Totally fabulous mind blowing experience!

We spent 2 weeks at Imire on the horse riding and conservation project and had the best experience ever. We went in October so not too hot (30 degrees peaks in the day but much cooler at night) and perfect for early morning rides and beautiful sunsets. As horse riding volunteers we rode every morning nice and early then joined the rest of the volunteers for the daily activities after that. This meant we got the best of both worlds as we got the riding but but didn't miss out on any rhino or elephant or other activities either. The riding part was phenomenal. The horses are beautifully looked after and adored by Judy Travers and her family and helpers. Judy took us out every morning and we spent some days counting game and others (trying) to help the cattle ranchers (they are brill so didn't really need any help but it was a lot of fun to do!). We did different sections of the reserve everyday so we saw so much more than we would have in the truck. We were spotting all the newborns and checking for signs of poaching or any animals looking unwell. We saw zebra, giraffe, warthogs, wildebeest, elephants, buffalo, rhinos and so many species of antelope it was a phenomenal way to view the reserve and be a part of Imire and what it stands for! The riding program is well structured but you need to be flexible as 'plans change' on a fairly regular basis. You also need to be a fairly good rider as the terrain is a mix of tracks, bush whacking, off roading and a fair few rock/water crossings. The horses are sure footed and brilliant but it helps them if the riders are too! We spent 3-4hrs in the saddle a day and thoroughly enjoyed it but don't mistake this for a full riding holiday as the horses need breaks and the riding volunteers then join in the rhino conservation groups for the majority of the day. We had a totally amazing time and I would recommend Imire to anyone and everyone looking for a volunteering holiday of a lifetime.