Polo Tours at Bushman Rock

A Bushman Rock representative will meet you at the airport and bring you straight out to Bushman Rock. You will settle into your lodge and meet the team.

Depending on your arrival time, you may have the opportunity to tour our stables, meet the grooms and get acquainted with our herd of ponies. A short introductory ride through the vineyards and around the lake allows you to get to know our horses and equipment. A climb up the mountain on horseback brings you to a spectacular sundowner spot overlooking the lake and vines and onwards over the wildlife reserve. Mount-up and return to the lodges for a sumptuous farm supper.

Head out after breakfast through the vineyards and open the horses up for a long canter along the firebreaks. Once we arrive at Hillcrest we will be taken on a farm tour; viewing the Nile Tilapia ponds, the free-range chicken houses, small dairy herd, and market and herb gardens. Hillcrest is also an FEI registered Three Phase Eventing venue and we will walk the course and chat with the course designer and coaches. Lunch is served at the Hillcrest Club House and a great understanding of farm life is gained through chatting with the team.

Afternoon ride will take us through the community with some lovely long canters along windy, sandy bush roads and back through the wildlife reserve to the stables. A traditional African braai dinner (bbq) served under the trees at the lodge gardens. As we sit around the warmth of the fire we will be serenaded by the cries of the night apes and hoot of the owls and will hopefully spot a giraffe as it comes to eat the acacias at the lodges.

This is an absolute must for any passionate horse rider. Designed to give our guests the basic understanding of  the “Sport Of Kings” we start off with a short explanation of rules and skills needed. A few fun games played on your feet with a foot mallet always gets the competitive spirit going and then we mount up and have a go on horseback. After a tea break, we split off into teams and we compete for the prestigious Rebecca Trophy during a chukka or two of polo. Rebecca was a giraffe that Jono Passaportis helped to rescue in the late 2000’s and rehomed at Bushman Rock. Rebecca had had a very tough life and loved Jono, so much so that she got very jealous of Justine (when she came on the scene. Rebecca unfortunately died of natural causes during the construction of the polo field and we have played for the Rebecca Trophy in her memory ever since.
Following the tournament, a full traditional Zimbabwean braai (bbq) is served in he Polo Club House and wine and banter flows as we relive the glory and laugh at the lessons learnt on the pitch. An afternoon spent relaxing by the swimming pool or in the tranquillity of your room is followed by a starlight evening around the fire-pit, watching a slide show of photos taken from the polo day. The three course dinner is the ideal way to end a unique day of excitement that will make you want to return again and again

Today’s ride will start after a lovely relaxing breakfast at the lodge dining room. As we head out on single trails through the miombo forest, we keep our eyes peeled for the secretive bushbuck, sable and riverine loving nyala. Larger open plains areas and firebreaks allow for lengths of trotting and cantering but in general, the
ride is more sedate and allows you to drink in the natural splendour of the African bush. The birdlife is fantastic and the diverse areas we explore will allow for sightings of eagles, woodland kingfishers, riverine loving herons and ducks, seed eating weavers and fruit eaters such as thrushes and bulbuls.

A sumptuous picnic lunch served in the shade of a massive acacia tree and you are able to relax and unwind in the silence of nature. Once the heat subsides we will take a stroll along the bubbling stream to the ancient rock fort that was home to various tribes over the centuries. As we explore the granite caves we will hear of the traditional lives of the San bushman and see their ancient rock art that adorns the cave walls. The Shona tribes of later years fortified the cave networks and we will search for signs of forgotten village life.

The short ride back to the camp will get you in the mood for a dip in the pool followed by afternoon tea served on the veranda. Relax around the fire-pit in the evening and enjoy a lodge dinner served in the dining room before retiring to your lodge.

CHILDREN: Whilst parents head out for the morning safari, children are transferred via safari vehicle up to Hillcrest Equestrian Centre where they will enjoy a 2hr riding and horsemanship lesson with FEI registered trainer Celeste Wright. They are then be returned via vehicle to the join parents for the
picnic lunch and cave tour.

Leisurely breakfast and morning stick and ball session or outride.

