The Ultimate Adventure: Horse Riding Vacations

Horse riding vacations are a great way to up the adventure while traveling. It gives you a very different experience in nature and wildlife oriented destinations. I grew up as an animal lover, I had lots of pets. My older sister also loved horses and took lessons, my interest built up from there. I took lessons and competed in jumping. While I no longer compete, I take lessons because it allows me to be around horses and ride on a regular basis.

There are lots of things to consider about horse riding vacations, I’ll break down a lot of that here.

Galloping across the Makgadikgadi Pans on an African horse riding vacation — Galloping across the Makgadikgadi Pans with Charm, a paint Percheron.

What level of experience or preparation do I need?

There are riding vacations for every level of riding, so really depends on the destination and what you want to see/do. You want to look at riding time and pace. If you have never ridden before, your first several times should be with a dedicated instructor giving you lessons in an arena. If you want to do a faster or advanced ride, preparation is key. Start taking lessons before, you will become riding fit and feel more confident in the saddle.

The Okavango Delta in Botswana does have dangerous wildlife (lions, water buffalo, elephants). I was in the saddle 6+ hours a day for several days in a row. You really have to be an advanced rider for this particular destination.

Other advanced preparation to be aware of: Plan to bring your own gear (helmet, boots, etc). It does make packing easier – no fancy dresses, heels, etc are needed usually.

Returning to camp after an evening ride on an African horse riding safari in Botswana. — Coming back to camp after an evening ride with Guinness.

Can I go with someone who is not a rider?

Generally yes, though camps and operators vary. Most have non riding activities, like walks/hikes, game drives, wine tasting, pools, etc. So you can go with a partner or family and everyone will have a wonderful time!

Where can I do a horse riding vacation?

That is easy, anywhere! There are horse riding vacations set in the vineyards in France, hills of Mongolia, desert in Morocco, mountains of New Zealand. Many – and I agree – would say the cream of the crop for riding vacations is a safari in Africa.

Came across this 1,000+ year Baobob tree on a horse riding vacation. — Came across this 1,000+ year Baobob tree during a morning ride.

What are the horses like?

Botswana was my first horse riding vacation – where the primary vacation focus/activity is riding. I rode multiple horses, all wonderful. There was Sparrow (a paint Namibian Warmblood), Guinness (a Friesian), Radetski (a bay Boerped), Charm (a paint Percheron). The horses used should be well-cared for, fit, trained, socialized to their riding environment. You’re near giant elephants, the antelope suddenly appear in the grass and jump around quickly – the horses should be calm and not spook. The horses live naturally as a herd, have rest days, graze freely during the day and are safely stabled at night. They are also given regular veterinary and farrier attention. You can also learn about each of the horses from their bios provided by the camp – nice touch! They also took great care to match a rider’s ability with an appropriate horse.

Out on a morning ride with a herd of giraffes with Guinness, a beautiful Friesian.

Why did you choose Botswana for your horse riding vacation?

Many reasons!

I hadn’t been to Botswana and the Okavango Delta is a hotspot for wildlife viewing.
Horse safaris in Botswana are fast-paced with lots of long canters and gallops. If you are lucky, sometimes that means cantering alongside wildlife like zebras and giraffes. It is a thrilling adventure! The game viewing is so different on a horse vs a game drive. In Botswana, I came super close up to baby giraffes, herds of zebras, wildebeest, antelope, and more. You can also go places on horses that safari vehicles can’t reach. It is a very different safari experience.
Okavango Delta is a UNESCO World Heritage site. As such, there is a lot of interest and collaboration in protecting the region and making sure tourism is done in a sustainable way. The also camps were 100% solar powered. I want to patronize that because I believe travel should be done in a sustainable way. After my experience on a Botswana riding safari, I plan to do at least one horse riding vacation every year.

What other horse riding vacation destinations are you interested in?

For me, Iceland, Zimbabwe, Mongolia, New Zealand.

Anything else I should know about horse riding vacations?

During my Botswana trip, I was *very pleasantly surprised* to find that everyone else was a solo female traveler! Women in their 20s-50s, who are adventurous, independent minded from all over the world made up the other travelers. Some had done several horse riding vacations and shared how their past trips attracted mostly solo traveling women.

I believe this is the ultimate adventure vacation for solo female travelers!