Okavango Macatoo Safari

Introduction
Okavango Delta Botswana
The Okavango Delta, created by the flood waters of the Okavango, is so large it can be spotted from deep space like a giant sprawling hand, bringing relief to the otherwise hot and dry region of Botswana. Little-known to the outside world until a few decades ago, this secluded 17,000 square km labyrinth of lagoons, channels, floodplains and palm fringed islands forms one of the most beautiful and pristine wildlife reserves on the Earth. Home to a kaleidoscope of almost every creature in Africa, the impressive Okavango Delta transcends the rules of mother nature by lying in the heart of the scorched drylands of the Kalahari. Trapped in the parched sands of the desert, it is a magnet for the wildlife who depend on the delta's life giving waters. More than 400 species of resident and migrant birds, lions, elephant, hyenas, wild dog, buffalo, hippo and crocodiles congregate with a variety of antelope and smaller mammals, like warthog, mongoose, genets, monkeys and bush babies.

The horseback riding safaris are based on the western side of the Delta and the luxury safari camp stands proudly on a palm fringed island, surrounded by infinite grassy plains, punctuated with water meadows and seasonal lagoons. Intimate and cozy, the camp's attention to detail and comfort allows you to relax and enjoy yourself within the wilds of Botswana. With a great love for the wilderness, your host orchestrates this exciting adventure by drawing on his years of experience and implementing an interactive approach to each of their horseback safaris. Each day, while the brilliant sun rises over the floodplains, you will watch the wildlife shed its misty morning shroud and become bursting with life.  The bush will continuously shift and transform as you ride from island to island. The aim is for rider, horse and game to become one as we ride with a herd of giraffe or zebra across the plains, track elephant or buffalo from island to island. Be part of this unique herd, cantering and splashing through lagoons of the Okavango Delta with lechwe or simply watch the setting sun whilst listening to the calls of lion and hyena.

Accomodation


Accommodations
This is a stationary ride, with all nights spent at our main camp.

Description
At Macatoo camp, our guests are accommodated in 8 large and airy tents that blend seamlessly into their natural surroundings while still providing a luxurious, but authentic bush haven in which to relax. Each tent is set on its own large, raised platform, offering panoramic views of a flood plain that can be enjoyed from the bed or deck. A variety of sleeping configurations offer flexible accommodation to suit every need. Each tent has its own toilets and shower.
The newly-built honeymoon tent for couples celebrating any special occasion, has an additional deck for private dining as well as a raised double tub bath offering a view of the floodplain.
The ‘family and friends suite' comprises two tents, directly linked by a raised walkway and viewing deck above ground, which provides direct, easy access for parents, children and single travellers who are anxious about sleeping alone.



Between rides and activities, our swimming pool deck has a number of sun beds on which guests can read, relax and soak up the sun. As it also commands a wonderful view of the vast flood plain in front of camp, it is the perfect spot to view birds and game (don’t forget your binoculars). Elephants and giraffe often come very close to the deck and the pool doubles as a popular watering hole for passing families of baboons.

Well-lit pathways link all our communal tent and dining deck, pool and guest accommodation. A fire burns in front of the communal tent, whatever the time of year, around which we gather to eat under the sun and stars, drink fresh coffee and fine wines and swap stories of the day.

A short drive away, and at the top of a long, sturdy ladder is our magical tree platform where we enjoy lunches, drinks and even the occasional sleepover under the African night sky.

There is a daily laundry service.

The electricity in camp is supplied by a generator that runs for approximately 5 hours a day.  There are no power points in the tents and the lights run off solar powered batteries. There are power points (electrical outlets) available in the communal tent for charging batteries etc.

Note that there is no cell phone connectivity at Macatoo and that we have a limited internet connection for operational use only. We also have a satellite phone available for emergencies.



Meals
All meals are included in your package from dinner on Day 1 to lunch on the last day.

The menu is varied and excellent, accompanied by attentive staff and a good selection of South African wines.

Prior to your early morning ride you will be woken just before dawn by a tent lady bearing gifts of tea or coffee, and there will be time for a slice of home made toast or a bowl of fruit before you set off. 
On your return, late in the morning, you may wish to have a quick shower before indulging in our mouth-watering array of lunchtime fare.
Tea is served prior to your evening ride or drive, and on your return there is time for a sun downer and shower before dinner is announced.

Riding

Horses
Our horses are as well looked after as our guests. Each horse – they are all boys – is recognised and appreciated for his unique ability and personality and every effort is made to match him with the most suitable rider. Our guests rotate between two or three horses during their time with us to ensure that each animal is given time to recover between rides. We have Thoroughbreds, Namibian Hanoverians, Percherons and Kalahari-Arab crossbreeds ranging between 14hh and 18hh (140-180cm).
With nearly 50 horses in the barn, all schooled and well-mannered, we are able to ensure every one is fully fit and rested with downtime out in the paddocks to give our guests the best possible ride.
One of the most popular spectacles is the sight of the resting horses galloping home from their mobile paddocks each afternoon.

