Hit the saddle

Handy holiday ideas from Cheapflights

Monday, 29 June 2009

By Jeremy Head

If you want to see more of the scenery on holiday, grab yourself a cheap flight to India, South Africa or Cyprus and then jump on a trusty stead! Try horse trekking in the Kyrenia Mountains in northern Cyprus, getting up close to the South African wildlife on an elephant or seeing the desert in India sat on the hump of a camel.

Horse play in Cyprus
Most people on flights to Cyprus have one destination in mind - the beach. The island is blessed with a fabulous climate and lovely sandy beaches, perfect for lazy lounging. But there’s plenty of tourist-free scenery to explore too if you want to avoid the bikini brigade. Horse trekking is becoming an increasingly popular way to enjoy the Cypriot countryside. You can do riding trails that take in the rolling hills and remote valleys of the interior and the pristine beaches and rocky shores of the coast. There are several riding stables across the island that do day and longer excursions offering riding for complete beginners as well as those comfortable in the saddle - though serious riders may find the pace a little slow. If you’re looking to get properly off the beaten trail, then try the northern part of the island. North Cyprus has been cut off from the more developed south for decades, which means it’s far less developed. The pine-clad Kyrenia Mountains offer craggy pine-clad views and bright twittering birdlife, perfect for a gentle trot in the summer sunshine. Chances are there won’t be another tourist in sight.

Trunk rocking in South Africa
Increasing numbers of travellers are taking flights to South Africa, looking for some winter sunshine with hardly any jetlag. The rainbow nation boasts some fabulous beaches and amazing natural scenery. Cape Town is a buzzing metropolis with exciting nightlife and top notch dining too. But perhaps the greatest draw of all is the wildlife. Safari holidays in South Africa offer some of the best big game viewing opportunities on the planet with a brace of large, well-stocked parks providing almost guaranteed viewing of lion, elephant, giraffe and much more. For most people game viewing involves bouncing around in the back of a Landrover, but head for the Addo Elephant National Park near Port Elizabeth and you can get a much more intimate wildlife experience. Here you can climb aboard a lumbering jumbo and head off into the bush – with a fully trained guide sat in front of you of course! Game viewing from elephants is absolutely fascinating, because the wild animals don’t see them as a threat - unlike noisy Landrovers which often scare them away. So you can get up really close to see all the wildlife action. You’re also significantly higher up on the back of a pachyderm which means the views are even better!

Getting the hump in India
Did you know that India has a sizeable chunk of desert? Lots of people don’t! The Thar desert stretches for thousands of miles, taking up a big portion of north western Rajasthan. Head for Jaisalmer or Bikaner in the far west of the state and you can climb aboard a ship of the desert and head off for a rocking adventure among the rolling dunes. Most camel safaris last several days which means you get to curl up in your sleeping bag at night under one of the world’s most starry skies. It’s not a particularly comfortable trip, but the sense of space and isolation is oddly soothing and the romance of a camp fire in the middle of nowhere is very hard to beat. Some tours stop off at local desert tribe villages too where you can find out what it’s like to live marooned in a sea of sand. The camels themselves can be a little unpredictable and just getting up on top of that hump is an experience in itself. One thing’s for sure – you’ll never forget the experience. Jaisalmer is the quintessential desert town, its ancient yellow ramparts rising up from the desert sands like a mirage. The old walled town is genuinely fascinating and there are some atmospheric hotels to stay in here too – perfect for relaxing after your adventure in the desert.

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