Orsi who has been on 4 In The Saddle rides. Amazing riding holiday- an absolute must! | Fantastic riding! The horses are amazing and the team is excellent at matching people with various horses, depending on their riding ability. The game was superb and the Macatoo team was great at organising drives for my non-riding husband - he sometimes had private game drives at no extra cost. The lunches were amazing - a very special one on a treetop, being greeted with champagne!

The riding is definitely only recommended for experienced riders however - please do note this if you are not quite experienced yet, because you can endanger yourself and others, or just hold a group back. For experienced riders however it’s a fantastic holiday, highly recommended!

Dija (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Every riders dream holiday | This holiday has been on my wish list for years and it didn’t disappoint. The horses are lovely and in great condition, some are a little strong, if you’re not used to that, let them know. They will do their best to match you to a horse you’ll enjoy. My favourite was Huff Puff - so well behaved for such a young horse, could have easily taken him home, closely followed by San who was a pleasure to ride.

We saw so much game, it really is quite incredible to get that close from horseback. One especially memorable moment was when we met 3, then 5…hmm 8, ooh 13, OMG 20 giraffes. And on one of the afternoon rides it felt like all of the animals came out to play - zebra, a lone wildebeest, impala, tsessebe and a small matriarchal herd of elephants strolled by in the background. It was truly magical. The whole experience is something I’ll never forget. My only regret is waiting until I’m 50 to do it. Big thank you to all of the team for taking care of me even with an injured back. I’d love to come back and ride in the floods.
[Becky from In The Saddle replies: Thank you very much for your feedback and we are so pleased you had such a brilliant time.]

Julie (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Fabulous experience | Macattoo camp has around 50 horses. Each horse is individually cared for and loved to a high standard. All of the riding tack is in excellent condition. We each had a groom who brought us the horse tacked up healthy and ready to go and well suited to our sizes. For the first couple of rides, we took it easy, given time to make sure that the horses were suitable and that we were confident at the pace. I felt as if the guides were monitoring us at all times to make sure that we were comfortable and felt safe… as the week went on the pace lifted and we had some fantastic rides. All of the horses are used to the terrain, surefooted and comfortable around the wild animals that we came across. I would personally advise that if you want to get the best out of the riding, it would be sensible to be at good level of fitness and have plenty of riding experience.

Linda who has been on 20 In The Saddle rides. Botswana Macatoo - Amazing horseback safari | All expectations met. Mod has again excelled himself in matching us with wonderful horses that suited us perfectly. Great care was also taken to match our riding expectations and that of the group of 10 (mostly far more adventurous than us) who were there at the same time as us - not an easy feat! Everyone seemed happy.

Susan (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Close observation of animals from horseback with relaxing camp comfort. | Able to ride out in all directions from the camp and only once saw any other safari groups and that was right at the far edge of the jeep's range.
The guides went to great lengths to ensure we saw a lot of wildlife, passed on a lot of information but were not shouting commands and instructions. Loved the hand signs given for the animals spotted and change of pace.

Miquel (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Horseback riding safari in the Macatoo Paradise | All ridings were carefully cared about.
The guides were excellent.
All was specially prepared for Kate. All horseback riding endings were on a different location and we were always surprised and excited.
All the staff were really good.

Rebecca who has been on 10 In The Saddle rides. Upmarket safari away from the real world | Beautiful horses, gleaming with health and condition.
Thanks to the great guides for helping us to enjoy so many encounters with the wildlife safely.
I enjoyed the evening rides in beautiful afternoon light, closer to camp, just as much as the morning rides with the much talked about splashy canters.

