The Most Extravagant Horseback Trips in the World

The horse girl is having a moment. Riding boots are officially trending. Kendall Jenner recently celebrated her 31st birthday with an equestrian-themed fête. And who could forget earlier this year in Paris, when Stella McCartney kicked off her winter 2026 show at a riding hall in the Bois du Boulogne by sending out 10 horses—five black, five white, all chic?

Fashion, it seems, has discovered the horse. But horses have never needed discovering: Gucci and Hermès built empires on saddles and tack long before equestrianism found its way back into the fashion conversation. It may be the lunar calendar’s Year of the Horse, but for some of us, every year is Year of the Horse. For those ready to graduate from dressing like a horse girl to living like one, here are some of the world’s most extraordinary horseback adventures, from Patagonian ridge lines to African safaris. Some of them are multi-day journeys across wild landscapes, and others allow for deep immersion into single properties that offer particularly exceptional horse experiences. Saddle up.

After dark in Uruguay

In the rolling pampas of Uruguay just inland from luxe-boho beach town José Ignacio, Estancia Vik offers horseback riding with a pretty spectacular dinner reservation. Guests saddle up on Criollo and Quarter horses alongside expert gauchos for an evening ride timed to the rising of the full moon. The ride begins at the stables before sunset, winds toward the José Ignacio River, and culminates in wine and a traditional Uruguayan dinner under the stars. The estancia also offers equine meditation, through which you can connect with the herd and experience just how intuitive these animals really are.

Alongside zebras in Botswana

One of my personal favorite horseback experiences anywhere was in the vast, unending salt pans of the Makgadikgadi in Botswana. Here, at Natural Selection’s Jack’s Camp, guests visiting at certain times of year can ride alongside 30,000 zebras and wildebeest at the peak of their migration before the rainy season.

Across Kenya’s plains

For experienced riders, Micato Safaris offers a nine-night “Riding the Wild Plains” equestrian safari through Nairobi, Laikipia, and the Maasai Mara. The idea is to experience Kenya’s wildlife from the saddle, crossing through conservancies alongside giraffes, elephants, and rhinos with little more than the sound of hooves beneath you. After two nights at the posh Hemingways Nairobi, guests head into the bush for a trip through some of the country’s top safari lodges. But you’re hardly roughing it. Think champagne breakfasts and sundowners overlooking the savanna.

Deep into Kyrgyzstan

Few travelers know Central Asia quite like explorer, author, and television presenter Alexandra Tolstoy. A relative of the novelist Leo Tolstoy, she has been traveling the region since the 1990s, when she and three friends embarked on a nine-month, 5,000-mile journey by horseback and camel along the Silk Road, from Turkmenistan to China. More than 25 years later, Kyrgyzstan remains her great love. Tolstoy leads journeys through the country’s dramatic Tien Shan Mountains, drawing on decades of relationships with local horsemen, nomadic families, and mountain communities.

“Kyrgyzstan is, quite simply, one of the most extraordinary and beautiful countries in the world to explore on horseback,” Tolstoy told us. “Horses are deeply woven into the country's history, identity, and everyday life. This is a place where horsemanship is not a recreational pursuit but an integral part of the culture, and that makes the experience particularly special.” Not ready to commit to a trip? Check out Tolstoy Dacha, her line of beautiful objects for home and travel.

Above the Dolomites in Italy

Many come for the skiing and hiking, but real horse lovers come for the riding. Above the town of Merano, just steps away from Miramonti Boutique Hotel, the Sulfner riding stable is home to the region’s distinctive flaxen-maned Haflinger horses, with guided excursions, riding lessons, and carriage rides available. After a day in the saddle, there’s an outdoor Japanese-inspired onsen pool and forest sauna to look forward to.

Into South Africa’s Kalahari

Tswalu

For experienced horseback riders, Tswalu Kalahari Reserve offers a different way to explore the largest private reserve in South Africa—by riding across grass-covered plains, over rolling red dunes, and over seasonal riverbeds. With a stable of breeds including Thoroughbreds, Arabians, Appaloosas, and English Shires, Tswalu’s horseback safaris bring adventurous travelers closer to the landscape and wildlife, offering an immersive perspective beyond the traditional game drive.

Beyond hiking in Chile

Chile offers a compelling case for exploring on horseback. This neck of the continent is known for excellent hiking, yes, but horseback allows you to cover much more ground in a single trip. Luxury travel company Red Savannah offers a 10-night riding “Chilean Riding Adventure” that begins in the Atacama Desert, where guests ride across the otherworldly sands of Moon Valley before spending evenings stargazing under some of the clearest skies on Earth. The trip continues on to the Lake District and ultimately down to Patagonia, where you’ll canter along remote lagoons beneath the watch of Andean condors. You’ll stay in luxe lodges from AndBeyond and Explora along the way.

Among the legendary horses of Southern France

In the heart of France’s Camargue, where wild marshlands meet the Mediterranean, horses are as much a part of the landscape as the salt flats and flamingos. At Les Bains Gardiens, a countryside retreat with its own stables, guests can saddle up for guided two-hour rides through the wetlands and out to the beach. Experienced riders can even gallop along the shoreline. The estate is home to traditional Camargue horses and often stages “jeux gardians,” the horseback games that celebrate this region’s centuries-old riding culture.