South Africa, Volunteer Horse Safari
This riding holiday is a dream come true for anyone who loves horses, adventure, and wildlife! Here, you’ll not only volunteer with wonderful horses – you’ll also experience the South African bush from the best viewpoint possible: the back of a horse. With a focus on riding among wild animals, this is the perfect trip for those who want to enjoy a true safari experience without the high price tag of a traditional riding safari.
The stay combines a budget-friendly riding safari with a meaningful volunteer program. You help with the daily care of the horses and, in return, enjoy plenty of riding and unforgettable nature experiences. Discover the joy of exploring South Africa on horseback, meeting wildlife up close, and learning more about both the bush ecosystem and the local community.
Your hosts, Dianne from the Netherlands and Lucas from South Africa, both grew up with horses and share a deep passion for nature and wildlife.
On the lodge’s land, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, ostrich, eland, sable antelope, nyala, and impala roam freely. You’ll also ride on nearby private reserves where you may encounter kudu, crocodile, hippo, warthog, and even more of the savannah’s fascinating wildlife – and sometimes there’s even a chance to spot leopard, jackal, or hyena.
The horses live a wonderful, free life on the 100-hectare property, where they wander side by side with the wild animals. Each morning they return to the open stables for their breakfast, ready for the day’s adventure. Groups are kept small to ensure every volunteer receives personal attention, guidance, and a truly enriching experience.
If you want to be part of an authentic horse safari with plenty of riding, unique wildlife encounters, and the chance to learn more about both wild animals and life in the bush – then this is the perfect trip for you!
Accommodation & Food
You will stay in a beautiful lodge in the middle of the bush. There is a large swimming pool (15x7 meter) with a view of the mountains and waterhole where you can see the animals and horses drink, the horses are also swimming in it when it is hot. An area with a big outdoor kitchen, sun chairs and umbrellas. Indoor lounge with tv (netflix). Meals are in a communal open space next to the swimming pool.
You are sharing a cottage and room with another volunteer. You can book a private room at extra cost on request. The room has 2 single beds, wardrobe, mini fridge with freezer, bathroom with toilet and shower, a fan and an air conditioner.
Breakfast is a buffet with yoghurt, fruit, muesli, toast, butter, jam, cold meat, cheese and eggs. Everyone prepares their own lunch. There is a stocked fridge with everything you need. Dinner is prepared for you and consists of meat or pasta dish with vegetables/rice followed by dessert like a chocolate/cheese cake or ice cream. Once a week we do a braai (BBQ). Diets (vegetarian or vegan) and allergiers can be taken into account. Once a week you go together to a restaurant to eat dinner (own costs).
There are washing machines to do your laundry once per week self-service. When you get picked up at the airport, there will always be a stop in town to do some shopping. There you can do some shopping for yourself like snacks or soft drinks and alcohol. But you can also buy soft drinks and alcohol at the lodge.
Horses & Riding
You will ride young horses who are very well-behaved and very used to wild animals (4-9 years old and between 14 and 17 hands). The breeds are Thoroughbreds, Arabs, Appaloosa, Quarter Horse and other crossings.
There is a herd of 10 horses. The horses roam freely in the reserve, so they are used to the bush and wild animals. The volunteers take care of the horses themselves and also saddle them themselves. Safety comes first, a cap is always mandatory during every ride. The rides are (almost) always together with two guides (Dutch and English).
The horses are ridden in English riding style. You ride with special trail saddles that are made to cover long distances. All trail saddles have a holder for your water bottle.
You will ride different horses during your stay. Before the ride you groom and tack up your horse. In the morning and evening, you help feeding - in shifts per chalet.
Once a week you wash/ dip (for ticks) the horses, cleaning the tack and washing saddle pads.
You ride in an area where zebras, giraffes, antelopes, etc. occur, but no lions, elephants, rhinos or buffaloes. Because this trip is only accessible to advanced riders, you will also trot and gallop for long stretches and sometimes fast gallops.
Climate
There is sun virtually all year round. During the summer (October to March) is average temperature of about 30 C (86 F) and at night it may rain. During the winter (April to September) is about 25 C (77 F) during the day and cold at night (it could be 5 C / 40 F at nights in June and July).
Program
This horse-riding holiday has no fixed schedule. For example, a day can look like this: you get up at six o'clock and start feeding and caring for the horses at half past six. Then you will have breakfast and then saddle up your horse for a ride through the bush. You will take rides where you will look for zebras, giraffes, antelopes and other wild animals.