Louise who has been on 9 In The Saddle rides. Fabulous as always | Excellent

Sue who has been on 13 In The Saddle rides. Macatoo - Truly wild horseback safari | This holiday was on my bucket list for several years (after seeing a Richard Attenborough documentary on the Okavango Delta) so I was thrilled that it exceeded my expectations. Seeing the flooded Delta from the small aircraft flying into camp gave me butterflies at the thought that I would be riding through it for the next 7 days. The riding was exhilarating with lots of splashy canters and at times overwhelmingly emotional when we came across large herds of elephants crossing the Delta streams. Watching a pride of lions lazing and playing with the cubs in the afternoon sun was sublime. A highlight was when a dazzle of Zebra joined alongside us for a fast canter. This part of Botswana really felt truly wild. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and very good at judging the pace of the rides and making the rides fun. The horses were very well behaved and loved the rides as much as we did. The camp was really well set up and my large tent had everything I needed along with a private veranda for afternoon sunbathing and snoozing. Every meal was delicious. I cannot recommend this holiday enough for anyone wanting to see the extraordinary phenomenon of the Kalahari desert flooding and all the African wildlife that comes with it all from the back of a horse.

[Abbie from In The Saddle replies: We're so pleased that you had such an enjoyable time on your long-awaited safari at Macatoo. Thank you for taking the time to provide your feedback.]

Tessa who has been on 2 In The Saddle rides. Enjoyed every minute | Was lovely to see so many horses and all so happy, living a very natural life with plenty of turn out (with careful protection) and no horses overworked. The Head Groom (Mud) was very knowledgeable about each horse and could discuss them as individuals around their characteristics and way of going. All of the Guide Leads (Chief) equally had a good knowledge of each horse - which is very helpful for the riders. It is clear to see they are very fond of the horses and care about their well being and happiness. Each of the grooms were very polite with big smiles when you came to get on and off the horses. The riding was exceptional - such beautiful country along side a Guide Lead who clearly has great tracking skills and knowledge to find and approach all the animals in the most careful and gentle way, giving the riders the very best experience of viewing whilst also feeling safe.

Samantha who has been on 2 In The Saddle rides. Amazing! | All the horses are so well cared for. A huge range of horses. The riding was out of this world. It exceeded my expectations for sure!
[Becky from In The Saddle replies: We are so pleased that you enjoyed your holiday at Macatoo.]

Caroline who has been on 2 In The Saddle rides. A dream come by true | Our high expectations were exceeded.
Mod at Macatoo perfectly matched our experience and personalities with fit well behaved well looked after horses

Lorraine who has been on 3 In The Saddle rides. Absolutely amazing ! | Once you had learned how to ride them on a long rein, grazing as and when they wanted, and heads were straight down when they stopped they were great. They were all very responsive and a pleasure to ride. Due to the length of time in the saddle it was also helpful to lengthen your stirrups a bit to help with knee and ankle strains.

Flora (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Macatoo - Loads of fun! | The riding was excellent - we cantered and even galloped. Cantering with zebras is an unforgettable experience. Horses were good and well cared.

Nicola (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Macatoo - The Okavango Delta on horseback is always magical! | Staff were lovely, friendly and knowledgeable, and honestly this made a lot of the trip for me. Katie is great, as is Mod, Bernie, Thabo and Chief. I liked that guides eat and socialise with you beyond riding / guiding. I liked the effort to eat in different locations, and enthusiasm to go out in the car when makes sense (i.e. having seen lions on horseback).
I'd prefer a bit more mixed pace on the riding. It's quite a set formula - 90% walking with a few long canters in the morning or a couple of trots in the evening ride. Horses were also generally wonderful, clearly kept in good healthy condition and happy. Some horses perhaps could benefit from additional schooling.

Caroline who has been on 2 In The Saddle rides. Macatoo - The most incredible holiday with fantastic horses, stunning wildlife and nature | The riding was fantastic and I was very spoilt in the range of horses I was given. I loved riding them all and they looked after me, but you definitely need to know how to ride as they were forward and sensitive to commands. It exceeded all my expectations and more.

Sabine who has been on 11 In The Saddle rides. Awesome as usual 😉 | Excellent

Fika who has been on 2 In The Saddle rides. Unforgettable | Absolutely. the horse "Brandberg" needed a lot of prodding when walking, but was comfortable in trotting and cantering.

