Can riding an ostrich be considered a unique form of green transportation?
If you could actually ride them outside the pen it sure could be, as they can run up to 60km an hour, although they won’t reach these speeds in the small enclosure they run around in. That doesn’t mean it won’t be a little nerve wracking for you, especially after the talk beforehand, where you learn how they can rip you apart, down your middle, with one slash of their foot.
To get on the bird, a black bag is placed over its head to keep it still, and then once you are on the bag is whipped off and the crazy ride begins. You will be surprised by the strength in their flapping wings as you hold on, giving you a new found appreciation for the flightless bird. Unfortunately girls, they make one of the jockeys hold
The Unbreakable Egg
onto you at the back of the giant creature in case you fall off. There is a weight limit of 80kg to riding the ostriches, so if you are heavier than this you’ll have to sit back and watch, or after a few months in Africa, you just mind find yourself dipping below the scale limit.
You can spend the day touring the farm, feeding the ostriches, standing on the eggs, watching them race and then have a ride yourself. Riding an ostrich at the Oudtshoorn Ostrich farms, in the Cango Valley, South Africa is a wildlife highlight of South Africa. Remember with travel it’s all about the memories.
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Wow this is something I’ve never seen, and I never really understood how big they are!
Do you think the ostriches are running because they are uncomfortable and want to get you off their backs? I work training horses (although I haven’t ever done breaking) and I know sometimes they aren’t very happy to have you on their backs either.
They are huge! I learned a lot of fascinating things about them on the tour. Ostriches are not really the animals people go to Africa wanting to see so this is an off the beaten trail type activity. They probably do want to just get you off their backs. Apparently it doesn’t hurt them.
I totally did this, too, in the spring! I think I managed to stay on his (her?) back for all of 10 seconds! Funny, I thought everyone would jump at the chance to ride an ostrich but out of about 40 of us on the tour, it was me and two dudes and that was it!
I know. I thought it would be something most people would jump at the chance of doing. It’s not really that dangerous, yet it is so much fun. I mean who can say they have ridden an ostrich? You have to make your life a story to tell.