Itinerary

Sample Itinerary - subject to changes

The main attraction of the safari is the joy of riding good horses over superb country, with just about every landscape dotted with game. The riding is varied, sometimes quietly walking, stalking big game and admiring the bird life, sometimes cantering through the water-meadows alongside galloping giraffe and lechwe. The 4x4s are used for night drives, spotting the nocturnal species and for close up photography of kills and predators. When the water levels permit, we also go out in boats to put another perspective on the game. Our safari team is inspired each day by the beautiful surroundings to provide the best safari experience possible for our guests. We are enormously privileged to have a huge unspoilt wilderness in which to run our safaris. The Okavango Delta is an intriguing phenomena, with ever changing landscapes due to the seasonal flood waters coming through from Angola. The movement of the game, the dramatic seasonal changes in the flora and the varying interests of our guests ensures that no two safaris are the same, each one is unique. The safari is exciting but not strenuous, aimed to be a relaxing, intriguing and fun vacation.

NOTE: This is only a sample itinerary and is subject to change! This itinerary only serves as a guide; all scenarios are dependent on the season and levels of the Okavango flood. At times it may not be possible to go on fly camps and during cooler months one longer ride may replace the normal morning and evening rides. We reserve the right to alter the itinerary in any way and leaves this to the discretion of the guides. Local weather conditions may also affect game movements. During cooler months one longer ride may replace the normal morning and evening rides

Day 1: Arrival
On arrival in Maun you will be met at the airport by a member of our team and then transferred from Maun to Macatoo camp.  The transfer will be a short game-viewing air adventure in a Cessna 206 or 208 from Maun (or from Kasane), giving you a bird's eye view of the Okavango Delta. A safari vehicle will be waiting for you at the
camp’s airstrip for the 45-minute game drive – or an exciting boat ride (depending on the time of year) - into Macatoo Camp where staff will greet you with a welcome drink.
After settling into your tent, you will be offered afternoon tea and homemade cake during a briefing from your guide before heading to the barn for a ride. The pace of the evening rides are deliberately slower giving you the time to enjoy the sunsets and make the most of the photo opportunities offered by the birdlife and game. After a hot shower and change, drinks and snacks are served in the comfortable mess tent ahead of a candlelit dinner by the fire.
Meals included: Dinner
Overnight at Macatoo Camp

Day 2: Safari Rides
Macatoo’s cheerful “tent ladies” will provide a gentle wake-up call along with your choice of tea, coffee and rusks that are served to you in bed. A light breakfast is set up around the campfire ahead of the first long ride of the holiday. Depending on the season, the morning ride may involve some galloping across dried flood plains, swimming through flood waters or pushing-on through seas of tall grass to watch giraffe, zebra, antelope, elephant, buffalo - whatever is out there.
A hearty lunch is served every day – you will need it after all those miles in the saddle – the chicken pie is a firm favourite and wine is always offered to encourage a little nap before tea and the evening ride. Sun downers are often enjoyed out in the bush before heading back to camp to freshen up.
Dinner is always a great occasion at Macatoo, but there is no guarantee that it is always eaten in the same place...
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight at Macatoo Camp

Day 3: Safari Rides
After listening to the dawn chorus over tea, coffee and rusks in bed, you will have shaken off any first day riding nerves and be eager to get back on a horse. Heading off in a new direction, the landscape will be quite different to yesterday, offering fresh game viewing possibilities. You will be feeling more confident with the ‘going’ and we can speed up the pace a bit – keeping up with some of the large moving animals, such as giraffe or zebra.
After lunch, the camp pool is an ideal place to cool down, or stretch the muscles that are feeling the effects of the time in the saddle. The deck is a great place to soak up some sun, read and doze, but keep your binoculars and cameras handy as zebra, buck and elephant frequently pass in front of camp. 
After some lovely homemade cakes or scones, evening rides can be swapped for some sunset fishing from boats, or from the banks of pools where hippos wallow. A game drive, accompanied walk or boat rides – depending on the time of year – are also available for those wanting time away from the horses or for non-riding partners and guests.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight at Macatoo Camp

Day 4: Safari Rides
We ride through different country, making our way through clouds of bushman hair grass to plains dotted with fig trees. We might encounter giraffe or shyer antelope while passing through mopane woodlands. Our pace increases as we break out onto the flood plains, often disturbing troops of baboons. Return to the camp for an afternoon
spent at leisure, or the possibility of hiring a helicopter for an hour to gain access to remote and otherwise totally inaccessible parts of the delta with spectacular photographic results.
Finish off the day with a night drive by spotlight, where the resident clan of hyena are often spotted. Bushbabies leap from branch to branch through the terminalia and acacia trees – only seen by the brights of their eyes. If lucky, the spotlight will pick up the glint of a leopard’s sultry stare. If we find lion on the drive or know where they are – perhaps we might have seen them earlier from horseback (and avoided them!) – we can spend quite some time watching them from the safety and comfort of the vehicle, over snacks and drinks, as they wake up from their long afternoon rest, groom each other, and prepare for a night of hunting. It is always such a highlight of the holiday to see a big cat – we will have lots to talk about around the dinner table that night.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight at Macatoo Camp

