Okavango Delta, Kalahari & Thamalakane: Warm/hot during the day with morning rides in a breeze – pleasantly warm at night. Possibility of a little rain. Bush is green and lush – grass tall and green and salt pans likely to be wet.
Okavango Delta, Kalahari & Thamalakane: Day: temps can reach 35°-45°C in the middle of the day. Night: 10°-20°C.
Okavango Delta: Rain pools in the Mopane forests and on the open plains – but floodwater very unlikely at this time.
Okavango Delta: Plains game such as small herds of buffalo, zebra, wildebeest, impala and kudu. Breeding herds of elephants passing through and many solitary bulls. Excellent birds with all the migratory species in residence. Hippo concentrated in the permanent lagoons.
Kalahari: A true spectacle as the world’s largest zebra migration is in residence. With the arrival of the rains, thousands of zebra and wildebeest make their way to the Makgadigadi Salt Pans in search for the nutritious salty grasses. And then there are the desert adapted species including brown hyena, bat-eared foxes, aardwolf, and if you are lucky…aardvark! And of course, the habituated meerkat clan which is a real highlight and lots of fun!
Thamalakane River: There are 9 species of plains game within the Royal Tree Lodge Private Reserve that can be seen throughout the year.
Lightweight riding gear, a raincoat and swimwear.
Okavango Delta, Kalahari & Thamalakane: Warm/hot during the day – pleasantly warm at night. Possibility of rain. Bush is green and lush – grass tall and green and salt pans likely to be wet.
Okavango Delta, Kalahari & Thamalakane: Day: 25°-35°C. Night: 10°-20°C.
(Delta): Plenty of rain pans left over from the rainy season – but floodwater would not have reached the area yet.
Okavango Delta: Plains game such as small herds of buffalo, zebra, wildebeest, impala and kudu. Breeding herds of elephants passing through and many solitary bulls. Excellent birds with all the migratory species in residence. Hippo concentrated in the permanent lagoons.
Kalahari: A true spectacle as the world’s largest zebra migration is in residence. With the arrival of the rains, thousands of zebra and wildebeest make their way to the Makgadigadi Salt Pans in search for the nutritious salty grasses. And then there are the desert adapted species including brown hyena, bat-eared foxes, aardwolf, and if you are lucky…aardvark! And of course, the habituated meerkat clan which is a real highlight and lots of fun!
Thamalakane River: There are 9 species of plains game within the Royal Tree Lodge Private Reserve that can be seen throughout the year.
Lightweight riding gear, a raincoat and swimwear.
Okavango Delta & Thamalakane: These are our winter months and can be chilly/cold in the early morning and evenings but warm up towards the middle of the day. The bush starts to get drier and grasses shorter.
Kalahari: These are our winter months and the desert can be particularly cold in the early mornings and evenings but can warm up drastically by midday. The pans are usually dry and we able to ride out across them for some lovely gallops and to sleep out on the pans under the stars!
Okavango Delta, Kalahari & Thamalakane: Day: 20°-30°C. Night: 0°-5°C.
Okavango Delta: Floods arriving, spreading out and rising so more chance of water canters.
Okavango Delta: Large numbers of breeding herds of elephants, buffalo in ever increasing numbers, and large numbers of lechwe moving down with the flood waters. Wild dogs still denning and cats numbers increase as more plains game also come in with the flood waters.
Kalahari: Groups of bull elephants have arrived in to the area. Good numbers of remaining zebra and wildebeest can still be seen at water holes. Lions and cheetah in attendance. Daily activity by aardwolf and aardvark more likely and of course, the desert adapted species such as black backed jackals, brown hyena, caracal and the habituated meerkat clan which is always such fun!
Thamalakane River: There are 9 species of plains game within the Royal Tree Lodge Private Reserve that can be seen throughout the year.
Warm Jacket, a warm fleece/sweater for evenings.
Okavango Delta & Thamalakane: These are our winter months and can be chilly/cold in the early morning and evenings but warm up towards the middle of the day. The bush starts to get drier and grasses shorter.
Kalahari: These are our winter months and the desert can be particularly cold in the early mornings and evenings but can warm up drastically by midday. The pans are usually dry and we able to ride out across them for some lovely gallops and to sleep out on the pans under the stars!
Okavango Delta, Kalahari & Thamalakane: Day: 20°-30°C. Night: 0°-5°C.
Okavango Delta: Floods arriving, spreading out and rising so more chance of water canters.
Okavango Delta: Large numbers of breeding herds of elephants, buffalo in ever increasing numbers, and large numbers of lechwe moving down with the flood waters. Wild dogs still denning and cats numbers increase as more plains game also come in with the flood waters.
Kalahari: Groups of bull elephants have arrived in to the area. Good numbers of remaining zebra and wildebeest can still be seen at water holes. Lions and cheetah in attendance. Daily activity by aardwolf and aardvark more likely and of course, the desert adapted species such as black backed jackals, brown hyena, caracal and the habituated meerkat clan which is always such fun!
