Riding Safari at Ants Nest, South Africa
- zara
- Aug 16
- 10 min read
Written by Zara, visited June 2025
Zara's account from her private group trip to Ants Nest, South Africa
I am back from my fourth visit to the Ants Collection in South Africa, so it’s timely I share this absolute gem of a place with you all — Jill says I MUST! This time there were 12 of us and we visited in July,
To introduce Ants a bit: The lodges and reserves are owned by Ant Baber and his wife Sarah. I love it because it’s owner-managed and this, of course, means we all got such a personal level of service. Set in over 12,500 acres, this private reserve is a major rhino protection area and one of the reasons I love Ants. Those beautiful animals are clearly loved and cherished by Ant, and all the staff can recognise each of them. It’s important to point out that on a week’s safari approx. $800 of what you pay for the trip goes directly into a rhino conservation fund. I don’t know about you, but it makes me feel really good that a good portion of my hard-earned cash is actually going directly into crucial conservation efforts for endangered rhinos whilst I get to enjoy an incredible safari.
Getting there
So, we land at Johannesburg Airport on our overnight flight from London... easy, no jetlag, and our private transfer is waiting just after immigration. For US clients it normally works out better to arrive the day before unless you travel via Europe. If arriving the day before, we can book you into an airport hotel. There is the Inter Continental right at the airport, so very handy if somewhat overpriced! Alternatively, there is a cute little travellers’ lodge called Sunrock, a 10-minute shuttle drive away. It’s clean, simple and quirky with a bar, pool table and small pool — and cheap as chips... so just chat with us about your preference.
A bonus of going to Ants is the easy logistics. You hop off the plane in Johannesburg, your meet-and-greet driver is waiting for you, and it’s an easy 2.5–3 hour transfer to the lodge... including a stop off at the “Applegreen” equivalent — good for coffee and biltong and other South African delicacies and different sweets/crisps etc. The child in me is still there for road trips!I love that as soon as we enter the gates of Ants private reserve, the last 45 minutes or so is full of gasps as we spot so much game along the way... including a massive giraffe in the middle of the track. This time we were all adults, but even those who had done multiple safaris couldn’t hide the wonder and excitement you get from spotting these animals in the wild. I have to say though, the time I brought my daughter and her friends was probably the most excited I’ve ever seen a group arriving into the game reserve.
Note: Ants is also the most exceptional spot to bring children and/or teenagers for the family holiday of a lifetime.
Arriving at Ants Nest
Back to us in July... we arrived at Ants Nest where we were warmly welcomed by the“welcome committee”, which often includes Ralph — Ant’s beloved Labrador.The Nest is the original homestead and one of three lodges run separately by the Ants team.Each lodge has its own team of staff, herd of horses etc., and some have more luxurious rooms at different prices. The service and everything else is equal in all three lodges...exceptional.For me, Ants Nest feels like a very privileged wealthy friend’s special holiday villa and game reserve... and yes, I guess that’s what it is! It is Ant’s dream, the whole project he has created out of the cattle farm his dad owned... and now we can all pay to stay there and feel like a special friend.What I’m trying to say is that although it’s clearly a commercial lodge, the team make you feel like a guest, not a client. It’s a very special skill and why I always go home feeling sad, like I’m leaving some friends behind.
OK, on to what to expect on arrival...
We are shown to our rooms and I absolutely love the African feel each lodge has and the different rooms, which range from basic standard to superior deluxe. They’re all unique and it feels like staying in a special friend’s villa. Last time I stayed in the gorgeous Sable Suite overlooking the pool, with a massive bath, walk-in shower and a four-poster super-super-king bed... absolutely stunning. This time I was staying in a basic standard room called Kingfisher — super cute, cosy and extremely comfortable. I loved having my coffee on the stoop each morning. Here from the moment you arrive the team look after you, from serving you drinks to explaining the schedule, meeting and matching the horses, tailoring your food requirements and — oh my goodness — the guides imparting their exceptional knowledge of the wildlife and ecosystem! Everyone brings a passion into the reserve which is strangely addictive... it’s hard to explain.
