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| South Africa |
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| South Africa: Ranch Based Riding and Living |
| What: |
Need an easy relaxing escape? Try our ranch in South Africa where riding, wildlife viewing and creature comforts are handed out in service oriented environment guarnateed to relax your office weary bones without putting you to sleep. Limited to 10 guests, this 20,000 acrea ranch is surrounded by the Waterber Mountains, a Unesco Biosphere Reserve. Hosted by shane and Laura Dowington since 1993, . |
| Dates and Rates: |
Open year round. Rates for 2007 are $1925 US/950 GBP/1380 Euros. Rates as quoted are based on double occupancy, 7 nights. |
2008: Low season: Jan.10 - Feb.28: $1750 US/875 GBP/1316 E. High season: March 1 - Apr.30, July 1- Dec.31: $2100 US/1050 GBP/1575 E.
Round trip transfers from Johannesburg International Airport are $180 US/90 GB/ 130 Euros. |
| Horsesense: |
Riding is suitable for all riders. The ranch has a herd of over 40 horses consisting of local breeds, crossbreeds, and Anglo-Arabs and Thoroughbreds. Comfortable McClellan trail saddles as well as some English and Australian stock saddles. |
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| Convenience and flexibility alone would make our ranch located in the Waterberg Wilderness area an attractive holiday destination as it is but a few hour drive from Johannesburg and the ranch offers a variety of activities with appropriate riding opportunities for every level of rider. We have included two hour vehicle transfers from Johannesburg for your convenience. The riding varies from wilderness trail riding including an optional overnight safari, to cattle work and from polo-crosse to cross country jumping. The ranch caters to small groups of 8 or less. The central lodge overlooks a picturesque lake with backdrop of open bushveld. Mealtimes are relaxed and sumptuous affairs. The ranch maintains it own wilderness preserves where abundant wildlife gazing on the back of your horse always offers a thrill. Giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, warthog, hippo, blesbok, common duiker, caracal, African wild cat, baboon, bat eared fox, mongoose, aardwolf and host of antelope such as eland, kudu, impala and red hartebeest are likely to be seen. Feeling brave? Searching for additional excitement, closer contact with the wildlife? Try a night at luxury wilderness camp over-nighting in thatched chalets that invites closer contact with animal wildlife within a wilderness preserve. There is an exciting ride and river crossing to the wilderness camp and non-riders may be transported by vehicle. Thereafter you may return to the ranch or move on to the ultimate romantic setting. |
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| WHAT TO EXPECT: |
| Getting There* : |
| Prearranged transfer for JIA airport to property at 10 AM on Saturday and Wednesday. Return from property at 3PM Tuesday or Saturday. Transfer fee is quoted above. |
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| Room and Board* : |
Meals, which are one of the highlights at the ranch, are served in casual, relaxed manner with coffee, teas, beer and the native wines. Fresh breads and cakes are baked daily with many of the herbs and vegetables grown on the farm. Breakfast is between 7 and 7:30, lunch is at 12:30, afternoon tea at 3:15 and dinner is served between 7:30 and 8pm. Vegetarians will enjoy nice variety in all settings. Those of you with special dietary needs must inform our agency in advance, so that properties may prepare meals in accord with your special dietary needs.The Ranch offers three double rooms with private facilities and two separate thatched roof houses (rondavels) also with en suite facilities. The main house has an open fireplace, comfortable lounge and small library . The house is surrounded by open verandah. There is a plunge pool in the garden. The safari camp offers comfortable accommodations in private thatched roof houses two persons to a house. It has a swimming pool, bar and boma. |
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| Alternate activities : |
Game drives; bush walks, and tours of area museums, wilderness reserves, and other highlights are offered. The Ant's Nest Bush Home encourages a wide range of non-equestrian activities and includes boat trips on unspoiled area lakes. Non-riders will find plenty of opportunity to participate in all the non-riding activities and a relaxed, informal atmosphere to soak up the thrills of wild Africa countryside. Non-riders may easily encounter other, non-horse absorbed folks at the ranch. |
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| Weather: |
South Africa located in the southern hemisphere enjoys the weather pattern that is the reverse of those found in US and Europe. The ideal weather is in South African winter months of June, July and August when the days are warm and dry and the skies are normally clear blue, with delightfully chilly sleeping weather. The summer months bring more heat and from November to January there is a rainy season that brings the occasional afternoon short rain.
With all rates are per person, based on double occupancy and a holiday of 7 nights. Please consult our live money conversion chart in the travel information center if you wish to convert figures into you your countries currency. There is a single supplement of 20 % for persons not prepared to share room with another guest of the same sex. |
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| ITINERARY |
| Day1: |
AM arrive JIA airport, transfer to Horizon for lunch. PM afternoon ride around hippo pools, finishing at a scenic outlook for sundowner drinks.
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| Day2: |
AM Outride and cattle muster, after ride guests will be given the option of a short tour of the farm, taking in the farm school, crèche, & main cattle kraals. PM Outride and option of cross country jumping for those keen. |
| Day3: |
AM Polocrosse after ride guests will be given option of a shopping trip to Vaalwater curio shops. PM Outride
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| Day4: |
AM outride and swimming horses. PM Ride to Game reserve and begin Safari. |
| Day5: |
AM & PM ride within reserve in search of rhino, giraffe, zebra and many of the African antelope species, |
| Day6: |
AM Game ride. PM Game ride and return to Lodge via hippo pools. |
| Day7: |
AM Short transfer to Lapalala for game drive, including visiting orphan rhino and return via Rhino Museum . PM Polocrosse. |
| Day8: |
AM Outride and champagne bush breakfast. Depart after lunch. |
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| * Included in each ride: All food and beverages, sleeping accommodations, and laundry service are included in each holiday package. |
| * Not included: Gratuities, transfers and air fare to Johannesburg are not included. |
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