We GUARANTEE you won't find the same horse riding holiday at a lower price through any other source... and if you do, we promise to refund the difference!
from £2,500 or €2,830
Suitable for intermediate plus riders who are confident and secure in the saddle as you are riding with big dangerous game.
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Rates are quoted per person sharing. ‘Wait a Little’ is a set departure date holiday.
Single supplement 50% unless you are willing to share a twin room. One single room is available at 'Wait a Little' camp with no supplement.
Note: Rates are subject to adjustment due to currency fluctuations, please refer to ‘Terms & Conditions’.
Includes – All the riding, accommodation, meals, drinks & alcohol (local brand), guiding & game drives.
Excludes – Flights, transfers, tips & premium wines, champagnes, spirits
Open all year.
Big Five Safari
Saturday to Saturday and runs most weeks throughout the year.
Ride and Dine
1-6 June
20-29 July
19-28 October
2-11 November
Big Five Safari Camp
As a subset of the Big Five Safari, we can run this on many dates, just ask.
Getting There
International flight to Johannesburg. Followed by an internal flight to Phalaborwa or Hoedspruit by SAA Airlink.
There is a shuttle service to Hoedspruit from Johannesburg for £50 each way leaving Johannesburg at 7am and returning at 7pm.
You can also self-drive from Johannesburg or we can arrange a pickup. The drive to the reserve is about 5 hours and the countryside in itself is interesting and there are good stops for food on the way. We liked Harries pancakes – yum!
Transfer
A short car transfer to camp from either airport (Phalaborwa or Hoedspruit). Cost is £90 return from Hoedspruit and £120 return from Phalaborwa
All our horse riding holidays hold a price guarantee. We believe in your piece of mind on price when you book one of our horse riding holidays and will refund the difference should you find the same horse riding holiday elsewhere at a lower price.
Come and find out why recent Rolex Grand Slam winner ‘Michal Jung’, the international 3-day eventer, chose his horse-riding safari holiday in South Africa at ‘Wait a Little‘, a highly personalised ‘Big 5’ riding safari west of Kruger Park, in the private reserves of Karongwe and Makalali.
The safari outfit at Wait a Little is owner/managed by Gerti and Philip Kusseler, who have been riding through these reserves for 15 years. Most definitely one of the best safari experiences in Africa, with their attention to detail and obvious passion for their home and their horses.
At Wait a Little the horses are fantastic, ride outs are for 4 hours in the morning and 2 in the late afternoon and even after a full day’s work, the horses walk on in a workmanlike manner, keen to keep going, due to their high level of fitness and health. They are also very well schooled in dressage moves on account of Gerti being very interested in this discipline and competes up to national level (she currently has 3 dressage horses in competition of her own). There are mixed breeds and they have a herd of about 40 horses, so there is always something suited to every rider.
The game viewing from Wait a Little is excellent and we can’t think of anywhere else where clients can get so close to lion – Philip really is a modern day ‘Crocodile Dundee’, you feel so safe in his presence and it’s easy to trust him with your life. His guiding skills are outstanding, and he easily reads the games moods – if a situation isn’t right, he will apologise for not getting in for a close viewing, but there’s always a good reason – the rhino is unsettled or something of that nature. Out there you can expect to see lion, cheetah, leopard, warthog, elephants, giraffe, rhino, warthog, bush babies, zebra, buffalo, wildebeest, crocodiles, hippo, impala, waterbuck and much, much more.
In addition to the game viewing and riding out at Wait a Little, there are also natural obstacles and some cross-country jumps, so if the group rides well, you can also expect to pop over some jumps – they are a good height and anyone who rides well, should have no problems sitting tight and pointing their horse over them – all the horses jump well and willingly.
Because the reserve holds so much dangerous game and the horses are finely tuned, this riding safari does require a high level of riding to take part, which is great and means that groups are fast paced and move forward easily.
At Wait a Little the groups are small, at most 7 people are in camp at one time, which means everyone benefits from such a personal experience. This really comes into play in the evenings when everyone sits down together for dinner, it’s like being at a good friend’s dinner party, everyone in good form and chatters on about the days adventure. The food can even sometimes be cooked by Gerti and Philip – Gerti does a great courgette fritter and Philip can BBQ up some tasty warthog steaks!
Wait a Little is one of these places where you feel like it’s your home from home and not surprisingly, their repeat business speaks for itself. It’s always busy at Wait a Little, so if you are at all interested in this safari and we do recommend whole heartedly that you visit, then get in touch as soon as you can with dates to avoid disappointment.
