Explore the New Zealand countryside on horseback on this 1-hour horse trekking tour from Rotorua. Climb onto your horse and head into the foothills of Mt Ngongotaha with a guide. Follow winding trails over working farmland and through native bush, and admire beautiful views over Lake Rotorua. Stop along the way to capture the views on camera, then descend back through the green paddocks to base. This horse trek is suitable for beginners and experienced riders alike, with horses and ponies to match all riding abilities.

Explore the foothills of Mt Ngongotaha on horseback with a guide
Head through working farmland and wild bush
Enjoy sweeping views over Lake Rotorua shimmering in the distance
Tour includes all safety equipment plus pickup and drop-off from your Rotorua hotel

What's Included

Guide
Horse safari
Safety gear

Food and drinks

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

451 Ngongotaha Road, Ngongotahā, Rotorua 3015, New Zealand
Please arrive 15 minutes prior to your booking time.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Children must be accompanied by an adult
Not wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible

Near public transportation
Not recommended for travelers with back problems
Most travelers can participate
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 6 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.

Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Featured review

Deb_E

The horses had such lovely natures and for people like my daughter and I, who are inexperienced with horses, we felt safe and knew the horses would take care of us. Fabulous views and peaceful pathways. The staff were patient, friendly and kind. Highly recommend!

Reviews

5.0

136 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

We perform checks on reviews

Showing 1-10 of 136 reviews

Fabulous Mum & Daughter Date

Deb_E, Apr 2024

A must do if you love horses

Aoi_E, Mar 2024

It was the most relaxing horseback riding experience I’ve ever had. The beautiful view of the lake, fun conversation with the guide, and cheeky horses were just what I needed to feel connected to the local nature and people. Highly recommend!

Spectacular view, good for beginners

Kelly_K, Feb 2024

We had an incredible experience. My husband had never rode a horse before. The horses were well trained and the guides were very helpful. And the view at the top of the hill is spectacular!

Response from Host, Feb 2024

Thank you for your fantastic review, appreciated.

Lovely horses and panoramic views!

Shelley_K, Nov 2023

A must do in Rotarua - loved this horse ride!!! Awesome value for money and an epic view at the top! Perfect for beginners and experienced riders - great guides and beautiful, safe horses.

Response from Host, Nov 2023

Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts, really appreciated.

An experience you dont want to miss

Wally_H, Oct 2023

Great service and outstanding view from the mountain. Ride to the mountain was fun and the horses is really well trained by the trainer. Therefore we have no worries riding the horse.

Response from Host, Nov 2023

We enjoy hearing from our customers, thank you.

Well worth it

Tiffany_E, Sep 2023

Amazing experience loved it. My boyfriend hadn’t ridden before and it was totally fine for him. Lovely views and well behaved horses.

Response from Host, Oct 2023

Thank you for your feedback Tiffany, appreciated.

Amazing!

Jazmine_F, Aug 2023

Haven't been horseback riding in almost 10 years and my friend had never been. Was super accommodating for us beginners and the view at the top was amazing! Our horses, Evie and Jimmy, were a delight and definitely kept us entertained with their unique personalities. Definitely a must in Rotorua!

Response from Host, Oct 2023

Thank you for your feedback Jazmine. We love hearing about your experience with us.

Stunning view, beautiful horses

Steven_H, Aug 2023

The scenic trail is stunning and the experience is wonderful. The horse selected are of high quality. The time is just right and the photos and videos taken are great. Thank you and well done!

Response from Host, Aug 2023

Thank you for taking the time to post your review Steven.

Great morning activity

Mark_L, Aug 2023

This horse trek was really nice with a great view at the top of the mountain which shows the whole town and lake. Staff were friendly and informative

Response from Host, Aug 2023

Thank you for your feedback Mark. Our staff appreciate your comments.

Experience to remember

Sam_P, Jul 2023

Loved every minute of this trek. The horses are very well behaved and cared for. Will definitely do this trek again. Thank you xx

Response from Host, Aug 2023

Thank you Sam. See you next time.

Relaxing trek

Matthew_B, Jun 2023

Enjoyable trek up to a great view. Guide was a good teacher for us, considering it had been a couple decades since our last time.

Response from Host, Jun 2023

Thank you for taking the time to post your review. We appreciate your feedback.

Amazing experience!

Daria_B, May 2023

Great experience for people with no horse riding experience. I highly recommend to anyone! Horses are very gentle and calm, beautiful scenery and great guides. Even though, the weather wasn’t perfect, the whole experience blew our minds!

Response from Host, May 2023

Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts.

Booking problems

Charlotte_B, Jan 2023

Our booking was not confirmed by the horsecompagny only by Viator. So we had to wait a hole day before riding. Really confusing.

Response from Host, Jan 2023

Apologies for the confusion. Our booking platform is not directly connected to trip advisor.

It was a great trek, we...

Tracey_T, Dec 2022

It was a great trek, we hadn’t been on horses since we were children so a little nervous at first but the instructor was great and made us feel at ease. The horses were so chilled and well behaved. Great experience.

Response from Host, Dec 2022

Thank you for your feedback Tracey. Glad you enjoyed your experience.

Great advise from the...

Damian_B, Aug 2022

Great advise from the instructors who made it a pleasant experience. The view was amazing. Would do it again and will be telling other to give it a go.

Response from Host, Aug 2022

We have passed your comments onto our guides who appreciated your feedback.

Amazing experience

Krystal_R, Aug 2022

Amazing activity. No prior experience needed. Great guides who give tips and point out things on the way. A stop on top of the hill for photo opportunity. Well worth the money.

Response from Host, Aug 2022

Thanks for your feedback Krystal. A pretty special spot up top.

My son and I had a great...

Annette_S, Jul 2022

My son and I had a great time, horses were awesome and the view from the top of the hill was epic. We definitely recommend it

Response from Host, Jul 2022

Thank you for your feedback. We look forward to seeing you again soon.

Awesome experience and beautiful memories for our whanau.

Adrian_W, Apr 2022

Awesome staff, beautiful horses and money well spent. Can’t wait to go back. I recommend this experience to anyone and everyone who is going to Rotorua.

Response from Host, Jul 2022

Thank you for your review Adrian. Look forward to seeing you soon.

Casual Horse trek for beginners

Helena_S, Jan 2022

The view is gorgeous. The horses are mellow and is perfect for beginners. We were a little nervous as we hadn't been on a horse for 20+yrs but nothing to worry about here.

Response from Host, Jan 2022

Thank you for taking the time to place your feedback. We enjoy hearing about your experience.

Horse trekking

Deepinderpal_K, Jan 2022

Great set up, well looked after horses. Friendly helpful staff. An awesome ride in an awesome part of the world. Would thoroughly recommend.

Response from Host, Jan 2022

Thank you for your fantastic review. Look forward to seeing you again.