Ride Zimbabwe - Varden Safaris Riding Safaris Hwange

09/02/2025

Zambezi: Homebred. In training.

Anyone who takes photos of horses in the rainy season with all the flies knows its nigh on impossible to get THE shot. Ears moving, tail flicking. I am sure all Equestrians can relate.

He is pretty handsome, don't you think?

With his even temperament, Zambezi so far is taking everything in his stride. Living out amongst the wildlife , nothing much fazes him.

08/02/2025

Ride Zimbabwes handsome boy Tuffy Blue Heeler x Lab ie ready for the season to start..Whoa boy handbrake on still aways to until we start.

Horses are still enjoying off and the green grass.

26/01/2025

Whilst resting up in camp getting ready for the afternoons ride, we watched in awe as a herd of elephants pass by.

For some of us, it's a sight we have seen often for some it's the first time to sit quietly and watch these gaints pass by.

It's a privilege we never tire of.

Totally aware of us, they made their way quietly to K2 pan a short distance from us to quench their thrist.

14/01/2025

The above dates are the days we shall be riding into the sunset ( hopefully with you) on our 7 night riding safari in Hwange National Park.

Other dates are available for private/shorter rides.
Please ask.

One of our most popular safaris is the 10 night saddle and paddle.
7 nights riding and 3 nights in the iconic Mana Pools National Park.

This safari is hugely popular with riders as it combines canoeing, walking, and gamendriving.

Everything is taken care of just turn up!

Advanced riders only (husbands can go on game drives and walks) 😂

09/01/2025

A lovely guest recently sent a bonus to all our staff to celebrate with their families, as a thank you for taking great care with our safari horses.

Pictured is Earnst our Stable manager and Tinei our lorry driver.

Both these guys have a lot of responsibility Tinei making sure that the horses get where they have to be safely over all sorts of terrain and Earnst quietly working back of house (stables), making sure everyone is fit and healthy to go out on safari as well as overseeing and checking all tack.

Thanks for your hard work. Everyone long hours on safari, late night feeds and checks, as well as sleeping with one eye 👁and ear 🦻open, listening for lions (like we all do)

05/01/2025

Busmans Holiday continued.

With over 70 years of professional guiding between them it's no wonder our bird list sits at 153 species in just 1.5 days.

Once a Guide always a Guide👌








Professional Safari guides.

05/01/2025

Busmans Holiday:

It's strange how you live and work in an area for so long and never visit areas "down the road"

In this case, down the road is 3 hours from our base on dirt roads through Hwange National Park to stay at Davisons Camp on the Wilderness Zimbabwe concession for a few nights.

Where we had one of the best lion sightings of our lives! !!

We sat with these beautiful lionesses and 3 cubs for 2 hours entirely on our own with no other person or vehicle in sight.

Lion spam coming up.

05/01/2025

12/12/2024

Guestateers had a great day in the Park last week.

Elephant sightings were of course, plentiful in this heat.

Crocodiles, Hippos, Roan, and Sable Antelope! Birds to numerous to mention.

A picnic lunch by a pan to rest in the heat of the day.

Don't forget to bring a decent pair of binoculars.

Talk to us or .dupreez for the best type for riding with.

05/12/2024

Start the New Year off on the right hoove!
Be part of our small group Guestateer program.

Aimed at over 30s, part riding holiday part conservation.

Get an understanding of the nitty gritty of conservation in Africa. The Good, The Bad and the Ugly.

Stay in a camp dedicated to conservation work.


Personally hosted by the owner Paul De Montille. Who makes a mean bush pizza 🍕


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More info [email protected] or
your horse riding safari specialist.

03/12/2024

Guestateers are checking the camera traps/trail cams that they set up a week ago.

There is something so exciting about setting the trail cams and waiting with anticipation to see what they reveal.

One particular cam caught a mega tick.

Guess what it is

1.Leopard
2.Wild Dog
3.Elephant
4.Lion

02/12/2024

It's been a busy few days with organising and hosting a very successful elephant ageing workshop in Victoria Falls.
The first of its kind in Southern Africa

Dr Fiona Stansfield, Dr of Reproductive Physiology and Honorary Professor of Nottingham University UK

Professor Gerhard Steenkamp, Professor of Small Animal Surgery at Onderstepoort Veterinary Insitute, Pretoria

Our very own Dr Karl Van Laeren, Equine Vet and Denist, were the presenters.

How exciting for Zimbabwe to host leading experts in the world

Much was learnt by using Dr Stansfields dental aging formula and large bone growth plates to age elephant skeletal remains. Important for conservation work.

27/11/2024

Who doesn't love a store that has an amazing range of outdoor/safari kit as well as great coffee and wine🤪

Could get lost in here....

27/11/2024

What an incredible experience for our Guestateers on their 3rd afternoon in camp.

Imagine canoeing having a sundowner and elephants come down to drink and swim🤩





/volunteer


dupreez thanks for the photo

25/11/2024

A big welcome to our current group of Guestateers
who arrived yesterday after some long haul travel to get here from the Netherlands, Switzerland, and France.

This morning, Guestateers learnt some history about Hwange National Park and were given a run down on what the 14 days will entail.

A presentation was given by Paul De Montille, founder of D.A.R.T. Dete Animal Rescue Trust whose camp we are staying in.

Pictureed above is the team learning the different types of snares and the different methods they trap animals so they can't escape. Wildlife either die in the snare line, are killed by the poachers , or manage to break free only to die of their wound unless someone like Paul comes along and darts them to free them of the wire🙌

Tomorrow, we will be going out on the horses to do snare sweeps🐎

Thanks to D.A.R.T AP antipoaching unit and Paul for a great introduction.

Guestateers are abley looked after by Horsewomen and Zimbabwesn Guide .dupreez and RIde Zimbabwe Head Groom

23/11/2024

Excited to meet our new Guestateers tomorrow 🤩

If you are older than 40 and can ride a horse, have looked at other "volunteering" projects with horses and found they are all aimed at the younger set. Guestateer might suit you.

For more info, get in touch with us or your African Riding Safari specialist.

[email protected] for more info or DM us.
dupreez

19/11/2024

How do you like the logo for Hwange Tourism?

Stakeholders from all sectors involved in tourism in Hwange from researchers, safari operators, guides, National Parks, NGOs, and more all came together last week to network with the aim of promoting our
beautiful Park.

Come and experience Hwange!!