Where Can You Ride on Safari in Botswana?

Botswana offers several distinct horseback safari regions, each with its own character:

• The Okavango Delta, the country’s premier riding destination, offering waterlogged floodplains, channels, and islands teeming with wildlife
• The Makgadikgadi Salt Pans, in the Kalahari Desert, offering vast open plains, seasonal zebra migrations, and a completely different desert landscape
• The Tuli Block (Mashatu Game Reserve), in eastern Botswana where the country meets South Africa and Zimbabwe, known for enormous elephant herds, baobab trees, and excellent value compared to the Delta

A horseback safari in Botswana is the pinnacle of African safaris. When you’re out on a horseback in untamed nature, you can get up close and personal with wildlife without worrying about them spooking.

Envision yourself being led by an expert through a variety of breathtaking environments, where you may observe a wide array of animals that seem oblivious to your presence. Experiences like cantering beside plains wildlife or leisurely strolling across a troop of swimming elephants will remain vivid in your memory long after you’ve returned home.

Why Take a Horseback Safari in Botswana

Unmatched proximity to wildlife. Because animals generally don’t perceive horse and rider as a threat in the same way they do a vehicle, riders can often get closer to elephants, giraffes, zebra, and antelope than would be possible on a game drive, creating quiet, sustained encounters rather than brief vehicle-based sightings.

The Okavango Delta’s unique terrain. As the world’s largest inland delta and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Okavango offers seasonal flooding that creates one of the most distinctive riding experiences in Africa; cantering through shallow floodwater during the high-water season, with splashes kicked up alongside herds of lechwe or zebra, is often described as a signature moment of a Delta horseback safari.

The Makgadikgadi’s otherworldly landscape. These vast, ancient salt pans offer completely different scenery from the Delta’s greenery, wide open plains, sandy desert islands, and, depending on the season, one of the largest zebra migrations in Africa. It’s often paired with an Okavango stay for a true contrast of Botswana’s landscapes.

Options for a range of riding levels. While the Okavango Delta and Tuli Block generally suit experienced, confident riders comfortable cantering in open terrain around wildlife, the Makgadikgadi offers options better suited to intermediate riders, along with shorter rides for those less experienced, making the country more accessible to a range of skill levels than some riders expect.

Exclusive, low-density tourism. Botswana limits visitor numbers as a matter of national conservation policy, meaning riding safaris here take place in genuinely uncrowded wilderness, with small, personalized camps rather than large-scale tourism infrastructure.

Where to Stay?

We strongly advise Macatoo Camp for any horse safaris you may be interested in taking in the Okavango Delta. African Horseback Safaris owns and operates the ranch, making it ideal for seasoned riders who are at ease venturing into the Delta’s more isolated corners on horseback. For as long as six hours each day, you will be able to ride with the help of competent and experienced guides through verdant flora, plentiful wildlife, and stunning landscapes.

The Okavango’s lush flora is very different from the unique terrestrial experience offered by equestrian safaris on the Makgadikgadi salt pans. One of the many popular activities at Camp Kalahari is the equestrian safaris. Beginners can choose from shorter journeys, while more experienced riders can embark on multi-day epics. In addition to the more common plains wildlife like zebras and waterbuck, elephants and giraffes, you may also see more exotic animals like brown hyenas, aardvarks, meerkats, and flamingos.

Best Time for a Horseback Safari in Botswana

• June to October (dry season): Widely considered the best period for wildlife viewing, as game concentrates around remaining water sources across the country; also coincides with the Okavango Delta’s seasonal floodwaters, ideal for the classic splashing canters through the floodplains.
• May onward: Floodwaters begin arriving in the Delta from Angola’s rains, gradually filling the channels through the dry season months.
• June and July nights can be cold, particularly in the Kalahari, so warm layers are worth packing even though days remain pleasant.
• Botswana is considered a strong year-round destination overall, with riding safaris available across most seasons depending on the specific region.

Getting to Botswana’s Riding Safari Camps

Most visitors fly into Maun, Botswana’s main safari hub, connecting through Johannesburg, Windhoek, or other regional gateways. From Maun, riding camps in the Okavango Delta and Makgadikgadi Pans are typically reached by light aircraft or helicopter transfer, arranged directly through your riding safari operator as part of the overall package.

Final Thoughts

A Botswana horseback safari offers a level of immersion in the wilderness that few other safari formats can match, whether that’s cantering through the Okavango Delta’s floodwaters alongside herds of lechwe and zebra, or riding across the stark, ancient plains of the Makgadikgadi. For experienced riders looking for an unforgettable way to experience Africa’s wildlife, Botswana remains one of the continent’s defining horseback safari destinations.