The Ultimate Dominican Horseback Riding Adventure

“We had a really great time. Every thing just as advertised. Very nice people. The horseback ride was amazing, we had a blast. And to top it off lunch was a treat. Would highly recommend it for a real Dominican experience!”

“Booked this for my wife and a few friends as a group. Loved the whole experience and visiting a local home for food. Would definately recommend. Great views across the countryside from the swings at the top of the mountain. Tailored to suit experience levels. Definately an experience not to be missed.”

“Auturo picked us up on time and took us to the ranch. He taught us lots about the local culture and history of the area. Very knowledgeable. Beautiful views. Great hospitality. Wonderful local meal provided in a private home. The horses are very well behaved and trained. The ride up was smooth. Lots of refreshments provided. Would highly recommend this to anyone from beginners to advanced riders. Five star adventure.”

“Summary: I would definitely recommend this activity for anyone looking for an adventure that feels part of DR life and not a tourist trap. It was a highlight of our family's trip. Details: We traveled to DR from the US with our family of three teenaged kids. Everyone had been on horses a few times but no one had extensive experience. We were especially interested in an extensive horseback ride that was more fun and less restricted than the very conservative trail rides we had been on a few times in the past. We were staying at one of the major resorts in Punta Cana and also wanted to get away from the resort/tourist areas for at least a little bit. I looked at a lot of the horseback riding excursions on TripAdvisor and Viator, especially the rides along the beach. After digging into the reviews, I wasn't interested in most of them. They sounded like tourist traps where we would get little actual riding time, where the horses may not be well cared for, or where we would wind up being pushed on vendors. I almost ditched the whole idea of going horseback riding in DR, but finally came across this activity. To be honest, I was still pretty skeptical about this before the activity. It turned out to be one of our favorite memories from our entire trip. We rode with our main guide and one other gentleman who took care of the horses. The horses seemed happy and well cared for, but you need to understand these are working horses and not animals that are kept/groomed for show. The ride was was around two hours long, going up and back down a mountain through the enormous ranch property. We stopped at the top and took in incredible views of the island below. Our guide was very friendly and took care to explain things throughout the trip (without being overbearing). The overall vibe was pride in sharing a slice of life. This was exactly the type of ride we were looking for. It wasn't overly constrained where everyone was pushed into a line and the horses walked slowly nose-to-tail without you feeling like you were actually controlling the animal. You could move around in the group and we rode faster than a walk when the terrain allowed. We didn't get a lot of instruction, but that was fine for our family. We were happy to jump in and figure things out as we went. It's not always perfect....one of the horses acted up a few times nipping at a neighboring horse. This is reality with a real animal. When it happened again, the guides switched horses to make the ride more comfortable for us. We stopped for lunch a few minutes from where the ride finished. This is in a private home with a woman who is apparently known to cook for people in the area. The food was delicious and it was a refreshing break from resort food to have a home cooked meal. We were never approached by vendors pushing anything on us. There was a small store that we passed through at the same place where the ride started/ended where they had products made from cacao (cacao grows on the property). We decided to purchase a few small things, but this never felt pushy...it was there if we chose to look and fine if we did not. Overall, this was perfect for us. If you want something that feels like a real horseback ride and an authentic slice of life in the rural areas of DR, this is it. You need to be fine with the fact that this is rustic and not meant to be some picture perfect resort brochure. If that's what you're looking for, I highly recommend this activity. As I said, I was very skeptical and our family loved it.”

“Not as described, didn't get: x Water x Helmets x Riding among more than 300 heads of cattle, help our staff herd them through the ranch (we saw 2 cows and 6 horses just loose in the woods along the ride) x Panoramic tour of the Cathedral of our lady De La Altagracia patron of the city of Higüey. x Welcome tropical fruit drink (evening) x Fresh fruit platter (evening) x Tequila shot. x 5 hrs - Took only 45 mins to get to the Mountain Swings, spent around 5 mins there off the horses, then 1 hr to get back. Nothing else was included in the afternoon ride. The Horses were brought to us covered in little sticky spiky burs (not only their hair and fur but the blankets under the saddles), that scratched our legs badly through our pants, making for an uncomfortable ride and we have sores weeks later! The saddles were old and broken, literally held together with shoes laces. The horses were small and skinny, we are bigger riders and they were struggling to take us up the mountain but he just whipped them. They are also not auto pilot horses, you need to know how to control them as they will run at full speed when not held back. Expect a lot of trotting so a very bouncy ride that you will feel the next day. The guide was quiet as he didn't speak any English. It was just us 2, the guide and a dog. Our driver waited for us in the parking lot. However, the view from the Mountain and being able to swing on them (most are broken, only 2 still attached) was beautiful and memorable. Definitely different from your average horse ride.”