Thamalakane River: There are 9 species of plains game within the Royal Tree Lodge Private Reserve that can be seen throughout the year.
Warm Jacket, a warm fleece/sweater for evenings.
Okavango Delta & Thamalakane: Winter is over and it starts to get progressively warmer as we build up to the first rains. Skies are spectacular with clouds forming. Trees come into flower and then leaves go green and fruits grow. Evenings are warm and the bush is dry and grass short.
Kalahari: Winter is over and it starts to get progressively warmer. The pans are still dry and we able to ride out across them for some lovely gallops and to sleep out on the pans under the stars!
Day: 30-45°C. Night: 15°-25°C.
Okavango Delta: Depending on the rain the floodwater generally starts to recede slightly– but this, of course, depends on how big the flood was to start with. Drinking pools of water remain – hopefully until the next rains come!
Okavango Delta: The game now tends to concentrate as the water sources lessen – big herds of buffalo and elephant can be seen and with shorter grass more plains game can also be seen including kudu, zebra, wildebeest and impala. It is also more likely to see wild dog as well as the cats who favor dry savannah. Young giraffe, lechwe and warthog can also be seen cooling off in remaining waterholes.
Kalahari: Elephant bulls remain in residence in the area and take advantage of the waterholes. Smaller herds of zebra and wildebeest remain. Oryx and springbok can also be seen in the open grasslands. And, of course, the desert adapted species such as black backed jackals, brown hyena, caracal and the habituated meerkat clan which is always such fun!
Thamalakane River: There are 9 species of plains game within the Royal Tree Lodge Private Reserve that can be seen throughout the year.
Lightweight riding gear, a fleece/sweater and swimwear.
Okavango Delta, Kalahari & Thamalakane: The rainy season is any time from November – but impossible to say exactly when and how much. Normally the rain comes for an hour or so every day and then often goes away for a week or more before it rains again.
It is warm to sticky hot before the rain and cooler after each rain. Bush turns green with the rains and many of the trees and flowers come into bloom while the sunsets become increasingly dramatic.
Day: 30°-40°C. Night: 15°-20°C.
Okavango Delta: Depending on the rain the floodwater generally starts to recede slightly– but this, of course, depends on how big the flood was to start with. Drinking pools of water remain – hopefully the rains have arrived and top up the waterholes!
Okavango Delta: The rains arrive often with a dramatic thunderstorm leading the animals to disperse to eat on new vegetation and drink from the seasonal pans. This is the birthing season which begins with the tsessebe, followed by impala and lechwe. Predators seek out these vulnerable young. With much action, great visibility and colour with big clusters of cloud, fresh sprouting grass and trees bursting into life – all dependent on rain.
Thamalakane River: There are 9 species of plains game within the Royal Tree Lodge Private Reserve that can be seen throughout the year.
Lightweight riding gear, a raincoat and swimwear.
Most guests reach us by flying to Maun via Johannesburg. Twice-daily flights operate between Maun and Johannesburg on Air Botswana or South African Airways (operated by SA Airlink).
These flights normally depart Johannesburg for Maun around 10 am, so please allow for the minimum connecting time between flights.
On your return journey, it is advisable to book the later flight out of Johannesburg (after 8pm) to minimize the risk of missing your onward connection.
It is also possible to access Maun via Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe or Livingstone, Zambia. This will enable you to combine your horseback safari with some of Africa’s major tourist experiences, should you so wish.
For those wanting to visit Victoria Falls before or after their safari with us, it is possible to fly directly from Maun or Camp Kalahari (Kalahari Ride) to Kasane, a 90-minute scenic charter flight on a light aircraft over the Kalahari and Okavango Delta. Kasane is located in Botswana and from here a one-hour road transfer can be arranged to either Livingstone, Zambia or Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.
After being met by your guide you will be taken to a nearby café for lunch and a refreshment, courtesy of Ride Botswana, where there are restrooms for changing into your riding gear (please pack accordingly). After lunch, and once the temperatures have cooled down, a 40 minute drive takes you to the Buffalo Fence on the fringes of the Okavango Delta.
Here you will meet the horses and back-up rider. Once mounted up you will be given a safety briefing by your guide before a short ride (1.5 hours) in to camp in time for sunset.
If you are flying to the Kalahari, after clearing customs and immigration at Maun Airport you will be met by a charter company representative with your name clearly displayed on a welcome board. You will be assisted with your luggage and escorted to your charter aircraft (approximately 50 minute flight).
Should you opt for a road transfer to the Kalahari, after clearing customs and immigration, you will be met by the driver of one of our preferred transfer companies with your name clearly displayed on a welcome board. Your road transfer to Planet Baobab takes approximately 3 hours and there you will be met by a Natural Selection Guide. From here you will be driven the rest of the way to Camp Kalahari to join the rest of the group. In the unlikely event that you experience delays en-route, you may miss out on the afternoon ride on arrival day.