Adventures Afar

Despite the challenges posed to travel in early 2021, one stalwart (and fully vaccinated) adventurer completed a trip to Ecuador in February. In spite of booking solo and no last minute companions working out to join, Sherry Swartz had... Read more

Erica Temple participated in the African Explorer ride in August of 2019 and generously shared some photos of the experience. This ride starts in South Africa at Horizon Ranch’s permanent tented camp, where guests enjoy an introduction to the... Read more

Rides in Italy can easily meet the criteria for a successful riding holiday: beautiful scenery and countryside to ride through, interesting history and culture, delicious local food and wine, good horses and elegant accommodation. This is all easily apparent... Read more

In early April of 2018 I was excited to be heading off to Catalonia, to participate in the Mediterranean Trail, covering about 100 miles in 5 days. After a long Wyoming winter – March and April are tough months... Read more

Several years ago I had the pleasure of experiencing a few wonderful and fun filled days at the Rancho Puesto del Sol. Going over some new photos from the outfitter brought back lovely memories from this visit and I'm... Read more

Ean Cuthbert, a guest with Equitours on the March 2020 Grand Canyon ride in Arizona, put together this slide show of photos and video clips and graciously shared with us.... Read more

This year in the Serengeti was perhaps my favorite ride ever. Catching up with the famous wildebeest and zebra migration of 1.3 million animals is a hit and miss affair, because it is totally dependent on rainfall. The rains... Read more

A big draw of this ride is Victoria Falls, one of the 7 Wonders of the Natural World. It was only a half hour drive from our small, charming lodge with a very active waterhole; impala, eland, zebra, elephant... Read more

In 6 hours of travel the road went from tarmac to murrum to sandy tracks with countless gates leading from one fazenda to another. We finally pulled up beneath a large grove of mature mango trees with numerous little... Read more

The Pushkar Fair and Diwali Festival ride combines many aspects of the ancient, exotic charm of Rajasthan with some splendid, fast riding on beautiful Marwari endurance horses. In the last 40 years since we began Equitours I have taken... Read more

A short trip from mainland Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands are home to a stunning array of wildlife. A key part of Darwin’s journey in developing his theory of evolution, the islands have long fascinated mankind. Equitours is able to... Read more

I was part of a group of 6 on the Liberty ride in Sardinia, everyone had a great week and enjoyed it a lot. We were able to observe the Sant'Efisio festival in Cagliari, which was colorful and interesting.... Read more

Please enjoy these testimonials from the Samurai Ride. For those who want an inside experience in Japan this is the trip. Everything you do is part of getting to know a foreign culture. And there are things that you will... Read more

The Barichara Ride in Colombia  is designed especially for adventurous and inquisitive riders who want to participate in a challenging and unique experience. Here you discover the extreme landscapes of Colombia as you follow the Royal roads used firstly... Read more

A Successful First Riding Vacation in Italy Last week I returned from my first riding holiday. We selected the “Tuscan Villages and Vintages” in Italy. The fact that I am 62 years of age may not be exceptional for... Read more

Since Iceland has become such a tourist destination and the riding holidays we offer in South Iceland into the Highlands are so popular, but with mountain hut accommodations where one room sleeps all, we have been looking for a... Read more

The amazing story of our organizers of the Beach Safari in Mozambique was recently featured on CNN. Watch the three sections below for in glimpse of how they made the journey from Zimbabwe to settle themselves and their horses... Read more

Recently Mel Fox accompanied a group of Equitours guests on a new riding safari in the Serengeti ecosystem, offered by the same wonderful outfitter who organizes our other rides in Tanzania. Although the weather was not in their favor... Read more

In February 2018 Mel Fox took a group of Equitours guests on the Nile Safari in Uganda. The outfitters have run this successful business for several years, and this was the first time Equitours joined one of their rides,... Read more

We are pleased to share the below video, created by Cynthia Naydani, a guest on the Agadir Sable d’or ride in Morocco in November, 2017. Please see her travel journal published on her blog for more captivating details of... Read more

The Castle Leslie Estate is comprised of 1,000 acres adjacent to the village of Glaslough in County Monaghan, Ireland. The estate has miles of horse trails and hundreds of cross country jumps to try on park land with meandering... Read more

