Here are 10 ways to horse around on six habitable continents.
“The best views are between my horse’s ears,” a friend once told me. Indeed. If you’ve ever experienced travel by horseback, you know the thrill of seeing the world from the saddle. Without a doubt, some of the planet’s most dramatic trail-ride scenery can be found here in North America — white glaciers and purple mountains, red-rock canyons and cactus-strewn deserts. You could ride your entire life and not exhaust the possibilities. But why not go for the globe?
- Sierra Nevada, California
The John Muir Trail ride takes you on the most spectacular 210 miles of the famous Pacific Crest Trail through some of the finest mountain scenery and mildest mountain weather. (28 days entire, or done in parts) - Ride Through History
You can re-enact a Jesse James train robbery with a real 1880s steam locomotive at your outlaw pleasure in Colorado’s scenic San Juan Mountains or relive Wyatt Earp’s vendetta ride in Tombstone, Arizona. (5 days) - Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada
Relive The Revenant — the beautiful scenery, not the gore — as you ride your horse through thick forest, deep into the
glaciated wilderness of Canada. (7 days) - Morocco, Africa
Enter the world of 1,001 Arabian nights as you gallop across the Sahara on strong Barb-Arabian stallions. (6 days) - Kenya, Africa
Discover the untamed animal kingdom during this wildlife safari trek across the vast savanna of East Africa. (8 days) - Dordogne, France
On this trek you ride from one castle to the next, through a medieval dream of ripe orchards and historic châteaux. (8 days) - Mongolia, Asia
Crossing the Gobi Steppe grassland, you’ll take part in the authentic lifestyle both of the people and of the traditional Mongolian horses you ride. (12 days) - Uruguay, South America
Spirited gallops on Criollo breeds take you from sandy beaches to grassland prairies, from palm groves to wetlands, in what has to be one of the world’s most diverse rides. (8 days) - Peru, South America
Follow the old Inca Trail on a Criollo or a famous Peruvian Paso to Machu Picchu, one of the greatest wonders of the world. (8 days) - Snowy Mountains, Australia
Ride The Man From Snowy River country and encounter kangaroos, wombats, emus, wallabies, and herds of brumbies (Australian wild horses). (7 days)
See the rest of our 2016 Adventure Bucket List.
From the May/June 2016 issue.