Has anyone gone a horseback safari with Varden Safaris or canoe safari with Natureways?
 

I'm thinking of doing 5 days of riding www.vardensafaris.com followed by a 4 day Odyssey (non-participatory camping) canoe safari www.natureways.com sometime next year.

For the canoe safari, I'm debating between the Mana Shoreline and Camp Zambezi trips. On the Mana Shoreline trip, the camp moves each day whereas on the Camp Zambezi trip, the camp is stationary (I think). We're leaning toward the latter as Mark has carpal tunnel and is concerned about the hours of paddling required on the shoreline trip. We also like the mix of activities available (walking, game drives or canoeing) on the Zambezi trip, but do you think we'll really miss out on the experience by not exploring more of the river?

Thanks for any comments!

Oh and for the riding safari, we're thinking of staying at a combination Kopjetops lodge and Bat Caves camp (no real camping). It would be something like this itinerary http://www.vardensafaris.com/new/itin01.htm

jsut returned from African Horseback safaris in the delta and they were great...good horses, great guides, galloping with Roan antelope....www.africanhorseback.com

kata,
Your trip sounds very interesting. I caught bits and pieces from your posts. Will you be posting a report?

When I clicked on the links I recognized James Varden as my guide from a 1995 Mana Pools walking safari with Natureways.

I think I recognized the woman with him too. She had come to visit him from Australia where she was working at a zoo. I was there for their last day together and it was kind of sad.

I was very impressed with James and with how he and Natureways handled the trip. There was a group of 8 South African friends and me. This rowdy group of 8 was a hoot around the campfire but I did not want to spend my time in the bush flinging and ducking elephant dung, which they enjoyed.

So I was given my own private guide for the walking safari and it was magnificent.

Thanks, Lynn.

Flinging and ducking elephant dung? I can't imagine why you wouldn't want to join in on the fun.

Maybe if it were only impala pellets, I would have at least given it a try.

Patty,
Just wanted to mention that if you like horse-riding safaris, the Nyika plateau in Malawi is just fantastic.
Ride right up to zebra, kudu and other antelope. You could practically touch them.
They do daylong rides from their base at Chelinda Lodge or riding safaris of several days across the wonderful rolling hills carpeted with wildflowers.
WHat a spot! You can check them at nyika.com.
This trip could easily be combined with Zambia (especially S. Luangwa) BUt I think it would be a bit far if you are determined to make Zim your base.

Hi Patty-

I was wondering if you have heard any more feedback about Natureways. We are thinking of using them for a trip next year.

Regarding your concern about too much paddling and your husband's CT, I know from experience and have read that that the person in the stern does 80% of the paddling/work, so if your husband could go up front with either you or a guide in back, perhaps it would not be too bad for him. Just a thought....

Yes, cruisin red is right re. the guide in the stern doing most, if not all, if you choose, of the paddling.

We just returned from our most amazing trip to Zambia where canoe paddling was high on our list of "musts." However, rather than a multi-day trip, we decided on picking a base of operations and doing day trips as well as doing a morning paddle from one camp to the other (I've started writing about our trip on another thread).

I'm glad we did it that way for the reasons stated above re. being able to go on game drives and walking tours. There was one other aspect to the way we did it that proved to be an advantage, IMO. Namely, that a multi-day trip down the Zambezi entails a lot of time on the main river rather than through more intimate channels. And, while the river is beautiful, it is VEEERY big, a mile or more across in places, and, while you will see plenty of hippos, antelope, elephants, buffalo, and birds along the way, you miss out on many other game sighting opportunities.

BTW, the horse safari sounds very interesting. That's something Ruth especially would love to do. She is a very experienced rider and her horse was about the only thing she missed from home. I know which side of a horse to get on (the left, right?), but more experienced at cleaning up the droppings from the back end than from the vantage point up top.

I'd give it a go (namely, put in lots of time getting saddle experience at home) but photography is very important to me, and I have trouble imagining how to take quality pictures, esp. with a telephoto, from the saddle. Any thoughts, ideas, would be appreciated.

Jim

Hi cruisinred,

No, I haven't found much more information. When is your trip and what's the rest of your itinerary like? How are you planning to get to/from Mana Pools? Thanks for the advice about sitting up front. That's what they had suggested as well.