Vermont and Quebec are not so very far apart, and our two rides in the area share some similarities, but also offer very different experiences. Icelandic Horses in Vermont The riding in Vermont on the Sugarbush Tolt Trek is... Read more

Waiting at the airport in Saigon for my flight to Bangkok, Nairobi, and then onto Kilimanjaro Airport in Tanzania, I felt my familiar anxiety facing the unknown and was comforted by the flight attendants saying "sa-wat-dee" (welcome) as I boarded the... Read more

From Travis Brinck, 2017 I thought I would share a few pictures with you of our trip in Morocco in March.  We had spoken with Bayard about this ride before we went, and he had told us it was... Read more

By Narda Sherman, March 14, 2017 I think I may have just had one of the best days of my life. Awoke here in Estancia los Potreros, after a fine dinner and good company last night, to a sunny warm... Read more

In August 2016, Equitours guest Jan Berlin marked her retirement by setting off on adventurous travel through Ireland on the Atlantic Coast Trail and Iceland on the Hekla-Landmannalaugar Trail. Please follow the link below to read her account as featured... Read more

The following account is written by Jane Lomont, a client of Equitours who was among the first to visit Monte Velho I was met at the airport by Monte Velho’s driver, Tiago, who was very pleasant and knowledgeable about... Read more

The introduction to Hungarian culture and history that my stay at Homoki Lodge offered was wonderfully eye-opening to this fascinating region. The lodge and itinerary do a fabulous job of incorporating cultural aspects, from the yurt accommodations, to the saddles you... Read more

Mel Fox has recently returned from  the Kilimanjaro ride in Tanzania, followed by gorilla trekking in Rwanda and a stay in the Serengeti to witness the wildebeest calving. The ride around the base of Mt. Kilimanjaro offered excellent opportunities... Read more

Upon the conclusion of his second ride in Tanzania, George Richardson describes his appreciation for the experience. For more on this incredible trip, please see Mel Fox’s photo slideshow. Having so thoroughly enjoyed the Lake Natron ride in 2014, I wondered... Read more

A new riding vacation in Ireland Ireland has always been a special place to me, and one of the most popular destinations that we offer. There’s something about the place where riding and horses are such a deep part of... Read more

Equitours client Nichole Bhathal is active in the dressage scene in Orange County, California, and had a wonderful experience riding in the forests and on the farmlands and beaches of New Zealand. Our ride there is no longer offer,... Read more

I had arrived at Horizon Ranch in the evening when it was already dark, and although I was instantly charmed by the comfort and attention to detail (petals on the bed!) in my rondavel, I hadn’t had a chance... Read more

The starting point for the Tuli Safari is right over Botswana’s border with South Africa, in the extreme east of the country, on the banks of the Limpopo River. The riverbeds were dry while I was there in October,... Read more

Flying in on a helicopter it’s easy to see where the Okavango Delta begins, a startling oasis of green surrounded by stark desert. As we entered the delta from Maun, the pilot pointed out the “buffalo fence” designed to... Read more

Riding the moors of England Monday’s trail along the wooded valleys of the Camel Trail to Hellandbridge and beyond was simply magical. Clouds were still rolling in and out but the secluded valley and the tree-lined trail offered shelter... Read more

Following Mel and Bayard Fox’s ride in Morocco in March, they put together the following photo... Read more

Please enjoy the below photo slideshow created by Mel Fox following her Glacier Estancia ride in... Read more

Sampling Lusitano horseback riding My week in experiencing riding vacations in Portugal was split between our host south of Lisbon and the other farther north. It began at the international airport in Lisbon as our group all found each... Read more

Riding and Exploring during this unique riding vacation in Italy I was struck by the charm of the inn the moment I stepped from the car near Abbessanta, Sardinia. Granted, my lack of Italian might have made it easier... Read more

Not for the faint of heart Icelandic legend spins the tragic, true tale of falsely accused folk hero Fjalla-Eyvindur and his wife Halla. Exiled in the inhospitable highlands with little food and no shelter, their children died in infancy... Read more

Castles, Caves, Vineyards, Forests, Medieval Villages and Foie Gras Since we started Equitours some 35 years ago I have had the wonderful good fortune to do over a hundred rides around the world. My latest ride, the Castles and... Read more

