Aotearoa (the Maori name for New Zealand meaning 'the land of the long white cloud') consists of two main islands, the North Island and the South Island, with several smaller islands offshore.  Being located on the Pacific's 'Ring of Fire' means that the country benefits from geothermal areas and hot springs, vast mountain ranges and spectacular sounds and fjords.

New Zealand has over 15,000kms of varied coastline, perfect for swimming, surfing and horseriding. Our Coast to Coast ride in Northland takes you from the Tasman Sea in the West over spectacular rugged countryside to the calm seas of the Pacific Ocean in the East. 

The Maori people are indigenious to New Zealand and their culture is rich and varied with a fascinating mix of traditional and contemporary arts. Traditions such as carving, weaving, kapa haka (group performance), whaikorero (oratory) and moko (tattoo) are practised throughout the country. The Warrior Trail is a cultural and historical ride following ancient Maori warrior trails through coastal bush and high country.

The South Island is the larger of the two main islands but has a population of just over 1 million people, compared to 3 million in the North Island. The dramatic landscape has made it a popular location for the production of several films, including The Lord of The Rings Trilogy, The Chronicles of Narnia and The Hobbit.
 

Choosing rides from our huge range of horse riding holidays can be a challenge in itself and you may find yourself going into overload with all these fabulous holidays, but we can help you to narrow down your choice. You may already know which regions and countries you are interested in. However check out our ride category selector. Here you can look for rides by the following categories:

. beach riding holidays
. ranch riding holidays
. horse back safaris
. desert riding
. mountain trekking
. centre based riding holidays
. trail rides
. unguided horse holidays 
. holidays that can incorporate non-riders
. western style riding
. natural horsemanship holidays
. riding holidays with camping
. Christmas & New Year riding holidays
. winter sun horse holidays
. short riding breaks
. holidays suitable for the heavier rider 
. cattle drives
. horseriding holidays in Eastern Europe
. our premier selection
. family friendly horseback holidays 
. singles riding holidays
. advanced riders
. horse holidays with tuition (dressage, polo, jumping)
. riding holidays for beginners 
. fast riding

So as you can see there is something for everyone. WE CAN'T WAIT TO MEET YOU!

Don't forget we can always arrange an extension to the riding element of you holiday. You may like us to suggest something or perhaps you have your own ideas. Whether it's time to relax on a beautiful beach, explore an area or try something more active such as white water rafting, we will be delighted to make the arrangements for you.    

Unicorn Trails is very of our rides in what we call 'And Beyond'. Here is a list of the countries we ride in. To see the relevant web page and learn more the country and our rides there, just click on the link:

Far East, India, Australasia, Middle East:
  Horseback Riding Holiday Australia
  Horse Riding Vacation China
  Horse Riding Holidays Tibet
  Horse Riding Holidays India
  Horse Riding Indonesia
  Horse Riding Holiday Jordan
  Equine Holiday Kazakstan
  Horseback vacation Krgyzstan
  Horse Riding Holiday Mongolia
  Horse Riding Holidays New Zealand

To create great photobooks of your riding holidays click the link below. They're really easy to make and look superb. We're great fans and have our personal "travelogue" books. We even have mugs of ourselves riding in various spots around the world!