You also ride in neighbors' reserves, to get there we ride for 10 minutes on the gravel road into a big farm with orchids that grow lemons, grapefruits and oranges. We pass a few dams with hippo and crocodiles. Sometimes you make a longer ride of three hours or more, other days you make a ride for one or two hours in the morning and in the afternoon. We also do rides along the Olifants River with nice views of the Drakensberg mountains. Chance to see hippo, crocodiles, monkeys, baboons and lots of birds.
After the ride, you will have time to relax by the pool and have lunch. At the end of the day, the horses are fed again, and it is time for dinner. Maybe you'll still have energy for a jeep safari on the grounds of the lodge or the private reserve afterwards!
In addition to the daily rides, special activities are also organized. For example, you go once a week to the Klaserie dam. Here you can swim with the horses! You go there with a number of horses in the trailer and take turns in the water (about 1 hour by car).
If you stay for 2 weeks or longer, you sleep over (after swimming), at Sunbirds Oasis Lodge. A very nice lodge surrounded by big 5, a nice pool and a few viewing decks (sundowners!!).
The next morning after breakfast you ride on the Guernsey Private Nature Reserve to Pezulu Tree House Lodge to have lunch. The horses are waiting for you when you are eating. After lunch you ride back to Sunbirds Oasis Lodge to load the horses again and go back to your own lodge. During this ride there is a chance to see big 5 animals on the other side of the fence. In Guernsey Reserve there are Buffalo who are used to horses and not aggressive.
Other activities that are organized every two weeks are a walk-in day with the local veterinarian who treats wild animals and common (domestic) animals, a visit to the local K9 unit where you learn more about combating poaching and a visit to the local community where you visit a bush school and help children with schoolwork or play games with them.
Twice a week it is time for 'sundowners', a drink at sunset at a beautiful spot in the reserve.
The horses are off once a week, you can book extra excursions during that day (not included) such as a jeep safari in the famous Kruger national park (to have the possibility to see the Big Five), see the highlights of the 'Panorama route' including a beautiful viewpoint, you can visit 'Jessica' the hippo who can feed you rooibos tea or do an 'elephant interaction' where you stand next to an elephant and touch it in a rescue center.
All these activities are animal-friendly. The animals you have contact with here have been injured or had to be taken care of for other reasons. Now that they have recovered, they can no longer be released into the wild, so you can visit them to learn more about the special animal species in Africa.
* This is a sample program. The described riding program will be adapted where necessary to the current (weather) conditions. The pace depends on the conditions and is determined by the guide.
Travel Information
Ability description: Trail Ride, level 3>>
Included in the price: 14 nights accommodation, 12 days riding, full board (except for 2 dinners in restaurants) incl. water, tea, coffee, transfer from Hoedspruit airport.
Not included: Flights, insurance (mandatory), other soft drinks and alcohol, and extras not mentioned.
Travel: Book flight >> Eastgate Airport, Hoedspruit, South Africa. You can fly from Johannesburg to Hoedspruit or there is also a bus, where you can be picked up at the stop points from the shuttlebus.
Transfer: There are fixed days for the transfer, arrival and departure is always on Monday. There is one transfer so sometimes you have to wait until other riders have arrived. 45 minutes transfer.
Season: Arrival/departure Mondays all year.
Single room: Can be booked with a supplement. For price click on” Book on request” under Dates & prices. GBP 20 per night extra.
Currency: ZAR South African Rand
Accepted Credit cards: Payments can only be made with a physical debet/credit card, Visa and Mastercard (no Apple- or Google Pay, or Pay Pal). Or cash.
Tipping: Up to the personal happiness of the guest (average 20 Euro/guest)
Wifi: Yes
Electricity jack: 230V, adapter is available in all rooms.
Group size: Minimum 1, maximum 5 volunteers.
Age: 18 years and older no limit
Weight limit: 85 kg (approx. 187 lbs)
Beach: No
Pool: Yes, swimmingpool 15×7 meters (approx. 49×23 ft)
Special diet: Inform when booking. Please advise food sensitivities or vegetarian/vegan wishes at time of booking.
Misc.: A cap is mandatory. There are also several caps available to borrow, but we recommend to bring your own cap.
There is one saddle bag for the guide (first aid kit etc.) which you can use. Every saddle has a water bottle holder – so bring one from home (normal size).
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