Ant's Lodges - South Africa

Ant's Nest

5 star rating   13 May 2023

Ruth who has been on 5 In The Saddle rides. An unforgettable experience | My current physical limitations mean that I need frequent changes of pace and this wasn't always possible because of the nature of the terrain and/or the group I was with. This is in no way a reflection on the guides or organisation: they did their very best to accommodate my needs and the way in which everyone from complete beginners to experienced riders was catered for was truly remarkable.


The Riding

How well were you matched with the right horse for your ability?
5 star rating
How would you rate the variety of riding, pace or terrain?
4 star rating
How would you rate the overall standard of the horses, tack and stables?
5 star rating

The Accommodation

How would you rate your room(s) for comfort and facilities?
5 star rating
How would you rate the standard of the food?
5 star rating

Do you have any comments about the accommodation and food?

Both the food and accommodation were absolutely first class and beyond our expectations. The only slight niggle was the lack of a hand-hold in the bath/shower at Ant's Hill (Eagles Nest) which caused difficulties for my husband.


Before Your Holiday

Did you have all of the information you needed to:

Plan and prepare for your holiday?
5 star rating
Feel comfortable about your transfers and what to expect?
5 star rating

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

Very minor corrections to the general information:
- we were woken with tea or coffee at Ant's Nest rather than Ant's Hill (accommodation is too far spread to make that practical but there are tea/coffee making facilities in the room and a mini-bar)
- there is no longer an infinity pool at Ant's Hill (but there is, of course, a pool and some of the accommodation have private pools).
[Becky from In The Saddle replies: Thank you so much for your feedback. We are really pleased you enjoyed your trip and thank you for the helpful updates :-)]


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

I can't think of anything


Do you have any other feedback for us?

The 'sundowners' - each day in a different location with drinks (G&T, beer, cider, soft drinks) and nibbles - were a lovely surprise. In winter, the rhinos are fed at sundown and we were able to take part in that and get very close to them.
We enjoyed a Big 5 safari (which also included a 'sundowner' and finished in the dark) for which we paid R2200.
The provision for non-riders was outstanding: my husband chose to go on a varied, individually guided cycle ride almost every day; I swapped my afternoon ride for a game drive or bush walk most days. Fantastic! I learnt so much.