Ann who has been on 5 In The Saddle rides. an amazing bucket list trip | The horses were superb; brave, forward going and fit, responsive, well cared for and comfortable. The riding allowed you to observe the habitats and wildlife with minimal disruption and intrusion, which makes these safaris unique. Some of the game were oblivious to our presence, others inquisitive, some appeared to enjoy our company (the zebra) and we really appreciated the opportunity to 'take time, watch, listen and learn' under the expert and ever watchful eye our guide Bernie. If you didn't gel with your horse, or wanted one a tad slower or faster, Mod sorted you out with another trusty steed for the next ride, there were plenty to chose from. Whilst there was no opportunity for splashy canters, the dry terrain created opportunities for fast canters across the open plains, which were exhilarating.

Ruth who has been on 3 In The Saddle rides. Exceeding My Expectations | Excellent

Helen who has been on 3 In The Saddle rides. Excellent

Andrea who has been on 2 In The Saddle rides. Holiday of a life time (Part II) | The riding was excellent and the horses were superb! Can’t fault Katie and Mod on their ability to match people to the right horses.

Vivienne who has been on 18 In The Saddle rides. Fab-u-lous!!! | The 2 horses I rode were exactly what I asked for - I loved both of them and wouldn't have changed either of them for the world. The riding was as expected and as described and exactly what I was hoping for. Fantastic!

Belinda who has been on 5 In The Saddle rides. Amazing Africa | Due to a severe drought, the gallops in water did not happen. That being said, the riding was great with plenty of wildlife. The camp is very nice. I can't imagine a better one, anywhere. The staff was excellent and the food amazing and delicious. Having wild animals, literally, at camp, was a wonderful experience I never tired of. The guides extensive knowledge of wildlife and birds, enriched the experience. A big variety of horses for anyone, provides suitable mounts for all. The horses were taken care of very well, as were we. I'd go back any time, loved it.

Alison (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Beyond my expectations. | The required riding experience described in the brochure was absolutely what was required. It would be a mistake to underestimate the importance of this!

Gill (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Breathtaking! | Yes, the description of the riding as maintaining a fair hunting pace over varied terrain was spot on. The horses that I rode were all forward going and fit, able to maintain a fast pace over rough ground for sustained periods.
They were relaxed in the presence of game and would graze quietly whilst we took photos.

Walker Family (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Exceeding all expectations, wonderful hosts - unbelievable amount of game! | The riding was fantastic, an excellent way to do a safari. The horses knew their job inside out. You could stand on buckle end and watch the game, wander across the floodplains and in and out of trees on a loose rein and gallop across country with ease. Bernard, our guide, knew the land exceptionally well - this allowed fast gallops, short winding canters and weaving through the trees watching the game - and we had full confidence in him that we were safe to do so.

Adam (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Trip of a lifetime | yes, the horses were incredibly kind and well trained and SAFE. Tack (saddles) could be slightly more comfortable, but were certainly suitable.

Family Safari Adventure (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Amazing | My family and I had a wonderful time on all of your horses. When we had a concern about something, you fixed it right away. The rides themselves were beautiful and full of excitement. On the days we were feeling a little sore, our guide made our rides fun but not over taxing on our bodies. The grooms and stable manager know the horses so well and were very insightful when it came to any questions we had.

Louisa (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) An outstanding adventure that more than exceeded our high expectation | Mod, as stable manager, was brilliant at his job.
The horses are in very good condition, extremely fit and their welfare is paramount.
Over the period of a week I rode 4 horses and felt they were all ideal mounts. 3-4 different horses over a week is typical due to horses resting requirements.
If any member was struggling with their horse a suitable replacement was found immediately.
It is vital not to overstate your riding ability.

Debbie (this is their first In The Saddle holiday) Amazing | Riding and horses exceeded expectations

Mad about Macatoo who has been on 9 In The Saddle rides. Fabulous as ever | As I am recovering from a broken shoulder I requested bomb proof horses that I could trust wouldn't shy at nothing and that is what i got. Still had some fabulous canters and a few gallops so was very happy.