Wild Ride

Wild Ride Horse Safaris takes place in the Bezhoek Private Nature Reserve – a private nature reserve of around 5,000 hectares located in the Olifants River Valley in Mpumalanga, South Africa. The reserve is situated just under two hours from Johannesburg and Pretoria, in a malaria-free area surrounded by dramatic and varied nature. The landscape in Bezhoek is characterised by an unusually rich ecological diversity, with open savannas, wetlands, permanent watercourses, riverine forests, rocky ridges and impressive rock formations. The reserve features both deep gorges and wide plains, creating a safari experience with great variation in terrain and scenery. Furthermore, the area is classified as a protected nature reserve due to its high level of biodiversity and the presence of several rare plant and animal species. Although Bezhoek is not a Big Five reserve, the wildlife is abundant and diverse. Here, there are opportunities to spot leopard, hyena, giraffe, zebra, kudu, eland, sable antelope, blesbok, oribi, warthog, jackal, and both black and blue wildebeest, as well as several smaller and more unusual species such as honey badger and porcupine. The reserve is also home to over 300 bird species, making the area particularly interesting for bird watchers. Nature conservation and preservation are central to the reserve's identity. Bezhoek actively works to protect and restore the area through the control of invasive plant species and the long-term conservation of local biodiversity. Among other things, the reserve features rare cycad plants, a large number of grass species, as well as archaeological remains and rock art from earlier cultures in the area.