Our days at Ants kicked off around 7am with a gentle knock and wake-up call from one of the housekeeping staff, who drop in a coffee or tea — the best start to a day. Then it’s over to the main bar area, sitting out by the pool for breakfast — as healthy or full (eggs, bacon etc.) as you want. Around 8.30am the grooms and volunteers bring the horses over to the lodge and by 9am we are all mounted and ready to set off for our morning’s adventure.
The horses
The horses at Ants are exceptional, a testament to Amanda and her whole team. I don’t think I’ve been on a safari where there is such a wide array of horses. There are over 100 in work from cute ponies to spicy endurance Arabs, off-the-track thoroughbreds, some beautiful Friesian crosses, Boerperd crosses and sport horse types. Exceptionally well looked after and well behaved, it’s one of my joyful times going to Ants and seeing what horse I will get. They tend to keep you as much as possible on the same horse if you click together, subject to giving them some days off. So you normally would ride two or three in a week unless you want to change about... So don’t be shy.
This time I got to ride my favourite little mare — a chestnut Arab called Zara. Small, full of stamina, forward, totally sane and sensible, with great sensitivity and easy to go up the gears or down the gears in equal measure... absolutely love her, especially for the long gallops and infamous “Ants Ride”... more about that later. Always keeping me safe and with the best footing. I also got to ride a lovely four-year-old called Monty — his first time with guests and he was just fab too. I didn’t feel as relaxed on him as Zara as he was a youngster and occasionally did a wee side-spook at a monster in the bush, but stood stock still in front of rhinos! I really enjoyed him and reckon he is a guest favourite at this stage. The stronger riders in my group rode the powerful Friesian crosses — one is very quiet, the other called Fuegli is very bowling-forward all the time — and some fabulous thoroughbred crosses too, as well as more traditional Boerperd-type steady eddies for beginners and novices. Anyone cautious was given some really kind push-button horses. I think whatever level rider you are, Ants has a horse for you.
The riding and game
Ants is all about the game and there is LOADS of it. You’ll get so close to giraffe, zebra and rhino — just epic. They protect them here and do an incredible job. Because it’s a private game reserve and there are no predators (elephant, lion etc), the horses are turned out with the game at night, so the game and horses are totally habituated together. This means you can get much closer safely than you can on other riding safaris. Depending on what time of year you go, the topography will be different. Rainy season runs from December through to March, when it can be very green. It doesn’t tend to rain too much though and many people like to visit at this time because it’s hot, so it’s lovely for sunbathing, swimming in the pool and escaping European and American winters. However, we visited in July, their winter. The mornings were cold — sometimes 0°C — but it warmed up very quickly and by 10.30am when we were riding we had stripped off down toT-shirts. It tends to be very dry and sunny. The pool was perfectly usable, but not hot!
Back to the riding...
We rode every morning for around three to four hours, taking a different route each day. We went into some other game areas, including one where there was buffalo. Another time we rode up to Bush Willow, Ants’ latest lower-budget camp, which is very cute and highly recommended for good riders, offering the same level of service as the other lodges. There’s a lot of bush and foliage, even in the dry season, so you are mostly riding on sandy tracks. The pace is average, but if you want to speed it up — which we did a few days — you can request a fast ride. You’ll go out with either Ant himself or one of the guides if you want a FAST ride which some of my group requested and we had a couple of wild galloping rides. Be warned: the Ants Ride is great fun, but you’ll be flat-out galloping on those sandy tracks, so it’s only for confident speed demons! Other days we went out seeking game and learning all about the different animals’ habits, the plants and the trees. It’s absolutely fascinating and my group and I quickly fell in love with the life they lead in Africa. It’s so wholesome, refreshing and interesting — never a dull moment.
