Exciting additions to your traditional safari
Take a walk, ride, cycle or canoe on the wild side
When most people think of an African safari, the classic 4×4 wildlife drive is often the first option that comes to mind. While this is a wonderful way to enjoy the surrounding flora and fauna, you can sometimes miss the finer details, such as the sounds of the bush, tracks from smaller, more elusive species or the snippet of a unique smell from an endemic plant. In this blog, we highlight some activities that complement your traditional safari experience getting you out and exploring wildlife in a different way.
Cycling safaris
If you’re a keen cyclist or simply looking to get a bit of exercise on your safari, consider hopping on a bike and meandering the sandy tracks with your guide, on the lookout for surrounding wildlife.
Botswana – A 6-day guided cycling safari
While Botswana’s bike safaris focus more on cycling than wildlife, they provide an adventurous way to experience the region’s landscapes. Explore the ancient elephant paths, cycling through acacia woodlands, along meandering watercourses, through mopane forests and across beautiful savannah grasslands. In June 2025 one of our senior travel experts, Francis, will be hosting a 6 day guided cycling safari through the Okavango Delta alongside expert cycling guide Kyle MacIntyre. We still have spaces available, for more information click here.
Cycling safari with Bots Bikes
Mountain biking
For those who aren’t looking to commit to multiple days in the saddle, many camps offer a shorter cycling experience. Ride alongside wildlife in its natural surroundings, stop to investigate tracks and take in the breathtaking views that these conservancies and concessions have to offer.
Kenya
Kenya has plenty of places where you can choose to ride. The Laikipia region allows you to explore an expanse of diverse terrain, filled with endemic flora and fauna. Ol Donyo, Borana and Sosian are all places where you can bike through scenic landscapes with local wildlife nearby.
Mountain biking at Ol Donyo Lodge
Namibia
Ride through the stunning scenery around Sossusvlei staying at incredible camps such as Wolwedans Desert Lodge, Kwessi Dune Lodge, and Camp Sossus, where you’ll encounter Namibia’s breath taking desert vistas.
Cycling adventure at Wolwedans Desert Lodge
Horse riding safaris
For experienced riders, this is an exhilarating way to cover large distances quickly and easily. There are a number of fabulous places to explore and having consulted our resident riding expert Lucinda (along with myself), here are five of the best:
Offbeat Mara, Kenya
These are mobile camps and you tend to spend quite a few hours in the saddle, which can be quite intense, but it also means you build such a bond with your horse as you traverse the stunning open plains of the Masai Mara. The horses are impeccably well-schooled with some even competing at low level eventing. If jumping is your thing, then you will have the opportunity to sail over elephant-felled tree trunks – a proper, African, cross-country experience.
Offbeat Riding Safaris
Camp Kalahari, Botswana
Ride in the most incredible setting of Botswana’s desert, where the terrain feels almost lunar, and the desert adapted wildlife has adapted to living in such a hostile environment which is incredible to see.
Camp Kalahari
Wait A Little, South Africa
The horses here are well schooled by Gerti, and I worked here myself, albeit a few years ago. Situated near Hoedspruit on its own private wildlife reserve, which is home to lion, elephant, rhino, buffalo and leopard, there are several options to choose from. One standout is the 10-night “Ride and Dine” safari, offering a great experience with varied accommodation throughout, providing plenty of variety (hopefully) without breaking the bank.
Wait A Little
African Horseback Safaris, Botswana
This is the place in Botswana where you see those wonderful images of people cantering through the watery bliss of the Okavango Delta. The wildlife here is equally remarkable, with exceptional wild dog sightings and an abundance of leopards.
African Horseback Safaris
Ol Malo, Kenya
Not only does it have an excellent herd of superbly schooled horses, there is also a resident zebra called Gallop, who is very much leader of the pack! (You can’t ride her, obviously). The scenery is incredible here, and being on board a horse, you can get to places that vehicles can’t reach.
Ol Malo Nomad
Camel safaris
Kenya is definitely the place to embrace a slow safari on board a camel. At Lewa Wilderness you can meander through the bushes atop a camel for 20 minutes until you stop for a refreshing drink. Other properties that provide the opportunity for camel riding are Ol Malo, Sarara and Ol Lentille. Karisia Walking Safaris offer a more sedate walking safari alongside the camels who carry your luggage and the camp itself. This can feel like being one of the explorers of old, adventuring through the wilderness eventually setting up camp somewhere with breath taking views.
Camel riding at Ol Malo Lodge, Kenya
Walking safaris
Along with riding, walking safaris are one of my favourite experiences for an alternative safari experience. They allow you to experience Africa from the ground up, up close and personal with smaller eco-systems missed when you are in a vehicle. You can get in a bit of a leg stretch, and touch, smell, feel, track and completely absorb your surrounding environment. Most walking safaris are not a hike as some would think, as they are slower paced through the bush with plenty of stops to learn about the surroundings from your knowledgeable guide. These guides are often incredible storytellers, sharing fascinating tales of ancient times and making them an essential part of the walking safari experience.
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe has to be one of the best places to walk, with incredible and wonderfully knowledgeable guides. Their expertise allows you to properly sneak up on elephants gently grazing, without them having a clue you are there. John’s Camp is excellent for walking safaris.
Walking safari with Robin Pope Safaris at John’s Camp
Zambia
A close second to Zimbabwe, the guides are brilliant and there are a number of properties in the South Luangwa such as Kakuli, Luwi, Mchenja, Nsolo and Chinzombo, which you can walk between.
Mchenja Bush Camp
Botswana
Beagle Expeditions, with fantastic guiding from Ace, Francis enjoyed a decent 10 mile walk.
Beagle Expeditions
Canoeing/mokoro trips
Take to the water in a canoe or traditional mokoro to see the flora and fauna surrounding Africa’s waterways. It is a fabulously peaceful activity, although sometimes seasonal due to water levels. The Okavango Delta is wonderful for mokoro trips, and the Lower Zambezi and Mana Pools are superb for canoeing, meandering along channels and rivers, looking for kingfishers or perhaps elephants crossing the water. The serene way of the water is always a refreshingly different experience to that of being in a vehicle… and much quieter!
Little Vundu, Mana Pools
What Next?
Get inspired and sign up for our free Insider’s Guide to Africa. Let us know if you would like itinerary ideas to explore Africa beyond the traditional safari and we’ll put something together for you. Give us a call, or drop us an email and we’ll respond as quickly as we can – usually on the same day. We very much look forward to talking to you.
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