Ant's Bushwillow Safari - South Africa

Judith who has been on 2 In The Saddle rides. Fabulous riding | Felt so comfortable and safe on all the horses I rode. The horses were all well mannered and seemed happy. I loved the simplicity of letting them roam off after riding - what a good idea.
The guides were knowledgeable and fun.

Do you have any comments about the accommodation and food?

I was disappointed when I arrived at Ants Nest to find that I was sleeping in the Sable Twin room which was not as luxurious as the Weaver bedroom and the Sable Master bedroom. From reading reviews it seems that it is usually used by the children of a family staying in that suite. It seems a bit unfair that the price was the same as the other two delude rooms with superp bathrooms and lots of space. I note that Unicorn and Zara’s Planet both charge less for this room. The outside areas of the Sable were beautiful but we didn’t use them much.

[Olwen from In The Saddle notes - Ant's Nest have charged the same price for Sable Twin and Sable double since the beginning of 2025. Although Sable Twin is the smaller room you have the use of the huge private lounge and veranda. Unfortunately the pricing on the website of the other agents was incorrect but I believe has now been updated. When your group booked last year these were the only rooms available since you wanted to include Ant's Nest as well as stay at Bushwillow. The configuration of the rooms was explained on the phone and in writing before you booked but I am sorry you feel disappointed.]

A request for more variety of the lunch salads has been made by one of our party.

The food in the evening was delicious and well presented.

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

Perhaps the sleeping arrangement at Ants Nest should have been explained more clearly when we booked. For 3 of us to share the Sable twin would have been very crowded and the third bed didn’t look comfortable for an adult.
Jane and Diana were not pleased having to share a bed but we really hadn’t got a choice.
[Olwen from In The Saddle writes - when your group booked last year these were the only rooms available since you wanted to include Ant's Nest as well as stay at Bushwillow. The configuration of the rooms was explained before you booked but I am really sorry you feel disappointed.]

All your paperwork was excellent and your staff very friendly and helpful. I’m not sure who Caroline spoke to when she first enquired about the booking. The leadership was passed onto me after In the Saddle and the flights were booked.

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

Payments were perfect. Staff quick to reply to enquires even when we were in Africa.

Do you have any other feedback for us?

A great holiday overall. I loved Bushwillow and felt very comfortable and happy there. Rob and his family were delightful and the staff made sure we were well fed and looked after. The staff at Ants Nest were also excellent. Nothing was too much trouble.
Would you recommend this holiday to your riding friends?