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Due to the diversity in landscapes
and a good road network, the Western Cape has become the foremost
tourist destination in South Africa. Ranking amongst the most beautiful
and certainly one of the most varied horse trails in the world with lots
of game viewing! This safari ride offers horse lovers the opportunity to
experience the Cape on horseback in all its unforgettable variety. The
rides take place in vastly different landscapes - as only the Western
Cape can offer. The locations include the beaches along the Atlantic,
the Indian Ocean (with their Lagoons) and the wine and wheat lands, as
well as secluded stretches of the Western Cape Mountains. Here the rider
can experience the pristine and unique Cape fynbos flora, and truly
breathtaking scenery. The safari offers riders the rare chance to
experience hidden landscapes that are usually not accessible. You only
ride professionally trained reliable horses. This gives you the
opportunity not only to enjoy the unique nature the Western Cape has to
offer, but at the same time experience some truly pleasurable rides.
Whether you prefer a gallop along the beach or a laid back ride through
the wine growing hills, we will have the right horse for you.
The accommodation will satisfy up-market clientele. You will be
accommodated in stylish guest-houses or farm-houses, some of which are
build on ecological concepts, for example the Buchu Bush Camp at the De
Hoop nature-reserve.
Tourism in step with nature is our aim, with us you will experience not
only the well-known South African hospitality but also the variety of
their culinary culture and their outstanding wines. We are confident you
will return with unforgettable memories, experiences and impressions
from this trail.
IT-SACAT8
Rates:
Include all cost as per itinerary i.e.: transport, all meals including
soft drinks, accommodation (double room sharing), entrance fees and
stable cost. Only drinks and small gratuities are excluded.
8 days/ 7 nights $
3,645 Single +$295
-- based on
€ 2,560 / € 200
2008 Dates:
01/06-01/13 01/27-02/03
02/17-02/24
03/09-03/16 10/05-10/12
10/26-11/02
11/16-11/23 11/30-12/07
check
availability
In June and August this trip is also available with Drag Hunts as part of
the trip.
see
Drag Hunts at the Cape
Meeting: Cape Town
Airport:
Cape Town
Transfer: included
Level:
Good
Intermediate
Tack:
English and Western style
Horses:
Arab, Anglo Arab
Pace: Moderate with trots, canters and gallops, 4-6 hrs in the
saddle
Min/Max Riders: 4-7
Note:
A short version is
available - first 4 days of regular
trip $ 1,845
Single + 150
-- based on
€ 1,295 / € 100
Luxury, fine wines combined with
excellent riding
Riders must be proficient in rising trot and
canter and should have some outride experience. You will always have the
choice to retire after lunch making your way back with the support
vehicle, while the horse is ridden back by one of the grooms. This
ensures that not so fit riders can also enjoy this horse trail.
Accommodation for this trip is in 5 totally different carefully selected
up market locations.
Itinerary
DAY 1 (Sunday):
Arrival at Cape Town International Airport on Sunday
morning (departure from Europe the previous night).
From the airport we drive across the Cape Peninsula
over the breathtaking Chapman's Peak Drive to the
gracious LAVENHOF homestead, situated in the De
Goede Hoop Estate - Noordhoek, where you will be
welcomed by a champagne buffet lunch. In the
afternoon we will ride former race-horses along the
magnificent, wide and empty Noodhoek beach, followed
by a dinner at a restaurant with views over the
South Atlantic.
DAY 2 (Monday): We
depart from Cape Town early in the morning for a
scenic drive along the spectacular False Bay
coastline and onto Kleinmond where at mid morning we
start the ride along the pristine beach between the
ocean of the South Coast and the Kleinmond Lagoon
Nature reserve as well as the Botrivier “Vlei”
(estuary). Here we can canter to our heart’s
content. During the course of the day we are likely
to see a herd of wild horses as well as flocks of
flamingos and pelicans in the lagoon and sometimes
fish eagles and seals. Lunch is served in a seaside
restaurant. After the afternoon ride, a short drive
brings us to the stables at Botrivier where we lodge
for two nights in a quaint historic wine farm. We
will be welcomed to a wine tasting by the
proprietor.
Day 3 (Tuesday): We
start from the stables, with the same horses that we
rode the previous day, on an ancient ox wagon trail
that follows the old railway line as it winds itself
up the historic pass to the Houw Hoek Inn. In open
terrain we continue riding through pristine mountain
“fynbos” (indigenous shrub land), up the Groenlandberge (Groenlandmountains). At an altitude
of approximately 700-meters we take a break to enjoy
the view and continue riding on a different path
back to the Houw Hoek Inn for a late lunch. In the
afternoon we return riding through the old pass down
to the stables.
DAY 4 (Wednesday):
Again we start the ride from the Botrivier stables.
