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Horse Riding in Jinja, Uganda
Safari (Swahili) - A journey or expedition in East Africa for exploration or investigation.
On a ride with Nile Horseback Safaris, you will see real Uganda, which includes not only the stunning beauty of the River Nile and rural areas but also the village homes, workplaces/trading centres and lives of people who live around our area. We are fortunate to be able to access these areas as our Ugandan neighbours are friendly and generous. You may be lucky and see wildlife (birds and monkeys on our rides) but our tours are not wildlife safaris, they are a snapshot of real-life Africa in the 2020s including all aspects both positive and negative. All our rides finish with a stunning 1km trail along the Nile. On our longer rides of 2 hours, you can also experience the views from the hills overlooking the Nile valley and move through the stunning sugar and tea plantation vistas.
We offer a range of rides catering for first-timers to advanced riders. Most of our rides are private rides (except our sunset ride), with only your group on the tour. We are open between 10 am and 4 pm every day unless we have pre-booked trips outside these hours. We do prefer bookings for our 1hr, 1.5hr sunset and 2hr rides so horses and guides are available when you arrive. Please note: We have a strict 85kg rider weight limit for introductory safaris and an 80kg limit for our longer rides. We implement this for rider safety and also for the welfare of our horses. We provide multiple guides on our trips to accommodate those that may want to try going faster and to also allow others to stay within their comfort zone.
Our Rides
Intro Pony Rides
We offer pony rides for kids as well as adults. To ensure these rides are as safe as possible, we have a guide walking and controlling the pony/horse and helping you or your child at all times. There are 30 minute or 1-hour options. These ponies are very safe, and parents are welcome to walk with their children and take photos.
1hr mixed group
Our 1 hr ride is aimed at novices, kids, aged riders and those that may be a little nervous. It is an introductory slow paced safari, (walk and trot), with most of the ride in the local village and about 1 km along the banks of the Nile. Really nervous riders can be led along on lead ropes if required. (Kids from 6 years).
1.5hr mixed group
Our 1.5 hr ride is a slightly more advanced version of our 1 hour ride. There are some opportunities for a short canter if you choose, but this ride is still a slower paced trip, more a sightseeing tour through the village and along the river bank rather than a hard core riding trip. Ideal trip for friends or family that don't want anything too intense.
Sunset ride
This is a late afternoon ride of 1.5 hours during the cooler part of the day. More of a relaxed ride, great for all abilities and takes in the stunning light across the river and the relaxed mood of the village in the late afternoon. This ride requires a minimum of 2 people to run and needs to be pre-booked.
2hr mixed group
This ride is for groups of friends/family with a range of abilities who want to ride together. The ride takes in mostly the rural areas and the section along the Nile. There are options for some short canters on this ride, but no-one is expected to go faster than they feel comfortable.
2hr advanced
Our most popular serious riders trip. Plenty of opportunity for lots of cantering in the hills and plantations but also with the section in the village and along the Nile. If you are a rider and haven't been riding for a while this is the tour for you. We do not allow novices, and this ride is a private ride.
Our Horses
Our horses are our reputation, and we have a range of sizes and breeds to suit everyone from beginners to advanced skill levels. Our horses come to us from our partner in northern Kenya when they are aged between 1 year and 3 years. The horses are trained for about a year before the guides begin to ride them and at least a year and a half before clients ride them. We don't break our horses in (the old school way) we believe in building trust over time with horses, so they become willing partners with riders. We fly a vet in from South Africa twice yearly, a horse dentist from South Africa annually and have had a master farrier from France to train our staff. Our horses are kept in immaculate condition and are trained in competition disciplines as well as being safari horses. They are well behaved, safe and bomb-proof, making them a pleasure to ride.
Important Information
Safety
We have an outstanding safety record because of the training and care we give our horses. Our horses are well fed and immaculately kept so we have happy, safe and reliable safari horses. All trips are accompanied by two or more guides and helmets are supplied. We have strict 80kg rider weight limit for client safety and also for the wellbeing of our horses.
Riding Experience
Due to the variety of abilities of our clients, we offer a range of different rides to suit all levels of experience. Our mixed group safaris are slower-paced rides, that accommodate friends or family with varying levels of experience who want to ride together. Our advanced rides cater for the serious riders and are generally private with just you and your guides.
When We Ride
We run short safaris (1 hour, 1 and a half hours, 2-hour rides) 7 days a week at 10 am in the morning and 2 pm in the afternoon. Bookings are essential as we have limited horses and guides. We will run these trips even for single riders. Our sunset rides (90mins) run from 4-pm on demand with a minimum of 2 riders.
What to bring
We ask that you wear closed shoes (boots or trainers), preferably with a heel. For your comfort, we recommend jeans or trousers that completely cover your legs to stop stirrup leather rubs. All our horses are equipped with saddlebags including a raincoat for each client. The other essentials to bring are a small bottle of water, sunscreen, and your camera.
