OVERVIEW:
Offbeat Riding Safaris offers fantastic horse-riding safaris for adventurous travellers! Both set-date departure and bespoke trips are available, and you can explore the Mara region, Laikipia, or Amboseli National Park.
Offbeat Riding Safaris are operated by Offbeat Safaris, a company established in 1990 with the aim of providing high-quality horse-back safaris in Kenya’s finest safari areas. Fast forward almost three decades, and Offbeat also offers traditional safaris from some of the country’s most authentic camps and lodges – not least Offbeat Mara Camp and Sosian Lodge. Activities at these properties do include horse-back safaris. However, if you’re a very enthusiastic equestrian, we recommend Offbeat Riding for the most exhilarating experiences on horseback. Set-date departure trips have a minimum age requirement of 14 years and only operate in the Mara or Laikipia, but bespoke trips can be put together for all ages and to all three areas. All accommodation is booked on a full-board basis, and the trips are available all year round apart from April, May, and November.
ACCESS & LOCATION:
All first camps are accessed via road transfer from the local airstrip. The camps are situated in the Mara region, Laikipia, and Amboseli National Park.
ACCOMMODATION & FACILITIES AT OFFBEAT RIDING SAFARIS:
Guest accommodation in all camps consists of spacious tents, each measuring 9 feet by 10 feet. Of course the number of tents in camp depends on the size of the group of riders. Set-departure trips require a minimum of five people and a maximum of 12, but both smaller and larger parties can enjoy a tailor-made safari. Every tent contains one or two camp bed/s with mattresses, sheets, and blankets. There’s a solar lamp per tent too, as well as hurricane lamps outside for night use. Each tent is adjacent to a long-drop loo tent and a hot bucket shower enclosure. Camp staff members provide towels, soap, shampoo, and conditioner, in addition to torches and one aluminium water bottle per guest – the latter item fits neatly into your saddle bag.
All camps have a classic mess tent, in which you’ll find comfortable lounge and dining areas. Typically the lounge features comfy seating around coffee tables, while the dining area has one big table where everyone eats together. All food is freshly prepared and guests enjoy English breakfasts, light lunches, and three-course suppers at the end of each day. Picnics are often offered, and al fresco dining is available whenever the weather permits. Each camp’s bar stocks a good range of alcoholic and soft drinks, and the only drink that isn’t included in the price of your stay is champagne. A campfire is set up close to camp, and it’s the perfect place to relax after your safari day.
ACTIVITIES AT OFFBEAT RIDING SAFARIS:
Riding safaris are available in the Mara region, Amboseli National Park, and Laikipia. Below we provide a few details about set-departure routes. For information about bespoke safaris, or anything else to do with horse riding with Offbeat, please contact a member of our team.
- Mara ride – This is Offbeat’s most popular ride, especially for first-time travellers to Kenya. The set-departure trip is made up of seven or eight nights and uses four camp locations to showcase the Maasai Mara National Reserve and surrounds. Covering over 250 kilometres, the route includes the wildlife-rich Mara Triangle and the world-renowned Mara river! If you’re here during the period from July to October, you’ll experience the Great Migration, riding alongside thousands of wildebeest, zebra, and gazelles. These attract the big cats and fierce crocs, making for a very impressive show overall. But even out of migration season the Mara is a dream destination for safarists, with its numerous predators, herbivores, and birdlife.
- Amboseli ride – The national reserve of Amboseli is famous for its stunning scenery, featuring the backdrop of majestic Mount Kilimanjaro. And the area is equally well known for its astonishing concentrations of elephant! The trips to this area have to be booked privately and usually start near the border town of Namanga, heading east towards the Chyulu Hills. On the way, you’ll have opportunities to view a wealth of wildlife – not only the elephants, but also lion and leopard, huge herds of buffalo, plenty of plains game, and hundreds of birds. Cultural experiences are offered too.
- Laikipia ride – An excellent option for riders hoping to see some unusual species on safari, Laikipia is home to the Northern Speciality Species – reticulated giraffe, Beisa oryx, Grevy’s zebra, gerenuk, and Somali ostrich. You can look out for four of the traditional Big Five too! The set-departure ride in this part of Kenya involves eight nights in four camps, and the route takes in the Lewa–Borana Landscape, the Loldaiga Hills, and the Sugoroi river valley. For sheer variety of scenery, the Laikipia ride is highly recommended – and Mount Kenya can be seen in the distance throughout the trip.
*This property is unfenced and located in a wildlife area, so large and potentially dangerous animals do pass through. If you opt to stay here, always be alert when walking around the camp and request for a member of staff to escort you if you have any concerns. Any guest is escorted after dark as a matter of course.