15 Horse-Supported Treks Around the World

1.Cardrona High Country Pub Trail Horse Trek (Intermediate level+)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 269 reviews · from $433Our pick

Ride into the Cardrona high country with a small group of up to seven, crossing rivers, passing cattle and deer, and learning about Central Otago’s gold rush. The pace includes trotting and cantering, so you need solid riding skills. Your guide chooses a suitable horse, provides a helmet, and stops at the historic Cardrona Hotel for a drink.

“Guide was excellent and made sure we had the appropriate horse for our level of experience! The route we rode on was lovely and had good views of the Cadrona Valley!”

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2.Rubicon Valley Horse Treks – 2 Hour River Trail Horse Trek

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 196 reviews · from $91

Chris leads this two-hour horse trek from Rubicon Valley near Springfield, guiding small groups of up to six through a high-country sheep farm. You’ll ride toward Otarama lookout, pause above the Waimakariri Canyon, and return along farm trails. Beginners are welcome, while experienced riders may get chances to trot or canter.

“It was only my second time on a horse and the tour guide was very patient. He was very helpful and knowledgable. The views are beautiful! Highly recommend if you want to see the incredible views in this part of Christchurch.”

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3.Guided Horse Trekking from Rotorua

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 159 reviews · from $68

Ride a well-matched horse through the lower Mt. Ngongotaha foothills with a guide. You’ll cross working farmland, follow uneven paths through native bush, and stop at a lookout above Lake Rotorua. No riding experience is needed. Riders must be at least 12, weigh no more than 90 kilograms, and wear enclosed shoes.

“Loved every minute of this trek. The horses are very well behaved and cared for. Will definitely do this trek again. Thank you xx”

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4.Queenstown: Walter Peak Horse Trek & Queenstown Lake Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 151 reviews · from $134

Cruise from Queenstown to Walter Peak on the TSS Earnslaw or Spirit of Queenstown, then ride for 40 to 45 minutes through rolling farm country with an English-speaking guide. Small groups of up to six keep the pace calm and personal. Tea, coffee, scones, and muffins follow at the Colonel’s Homestead Restaurant.

“Loved our horse trek, the girls did a fab job, memories of a lifetime. afternoon tea hit the spot afterwards too 👌”

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5.Gold Discovery Trail Horse Trek Cardrona – Most popular!

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 151 reviews · from $309

Ride from Cardrona Valley into mountain country on a two-hour guided trek suited to beginners and experienced riders. You’ll learn basic steering, cross streams, pass farms, and hear gold-rush stories from guides such as Phoebe or Val. Groups are limited to seven, with time for photos and a gentle farewell to your horse.

“Very nice experience! The horses are sweet and well behaved and riffing through nzl nature is amazing, however quite pricey for what you get.”

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6.Wicklow Mountains Horse Trekking

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 118 reviews · 1 hour 20 minutes (approx.) · from $90

Ride from Hollywood Horse and Pony Trekking through the Wicklow Mountains and Kings River valley. Ray, Lisa, Nicole, or Jack may guide you, with a short lesson for beginners. Expect a small group of up to six, calm horses, beautiful countryside, and possible lake riding or cantering for suitable riders.

“We had the best morning. Lovely, calm ponies. Ray was such a lovely guide, and as we were experienced riders, were able to go off for a canter/explore away from the group. Highly recommend, stunning scenery and they are able to canter for all all levels within the same group 🙂”

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7.Half Day Walter Peak Horse Trek and Cruise from Queenstown

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 101 reviews · from $142

You’ll cross Lake Wakatipu from Queenstown on the TSS Earnslaw or Spirit of Queenstown, enjoy tea and homemade baking at Walter Peak, then ride calmly through the farm with a small group. Guides such as Paddy, Matt, Tegan, and Benny have led departures, though the 40-minute ride is best for beginners rather than experienced riders.

“I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this trip. It was very relaxed and informative. Reading other reviews beforehand helped to manage my expectations that it was going to be just a very short and easy ride. I enjoyed seeing the beautiful Walter Peak farm and tourist destination - it's a well-oiled enterprise that processes the tourist experience well. Top advice is to use the bathroom on the boat before you arrive as there are long queues for the 2x female's toilets ashore. Also, save up an appetite for the 'meal' afterwards at 5pm of petit fours & sandwiches - the scones with jam & cream were especially…”

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8.3-in-1 Monteverde Cloud Forest Waterfalls, Wild Trekking and Horseback Riding

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 56 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $116

Walk about 5 kilometers through Monteverde forest, crossing rustic bridges and passing four major waterfalls. If conditions allow, swim in the river, then ride a horse uphill for about 35 minutes before a typical Costa Rican lunch. Pickup covers Monteverde and Santa Elena. The hike is steep and best for active visitors.

