Imagine a vacation where you saddle up each morning and see your destination at a peaceful pace, the way travelers would have a century before. Back roads and trails reveal so much more of a country's unique charm and landscape than highways and traffic jams. Horseback riding is not just about a two-hour class on a well-worn track and then back to the stables. No matter what your level, there is a tailor-made riding adventure suitable for you in some of the world's most stunning locations. All these riding tours are land-only priced, so keep in mind that your transportation cost, whether it be airfare or filling up your tank, will be additional.
Equitours (tel. 800/545-0019; www.ridingtours.com) is America's oldest horseback riding vacation company. It features tours in some of the world's most exotic, remote and sometimes seldom visited destinations like Mongolia, Namibia, Belize, Finland and New Zealand. They even have a special section for riders over 200 pounds. Their current specials include an extension of the low season price on riding safaris in Botswana during the months of June and July. The Okavango Delta is a massive fluvial deposit in the heart of one of the world's most extreme deserts. It is an oasis with an abundance of native plant and wildlife. The "Okavango Delta Safari" (11-days/10-nights) is currently priced at $5,625 per person, a saving of $875 off the regular price of $6,500. The Half Safari (six-days/five-nights) is $2,815 (regular price is $3,250) for the following dates: June 3 to 13, June 21 to 26 (half safari) and June 29 to July 9, 2005. Riding Arabs and thoroughbreds, this is a unique and magical tour that includes accommodations in camps, all meals, professional tour leaders and riding equipment. The main camps are semi-permanent, with all the amenities and atmosphere of a classic safari experience. Tents are spacious and comfortable, each with an attached shower tent, proper beds, mosquito netting and kerosene lanterns. A $340 light aircraft flight from Maun Airport to the Xudum airstrip (a 25-minute flight) to start your safari is additional.
For a European experience with a difference, you can save 15% on the June and September "Soul of Provence Ride" in the cultural and culinary heart of France. Both these months provide beautiful weather in the region and sensational riding conditions under clear skies with the scent of lavender and herbs in the air. You will ride through olive and almond groves, sunflower fields and herb gardens, coming across ancient walled villages perched high on hilltops and historical remains dating back to pre-Roman times. This seven-night trip (including six full days of riding) starts in Avignon and is priced at $1,685 per person (usually $1,980) on June 4 to 11 and September 17 to 24, 2005. The price includes transfers, accommodation, meals, horses and tack.
Closer to home, the Gaspe Peninsula in Quebec Province, Canada is captivating in early summer. June is the beginning of the riding season when the foliage, horses, guides and innkeepers are all vibrant and fresh. Book now and receive 15% off the "Gaspe Peninsula Ride" during the month of June, and pay only $1,125 per person based on dual occupancy (regular price is $1,320). Starting in Mont Joli, this six-night trip (five-days riding) for intermediate and advanced level riders includes horse riding equipment, accommodation and meals. The same trip during spectacular fall foliage weeks is priced at $1,450.Cross Country International Equestrian Vacations (tel. 800/828-8768; www.equestrianvacations.com) is another provider of excellent world-class riding vacations. Their "Andalusian Costa Brava Trail" takes you through this stunning region of Spain in style. The tour starts in Girona, a half-hour away from Barcelona. Priced at $1495 per person (single supplement $250), it includes six-nights in historic Catalan guesthouses (some dating back to the 14th century), all meals, five-days of guided trail riding, your horse and tack and all taxes. In addition to riding and seeing the breathtaking landscapes of Andalusia, the trip includes visits to the Dalí Museum in Figueres, the old city of Girona, beaches, bathing lakes of Baodella and Banyolas, coastal towns of the Costa Brava, medieval castles, mountain climbing and hiking. 2005 dates are June 5 to11 and 19 to 25, September 11 to 17 and 18 to 24, October 16 to 22 and Nov 20 to 26.
Spirits of the both the supernatural and alcoholic varieties await you on the "Ireland Haunted Castle Ride" from October 23 to 27 or October 29 to November 2, 2005. Save $400 on the mystical journey and pay only $1,125 per person ($150 single supplement). The trip includes four-nights at the luxurious Kinnitty Castle, daily breakfast and lunch on the trail, three-days of riding through ancient forests and along the Shannon river and a Halloween banquet in the haunted chapel at Leap Castle, widely considered Ireland's most haunted castle.
Cross Country International's "Singles in the Saddle" range of riding trips is geared towards single travelers so no paying more for single supplements here. The "Singles Costa Rica Beach Ride" gives you five-nights' accommodations in beachfront hotels along the Pacific's Guanacaste coast, three spectacular days of riding, all meals, guides, horses and tack and all taxes. Priced at $1,395, it also includes hiking, biking, sightseeing, and for additional cost, canopy and volcano tours. 2005 tour dates are July 17 to 22 and December 11 to 16.
If the beach isn't your thing, the "Ireland's Inn to Inn Trail Ride and Matchmaking Festival" may be just what you are looking for. This trip, departing in September to coincide with the annual Matchmaking Festival in Lisdoonvarna, is priced $1,695 and includes seven-nights bed and breakfast accommodation, all meals except one lunch, five-days of riding, horses, tack, and a guide. You'll get to participate in the Matchmaking Festival's music, dancing and more-importantly, matchmaking, a tradition that goes back to Victorian times. Other free activities are hiking, touring the many small Irish villages, visiting the cliffs of Moher and traditional pub-crawls in the evenings.