What better way to spend spring break than on a jungle ride in Belize with family? Leaving the long, bitter Wyoming winter behind, I happily embarked on the Mayan Jungle and Tikal Ride with my daughter, son and ... Read more

An exceptional experience in every respect Transfers As expected, the representative of the ride safari was at the prescribed location next to the Johannesburg Airport information booth at the designated time holding a placard. Departure was delayed due to... Read more

Riding High In the Sierra Nevadas Sitting now in my living room in Verona, Wisconsin, it is hard to believe that a week ago I was sleeping in a rustic inn in Trevelez, the highest village in Spain, following... Read more

To the drum of my horse’s hooves In this travel exposé I am supposed to write of the itinerary of the french Malbec Trail…to describe the incredible, ancient french villas we slept in, to expound upon the minerality and... Read more

Dr. Livingstone, I presume? Tree Lodge was the perfect location to recover from the long haul flight New York to Johannesburg and on to Maun. The charming raised tented cabins surrounded by the bush made us feel at home... Read more

A Tough Act to Follow Below, George Richardson shares the journal of his experience on the Lake Natron Safari. Please also see his reactions to his second Tanzanian trip in 2016. Day 1:”Assembly” Departed Amsterdam for the KLM flight to KIA... Read more

Africa at its Best Careful not to overtake our leader, we cantered through the long grass towards camp, marked by a line of tents, nestled under spreading acacia trees.The shadows lengthened behind Ol Doinyo Lengai, “Mountain of God” to... Read more

Making New Equestrian Friends If you love to ride, but the rest of your family and friends don’t share your enthusiasm, join one of our horseback riding vacations where you have a good chance of making new friends with... Read more

Of Kids and Connemaras There were four children in our group of eight, including my 11-year-old son and 10-year-old daughter. I’d been toying with the idea that there must be a fair number of parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles... Read more

So Green were the Valleys Please note we do not currently have a ride in Wales, but have other options in Northern Europe and are working on expanding our repertoire in the area! After riding numerous times over the... Read more

One Hundred and Four Horses Equitours works with fascinating and inspiring riding tour outfitters all over the world but the story of Mandy and Pat Retzlaff, our Mozambique operators, is one of the most heart-touching, uplifting, and certainly unique.... Read more

An Exploratory Riding Vacation in Spain One of the greatest perks of being a ride consultant at Equitours is being able to travel, actually experience our rides first hand, meet and develop friendships with our outfitters, and get to... Read more

Mexico’s Majestic Peaks After doing more than 100 horseback rides in foreign lands over the last 40 years, I never cease to be surprised and delighted by the tremendous diversity of opportunity available around the world with horses. This... Read more

My Horse was Norse, of Course I think, perhaps, that Greenland and Iceland have been misnamed. Well, all right, I have never been to Greenland, but when I visited Iceland in July, I was pleasantly surprised at how very... Read more

A Phenomenal Desert Horse Riding Adventure There is something so compelling about riding a sleek horse across the wide-open expanses of a desert landscape. This desert horse safari, which crosses one of the earth’s most extreme landscapes, is a... Read more

Southwest France with Compass in Hand Departing the Loire Valley and taking the train southeast to Carcassonne I began a new and somewhat daunting horseback riding adventure – the Equitours Randonnée Liberté trail ride in southwest France. I am... Read more

Trotting Tropical Trails As dawn broke that first morning of my Mayan Jungle Ride in Belize and the mist slowly lifted from the valley, the sun’s first rays gently warmed the cool air left by the night. The enchanting... Read more

A Royal Ride through India’s History I have ridden in more than 20 countries over the last 40 years and had some glorious experiences. Two contrasting rides stand out for me because of the excitement of the adventure, the... Read more

Failte (Welcome) to Ireland My adventure on the Emerald Isle began as soon as I arrived at the Dublin airport, where I immediately felt at home. With a bit of trepidation, I picked up my right-hand-drive rental vehicle and... Read more

Of History, Horses and Dressage The Ancient Greeks were the first to leave records about anything like the art of dressage. Almost 2,500 years ago Xenophon wrote a treatise about how to teach horses and riders to do movements... Read more

Of Criollos and Camaraderie Horses and riders cantered swiftly through the swirling mists and windblown rain of Chilean Patagonia, concentrating on the winding path ahead. Warm food and a hot shower were still several miles away. A loud shout... Read more

