Ride on horseback or jeep up to game such as rhino, giraffe and eland. Discover the mysteries of spoor, and learn the fruits and medicinal use of the local trees and plants. The mountains and gorges create amazing views and vistas of the Waterberg, and make sundowners and surprise bush breakfasts just perfect. The Waterberg safari lodges, located on a private game reserve, are in a unique part of South Africa's Waterberg mountains. Nestled in a secluded valley, it is home to a huge diversity of game, bird life and flora. The old colonial homestead of Ant and Tessa Barber, your hosts, now features two luxury lodges: Ant's Nest and Ant's Hill. With its classic furniture fashioned from local timbers, its warm fireplaces and crisp plunge pools, make this the ideal place to unwind and to explore the magnificence of the surrounds.

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Rates include luxurious private safari lodge accommodations at Ants Nest or Ants Hill, all meals, daily rides and safari excursions
5 day/ 4 nights  $ 1,295  
during OFF Season  $ 1,125 
for exclusive use of lodge with 2 people only - per person   +$840  or  $400 in off season
High Season:
12/11-01/06   03/22-04/14   07/16-09/08
Low Season:
01/07-03/21  04/15-07/15   09/09-11/30

2006 Dates: open all year
  Check Availability

Meeting: Ant's Nest or Ant's Hill
Airport: Johannesburg
Transfer: $180 return pp from
Johannesburg (min of 2)
Level:   Novice to Intermediate
Tack:   Mclellan, English and Australian Stock
Horses:  Thoroughbred, Arab, Anglo Arab
Pace: Moderate with trots and canters
Min/Max Riders: 2-8

Note: luxury combined with excellent riding and wild game make this one of the best rides in South Africa.
Please make sure to bring sufficient funds for extras such as tips and shopping with you as the lodge doesn't accept credit cards!

Horseback and more:
From horseback you are able to get close to the wildlife, blending in and becoming one with the bush. Tracking rhino or giraffe from horseback is by far the most exhilarating and intimate way of viewing game in their natural habitat. Enjoy canters on the open plains and take in stunning views from the top of the mountains. There is a selection of excellent, well-schooled horses, suitable for any riding level. All rides are accompanied by 2 guides, with guest safety a top priority. Nothing beats an early morning 3-hour ride, culminating in a delicious bush breakfast overlooking the plains of Africa.
You can ride as much or as little as you like, combining this experience with other activities. From here guests are taken to discover other parts of the Waterberg such as Lapalala Wilderness (with its famous population of black rhino, bushman paintings and iron age sites), the Clive Walker Rhino Museum, Marakele National Park, or the spectacular Mokolo River, to name a few.
Game Drives are also a wonderful option for those who find themselves a little saddle sore. A great way of seeing the bush from the comforts of an open 4x4 land cruiser. Let Ant take you up the mountainsides or down into the valleys viewing game in a more sedate manner. Days wind down with sundowner drinks during a magnificent African sunset atop the mountain and a sumptuous meal back at the lodge.

Accommodations:
These secluded bush homes cater for a maximum of 8 people, in 3 double bedrooms and a twin room. The accommodation consists of a separate thatched Rondavel with ensuite bathroom and private verandah, an upstairs thatched guest bedroom, also with bathroom ensuite and a private elevated verandah, with wonderful views over the plains and Waterberg hills in the distance - the perfect chill out spot! The main house has a double ensuite room and a twin room with its own adjacent bathroom. This house has a cozy sitting room and open fireplace with adjoining dining room.
The large verandah surrounding the main house is an ideal setting for afternoon siestas or for reading that good book. All our double rooms feature unique hand crafted, wooden, four poster beds. Surrounding the lodge are beautiful landscaped gardens filled with indigenous succulents and plants, very attractive to our native bee-eaters and rarely seen black sunbirds. The plunge pool is a popular feature, inviting guests in the hot sunny afternoons.
Tessa with her influence from Kenya has brought, to the old colonial homes, a stylish warmth in her use of classic furniture fashioned from local timber, fabrics and stone. An atmosphere of relaxation and tranquility awaits you. Each lodge caters to a maximum of eight people and you may have exclusive use with a group of four.
This safari lodge takes pride in it's sumptuous cuisine, carefully prepared by a chef, from fresh and native produce. Meals are taken in a variety of secluded and alternative places. You may find yourself enjoying a hearty breakfast under a shady syringa, somewhere out in the bush, or a 3 course evening meal dining in the cozy reed boma, around an open campfire, under a starlit African sky.
The reserve is one of diverse topography and vegetation. Not only are there over 15 species of antelope (including Sable, Nyala & Oryx), but it is also home to White rhino, Giraffe and Burchels Zebra. An abundance of bird life, both native and migratory, can also be found in the Waterberg.

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