Hooray! Your adventure in New Zealand is about to begin! This morning you’ll be picked up from your accommodation in Taupo between 9 and 9:30am. The drive to River Valley Lodge takes in the unique Central Plateau of the North Island and you’ll drive past three active volcanoes while travelling down the spectacular Desert Road. There will be a stop on the way to purchase some lunch and any last-minute supplies, including extra alcohol if you would like.

Your host, Nicola, will greet you at the Lodge where you’ll meet your guides, who will give you a briefing on the days ahead. Today is about getting to know your horse, building a connection, feeling comfortable with one another and understanding the principles of riding your horse in a rope halter. To begin with, once you’ve been paired with your horse, you’ll spend some time working together on the ground; then you’ll ride out over River Valley. After a beautiful afternoon of riding, you’ll feel connected and confident in the saddle.

In the evening, you’ll enjoy a sumptuous dinner of home-grown meat and vegetables amidst the relaxed atmosphere of River Valley Lodge and get to know your guides and fellow guests. By now your comfortable, cosy bed will be calling – make sure you get plenty of beauty sleep tonight, globetrotters!

After packing your lunch and filling up on a hearty breakfast at the Lodge, everyone will head out to catch, groom, saddle and feed the horses. This hands-on time strengthens your relationship with your horse and will form part of each day (don’t worry, there’s always help on hand should you need it). Mounting up, you will explore the big hills, open country and patches of native bush on Pukerimu Station, a neighbouring farm, with a lunch break in a charming spot along the trail.

Tonight is your last night at River Valley Lodge before returning on day 5, so make the most of the luxury and be sure to savour the family-style, locally grown and home cooked fare! Before bed this evening, you’ll pack what you need for camping, leaving anything you don’t need at the lodge – it will be there when you return.

Getting into the morning rhythm, you’ll pack your lunch, enjoy a filling breakfast, then prepare your horse for the day ahead. Today’s ride is a picturesque journey through the local farmlands, crossing seven private properties before reaching Moawhango, a small country settlement with a rich history. Here you will get to meet some of the locals from both European and Māori cultures, who will share their love of the land and their ancestral stories with you.

Tonight you’ll be given privilege of staying on the community’s marae, or meeting ground. The marae is the focal point of Māori communities throughout New Zealand, who see it as tūrangawaewae – their place to stand and belong. As a group, you will be welcomed onto the marae and experience the warm hospitality of the Māori people as you’re treated to a delicious welcome meal prepared especially for you.

Today you will wave goodbye to Moawhango and journey on for an adventurous day’s ride through the High Country. You’ll ride across the magnificent hills of Maunganui and Ohinewairua Stations. This is private land where few tourists ever get to set foot, so lap it up, globetrotters! On top of that, you’re riding right on the edge of wild horse country, where the wild Kaimanawa horses roam. If you’re lucky, you might see a well-camouflaged herd among the tussocks!

Finally, you’ll pull your horse up at the campsite. After an evening dip in the river, it’s time to settle in for the night with another hearty meal courtesy of one of River Valley’s legendary cooks. As the stars twinkle high above, you’ll snuggle down inside your tent and rest up for another epic day in the saddle.

After breakfast at camp, you will saddle up and begin the journey back to River Valley, following an entirely new trail. Leaving Ohinewairua, you’ll keep to the High Country while riding through a private farm aptly named Big Hill Station. With views out to the Kaimanawa and Ruahine Ranges, you’ll feel on top of the world. In the far distance, you will see Aorangi (the local Maunga, which is Māori for mountain). Having spent a night at the marae, you’ll understand more of its history and significance. Tonight you will be sleeping under the Maunga, Aorangi, back in your cosy room at River Valley Lodge.

As usual, the day will begin with a delicious breakfast and time spent bonding with your trusty trail horse as you prepare for the ride ahead. The journey continues through the high country farmland of Pukeokahu and Pukekaka Stations, where there will be ample opportunities to pick up the pace and feel the wind in your hair. Then, after a picnic lunch, you’ll descend into the beautiful Rangitikei River Gorge. This is a very special area for your guides, who grew up here and will no doubt have more than a few tales to tell.

Your nimble horse will cross the river multiple times en route to your destination, Tarata Lodge, a spectacular property owned by Steve and Trudi Maddock. The lodge is based high on the cliffs of the Rangitkei River and boasts stunning views into the river canyon. Dinner will be prepared by one of your amazing crew members while you and your fellow globetrotters sit back on the deck and watch the light fade softly over the river.

This morning you’ll enjoy the delights of Tarata Lodge before riding down into the spectacular river gorge. Heading upstream, you’ll ride through the river and up over two prominent hills, Pukekaka and Pukeokahu. Pukeokahu translates to ‘hill of the hawk’, and local Māori are believed to have roamed this sacred place for at least 400 years. On a clear day, the hilltop offers views of all three of the North Island’s volcanoes!

Finally, you will arrive back at River Valley for one last night together with your fellow riders and crew. You’ll celebrate in true kiwi fashion with a Hāngi – a traditional Māori method of cooking food in the ground. Loosen your belt buckles, globetrotters!

It’s your choice how you spend this last day of your holiday. We recommend a rafting trip with the fun-loving, knowledgeable river guides. You could also simply soak up the tranquillity by the river or, if you’re not quite ready to say goodbye to your horse, you could learn a little more about horsemanship with Nicola.

At 2pm, after one last picnic, you’ll say farewell to the River Valley team and take a shuttle back to your accommodation in Taupo. The trip takes roughly two hours, so you will need to book a night’s accommodation in Taupo this evening so the group isn’t rushed getting back into town. You can depart for your onward travels anytime the following day.

Transfers to and from Taupo are included in the ride price. To avoid travel delays, we ask that all guests arrive and stay in Taupo (at your own expense) the day before the ride begins, so you’re ready to be collected from your accommodation between 9 and 9:30am on day one. And please also book another night’s accommodation in Taupo on the final day of your ride, so the group isn’t rushed getting back into town. You can fly home the following day.

**Please note that if you’re flying into Auckland International Airport, give yourself a three hour buffer to clear customs {especially with horse riding equipment – helmets, chaps} before your regional flight directly into Taupo. Our travel agent can assist in booking your international and regional flights as she’s familiar with this ride itinerary.