Horses – They have 40 horses at Wait a Little, lots of different breeds, South African Boerperds, Thoroughbreds and crosses, Warmbloods and Arabs. They specifically choose a wide selection of horses which are responsive and suited to the job.
Level of Riding & Pace – Intermediate to Advanced. A good level of fitness is required, rides are 5 – 7 hours per day, split into 2, morning and late afternoon.
Tack – English style with Bates saddles, custom made for rider & horse, to provide ultimate comfort. It would be very hard for anyone to get sore out here even though there are long days in the saddle as the tack is so comfortable and well maintained.
Weight Restriction – 95kg / 210lbs / 15stone.
If you are over this limit, please still do enquire as we may be able to accommodate as there are some bigger weight bearing horses available, depending on dates and group size.
Group Size – Maximum 7.
There are 3 very different accommodations on this safari.
Wait a Little Base Camp – Luxury tents with ensuite and decks looking out onto the river. Think outside showers and baths overlooking the bush. There’s also lots of outdoor space to chill out in your down time between rides, including a small swimming pool.
Beacon Rock – A very simple open air sleep out camp where bushes are your loo facilities, warmth comes from a central fire, and you can hear you horses munching late into the evening on their full nets of hay!
XiDulu Lodge – A beautiful privately owned lodge only used by the owners and Wait a Little. It has 5 comfortable double rooms, 3 chalets and a honeymoon suite. All have their own inside and outside hot showers, bathroom with flush loo, air conditioning and private veranda. There is also an infinity swimming pool with built in Jacuzzi, overlooking a dam where there is a resident pod of hippos and elephants can often be seen to bathe.
Food at Wait a Little
It is delicious, even though you are riding for 5-7 hours per day, you can expect to put on a few lbs out here. It’s Jamie Oliver/African home style sort of food.
Breakfast is light – toast, cereal, tea, coffee and juice, which is perfect as you are in the saddle for 6.30am.
Lunch is plentiful and about 11am – things like bacon & onion pancakes with blue cheese, big mixed salads, sausages, chicken salads, chunky coleslaw.
Dinner is a 3-course affair, starting with soup (3 cheese, mushroom, lentil) and freshly baked bread, followed by steak & chips, warthog & pepper sauce, lamb & creamy mint sauce, pasta & beef cream sauce, always with fresh vegetables, oven baked roots, fresh mange touts, broccoli and cauliflower. And deserts, if you still have room, apple crumble with ice cream, lemon drizzle deserts, sticky toffee pudding. All washed down with specially selected South African wines.
Throughout the days, the bar is open for everyone to help themselves to G&T’s, beers and soft drinks. Except at Makalali, where the bar is always serviced.
Horse Riding Holidays at Wait a Little are part of the Zara’s Planet collection of Horse Riding Holidays South Africa.
Please Ask About
Big Five Safari – Itineraries always subject to change.
You will be picked up at preferably Hoedspruit or possibly also Phalaborwa airport by our transfer service. A pickup from Johannesburg OR TAMBO direct can also be arranged, note that travelling time is 5 hours. On arrival at Wait A Little sandwiches and afternoon tea and coffee awaits you. The Wait a Little team, including Philip and Gerti, are there to welcome you. Gerti will introduce you to the safety procedures before going on your first riding safari. This orientation ride takes you through the area surrounding the camp as you unwind from your journey and forget yourself in the peace of the African bush. This is your chance to become accustomed to our horses and riding style. We might even see the first giraffes or zebras or whatever else is in the vicinity. Sundowners, looking out towards the Drakensberg Mountains, are a perfect prelude to the generous 3 course dinner, accompanied by hand-picked South African wines, which awaits you in our dining area, furnished with antique African art. The first night, with all its fantastic sounds and noises, is probably the most exciting one. Accommodation for these first three nights is in old style safari tents with ensuite bathrooms, mounted on platforms above the Makhutswe River at the Wait A Little main camp.
We wake you with tea or coffee in the morning. After a light, continental breakfast we are ready to mount our horses and go on safari. The weather will create our day. But usually, we ride for 3-4 hours in the morning and approx. 2 hours in the afternoon. After we return from our morning ride a big lunch, made by Ana our chef, awaits us with homemade quiches, pizzas or pancakes, freshly homemade bread, different types of salads and greens, meats and cheeses. After lunch the hardest time of the day has arrived, siesta. You can spend your well-deserved rest in your room or at the swimming pool or maybe you would like to improve your knowledge of Africa by reading one of the books provided in our library. Afternoon tea and coffee strengthen us for our next adventure. Our afternoon ride ends at a beautiful sundowner spot where, drink in hand, we enjoy an often-colourful sunset!
