and ground vibration feeling. So, they can smell and sense the water holes in the ground and smash the sandy soil away with their slurves. That’s how I started to understand how clever animals must be to survive the dry winter in this arid environment.

    Finally, we arrived right in time at the camp with the sun setting down. The sky was colouring beautifully red and temperatures started to drop. It was as if a new world was opening up. Welcome to the bush at night!    Read more

  • Norah BenmeridjaSafari South-Africa & BotswanaTraveler

    Mashatu Lodges in the bush

    July 16, 2019 in Botswana ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    The camp was - just like in South-Africa camp Davidson - glamping luxury. We had a beautiful fireplace with comfortable seats, a cosy dining area and these amazing tents. All tents had lights working on solar energy and warm water, thanks to these cute stoves behind each tent. Every morning the staff would burn some fire in each stove to wash your faces and in evenings bigger ones to shower. The toilet was running with a flush and fresh water from the water whole beneath the jungle. It was amazing to see how comfortable and efficient you can camp in the middle of the jungle, with few resources and human waste.

    We got some ruled for the camp to “survive” our 3 nights in the bush:

    1) No walking around after 8pm in the camp, only from dinner to your tent and that was accompanied by one of the guides. At 6.30pm it already gets dark, so at 8pm I can tell you the bush is truly dark and ready for the night. Lions walk around, elephants search for comfort and leopards might be curious. So, you need guidance of an experienced staff member and you can never wander around by yourself. If you need a bathroom stop at night, luckily the bathroom was attached to the bedroom and fenced, so no animal could disturb you in your bedroom and bathroom.

    2) Never leave human belongings on your terrace outside at night, because hyenas are keen to grasp them. Hyenas like anything that smells like humans or meat, so never leave out your riding boots, socks, wet towels etc. Once the hyenas run away with your riding gear, it might be hard to get new ones in the bush.

    3) Never leave human belongings in your bathroom during the day for the baboons. At night the monkeys sleep inside the trees, so hyenas will take it away, but during the day the baboons are curious and will take away anything that seems new for them. Some stuff of the bathroom they’re already used to (e.g. Hand soap and shower gel tubes), but they’re always looking for new things. So, during the day, we had to leave our toothbrush and toiletries inside the room and leave our towels to dry at night.

    4) Keep your tent closed at all times during day and night. As referred to in above points, during the day the baboons are keen to find new things and even enter your room, during night, the night animals (lion, hyena, leopard etc) are curious to smell our human activity and might try to enter. According to the staff, you were absolutely safe in your tent because the animals respect the tent, however you might always want to close it to avoid curious animals sneaking in. Once we had roaring lions at night, just right next to our heads with only the tent wall dividing the two of us. It was really scary, but once you realise you’re absolutely safe inside your tent, you continue to sleep and capture this moment as one of the best experiences of the bush.

    5) Always shut down your lights when not needed during night and day, because they run on (limited) solar energy.

    6) Always clean up the dining room area of human belongings, because just like with the tents, the baboons are curious animals that will steal all belongings if it’s laying around. This means or breakfast, dinner and lunch was always served when we were around, and quickly cleaned up afterwards, in order to avoid the baboons stealing. The baboons are even keen to steal your iPhone, so you will never see again your pictures and memories.

    They also gave us some tips, which can be useful when preparing for your trip:

    Tip: Keep a flashlight with you in your back pack, because in winter it gets dark quite soon (sunrise at 6.30am and sunset at 6.30pm approximately). To save your phone’s battery, you might want to have a good flashlight to find your way to your tent.

