The 7 Best Horse Riding Trips

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

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

Ride into Cardrona’s high country with a small group of up to seven, crossing rivers and working farmland with time to trot or canter. Guides such as Summer, Kelly, Emily, and Marley match horses to your ability and share local gold-rush stories. The route stops at the Cardrona Hotel for a drink before returning.

“Perfect experience , very well kept horses and the guiding was informational and we felt safe the whole time.”

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

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

Ride for two hours through Rubicon Valley with guide Chris, crossing farmland and following a musterer’s trail to the Otarama lookout. You’ll see the Waimakariri Canyon and Southern Alps, with calm horses for beginners and chances to trot or canter for confident riders.

“My wife and I did the two hour tour for our honeymoon and absolutely loved it. Chris was amazing and makes you feel very confident riding such a large animal. I would highly recommend this for anyone looking for a fun activity with beautifuRead more”

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3.Guided Horse Trekking from Rotorua

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

Join a guide at Adventure Playground Rotorua for a one-hour walking horse trek through farmland and native bush on Mt. Ngongotaha. You’ll ride a horse matched to your ability, stop for views over Lake Rotorua, and return to the meeting point. Lucy is one guide praised for her warm, reassuring help.

“Great set up, well looked after horses. Friendly helpful staff. An awesome ride in an awesome part of the world. Would thoroughly recommend.”

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

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

You’ll cross Lake Whakatipu by TSS Earnslaw or Spirit of Queenstown, then ride 40 to 45 minutes through Walter Peak farmland with an English-speaking guide. Small groups of up to six make this a calm, personal outing for first-time riders, followed by tea, scones, and muffins.

“Ferrie ride was great. We did the Walter Peak Horse Ride. Looked after us as we had not been on a horse many years. The afternoon high tea was delicious.”

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

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

This two-hour Cardrona Valley ride suits complete beginners and experienced riders. You’ll meet your horse, learn basic control, cross streams, climb mountain lanes, and hear gold-rush and farming stories from guides such as Phoebe or Val. The route includes time for photos and ends back at the stables.

“This shorter ride takes you through beautiful countryside. The guide takes pictures too so you have memories to take with you. I had beautiful weather despite forecasts. Guide Phoebe is very friendly & tells you a lot about the area & local farming.”

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6.Wicklow Mountains Horse Trekking

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

Ride for about 80 minutes through the Wicklow Mountains and Kings River valley with Hollywood Horse and Pony Trekking. Ray, Lisa, Nicole, or Jack match horses to riding ability, give beginners a short lesson, and guide groups of up to six. Some rides include lake riding and cantering for experienced riders.

“Ray and his assistants were amazing. Very informative and understanding of different riding levels and made sure you were at ease with what was going on.”

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

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

Ride from Queenstown to Walter Peak on the TSS Earnslaw or Spirit of Queenstown, enjoy tea at the Colonel’s Homestead, then follow a guide on a gentle 40-minute horse trek. The small group is limited to six, with horses suited to beginners and views toward the Remarkables.

“During this 3-hour booking, we only spent 40 minutes horseback riding. I wish we had known this before making the reservation, as it felt a bit expensive for such a limited amount of riding time. We also didn’t realize that we would need to take a boat across the lake to reach the location, which consumed most of our paid experience.”

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