After an earlier breakfast, we mount up and head out through the wildlife reserve. We pass grazing herds of impala, eland and tsesebe and wind our way through the forests. Once we leave the park through the boundary fence we ride through the local villages passing fields of maize, grazing herds of cattle, sheep and goats and stop in at the local general dealer store to buy a cool drink. A short walk on we arrive at the village school where we tour of the facilities and then are entertained by the school choir and traditional dance troupe. The smiling faces and huge energy shown by the schoolchildren is truly inspiring when you realise just how little the school has. Bushman Rock donates to the school’s CDC for every visit to the school and monitor where and how the funds are expensed.

With full hearts, we mount up and ride back through the forests and grasslands of the wildlife reserve to the lodge where a late lunch is served under the magnificent Msasa trees in the lodge gardens. An afternoon relax followed by sundowner canoeing or pontoon ride on the picturesque Theo’s Lake and a tutored wine tasting of the Estate Wines. Or practice chukkas and then guests are taken for a vehicle safari and a surprise “cultural dinner” served in a secret location.

CHILDREN – Basics of Polo morning – Specifically aimed at younger members of the group our coaches will take children through the fundamentals of playing polo. From the four main hits needed to the skill of “hooking” an opponent and “riding them off” we will spend time with foot mallets, on the wooden horse and a 40minute mounted session. We will then meet you at the school for the school tour and return to the lodge for lunch.

An early start sees us out on horseback for a morning cattle drive. Our herd of cattle are run primarily to remove parasites from the grasslands resulting in lower parasitic volumes on our wildlife. These cattle are driven daily from their overnight corral (danga) to various grazing areas around the estate. The cattle munch on the grass and trees as they walk and the drive is an incredible experience, the chewing of the cattle, gentle swaying of your horse and the cry of the fish eagles above ensures a thoroughly enjoyable morning in the saddle.

Return back to the lodge for brunch and a clean-up and then we jump into the vehicles and head the 15km down the dust roads to the Twala Animal Sanctuary. This delightful animal orphanage has a huge array of animals saved and given sanctuary; from a one armed vervet monkey to swans collected from an old age home when they started to attack the residents. This orphanage is 100% dependant on donations and sponsorship the team on Twala do unbelievable work. The guides are amazingly knowledgeable and will explain the idiosyncrasies of each individual animal, and this trip is ideal for all ages. After the tour, relax under the shade and enjoy teas and cakes before returning back to the lodge. After an afternoon snooze head out to Sunset Rock where you will enjoy snacks and G&T’s whilst watching the sunset in the distance.

An amazing day that starts as usual with a delightful breakfast at the lodges. The horses are loaded on to the truck and transported the 10km to DanaB Savanna Camp and we jump into the safari vehicles and head out after them. DanaB is a mixed farming operation and home to one of the biggest African Violet farms in the world, Tana’s bespoke leather factory and the beautiful Savanna Camp Wildlife reserve. We will be welcomed on the farm with tea and coffee and will have a guided tour of the violet operation, seeing the prorogation sheds, the state of the art greenhouses and growing rooms. We will then pop into Tana’s leather factory,
owned and run by the amazing Tana Walsh. The collection of handmade bags, wallets, shoes, belts and whatever has taken Tana’s design fancy are truly amazing. Whilst touring the farm the horses will be tacked up and ready for us to head out into the Savanna Camp wildlife area.
With beautiful sandy roads and open grasslands the riding will be slightly faster paced. The leafy, winding dirt roads are ideal for long canters and the long straight firebreaks make for an amazing gallop for those who are keen. The 470H wildlife reserve teams with tsesebe, eland, zebra and impala as well as the comical looking blesbok. Our ride will take us through this stunning wilderness to the unique Savanna Camp.
Designed by Tana herself this little oasis lies in deep shade overlooking the giant grassland that lends the location its name. After a lovely bush lunch and a relax we will mount up and take a leisurely ride back to the vehicles and return to Bushman Rock for sundowners at the gazebo and dinner at the lodge.

ACTIVITIES – PRICES SUBJECT TO CHANGE

Game Drives – USD $10 per person

Vineyard Tour & Wine Tasting – USD $10 per person

Canoeing/Fishing – USD $10 per person

Clay Pigeon Shooting – USD $25 per person

Depending on your ETD we like to have one last ride to send you on your way with a smile. We will head up the steep sided mountain to one of the beautiful viewing spots looking out over the estate where we will have a short explore and then head down for a lovely long canter along the sandy roads. Back to the lodge through the vineyards and after you have packed and had lunch, into the vehicles to the airport for a sad
goodbye as you embark on the next leg of your trip.