Macatoo - Botswana

Gill who has been on 8 In The Saddle rides. A truly fabulous riding safari experience | The riding exceeded my expectations as the rides were great in themselves, leaving aside the truly special wildlife viewing encounters. We set out in a different direction every day and always saw something new. The horses were forward-going and the four hour morning ride included six or seven canters, a couple of them long ones. The real highlight was the 'splashy canters' through standing water and long grass when everyone got soaked by the kicked up water, and everyone had big grins on their faces.
You were allocated two horses for your stay which you rode alternately. The horses were beautifully managed by Mod, who has been at Macatoo for 27 years and was highly skilled at matching horses to riders.

Do you have any comments about the accommodation and food?

The tents were constructed with steel frames and wooden floors with a balcony where you could sit and watch buffalo, elephants, baboons, hyenas and more passing by. They were spacious and comfortable with proper beds, a flush loo and an indoor and outdoor shower.
A small pool with sunbeds under the shade of the trees was a great place for whiling away the heat of the afternoons.
The food was very well-balanced and plentiful without being overwhelming. A special treat were the couple of surprise lunches, one of them on a platform in the trees, where you were met off the morning ride with a glass of champagne. One night we had dinner in the bush where the team had installed a pizza oven in a defunct termite mound.

Do you have any other feedback for us?

It was a very wonderful holiday because it was so precious to spend time somewhere that is truly wild. Outside of the camp you see no other human beings, you just see the animals and birds interacting with the environment and each other. The guides looked after us beautifully and made us feel completely safe. Their encyclopaedic knowledge and genuine passion for the nature of this beautiful place, and for communicating this knowledge to us, made the experience truly special.