“It is a hard hike, not recommended for anyone with any foot, knee or hip issues, very steep up and down hiking”

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9.Golden Hills Horse Trek in Central Otago

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 55 reviews · from $142

Ride for about two hours through Central Otago orchards and rolling hills with a guide such as Karo, Karolin, or Jasmine. Horses are matched to your ability, beginners receive patient help, and young children can be led if needed. The route reaches broad views of Lake Dunstan, Cromwell, and the Mt Pisa Range.

“Kora was great, my kids loved the horses and the views ! All the horses sre very gentle and beautiful”

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10.Levi: Riding Trek with Icelandic Horses

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 39 reviews · 1 - 2 hours · from $111

Ride a gentle Icelandic horse through the snowy forests, plains, and roads around Levi. Your Finnish or English-speaking guide gives a safety briefing, provides riding gear, and adjusts the route and speed to the group. Choose a one or two-hour trek, with a chance to try the Icelandic horse's smooth tölt gait.

“Thoroughly enjoyable time had by all. Lovely activity to do, any equipment we needed was provided and the horses had a lovely temperament.”

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11.MONGOLIAN NOMADS: 2-Day Horse Trekking & Cow Milking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 23 reviews · 2 days · from $369

From Ulaanbaatar, you travel by private jeep to a real nomadic family in Töv. Guides such as Koko or Toya help bridge the language gap while you herd sheep and goats, ride horses, milk cows, eat family cooking, and sleep in a separate ger. Expect wide-open country, outdoor facilities, simple comforts, and a flexible pace.

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12.Rotorua: Scenic Horse Trek

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 23 reviews · 1 hour · from $74

Meet your guide inside Adventure Playground, get a horse suited to your comfort level, and ride at an easy pace through rolling farmland near Mt Ngongotaha. The one-hour trek offers wide views of Lake Rotorua and the surrounding countryside. It suits confident riders who want scenery rather than fast riding.

“Me parecio carisimo pero supuse que valia la pena. El recorrido duro 30 min nada mas (no 1 hs) y ademas es una caminata super lenta en la que no te dejan cabalgar y moverte de la linea de la guia. Experiencia normal. Los caballos muy bien cuidados.”

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13.Year-Round Adventure: 3 Days Horse Trek to Song Kul Lake

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 16 reviews · from $400

Leave Bishkek with an English-speaking horse guide, ride from Kyzart through Kilemche to Song Kul Lake, and return by horseback and road. You spend one night in a shepherd’s house and one in a yurt camp, with local meals included. Ali is named as a particularly attentive guide in one review.

“Incredible experience! Highly recommend for quality services, comfortable travel, and those seeking adventure. Ali was a great guide for me and my friend and all of our stays with local families were authentic and fun. Even for first time horse rRead more”

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14.Essaouira Beach Horse Rides &Treks for All Levels

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 13 reviews · from $23Best value

Meet Hamza and your carefully matched horse in Diabat, then ride through dunes, argan forests, countryside, and along Essaouira’s Atlantic beaches. Beginner-friendly guidance, faster riding for experienced guests, complimentary photos and videos, and traditional tea may be part of the experience. One-hour rides and longer treks are available.

“The sunset ride with Hamza was hands down one of the highlights of my time in Morocco. Everything was thoughtfully organised. He even prepared tea after the ride!”

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15.Cappadocia: Sunset Horse Trek Through the Valleys

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 12 reviews · 2 hours · from $65

You’ll ride for two hours from Cavusin through Rose and Red Valleys, passing fairy chimneys and stopping at a panoramic sunset viewpoint. Hotel pickup, equipment, and an English-speaking guide are included. Beyza has helped first-time riders feel at ease, while the route is a relaxed out-and-back ride rather than a large valley loop.

“The horse riding adventure was pretty good. It's a leisurely linear walk with horses where you reach a summit, rest for 30 minutes, and then head back down. The route was relaxing and you get good sweeping views and great photo opportunities. However, we didn't cover as much ground as I had expected. I imagined the route would finish in a closed loop which would have allowed exposure to more of the valley but it was point A->B->A. We went right back the same way we had come. Murat did a good job engaging from the start as administrator but the other guide and driver I encountered were less sociable.…”

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