Horseback riding in Israel

By: Nestor Imberti Posted: 05/06/2020

This time, we will visit the Holy Land – Israel – where on our horseback tours we will make contact with its fascinating culture, its changing landscapes and its people.

Among the different Horse Riding Holiday options we have in this country, we will explore the impressive Jordan River Valley or the fascinating Negev Desert in the south.

Biblical characters will appear on each tour and in the stories you’ll hear from the gentle locals, who are always willing to share them with visitors.

We will visit the places where the most significant miracles of Christianity occurred, historical battle grounds and more than one place you have heard of in the Old and New Testament, such as the cities of Nazareth and Jerusalem.

We will ride through the Galilee, one of the most important regions of the Hebrew country, and visit Nazareth, a small town where Jesus lived and worked as a carpenter.

Horse riding holiday options in Israel

Israel is the perfect destination for your horseback riding vacations. You may be interested in culture, archaeology, history or natural beauty, but in any case, it has them all.

Undoubtedly, this country is better explored on horseback. From all the different equestrian tourism options that you can find here, we will now describe three direct suppliers: Sirin Riders, Isra Trails and Alpaca Farm Mitzpe Ramon.

Sirin Riders

Sirin Riders, a horseback riding vacation operator in Israel, which offers all-included riding vacations. They are located in in Kibbutz Maggal, and they have provided equestrian tourism services since 2010.

Their programs are exhilarating and captivating tours of Israel, seeing its history, peoples and nature. Outside of the air-conditioned tour bus, you will meet an authentic Israel. Then, you can savour the fresh desert air, appreciate the rocky terrain of the Galilee and admire the views from biblical mountain tops after a long ride.

Their founders and staff are all skilled horsemen, specializing in trail riding, they combine their passion for horses with a deep knowledge and love of Israel.

What riding level is required in their tours?

They believe that the overall success of a horseback holiday depends on all riders having the skills to safely perform at the pace expected.

Riders with insufficient skills are a danger to themselves and to others.

As a result, it is crucial that you be experienced and fit enough to ride 30-40 km (18-25 miles) a day in order to join their rides and trails.

On their part, they make every effort to clearly explain to people inquiring into their horseback riding vacation packages the riding difficulty of each tour.

Their standard horseback vacations are designed for riders with novice and above riding skills. During the trips you walk, trot and canter. Each itinerary is rated according to the riding level needed and this is duly informed.

On request, they can design trips for non-riders, these are custom-made and different from their standard horseback riding tours.

On the first day of the trip, they give a brief riding lesson and conduct a qualification test, and they reserve the right to exclude a rider who does not have the skills he/she declared.

They have more than eight tours with fixed dates and itineraries, but most of them can be tailored to accommodate a specific group’s interests.

As an example, we will now give you some details about two of them and the main characteristics of their service.

“The Galilee Adventure” Tour

This challenging program focuses on discovering the upper and lower Galilee – its beautiful natural terrain, fascinating cultures (past and present) and amazing history.

You explore the ruins of Sepphoris, sleep in a genuine Bedouin tent, and ride in trails to amazing look out points.

The highlight of the trip, if you dare, is swimming with their horses in the Jordan River and the Sea of Galilee.

This short, yet comprehensive, horse vacation is for serious horseback riders with a lot of experience in this kind of trails.

You stays in country lodges and one night in a Bedouin tent. The ride duration is five days and four nights.

“The Negev Desert” Tour

The Negev desert is the largest area of wilderness in Israel and its beauty will take your breath away.

In this tour you can see the moonscape barrenness of the desert that hides an abundance of wildlife. Antiquated caravan trails from the spice trade are still visible. Fresh air, starry skies and open expanses untouched by humans and modern civilization.

Located in the south, the Negev is an exhilarating horseback riding vacation destination. The natural allure of the desert, in combination with fascinating archaeological ruins of ancient nomadic peoples and elusive desert fauna, make for an inspiring horseback vacation.

