Horseback Riding in New Zealand

Horseback riding is a perfect way to get an up-close-and-personal view, rather than flashing through in a fast-moving vehicle. And most horseback riding operators will take you off the beaten track, into landscapes you would otherwise never see. Most riding operations only offer short-term outings (1- to 4-hour treks) but they cater to a wide range of riding abilities. One of the best providers of longer treks is North Canterbury-based Alpine Horse Safaris  (tel. 03/314-4293; www.alpinehorse.co.nz), which offers 3- to 12-day treks covering up to 400km (more than 200 miles) of some of the most beautiful landscapes in the South Island. Plan to spend around 6 hours a day in the saddle. Accommodations are provided in mountain camps and musterers' huts. (Musterers are farm workers who gather livestock; their huts provide them with shelter when they're working in the high country.) Cape Farewell Horse Treks, 23 McGowan St., Puponga, Collingwood, Nelson (tel. 03/524-8031; www.horsetreksnz.com), has 1-hour to 7-day horse treks across the farmlands and beaches of the Abel Tasman region, near Nelson.