Ant's Lodges - South Africa

Simone who has been on 2 In The Saddle rides. Everything we hoped it would be and more! | Myself and my two sons were complete beginners to horse riding. The staff at Ant's nest took very good care of us. They ensured that at all times we felt comfortable and safe on the horses that had been chosen for us. Day by day they built our confidence and our skill level. They gave us plenty of encouragement.

Do you have any comments about the accommodation and food?

We loved our accommodation at Ant's Nest. The accommodation at Ant's Hill was also a very high standard. Two very small comments would be that, the trees at Ant's Hill were very high just outside our deck area. This removed the amazing view, if they were trimmed just slightly then we would have been able to enjoy the use of the deck more. As the lighting in the rooms is very low I found the magnifying mirror in my bathroom at the Nest a great help (my eye sight is not what it use to be unfortunately) I missed not having this at the Hill. This is in no way a complaint, but rather a small feedback.

How could we improve the quality of pre-holiday information that we send?

I think reading customers feedback is the best way to understand what you can expect. However, it was very nice to be pleasantly surprised. I was worried that we may not take to the horse riding, thankfully we did. I was also very glad we arrived at the Nest first and the Hill later. I think the set up of the stables and the staff are better in the Nest for complete beginners as we were. I'm not sure our experience would have been as good had we done it the other way around.

We did not need to bring as much cash as we did because the "big 5" and other experience were added to our bill at the lodge and we could have paid by credit card. I would have preferred to carry less cash.

How could we improve the way we handled your booking and payment?

All was excellent

Do you have any other feedback for us?

The visit to Ant's Nest and Hill was one of the best holidays we have had. Seeing the wildlife of South Africa on horse back is an experience none of us will ever forget. We did one day on a game drive and there is no comparison. On the horse you feel you are at one with nature. In the car we felt we were intruding, making noise and almost part of a conveyer belt . However, on the horses we blended in, it just felt more respectful. Seeing the staff at work and understanding the commitment they have to protecting the wildlife was inspiring. Finally, the feeling you get when you finish your ride in the evening and take the saddle and bridal off your horse and just let him go free is simply wonderful. The horses often just rolled in the grass, scratched each other and hung out with us for a while. The freedom they have just makes you feel good inside.