This time through the rolling hills of the Overberg
wheat, wine, cattle and sheep farming region, with a
lunch stop in the old olive shad of the wine farm
Gabrielsvalley Thereafter we ride back to the
stables completing our circular route for the day.
In the late afternoon we drive for 1½ hour
eastwards, the latter part of which is on lonely
dirt roads, past some big ostrich farms, to the
remote 36000 ha De Hoop Nature reserve. Here we stay
for the night in the Buchu Bush camp .
These are truly comfortable rustic chalets; designed
and built by an environmental conservationist right
in the “fynbos” flora.
DAY 5 (Thursday):
Starting our
horse-safari from the 250-year old farmstead of the
reserve we cross the De Hoop Vlei, riding among
different species of antelope grazing in the lowland
“fynbos” such as the bontebok, (endemic to this
area), springbock, and the largest antelope of all-
the eland,. Cape mountain zebras, baboons, wild
ostriches, as well as different water-birds, to name
but a few of the many different species in the
reserve, can be seen at close range. We continue our
ride over huge, bright, white, sand dunes (up to 85
meters in height), for which this national park is
famous, down to a beach at the Indian Ocean. This
totally uninhabited, coastal stretch has, during the
mating season from end May to end November, the
highest concentration of whales sighted anywhere in
the world. These can be viewed at close proximity
from the high vantage point of the saddle! After
some 8 kms riding along the shore we meet up with
the support team at the far end of the beach for a
picnic lunch. Afterwards we ride on different tracks
back through the coastal “fynbos” to the old
farmstead, viewing game all the way.
A short drive on a forlorn dirt road northwards
takes us to a rest camp on the banks of the Breede-River,
where we stay for the night. To reach this camp we
have to cross this river at Malgas on the only
river-ferry in S.A. still pulled across by hand.
This region, situated adjacent to the most Southern
point of Africa, is favoured by storks during the
European winter and during the S.A. summer, large
flocks can be viewed on the fields. This camp
consists of 4 luxury tents with comfortable beds,
set up on wooden platforms on the riverbank plus a
spacious main house with a lounge with an open
fireplace, dining area and showers. An evening braai
(a South African barbeque) is prepared on an open
fire on the veranda by the farmer and his wife.
Day 6 (Friday): We
have a breakfast with boerewors (S.A. sausage) in
their old farm-house before we leave on the day’s
ride on pure breed Boereperd horses. This South
African breed of horses is ideally suited for the
continuous descent and climb in and out of the
riverbed, which we will experience today. Bordering
the farm, consisting of vast wheat and grazing
fields for sheep and ostriches, the Breede River
makes a huge loop and is visited by wild geese and
the slopes potted by porcupine burrows. Within the
farm we ride for some 20 km, along a lonely stretch
of the riverbed meandering within a 50 metre deep
valley, through aloe country. A picnic lunch is
served by the riverside. In the afternoon we finish
the trail back at the camp, whereupon we leave for
the Aardvark Private Nature College that is
situated in a semi-desert called the Small Karoo,
and we stay in their brand new accommodation
there. We will have a sundowners ride on the first
evening followed by a dinner in the dining room
adjoining our bedrooms.
DAY 7 (Saturday): We
have our final ride of 4 hours in the morning in the
undulating scrubland and dried up river beds of the
veldt (indigenous field) stopping for a picnic
breakfast enroute. The trail leads through
the unspoiled vegetation of this remote and quiet
corner of the Cape Province. We return to the
collage for lunch. Thereafter we drive for 1 ½ hour
to the upmarket, big five, Wildlife Reserve
of Sanbona situated in a 54 000! hectare
private reserve in the most remote part of the Small
Karoo, at the foot of the Warmwaterberg. Here we
stay for the last night in the luxurious Tilney
Manor hunting lodge. On arrival we will have the
thrill of our first big five game drive in an open
Land cruiser, followed by a sumptuous dinner.
DAY 8 (Sunday): The
next morning, after breakfast, we have our second
game drive, returning to Tilney Manor in time for a
substantial lunch. Afterwards we drive for 2 ½
hours, via the spectacular Du Toits Kloof, back to
Cape Town or to the airport, (where you can have a
shower in the airport building).
The entire 8
days trip covers approximately 900 km driving
through beautiful countryside and approximately 200
km on 8 different rides, using 4 different stables.
The rider must be proficient in rising trot and
canter and must have some outride experience. Riders
will always have the choice to retire after lunch,
making their way back with the support vehicle,
while their horse is ridden back by one of the
grooms. This ensures that not so fit riders can also
enjoy this horse trail. Accommodation for this trip
is in 6 totally different, carefully selected,
up-market locations. |
see
Ranking amongst the most beautiful and certainly one
of the most varied horse trails in the world plus
lots of game viewing! Especially suited for riders
who want to be spoiled and are used to high
standards in accommodation and catering.
.. click on map to enlarge
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