We are thinking of going in September. I also really want to go to Namibia and am trying to figure out if we can somehow do both (more related to time and finances, not logistics).

Thanks, Jim. I just saw your post.

Your comment about being able to go on game drives and walks was why the Camp Zambezi trip appealed too.

How to take quality pictures from horseback? It's impossible! ;) If anybody has figured out how to do it, please let me know.

I think you just have to enjoy the experience and save the photography for another part of the trip. I can't imagine taking a telephoto lens. I just used a point and shoot and there were times when I didn't carry a camera at all. In a way, I found it quite liberating to leave the camera back at camp.

Ruth may be interested in this discussion http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34882477

Hi Patty-

We are thinking of doing the trip next May, flying into Lusaka, a few days in SLNP, fly back to Lusaka and then drive the 3-4 hours to Mana Pools. Natureways said it is an easy drive and they can arrange the transfer for $180 each way....beats the charter flight cost of $800+.

From there, we head to SA to do the usual Kruger/CPT/Winelands....but I am really looking forward to the canoeing, as I do not like just sitting in a jeep all day on safari. I also like the fact that the Naturways trip includes some walking as well. Apparently, their guides are very good, too.

I would LOVE to Namibia on this trip as well, but we just don't have time. Have you seen that Air Namibia has flights a few times per week from Livingstone to Windhoek? The cost was not that bad if I recall, maybe $300.

Good luck with your plans.

Thanks, cruisinred. That certainly does beat a charter. I'm looking at $700 for a charter from Mavuradonha to Mana Pools and $950 for a charter from Mana Pools to Harare. I could do a road transfer from Mana Pools to Lusaka like you, but it's complicated by the fact that I have FF miles that can get us to/from Harare but not Lusaka. If I have to buy Lusaka tickets, then that negates most of the savings of taking a road transfer.

I think I need to convince a couple of friends to travel with us ;)

Or maybe some fellow Fodorites, any takers?

Good luck with your trip too!

Hi Patty
I'm presently in Zimbabwe and, as an independent traveller and nature-lover, have recently been involved in conservation work with Varden Safaris. This has involved working with the Serval Cat Breed-Release Program, and general help with looking after the horses. Where to begin..the Mavhuradonha setting is absolutely beautiful, I've found the staff that guide you and cook for you all to be top-notch wonderful people, and James Varden himself, although I've not been on one of his safaris, is one of the best in Zim. I've just read an article featuring him in Getaway Nov 2006 (Mana Pools) if you're interested. Their camp, Kopje Tops, is done really well, with no power in camp but all the comforts. It's set in a valley surrounded by mountains..you can travel from there to "Bat Caves" which is just amazing. Every effort is made to make you feel comfortable, but at the same time you've completely "gone-bush" so-to-speak,out in the lovely bush with nature all around you. It's a short walk to Bat Caves where you witness the hundreds of bats fly out of the caves..very well worth seeing. I'm a 'moderately experienced' horse-rider, and I found the horses that they use excellent and the rides very interesting and well-guided..does this help?!

littlehelenpixie,
Thanks for your reply! How long is the ride from Kopje Tops to Bat Caves? Do you know what the weather's like in Mavhuradonha in May/June?

For this year's trip, we've decided to do something else but I'm still very much interested in their riding safari as a future trip.

littlehelenpixie
Is it possible to continue North in a 4x4 to the village of Kanyemba on the Zambezi near the Moz border? And how long would it take to drive that?

From Kopje Tops.

Hi Patty
I would well recommend it! The ride to Bat Caves camp from Kopje Tops took us about two hrs, but we didn't stop and have lunch and swim like a client would do. There are several variances of route that you can take according to experience and preference. My companion was very new to riding and found the ride, although steep in places, to be very enjoyable. There is also an option to walk. You can, if you wish to be really energetic, go there and back in a day, but it's better in my opinion to stay overnight and head back the next day..a more leisurely pace means you can take the time to enjoy more. The weather at that time is perfect for riding; lovely days usually, and cooling down at night.. nice :)

Hi Luangwablondes
Hmm, not sure about that to be honest (I'm not local, actually from NZ) but I CAN get James Varden to get online and answer your queries.. please stand by!