With little present human settlements or roads, exploring the desert on horseback is an unforgettable, rejuvenating experience. This solitude will strengthen the bonds with yourself, your horse and your adventure partners.

This trails will take you along cliffs, canyons and dunes as you explore the desert landscape.

Following ancient trade caravan routes, you will discover the remains of the obsolete Nabatean culture.

You will sleep in a working farm that grows grapes and herds goats just as the peoples of the desert have done for thousands of years.

You will visit the desert grave of Israel’s first Prime Minister, David Ben-Gurion, to understand his vision of Israel. And, you will also ride in the Ein Avdat Nature Reserve in search of shy ibexes, foxes and desert hares.

It’s an 8-day tour, suitable for riders of intermediate level and above. You will sleep in country lodges, camping and one night in a hotel. If you wish to join them, there is availability all year round excluding June, July and August.

For more information about Sirin Riders, their horses and programs, please go to their web site: https://www.ride-israel.com/

Isra Trails

Who are they?

Rachel Kontorovich Founder, owner and instructor

Rachel personally coordinates and manages every detail of each trip, and is your point person for all questions about vacations before, during, and after each tour.

Rachel is a horseback riding instructor certified through Israel's Ministry of Sport. She is an avid and experienced trail and endurance rider, recently qualifying in a 40km race held by FEI standards. She trains and teaches horseback riding at a professional Show Jumping stable near Tel Aviv, and at a stable near Jerusalem. In 2019 she also completed her license as a therapeutic riding instructor.

Isaac Hanuka Instructor and trainer

Isaac is a certified horseback riding instructor and trainer, and also breeds Quarter Horses. His career as an accomplished horseman spans decades. He has competed nationally in Western Pleasure, Hunter Under Saddle, Trail Class, and Horsemanship, and has four children, two of whom compete nationally and internationally.

In 1990, after his army service, he developed a horse ranch in Kibbutz Kalia adjacent to the Dead Sea, in the Judean Desert. Isaac has been leading trail riding trips for nearly thirty years and is a true professional in the industry.

What do they offer?

Isra Trails grew out of a desire to provide world-class riding vacations in what is arguably the most breathtaking, historic, and beautiful country on earth to practice this activity.

They think that Israel, such a tiny strip of land, offers a stunningly diverse array of landscapes, most of which are easily traversed, making it truly ideal riding country. Together with the country's year-round temperate climate, it's a trail rider's paradise.

To experience the real splendour and unparalleled archaeological and biblical history of this country, it's best to get off the beaten path and into the land itself. This is the unique experience they offer you at IsraTrails, and their goal is to provide this opportunity at the highest professional standards, along every point of their tours - on and off the trail.

Most of their riding vacations are designed for clients who can ride up to 6-8 hours per day (with breaks of course!), although they can accommodate beginner riders as well, if coordinated in advance.

Non-riders are welcome to join groups via a Jeep ride-along option.

The horses at Isra Trails

Their well-trained, trail horses are familiar with each trail they carefully select for your vacations in order to guarantee enjoyment and safety for both rider and horse.

They expertly match horse to rider, and they take their time for that; experienced equestrians may choose a more spirited horse while they pair beginners with the most calm and predictable horses.

Their herd comprises Quarter Horses and Arabian-Quarter mixes; there are gaited horses (Singlefoot, Missouri Fox Trot, Tennessee Walker) and pure breed Arabians can be secured if requested in advance.

What are the tours and trails they offer?

They offer several rides and all of them are not to be missed, but one of the most popular ones is Northern Exposure, on the best trails in Israel's breathtaking Golan Heights, the northernmost part of the country.

In this ride you can visit historic Mount Tabor and Mount Meron, with optional ride along the Jesus Trail. Two days is the Galilee region, along the Sea of Galilee (Lake Kinneret), and swimming in the Jordan River. It’s a very complete all-inclusive program.

Of all the rides they offer, we will now briefly describe two of them in order to give you an approximate idea of their equestrian tourism service.

Judean Desert and Dead Sea

This tour departs from Kibbutz Kalia, or transfer is provided from Ben Gurion Airport.