Of Gauchos and Good Times Estancia Los Potreros is a 6000 acre ranch located about 1 hour outside of Cordoba, Argentina, the second largest city in the country. It is about an hour’s flight from Buenos Aires. At an... Read more

Sightseeing from a Different Perspective For those of you who like to travel in depth and see the most beautiful and unspoiled parts of the countries you visit; adventure travel on horseback has huge advantages.  Equestrian vacations offer a... Read more

Far from Civilization The vast wilderness areas surrounding the Wind River Valley are ideal for pack trips. These undeveloped lands stretch all the way to Yellowstone Park and are probably the wildest and least crowded left in the lower... Read more

Please enjoy these videos of our Mayan Jungle Ride in... Read more

Please enjoy this video of our Masai Mara Safari in... Read more

Please enjoy this video of our Donegal from the Saddle ride in Ireland. Video courtesy of Tauna Lockhart at... Read more

Horseback Riding in Mongolia Ask anyone who has spent much time in Mongolia, and they will confirm that seeing the country from the back of a horse is by far the best viewpoint, and in fact the only means... Read more

A “Piece of Heaven” in the High Andes For those with a passion for horses and adventure travel, head for the mythical and historic Sacred Valley of the Incas, Cusco, Peru. A purely by chance surf on the Internet... Read more

An Exploratory Peru Ride Finding reliable riding tours with real quality in exotic places can be a great deal of fun, but it is not always an easy matter. Again and again we have heard of places which sounded... Read more

Rain in the Desert On the second night in, it rained. Imperceptible at first, but the tiny scattered droplets ran together across massive expanses of sandstone and the sound of water running down creases and dripping off ledges awakened... Read more

Great Ride in the Sun Going back home to Australia is always a treat for me. This time I was lucky enough to combine visiting my family with a scouting trip to one of Australia’s most beautiful destinations- Noosa,... Read more

I visited the Epona Centro Ecuestre (Epona Equestrian Center) on April 29 –May 5, 2012 and wanted to send an evaluation of my time there. Firstly, I want to say that it is beyond rare in my experience to... Read more

The Ultimate Riding Experience DAY 1: I arrived for the Masai Mara Ride Safari in Kenya via a 10-passenger plane. The place looked like a movie set. For as far as I could see there was gently rolling, short... Read more

Land of the Greek Gods I’ve been back from horseback riding in Crete for over a week and am almost out of the woods with bookings and inquiries. Being hit by the real world is quite a shock after... Read more

Under the Tuscan Sun and A Good Horse to Move Through It! One of the great parts of a riding vacation is the chance to get off the beaten track and move at a pace that allows you to... Read more

For me one of the pleasures of riding in locations around the world is getting to know the horses local to each region. India has the courageous Marwari horses that were bred for war and have endurance, heart, and... Read more

Our riding safari in Kenya is certainly the trip of a life time. The horses are magnificent, the rides are exciting, the staff is always willing to help, the camping is luxurious, the terrain is beautiful, but more than... Read more

Horse riding alone is a daunting experience for some. Add a 52″ mallet, ball, open field and a set of rules to adhere to and one would think you have the definition of chaos. Not so. For a group... Read more

When I arrived at Estancia los Potreros I was welcomed with open arms, smiling faces, excited dogs, and a much appreciated cold glass of lemonade. It was a little wet with humidity in the air and felt a lot... Read more

Riding High In the Andes At the end of August I found myself traveling the Altiplano high in the Peruvian Andes in the Cusco area. I had been selling the Sacred Valley of the Incas Ride since Eddie, our... Read more

After the first night in the comfortable bungalows of the Tuli Safari headquarters — an oasis of green gardens and an airy, immaculately kept stable, all surrounded by elephant-proof fencing – we headed off on safari. Safari is the... Read more

My scouting trip to Noosa, Australia was fantastic. Equitours has secured another great ride to add to our repertoire of offerings. This ride which we have called the Sunshine Coast Inn to Inn, offers a fantastic assortment of riding... Read more

The exotic Equitours horseback riding safari in India is one of my all time favorites and I am so pleased to be returning now for the 8th time with a group of old clients. 15 years ago I went... Read more