Ride Overview

If you’ve been hearing from friends and online about these totally over the top and amazing horseback safaris and wondered, “what’s this all about really?”  Here’s your chance to find out!

There is truly nothing in the world like a riding safari.  It’s actually a bit difficult to explain to give you the real sense of it.  It’s total glamping – true, you sleep in a tent, but a tent with an actual bed, mattress, Egyptian cotton sheets, a hot shower and some amazing home cooked meals.  But at night you see a sky so full of stars you’ll have to search for the dark of the sky itself.  And you’ll hear the zebra braying, and hyenas howling, all snuggled under your warm duvet.  And how is it possible to adequately explain a shoulder to shoulder gallop with a herd of wildebeest or in pace with gangly and huge strided giraffe?

The animals, the smells, the wide open nature, you’ve teleported yourself back into the world of Karen Blixen, when English sportsmen came for getaways.  It’s like nothing you’ll have ever done before – like us trying to explain the Mongol Derby – but with FAR better accommodation and relaxing sundowners (cocktails at the end of the day).  Your hosts Gordie and Felicia Church are the quintessential epitome of what it “is” to be on safari.  Gordie is a second generation guide and his family has been running these rides for over 50 years.

This is a bucket list item, to be sure.  It calls for riders of solid ability as you’ll gallop the plains and jump.  It will take your breath away, and leave you with a grounded sense of what is essentially the crux of being alive.  It is truly, a trip of a lifetime.

Dates and Rates:  We offer several itineraries.

Masai Mara Ride
2025 Dates: June 22-30 (FULL), July 15-23, Aug. 2-10, Sept. 10-18 (FULL), Sept. 20-28, Sept 30-Oct. 8
Rate: $11,500.00 USD per person sharing

Short Ride in the Mara
2025 Dates: June 14-20 (FULL), July 2-8, July 25-31 (FULL)
Rate: $9,000.00 USD per person sharing

Lollboran Ride
Available on request for groups of 6 or more.  Only available on dates that don’t conflict with either of the other rides.
2025 Rate: $9,000.00 USD per person sharing

***A Small Safari Group fee of $32,000.00 USD for the Short Ride and $40,000.00 USD for the Masai Mara Ride applies to any week of 4 or less.  That is, those are the rates for each ride, divided by the number of travelers of 4 or less.  A conservation fee of $1,350.00 USD per person will be charged in addition.)

Included

  • Full board accommodation
  • All drinks while on safari
  • Certified Safari Guide
  • Full service staff
  • All camp and safari equipment
  • Horse and all tack
  • Support vehicles
  • Game drives
  • Flying Doctors' membership
  • Internal flights from Nairobi to the local air strip
  • Airport Transfers
  • Meet and Greet upon arrival to Nairobi at pre set time
  • Laundry services
  • Conservation Fee (unless otherwise noted)
  • All local taxes

Not Included

  • Airfare to Kenya
  • Visa for Kenya
  • Accommodation/meals not listed on the itinerary
  • Travel insurance (required)
  • Gratuities for the support crew (minimum suggested at $25/day)
  • Gratuities for the guides

SAMPLE ITINERARY for the Mara Ride

Pre-Day: Recommended Arrival

You will be met in Nairobi at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport by a company representative and transferred to your hotel (independent). The remainder of the day is yours to relax and rest for the start of the safari on the next day.

Day 1

You will be picked up from your hotel and transferred to Wilson Airport for a briefing on the upcoming days. The morning flight is at 10:30AM and arrives in the Mara at 11:15AM. Your host and guide, Gordie will be waiting, and will take you for a game drive in the bush as you make your way to the first of four mobile camps for the week.

Arriving in time for lunch, you'll be able to relax, stretch your legs and settle in after which you may choose from either a short ride or a vehicle game drive.

Day 2

Your day begins with tasty Bloody Marys and a full breakfast as you see what mornings in the bush are like, everything awakening. Today's ride will take you out in the AM through some dense vegetation that opens up into wide open plains. Lunch is back at camp before heading out again to marvel at the abundance of of wildlife including: giraffe, warthog, zebra, hartebeest topi, wildebeest and possibly even some cheetah and leopard..

Finish the day with a nice G&T for "sundowners" as you marvel at your first day on safari.

Day 3

Now that you've had your introduction to bush riding - today is your first full day in the saddle. You'll see spectacular wildlife, and countryside filled with impala, gazelle, elephant, ostrich and more! A picnic lunch awaits you in a nice forest area called Olomai, after which you are welcome to enjoy a quiet siesta or walk about.

Continuing your afternoon ride, you'll go down to the banks of the Mara River with its large pods of hippo and possibly even the odd monster crocodile. it's an amazing day all around as you make your way to your second camp.

Day 4

This area is just stunning to traverse by horse or by vehicle. You are able to ford the Mara River and ride under the iconic Siria Escarpment. The concentration of game is breathtaking and with plenty of opportunity to jump (optional) fallen trees created by the resident elephant.

This area is rich with waterbuck, eland, jackal, hyena and lion, as well as many other species - an amazing day!

Day 5

After another full and home cooked breakfast, you begin your ride to the next camp. Starting out in a southerly direction across Maternity Plain. You'll have absolutely stunning views in every direction and long open gallops. You'll cross the Mara River on horseback and enter the famous Mara Triangle.

A picnic lunch is ideal in a patch of thick forest often occupied by elephant, after which a short ride, followed by an ascent on foot to the top of the escarmpment make for amazing views of where you've ridden and where you are.

Day 6

Today has the option to ride and drive in the triangle with magical views looking down towards the Serengeti in the distance. This corner of the ecosystem is blessed with croton thickets, forest and endless tall grasslands, the perfect environment for rhino, elephant, buffalo and lion.

In the late afternoon, it may be possible to visit a small traditional homestead of one of the local Mara hosts.

Day 7

Today, you descend the escarpment on foot and head due east as we make our way to our last camp. Riding back over the Mara River, skirting the large village of Rianta and then onward to a lovely picnic lunch under scattered acacia trees - an incredible and exhilarating morning!

After a long siesta, you'll ride over the Koiyaki Plain and arrive to the camp on the Olare Orok Stream, used by the Masai to water their cattle.

Day 8

Using the camp as our base, today you'll both a morning and afternoon ride, drive or walk i n this magical corner of the Mara. This it exceptional riding country, where two large prides of lion make their home, allowing for a sensational big cat experience.

It's sometimes possible to take a night drive after dinner to see all the active nocturnal wildlife.

Day 9

This is your last morning in this stunning and unique country. We start out with one last great ride before returning to camp for a leisurely and hearty brunch before saying goodbye to the horses and the camp crew.

Your afternoon flight to Nairobi departs at 2:45PM and will get you back to Wilson Airport at 4:15PM where you'll be transferred either to your hotel (independent) or to Jomo for your onward flight home.