Day 5: Safari Rides
This morning we ride deeper into the heart of the delta, to corners of the wilderness where vehicles simply cannot reach. We cross high palm islands which offer great sweeping views of the Delta plains. Riders may have joined non-riding friends and family for a walk, drive or boat ride – but all guests will reunite for an unexpected champagne meal under a large baobab tree to swap ‘survivor’ stories from the morning.
By now, you will have settled into the wonderful rhythm of camp where great adventure, creature comforts and downtime are combined to provide a break. After tea and a gentle sunset ride, you may find yourself at our fabulous tree house where you will have the option to spend the night out, sleeping high up in the tree canopy under the African night sky.
From there, it is fascinating to watch and listen as the birds and animals prepare for night – by roosting, travelling or preparing to hunt. The barking of baboons and calling lions provide an unforgettable soundtrack to a night out under the stars. Your guides will stay too, providing great company and peace of mind – for many guests, this is a real highlight of a holiday to Macatoo.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight at Macatoo Camp or Tree House

Day 6: Safari Rides
After waking up in the treetops, you are whizzed back to camp by vehicle to change before riding off into new terrain. By now, you will have seen most of Africa’s Big Five and riding alongside moving giraffe, antelope and zebras will have become a thrilling, almost daily activity. Make the most of a bush breakfast, or lunch out in the bush and savour the sights and sounds around you.
An afternoon by the pool sees many guests desperately trying to even up their ‘farmer’s tans’! You may feel torn over how to spend one of your final sunset outings. After last night’s treetop sleepover, a prompt bedtime will most likely to be the most popular after dinner activity, as we save our energy for the last full day and night.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight at Macatoo Camp

Day 7: Safari Rides
Don’t forget your pocket camera today, but store it carefully because things could get rather wet! We will explore the shallow and deeper flood plains; they look so pretty, scattered with flowering lilies. The reflection of the trees – and your horse – will provide great images to capture. Many of our horses love to eat the lilies as they wade –sometimes swim – through the water. Here, the Cape buffalo can gather in large numbers (anything between a dozen and 2000 at a time). We have to creep up on them using the islands as cover. You will be keen to review your pictures after lunch, but don’t forget to re-charge your cameras in the mess tent!
The evening offers the choice of a game drive, fishing or a last quiet evening ride with the by-now familiar smell of wild sage and the warm African dust as the sun goes down, transforming the skyline into a cocktail of oranges and reds.
Dinner will be a memorable one perhaps with another surprise location in store…
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight at Macatoo Camp

Day 8: Last Ride & Departure 
The dawn call of the African Fish Eagle has, by now, become as familiar as the morning alarm at home. The delivery of tea or coffee in bed heralds the start of your last morning in camp and you will be anxious to make the most of your final ride. We stay quite close to home, splashing through water on the vast open plains, home to blue wildebeest and Burchell's zebra. The riding pace will be deliberately quite fast as we cram as much fun as possible into the final hours – be prepared to get wet as we approach deep reedy areas full of bird life including open-billed storks, squacco herons, slaty egrets and egyptian geese. You will return to Macatoo along the myriad of waterways lined with large trees, before arriving back at the barn where you say a sad farewell to your horse.
There will be just enough time to shower, change and pack before the game drive to the airstrip, carrying a picnic lunch to tide you over until your return to the real world. Don’t worry, you can always come back – so many of our guests do!
Meals included: Breakfast & Lunch



Non Riding Activities
An African safari adventure does not have to involve horses and we can easily cater for non-riding spouses, partners, friends and children. Indeed, many of our riding guests like to have time away from the saddle and take advantage of the wide range of other activities on offer.

Game drives offer the opportunity to track and photograph birds and big game in stunning settings. Going out in our open top safari vehicles at dawn or dusk provide the best chances of seeing wildlife on the move, hunting, feeding, drinking or roosting.

The arrival of the floods, usually around May, brings with it the unique chance to explore the Delta by water, on a motorboat, and Macatoo has its own jetty. Many guests are lucky enough to arrive in camp from the airstrip by boat.
The mokoro, a traditional dugout canoe which is navigated through the waters by a skilled poler, offers the most romantic way to view the Delta at this special time of year. The tranquillity and silence of the journey enables guests to feel at one with nature and see at close quarters how the animals and birds adapt to their ever-changing environment.

Fishing, from boat or land, is a hugely popular pastime with both riding and non-riding guests. We have access to a wide range of beautiful fishing spots where guests cast between water lilies and wallowing hippos. The challenge is not only to get a fish to bite, but land it before it is snatched from the line by swooping fish eagles and kingfishers.

But perhaps it is only from the air that one can really appreciate the diversity and vastness of the Okavango Delta. Helicopter flights, which take off and land in front of camp, offer not only the chance to see vast herds of elephant an buffalo but a bird’s-eye view of the entire eco-system and a better understanding of this unique miracle of nature.

Rates and Dates for Okavango Macatoo Safari

Dates Note:
We try to be flexible with departure dates so please ask for availability and we shall do our best to offer the most suitable dates for you. Arrival can be any time of the week.

Other Info
Meeting: Macatoo Camp
Airport: Maun
Transfer: Maun or Kasane airports

Climate:
                                                Maun area