Novices and experienced equestrians alike are bound to enjoy a ride with the horses of Rancho Loco. The equestrian center in Santa Cruz, Aruba offers guided tours on horseback, and guests will be pleased to see how well the owners take care of their horses, providing them with ample space and caring attention.
Rancho Loco’s guided horseback tours take guests along rugged trails in Aruba’s interior—which are typically not accessed by ATV tours—to Conchi and into Arikok National Park, where they ride past sand dunes towards the coast. Tours typically include the opportunity to take a swim in pristine natural pools. Rancho Loco offers private as well as group tours, which typically include hotel pickup and drop-off.
Novice riders are welcome: guides take care to match horses to riders’ abilities.
Wear a hat and sunscreen. If you plan to get into the natural pools, bring water shoes and a towel.
Tours typically last around two and a half hours.
Children must be at least eight years old to ride their own horse; the maximum rider weight is 225 pounds (102 kilograms).
Rancho Loco is located in Santa Cruz, in the middle of Aruba, around a 10-minute drive east of Oranjestad and Queen Beatrix International Airport, and just north of Arikok National Park’s northern boundary. However, as tours typically include hotel pickup and drop-off, there is little reason to drive there yourself. Pickup time is usually an hour before the tour begins.
Rancho Loco typically offers one tour in the morning and one in the afternoon. If heat is a concern, aim for the morning tour. The ranch also offers a daily early evening tour timed to catch the sun setting over the beach: this option may be the most appealing for photographers.
Arikok National Park covers 20 percent of Aruba and is home to a variety of attractions and cultural heritage sites, including caves, secluded bays, desert-like hills dotted with cacti, Caquetío Indian rock art, and distinctive rock and lava formations. The small entrance fee is included in the price of Rancho Loco tours. The park hosts monthly open-air “Movie in the Park” experiences, for which admission is free.