Two bull elephants are in a deadly battle. They separate, back up, and stare at each other with ears standing straight out, quivering with rage.
The big bull shakes his head, slaps his ears against his body, raises his tusks, screams, and charges from close range. Their skulls collide with an echoing “thwack” as the ground trembles.
The big bull’s tusks have deadly curves, and with a furious swipe, he impales the other bull’s shoulder. A deep, bloody gash and squeal of pain temporarily paralyzes the younger.
The bull relentlessly presses forward, pushing his rival back until he runs for tree cover, spins around for a quick look, flaps his ears, and trumpets before melting into the frightfully thick undergrowth. The big bull follows…
Are you prepared for the circle of life?
A horseback safari with David Foot, the best top-notch guide in the delta and desert.
The scale and magnificence of the Okavango Delta secured its position as one of the 7 Natural Wonders of Africa. The Okavango River is the 4th largest river in Africa, starting in Angola’s wet highlands during the long rains.
The Okavango flows south into Botswana, and because it doesn’t have an outlet to the sea, it discharges into the Okavango Delta and Kalahari Desert, turning swathes of remote desert into a vast wetland.
The Makgadikgadi salt pans boast the 2nd largest wildlife migration with over 20,000 zebras who take a week to cross the Kalahari Desert for the clear waters and lush green grass of the Okavango. This is one of Africa’s greatest concentrations of wildlife and includes over 600 recorded bird species.
You’ll experience it on horseback, unlike any other ride in the world!
Fly into Maun Airport in Botswana (MUB) and be met by one of our owner guides. They’ll handle your luggage and deliver you to Helicopter Horizons for a flight to Cha Cha Metsi Luxury Camp, which is exclusively yours. You’ll be greeted by your host and guide, David Foot.
David has ridden horseback through every valley of the Nyika National Park, across the Maasai Mara, the Okavango, Kalahari, and the Namib Desert. David’s passion is guiding on horseback and walking safaris so guests can fully immerse themselves in the African wilderness.
Once settled in, your safari begins with waiting horses. Mount up and ride before dinner, and relax by the campfire with sundowners as the sun sets.
A typical day starts with an early wake-up call and a light breakfast as dawn breaks. Mount up and spend the morning on horseback following ancient elephant trails in search of large varieties of wildlife and birds while cantering through the recently flooded plains.
Herds of Cape buffalo may be nearby, giraffes saunter to another tree to eat, and red lechwe antelope splash through the water alongside you while kudus peer out from the thickets. Return to camp for lunch and a siesta.
Perhaps you prefer sundowners to be from above every evening as the earth’s horizon curves beneath Africa’s paintbrush.
Between rides, mokoro canoe trips offer exceptional wildlife viewing. And you will be given lessons if you want to learn how to pole a mokoro. Or relax as your guide silently poles towards rare birds and wildlife in the traditional way of traversing this wondrous water land.
If you desire a swim in the Okavango, there are many unique places with clear water and no crocodiles.
Walking safaris with David, who is armed with a rifle, are available if you want to experience the bush more intimately and learn to track from him.
The Okavango is home to many rare birds, including Pel’s fishing owl, one of the most elusive and sought-after birds of the Okavango Delta. Their large, searching eyes are beautiful and don’t miss a thing.
For most twitchers, this bird is on the top of their bucket list and is considered by some to be the Holy Grail of rare birds.
In the heart of Botswana lies the captivating Makgadikgadi, the largest network of salt pans in the world. Burnished copper and gold grasslands in shimmering white expanses of salt and savannah are the essences of this part of the Kalahari Desert.
The Kalahari has some of the best riding country in Africa! Space and more space lead to endless horizons full of wildlife.
Experience a fantastic helicopter flight from the Delta to Jack’s Camp on a grassy knoll among an oasis of dignified desert palms and Kalahari acacia. You have exclusive use of this camp.
The Okavango supports the world’s largest remaining elephant population, and vast herds of zebra and wildebeest pass through the area, reaching their peak numbers early in the year. The flooded swamplands become an ideal hunting ground for predators like lions, cheetahs, and the fearsomely accomplished and endangered African wild dog.
Rare desert-adapted species are often sighted, like the elusive brown hyena and aardwolf. Wake up to a steaming cup of coffee and light breakfast before heading out on horseback in search of one of the Kalahari’s most fascinating inhabitants, the meerkats.
After a fun visit with the little guys, mount up and follow well-worn trails that lead to black and white rhinos, sable antelope, and large flocks of ostriches. They are attracted to the area by permanent freshwater in hidden waterholes.
Night game drives with a special spotlight look for nocturnal desert inhabitants such as aardvarks, bat-eared foxes, aardwolves, porcupines, honey badgers, or perhaps a black-maned Kalahari lion.
Cheetahs hunt almost exclusively during the day; however, they’ve been observed hunting at night especially during a full moon, as it illuminates their hunting ground and makes it possible to see their prey.
David Foot Horse Safaris has worked closely with the Zu’ Hoasi people of the Western Kalahari for many years. They are also known as the San people, the oldest tribe in the world today. It is a privilege to have four generations of bushmen families living at Jack’s Camp in Makgadikgadi.
Offering a window into the past, the bushmen will teach you how to survive in the harshest environments using their vast and ancient knowledge of plants, animal behaviors, and survival skills.
On arrival, the community elders greet you in their traditional manner, and you’ll have the rare opportunity to walk with them into the Kalahari.
They are well-known for their profound connection with the land, an intimate knowledge of the natural world, and the delicate balance they have maintained for millennia with the environment. The elders will point out distinct ecological characteristics of this area, its wildlife, and bird species.
Your helicopter pilot added 2 hours to your flight as he has an extraordinary air safari planned on your way out of Botswana.
The pilot will do a low-level flight over the Makgadikgadi to Kubu Island and then back to Maun along the Boteti River for your international flight home.