    Tip: My sister and I each bought a battery charging unit (80k W), because there was limited electricity available at camp. This way we could charge our phones at night inside our tents. But no worries, there are still charging possibilities, just a bit more robust: you need to give your phone to the staff during the day and they will charge in the kitchen.    Read more

  • Norah BenmeridjaSafari South-Africa & BotswanaTraveler

    Sleeping with lions

    July 16, 2019 in Botswana ⋅ 🌙 20 °C

    So, we understood the lions are sneaking inside the tent camp at night, and we as humans could protect ourselves with our tents as natural fencing. They would never come in, because they respect the tent and will rather eat other animal than having to do the effort of biting or ripping apart the tent and catch the humans. This made is feel comfortable, but we were wondering what about our horses?

    Similar to our tents, at night to horses sleep in an enclosed stable with high fences and closed gates. Two staff members sleep inside the stables to survey the horses and prevent them from panicking when a lion is around. Apparently, all horses do feel safe in the stable, but they might get nervous when smelling that a lion or other predator is around.

    After first night experience with the roaring lions around our tent, we heard that explicitly our tent (Tent 4) had been the “busiest” spot for lion to wander around. Apparently, our tent was the deeper inside the bush and closest to the bank river. When we woke up, we couldn’t resist examining the trails around our tent, and indeed we could confirm the lion steps we noticed. We even saw smaller paws as well from the leopard (lions have bigger paws). So scary, but at the same time very exciting!

    At night it can get really chilly (10 degrees), so you better dress up warm as well. It’s slightly warmer than South-Africa but still quite cold. Just like in the South-African lodge, we received every evening a “bush baby” or a warm water reservoir to keep inside your bed blankets and night. You wouldn’t believe how happy we were to get our fresh warm bush baby every night.    Read more

  • Norah BenmeridjaSafari South-Africa & BotswanaTraveler

    Day 6 – Jackals

    July 17, 2019 in Botswana ⋅ 🌙 8 °C

    Good morning Botswana! Lara and I didn’t have the best sleep because of the roaring lions, but we couldn’t wait to get up and tell our story to the others at breakfast.

    At 6am, Mpho was waking us up with some fresh tea. We were excited to put on our riding gear and start a new adventure in between the wild animals. At 6.30am breakfast was served, so that we could already jump unto our horses at 7-7.15am. As the sun sets early at 6.15am, we had already a good chance to see many animals waking up as well.

    All horses were nicely prepared for us, waiting next to their big ball of hay in between the trees. We could notice that the horses were slightly bigger here in Botswana as compared to the Horizon camp in South-Africa. Probably because they need to be more fierce and stronger in this robust environment, with long canters in case animals are chasing us. So off we went with the first morning sunlight.

    For the morning ride, de bumped into a dead carcass leftover from the night. An unfortunate impala had to give away his life to the wilderness, as part of the life cycle. The head and neck were still intact, but the rest of the body was eating and ripped apart. A bit lurid to see, but that also confirmed this wilderness was the real deal.

    According to Mpho the kill was made by cheetahs in the early evening and finished by other predators. Cheetahs tend to make the most kills because of their efficiency and agile body speed, but they don’t consume the whole carcass because that’s simply too much for them. So other carnivores benefit from these kills, such as small jackals. These animals are too small to make a kill themselves on the bigger antelopes, but they love to gather as a herd and “steal” away the meat once it’s killed. It’s interesting to know that these animals are solitaire and usually by themselves, but when the need calls to feed themselves and a dead (or nearly dead) pray has been found, the jackals call each other for support.

    Indeed, it didn’t take us long to notice that the pray was being surveyed by a small group of jackals. They were scared of our impressive herd of horses, so they were hiding. But as soon as we walked away from the pray, they started to gather again and fight over the meat.

    Funny fact: Jackals move the tails just like dogs, but not for happiness or joy. In fact, it’s the opposite: they do that when they feel endanger and turn into angry mode. Indeed, we noticed the group of jackals was doing these movements to each other to win over the meat from the others. We were so close by to watch this. Amazing!

    Finally, we ended the ride with a nice view on the African bush eagle on top of a tree. Its head is brown, as contrary to the African fish eagle that can also be found in the area. The wings can reach up a width of 2 meters, very impressive.    Read more

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