It’s a 4 day/3 night program in which you ride in the stunning Judean Desert, overlooking the Dead Sea with the Jordanian mountains in view to the East. Ride down to Kasar Yahud - which in Biblical history is where the Jewish people crossed the Jordan River when first entering the Land of Israel as a Nation. In Christianity this is the location of the Baptismal Site of Jesus Christ.

Besides, there are complementary day tours to the ancient ruins of Masada and swimming in the famously healing waters of the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth.

Beaches, dunes and cliffs, Historic Caesarea

This tour departs from Hadera. It’s a 3 day/2 night program in which you ride along picturesque Mediterranean beaches, dunes, and cliffs, visiting historic archaeological sites along the way, and through the nearby forests of Alexander River Nature Reserve.

On the final you ride in beautiful, historic Caesarea, a town built by Herod the Great in approx. 25 BCE, which he called as the port city Caesarea Maritima.

Visit their web site if you want more information about their horseback tours: https://www.isratrails.com/vacations

Alpaca Farm Mitzpe Ramon

This is a particular story indeed that is really worth knowing, about a farm that raises Andean Alpacas in the Negev Highlands, Israel. This is a high, dry, desert and vast area.

The Dvir family, on a trip to South America, when they first met the lovely alpacas and llamas, and fell in love with them.

They decided to raise them and sell their wool in Israel, and what was an impossible idea, a crazy adventure, finally came true in Mitzpeh Ramon and alpacas have found a new and nice Home.

They acquired and trained especially wild horses riding in the desert, and indeed their horses reaped numerous awards in competitions and have won praise from international experts.

We will now describe some of their Equestrian Tourism offers.

Horse Riding in the Negev Crater

A challenge for experienced riders who feel capable of doing it. Riders must be able to trot and canter during long periods of time, as they live an unforgettable experience in the Negev Desert during their horse riding holidays in Israel.

The 6-day ride implies up to 5 hours in the saddle each day, through the spectacular wilderness of Ramon Crater and Negev mountains with stunning views.

On the first day, you will meet your horse and the terrain, getting ready for the great adventure in which you will travel more than 50 km per day.

You’ll ride to Ramon Crater and cross it surrounded by amazing scenery and unique geological phenomena.

At night, you will camp under a myriad of stars, very visible in the clear night sky of the desert.

After a day of rest for you and the horses, you will continue riding for two more incredible days in the High Negev desert before you go back to the farm to get ready to go home.

Horse Riding School

For those people who haven’t ridden a horse in a long time or have never ridden one before, they offer riding lessons.

This farm riding school has been working for about 5 years. At the stables, they have 20 horses for the lessons, suitable for a wide range of riding levels.

The 45-minute theory lessons can be individual or group, and they are adequate for beginners and advanced students.

The learning program is developed in two lots within the farm, spacious and covered for riding intense practice, and in a round arena where they can evaluate your progress.

You will have to practice in the open, with a variety of rides and stunning views surrounding the farm.

They emphasise the familiarity with body language and the horse behaviour, fieldwork and the interface (which include looking after the horse, familiarity with the team and basic concepts of usage and training). Apart from independence and capacity to deal with and solve problems that can arise in the field and in the terrain.

Their instructors are professionals of western style, with extensive experience. The method they use when they teach riding involves listening, feeling and enjoying the connection between horse and rider. This is a wonderful language learned while deepening trust and relationship to the integration that allows "no words" to "dance" in concert with joy and great satisfaction.

You can find more information about the history, the everyday life of this incredible farm and its owners, special people capable of starting the most appealing adventure, on their web site: https://alpaca.co.il/

/ Photos: https://alpaca.co.il/, https://www.ride-israel.com and https://www.isratrails.com/vacations /

Are you also passionate about the idea of travelling Asia on horseback?

While exploring the sacred sites and cities of Israel, we invite you to see other destinations in Asia – different cultures, religions and landscapes for an enjoyable horse riding holiday.

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