12th July

Arrival into Johannesburg and drive to Horizon Lodge

You and your family will be met at Johannesburg airport and privately driven 3 hours to Horizon Lodge in time for lunch in the sunny garden. You will be shown to your rooms, introduced to the staff and given time to relax, unpack and explore until afternoon tea is served on the verandah. During tea the guides will run through the week’s upcoming events and get to know you all.

After tea, those wanting to ride will be taken for an introductory exploration into the reserve to spot local wildlife such as giraffe, zebra, kudu, wharthog and hippo. Guides will assess riding techniques and carefully select appropriate horses and ponies accordingly. Once back at the lodge all the families will all get together for drinks at one of the hippo lakes nearby to watch the sun setting over the water before a sumptuous 3 course dinner is served in the cosy dining room by the fire.

13th July

First Skill: Billy Boiling

Today your children will be transformed into seasoned safari guides. Shane the bushman (our guide) will take the kids out for the day (on foot) to teach them how to track animals and demonstrate his bushman’s skills in order to utilize natural resources as valuable survival aids.

Meanwhile, parents can enjoy another gentle ride into the savannah, or take a guided bush walk to spot birds and local plant life with an expert naturalist guide. While out, the children will learn their first skill of the week: Billy Boiling, or fire building and cooking; a crucial challenge for all adventurers. The group will be split into teams and required to cook lunch using an array of South African produce and cooking a traditional Potjie (a stew cooked in a pot over the fire).

As a surprise for the kids, parents will be invited as guests to enjoy a bush lunch in the woods cooked, for once, by their own children. Back at the lodge in the afternoon, while parents can relax by the pool, the children will be tested on the various skills and facts they have learnt in order to become young safari survivors!

In the evening, to celebrate, sundowners will be served by the pool accompanied by the beautiful voices of the local gospel choir.

14th July

Second and Third Skills: Kids to Cowboys and Star-Gazing

The riders are back on their horses today learning how to become Western cowboys. The children will learn from Shane and expert cattle ranchers how to muster, cut and draft cattle on the ranch. Demonstrations on how to rope an animal will also be given and top marks awarded to anyone who can lasso a post from horseback. This can be done by those just learning to ride as well and there will be staff on hand to help riders of all levels.

Meanwhile, the parents may like a more cultural visit to the original homestead of the Baber family, either by riding or driving to the farm. Here you will be shown around this 5th generation farm giving you a fascinating insight into early tobacco farming and cattle breeding. Later, everyone will meet back at Horizon Lodge for a sunny braai (barbeque) lunch in the garden and a splash in the pool or you may like to challenge the staff to a game of volleyball. After tea, there are more Western cowboy skills to be learnt and we recommend parents come and watch the games to see what the children have achieved.

This evening, after another delicious dinner, we have arranged a very special night sky safari. Expert astronomer and PhD quantum physicist Dr Philip Calcott will take you beneath the canopy of stars and transport you into Space. A professional light beam pointer, telescope, and screen will aid him as he describes the mind-boggling truths about our solar system.

15th July

Transfer to Camp Davidson and Fourth Skill: Young Wildlife Photographers

After breakfast you will be asked to pack a small bag in preparation for a two-day wilderness adventure in the bush. You will leave the lodge and travel to Camp Davidson, where you will sleep in luxury safari tents surrounded by nothing but nature and the sounds of Africa.

The skill for this morning is photography. The striking African landscape and abundance of wildlife on the private reserve provides many wonderful photographic opportunities. We’ve arranged for a professional photographer to take the children out in an open top safari game viewing vehicle in search of winning images. Children can be taught how to get the most out of their own cameras, or they can borrow a camera for the morning. Parents can join their children or take a leisurely ride or walk through the reserve. All the winning photos will be displayed along with memories of the week in a photo book for you to keep at the end of the holiday.

Later, everyone will reunite at Camp Davidson where they will find their bags already in their tents and lunch bubbling away. After tea, you will all ride out in groups according to competence, and meet at Ghost Koppie, a beautiful viewpoint where sundowners will be served as the setting sun begins to slip over the savannah. Dinner will be lit by lanterns at the camp and enchanting stories recounted around the fire afterwards.

16th July

Fifth Skill: Wet and Wild

After a lie-in at the camp and a light breakfast on the deck, guests will be invited to spend the day at one of the beautiful lakes nearby. A scenic 2.5 hour horsehide or 10 minute jeep journey will take you through the game reserve and down to the water’s edge. On your arrival the chefs will already be busily preparing a hearty brunch for you all to enjoy. This is a fantastic opportunity to strip off your saddles and take your horse swimming in the lake bareback. It’s a wonderful feeling to glide through the cool water feeling the horses move beneath you as they swim with effortless grace.

After lunch, the children will learn more of their 7 skills, which will all involve water. Parents can fish for bass nearby, take the rowing boat out on to the lake, or just relax in the sunshine. They can watch as the children will be learning how to build rafts and compete to successfully cross water on them. Any bass caught by you or the children will be bought back to the camp and prepared by the lodge’s fantastic head chef Rynos and served up for dinner.

17th July

Sixth and Seventh Skills: Arena Riding and Polocrosse

After a last fireside breakfast at the camp, those who would like to can ride back to Horizon lodge with their guide or be driven if they prefer. Now it’s time to put riding skills to the test in the arena. Maureen, Horizon’s flatwork and dressage instructor will teach you valuable lessons in horsemanship as well as technical control, and each guest will be required to complete a course of simple dressage maneuvers. Afterwards, those who feel confident, can spend some time with Maureen in the show jumping arena for a chance to pop over a round of small jumps.

Parents can join children in the arena, or go with a member of staff for a shopping trip into town. Here, among other things, there is an eclectic shop filled with weird and wonderful local artifacts and some of the finest milkshakes in Africa. Lunch will be served back at the lodge with plenty of time for a siesta in the shade before afternoon tea.

The final skill to learn this afternoon is Polocrosse, which is, essentially, a game of Lacrosse on horseback. This is great fun for everyone and you don’t need to be an accomplished rider to enjoy the humour of it all.

18th July

Big 5 Game Reserve and Telekeyshi Lookout Point

Today everyone will have a full day’s rest from horseback and a chance to enjoy the Waterberg landscape outside of the lodge. You will travel together to a nearby Big 5 game reserve where you will have an exciting morning safari drive to see Africa’s larger game. This is archetypal African landscape and there is a very good chance of close-up sightings of elephant, lion and rhino from the safety of the jeep.

After lunch at the Big 5 reserve you will be driven to Telekeyshi, a tiny African village at the foot of the Waterberg Mountains. Local guide and legend Malasela will take you on a climb up through the rocks to the top of the escarpment where you can enjoy spectacular views of the Waterberg stretching out all around you. Along the way, Malasela will point out original bushman’s paintings on the rock faces and explain how young boys are initiated into African tribes. This is a fascinating and humbling experience and, if you’re lucky, the local community will show you their traditional song and dance before you leave.

19th July

Pampering and Prize-Giving

You can choose how to spend your final morning at the lodge and professional masseuse and beautician Kirsty Evans will be on hand to give anyone who wishes some luxury pampering. Alternatively, you may be the eager to mount up for one last ride into the bush. This is also a good time for some last-minute shopping at Beadles (Horizon’s community support project) where there is a great selection of handmade leather and bead accessories.

Before lunch the team at Horizon will host a very special prize-giving ceremony on the lawn with rosettes, trophies and presents awarded to all. After lunch there will be time to pack up, say your goodbyes and get ready for your private transfer back to Johannesburg airport in good time for your evening flight home.