Another exciting day awaits you. The morning is similar to the one on day 2, but today we will go on an exciting drive to our buffalo project in the afternoon. Your guide will take you to the furthest northern corner of the reserve, all along the Makuthswe River to hopefully find the beautiful beast. Here we enjoy our sundowner followed by a night drive back home to Wait A Little. Over lunchtime you are welcome to have a relaxing massage by our therapist. There is a well-prepared massage room where everything is there for your comfort. Today is also the chance to acquire some of our merchandise material, like of our branded safari shirts.
Another beautiful morning ride followed by Ana’s famous brunch. In the afternoon we pack our bags, leaving for another camp, staying away for all in all three nights. The luggage will be brought by vehicle, whilst you set off on horseback. Riding south, you will pass between the twin rock formations of Lion and Leopard Hill with bated breath. The gently undulating roads in this area lend themselves to long easy canters. Giraffe, Zebras or Wildebeest may pick up the pace and run by your side, elegantly running through the veldt. Beacon Rock, our fly camp, is situated at a giant rock formation from where you can overlook the whole Lowveld escarpment. A quick scramble up to the top rewards you with a spectacular panorama over the whole reserve and the perfect vantage point to witness a blood red sun fall behind the looming Drakensberg Escarpment. Under the stars around a campfire and surrounded by our horses, we spend the night listening to the call of the hyenas or jackals, which might visit us in the night. Steaks or chops, cooked over the open fire with snakebites, baked potatoes and salads are the perfect fayre to help us into a deep sleep tonight.
Waking to the rich colours of the sunrise we revive the fire for coffee and breakfast before embarking on our longest ride. Entering the Makalali Private Game Reserve, dominated by huge open planes you might find yourself cantering next to giraffes, zebras or wildebeest. Spectacular views, over big distances show you the way to XiDulu our camp for the next two nights. XiDulu is built at the edge of a dam with a resident pod of hippos. Enjoy the game from the deck of your chalet or the viewing platform or even better whilst enjoying the infinity pool. XiDulu’s rooms are all equipped with inside and outside showers, baths, aircon and a big veranda. Elephants often come for a swim during the day, whilst at night lions and hyenas are often seen or heard near the camp. The afternoon siesta is followed by a game drive. Your guide Patson is a very well-known tracker and guide who knows all the native stories about the bush and the wildlife. In an open top Landrover he will follow the directions of the signs left by the big cats during the day. After a long slow Gin watching the sunset, the drive continues into the night where, with luck, some of the nocturnal wildlife will show its face. Bushbabies, owls, maybe even a leopard, will complete your day’s excitement. Dinner is served in the dining area or outside around the fireplace under the stars at the water’s edge. The Wait a Little team in their usual fashion will be responsible for your culinary expereince at XiDulu.
Today we go exploring, cutting through the veldt at a canter, twisting and turning around the trees - what Philip calls bushwhacking - and your surefooted horse carries you nimbly through the undergrowth, changing direction as you guide his course, having just as much fun as you. Here and there a tree felled by an elephant, provides an irresistible jump. Or perhaps the eland, or kudu, seeing us pass, fall in front of us to show us the best path. At the top of the hill you pause for thought, as mile after mile of unspoiled Africa stretches away before you. The afternoon is open to either join another one of Patson’s irresistible game drives or to go on another ride.
After a light breakfast we head back to Wait A Little leaving XiDulu behind. What will we see on our way? This is always open to the wildlife and tracks of elephant, lion, rhino, and giraffe determine your path. Home at Wait A Little the team eagerly awaits your exciting tales whilst we enjoy another one of Ana’s fantastic lunches. The last sundowner on Wait A Little's open plain will be sad, but beautiful, impressive and absolutely unique. The African fever might have caught you as well and the goodbye can be hard. For your farewell dinner Gerti chooses something special - perhaps game fillets like kudu or eland served on pasta with sherry sauce.
An early wake up will get us on the horses quickly, so we can enjoy a short sporty ride. Once back you can finish your packing and then indulge in Ana’s final breakfast before the transfer service brings you to the Airport. We trust that you will have enjoyed your amazing holiday with us and we thank you so much for your visit.
Garonga, Big 5 Camp & the New Gourmet Safari itineraries all available on request.
All our horse riding holidays hold a price guarantee. We believe in your piece of mind on price when you book one of our horse riding holidays and will refund the difference should you find the same horse riding holiday elsewhere at a lower price.
If you are having trouble finding exactly the right horse riding holiday for you from our horse riding holidays collection, please contact us directly using the form below and tell us in your own words what you would like to do and we will use our extensive knowledge to make sure we find that perfect horse riding holiday.
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