Botswana: Horseback safari in Tuli reserve, limpopo valley
From 7.075 €

Botswana: Horseback safari in Tuli reserve, limpopo valley

holiday package
Created: Friday, August 1, 2025
Ref ID: 30242249
prezzo del pacchetto per persona From
7.075 €
Based on 2 adults
Itinerary
Tours

Day 1: Tuli Lodge

ITALY/JOHANNESBURG/LIMPOPO VALLEY (-/L/D)
An adventure begins in the Limpopo Valley... this is where the true Africa begins to reveal itself, a land that is sometimes rich and at other times merciless, with its scarce waterholes that become the only lifeline for all the animals of the savannah. We are shown a land dotted with rough and thorny vegetation, which, in its own way, provides shelter and food for its inhabitants who fight every day for survival. The Limpopo Valley takes its name from the river that runs through it: it originates in South Africa, in the Witwatersrand mountain range, and flows for over 1700 km before emptying near the port of Xai-Xai in Mozambique and then into the Indian Ocean. Its waters have a slow and sandy course, and the Limpopo River is dry for most of the year, but it can reveal great and unexpected surprises during the rainy season when everything comes back to life and reveals a completely new landscape, covered with a multitude of colorful flowers. We will discover this area, known locally as Tuli, and the Mashatu Private Reserve, famous for its colossal baobabs and impressive rock formations. The area is also rich in history: here, among the Motlouse ruins, stood the ancient residence of the Kopje Leopard dynasty, which flourished during the Iron Age. At Mashatu, there are also traces of rock paintings and dinosaur footprints that are thought to be 100 million years old. A mysterious land, where breathtaking sunsets await you, and as night falls, the buzz around your tents will make you dream and tremble under the starry sky.

Pick-up at Johannesburg airport (please plan for an arrival no later than 9:30 AM) and transfer to a small airport just a few minutes away, where you will take a small Cessna that will fly you directly to Limpopo Valley Airfield in Botswana in just an hour and a half. This area, called Tuli, includes the Mashatu Private Reserve and surrounding villages. Meet the guides and transfer to the stables, where, after a quick lunch and briefing, you'll mount your horses for a first horseback safari that will take you to the tented camp. Dinner and overnight at the tented camp.


Day 2:

LIMPOPO VALLEY (B/L/D)
The next 6 nights will be spent in different semi-fixed or mobile tented camps (fly camps), allowing us the opportunity to explore the entire reserve. Wake-up call will always be at 5:30 AM to be on horseback early and have the chance to spot wildlife before it hides from the heat. This reserve, which almost resembles a desert, can change dramatically during the rainy season when it is covered in green grass and flowers. In the morning, we will take a long 5-6 hour horseback safari and return to camp for lunch. After a well-deserved rest, in the afternoon, we will go on foot or by jeep to search for big cats. Meals and overnight at the tented camp.


Day 3:

LIMPOPO VALLEY (B/L/D)
Horseback activities in the reserve.


Day 4:

LIMPOPO VALLEY (B/L/D)
Horseback activities in the reserve.


Day 5:

LIMPOPO VALLEY (B/L/D)
Horseback activities in the reserve.


Day 6:

LIMPOPO VALLEY (B/L/D)
Horseback activities in the reserve.


Day 7:

LIMPOPO VALLEY (B/L/D)
Horseback activities in the reserve.


Day 8:

LIMPOPO VALLEY/JOHANNESBURG/ITALY (B/-/-)
Breakfast and transfer to Limpopo Valley Airfield. A flight of about an hour and a half followed by a transfer to Johannesburg International Airport (please plan for a return flight no earlier than 8:00 PM).

Note:
The above program is indicative; the guides may modify it due to circumstances beyond our control. Please request a personalized quote if you wish to continue your trip, for example, with a beach extension in Mozambique or a visit to Johannesburg with its Apartheid Museum, Mandela's house, diamond mines, and much more.

Notes:
(B/L/D): B = breakfast; L = lunch; D = dinner
Difficulty level: From ° to °°°°°
DURATION: 8 DAYS/7 NIGHTS

DIFFICULTY: °°° (EXPERIENCED)

ACCOMMODATION: Comfort tented camp

EQUIPMENT: McClellan saddles, very comfortable, invented by officer George McClellan and used during the Civil War in the USA from 1859. Still in use today, these saddles have the unique ability to adapt to any horse. Particularly light and comfortable, they are perfect for long hours in the saddle.

HORSES: Half-blood horses bred locally. They live in a semi-wild state, stabled at night. Our guides will surely find the most suitable horse for your abilities.

RIDING TIME: About 6 hours in the saddle. The three gaits will be used, with long trots and gallops. It is necessary to have mastery of the horse in open spaces and good physical condition. Pay close attention to the guide's instructions on how to behave when approaching wildlife. ATTENTION: The local guides may decide to “ground” a rider, for their safety, if they are not at the required level to undertake the safari (a test will be conducted to ensure control of the horse).

WHAT TO BRING: Bring riding clothes that respect the environment, so in khaki/sand colors to avoid disturbing the animals visually. Bring something warmer for the night’s temperature changes. Waterproof pouch for the camera. Protective helmet, sunscreen, insect repellent.

TYPE: Itinerant horseback safari with overnight stays in comfort tented camps.

ACCOMMODATION:
7 nights in fixed or mobile tented camps. Over the course of 7 nights, you will change between 3 different types of tented camps. Most camps have running water and solar-powered lighting. At the first and last night camps, there is also a small pool and sunbeds for guests. In all camps, there will be a common area where meals will be served and where you can share stories of the day around the campfire. No internet connection available, and often no phone signal.
Night 1: Two Mashatu Camp
Night 2: Tree Camp
Nights 3, 4, 5: The Kgotla Camp
Night 6: Tree Camp
Night 7: Two Mashatu Camp

Departure dates are available on request all year round, with a minimum of 1 person departing from Italy.
Departures on SATURDAY or MONDAY
PARTICIPANTS: MIN 2 MAX 8

prezzo del pacchetto per persona From
7.075 €
Based on 2 adults
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This idea includes
Destinations 1
Accommodations 1
Tours 1
Tour summary
Guide languages
English
Included
Full board treatment (drinks included)
Transfers to/from Johannesburg airport
Charter flight AR with a 10-seat Cessna from a private airport near Johannesburg to Limpopo Valley Airfield
Support vehicles and staff at the lodge/camp
7 overnight stays in tented camps
7 days of horseback riding
Horses and equipment available
Experienced guide familiar with the area, English-speaking
Basic medical assistance insurance, repatriation, baggage damage
Excluded
Intercontinental flights to/from Johannesburg
Conservation Support Fee of USD 20 per person per day (payable in cash or by card on-site)
Game drive in a 4X4 at Ashatu (optional) USD 86.50 (payable in cash or by card on-site)
Meals not mentioned, airport taxes, imported alcoholic beverages at the camp, tips, personal extras
Anything not highlighted in the "The package includes" section
Supplementary or cancellation insurance

Accommodation
- Campo tendato