There was one morning when we were all sitting at breakfast and Ant came over to tell us that there was an injured rhino at the other side of the reserve. The vet was coming in to dart him from a helicopter and they needed riders to help follow the rhino before he fell, so they didn’t lose him in the bush and could quickly treat him while he was sedated. He asked if there were any volunteers. Of course, we ALL wanted to go! Off we went. We waited for the helicopter to go in and take its shot, then quickly followed Ant and the rhino through the bush. Eventually everyone was told to wait back, then we got off the horses and went in. The rhino was lying on his side being treated for his injury. They really run such an operation and it was wonderful to feel part of it. Another day we rode up to the Honeymoon Hut, which involved a lot of climbing up steep, stony tracks. The horses are so fit it didn’t bother them. Once we got there, there was an array of local gins, infusions and cocktails for us to drink. The horses were untacked and sent home and we returned to the lodge much later, after the sun had set, in jeeps.
These sorts of little surprises keep happening all week and just make you feel so spoiled. The evening ride is shorter. It’s after afternoon tea, usually around 4.30 or 5pm, and you’ll normally go out for around an hour and a half and it will always end up at the sundowner spot. You hand your horse over to a groom, the tack comes off and the horse goes home. There’ll be a set of jeeps ready and chairs laid out to enjoy your favourite drink as the sun goes down. This is honestly one of the most memorable parts for me — and what I missed most going home.
The food
The food is fantastic at Ants. The chef chooses the menu based on the rider forms that come in beforehand, taking into consideration any dietary requirements. It’s all fresh and cooked from scratch. Breakfast can be something healthy or eggs and bacon cooked to order — whatever you wish. Lunch is always a sit-down affair. Sometimes it will be a cookout in the bush, which entails a full barbecue with meats, veggie options, loads of different salads, delicious home-cooked breads and, of course, your favourite vino or beer to wash it down. Then there’s afternoon tea, which appears around 4pm after siesta time — always a big cake or some brownies and coffee or tea. Such a treat. Dinner times are so sociable. Everyone eats at a big table, dinner-party style, although if you want private dining on your veranda, of course they are very happy to facilitate. Each night dinner is served in a different place. We had a table set out beside the pool one night, another night we were in the boma with a big fire, another on the main terrace... you never quite know where you’re going to sit.
The food is served to you and it’s always three courses — perhaps a soup or goat’s cheese tart to start, followed by steak, roast pork or another main with potatoes, delicious vegetables and a lovely sauce. And finally, the most delicious desserts — lemon mousse, chocolate pudding, chocolate brownies, soufflé... Of course South African wines or whatever your tipple flow freely with meals and there is an open bar you can help yourself at any time... It’s all part of the package. So in spite of all the riding, don’t expect to come back slim!
The team and daily activities
Behind every great boss is a great team, and it’s credit to Ant’s vision, charisma and extraordinary management skills that the Ants lodges not only run like a dream, but make clients feel like a special friend.
The team are amazing. They somehow manage to completely spoil and indulge you but make you feel like you are part of the lodge — a sort of privileged friend staying. Nothing is too much trouble. Everyone from Taryn in the office to your lodge manager makes sure everything runs seamlessly. For us at Ants Nest, Kim was amazing. She made sure we knew what was happening the following day from the evening before, that everyone was happy, and organised different things if people wanted to do something different. We had massages, she organised an off-site Big Five game drive, and we even went zip-wiring one afternoon. For anyone not wanting to ride there are jeep safaris, walking safaris and mountain biking safaris every single day too, so non riding partners or friends have a brilliant time too. The local guides are absolutely phenomenal — so passionate about the wildlife, conservation and the whole ecosystem. It’s really addictive.
And there’s the housekeeping staff, who deliver back your clothes fully pressed everyday, put a hot-water bottle in your bed at night and leave a new little poem on your pillow every evening, as well as bringing you coffee in bed for your wake up call. What a thoughtful bunch.
And finally, there’s Ant himself. If he’s around and not travelling, Ant will always make a point of coming to have dinner with guests once a week, sometimes joins for sundowners and, of course, takes out the obligatory Ants Ride. So much fun. We absolutely loved our time at Ants Nest and I can’t wait to go back again and hopefully bring another group in 2027.
Want to visit Ants?
You must. Note that it books out very far in advance generally, especially the better-value rooms.
Check all the details on the Ant Collection page and email us on info@zarasplanet.com
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