Aruba on horseback

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From many points of view, Aruba is the perfect island. It is small, but not too small (184 square miles), doesn’t have any pesky rivers that you have to cross, it is pretty much flat, so you don’t have to waste much energy climbing up and down anything, the temperature is constantly around 27 degrees Celsius, it almost never rains and it is outside the Caribbean hurricane belt.

And the most important part? Undeniably, Aruba has got some of the most incredible beaches in the world. So understandably, exploring the island by any kind of motorized vehicle would be a sacrilege. But if you are not too keen on walking, don’t despair, because there’s another eco-friendly and comfy way of getting across Aruba: horseriding.

All jokes aside, there is one simple reason why you should settle for horseback riding in Aruba. There is no other way to see all of the island. In terms of altitude, Aruba is pretty much flat, but it has a surprisingly varied landscape. From the white sandy beaches, to limestone-capped hills and ridges, windswept coasts, and one very small mountain, only 188 meters tall. While the western and southern coasts have relatively good infrastructure because tourist development has been going on in those areas for some time, the rest of the island is virtually untouched.

One of the bare necessities of going on a horse riding tour is sun lotion. Riding experience is not compulsory and you’ll do very well even if you have never ridden before in your life, but spending a few hours under the scorching Aruban sun will leave you with some rather painful sunburns. When you’ve got that part covered, it’s time to think about a horse ranch that will actually take you on a tour.

There are several ranches that you can choose from. The Gold Mine Ranch is supposedly the home of the friendliest horses on the island, so definitely recommended to beginners. Rancho Notorious claims to have ‘happy horses’, and offers three different trails for tourists of all skill levels. It is also located very close to the most popular hotels on the island, so if that’s where you’re living, all the better for you. Rancho Daimari offers some very interesting trips thought the wildest and most rugged parts of the island, and the Aruba Natural Pool.

The natural pool is a water filled depression in the middle of a volcanic rock formation. Rancho del Campo organizes tours through the Arikok Natural Park, and you will be able to see some of the most important attractions of the island, like the Natural Bridge and the Natural Pool too. El Paseo Ranch prides itself on its ecological trips to the Aruban countryside and coastline, and will take you to two hidden lagoons and lava rock formations.

Other than the sunscrean, there’s really no need for any preparation before you go off riding. Just wear comfortable clothes, and don’t forget to hydrate yourself. Enjoy the ride!

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