An amazing horseback riding vacation for intermediate and above riders. Get off the beaten track in Tasmania and explore the beautiful Narawntapu National Park (Bakers Beach) on horseback. This four-day equestrian adventure takes you across grasslands, through valleys and forests and across pristine beaches where there is the opportunity to lope through the shallows. The breathtaking views over Bass Strait, Narawantapu National Park and Baker Beach also stretch to the Great Western Riers and Mt Roland.
There are creek crossings, log jumps and varying terrain to enjoy and riders may spot platypus, wombats, kangaroos, wallabies or echidnas during your ride.
4 or 5 nights overnight accommodation in twin rooms in the Narawntapu National Park homestead, with fully equipped kitchen. Meals from lunch on day 2 to lunch on day 5 are included, providing you the perfect opportunity to visit the nearby town of Port Sorell and enjoy one of their restaurants for the remaining meals.
Please Note: The opinions expressed in these reviews are the author's and do not necessarily reflect the views of Unicorn Trails Ltd. These reviews are "directly from the horses mouth" and unedited. Unicorn Trails may make additional comments for clarification clearly identified in red.
Review received from JL of MACCLESFIELD on 31/05/2024
Day 1 Arrival
Arrive at Launceston Airport and transfer to the Homestead (approx. 1 hour). Meet your fellow riders and guides and settle in. Dinner on this night is not included, but Port Sorell, the nearest town, is a 20 min drive away and offers choice of restaurants. Alternatively, it is possible to stock up on favourite foods and take advantage of the fully equipped kitchen facilities back at the homestead. Remember to get supplies for breakfast on day 2, as meals are provided from lunch on day 2 to lunch on day 5.
Day 2 - Riding time: Approx 5 hours
Starting arround 9:30am today is spent riding through the forests, grazing country and river flats of the beautiful Mersey Valley. This day includes views over the Great Western Tiers, lunch on the banks of the Mersey River, which is home to many Platypus and trouts. The trails offer experienced riders opportunities to trot and canter.
Day 3 - Riding time: 4/5 hours
Today the visit to Narawantapu National Park (Bakers Beach) includes riding through the grasslands, which serve as feeding grounds for wombats, wallabies, Forester kangaroos, and numerous other species of native marsupials. Following this, there is an opportunity to canter horses through the shallows on an amazing stretch of pristine beach.
Day 4 - Riding time: 5/6 hours
Today involves travelling through the coastal bushland of Narawntapu and passing strands of the uniquely Australian Grass Tree. The journey offers breathtaking views over Bass Strait, Narawntapu National Park, and Bakers Beach, extending to the Great Western Tiers and Mt Roland.
Day 5 - Riding time (3/4 hours)
Today provides the final opportunities to take in the beauty of the area. The day is spent riding on a beautiful private property near Launceston, traversing grazing paddocks, valleys, and old forests. Experienced riders have the chance to jump a few logs before returning around 3:30pm. At the end of this final day of riding, there is an option to transfer back to the airport for the journey home or stay a final night in the homestead and depart in the morning. Dinner is not included, offering a great opportunity to venture back into the nearby town of Port Sorell for a farewell meal with fellow riders.
As the riding finishes at 3:30pm on day 5, it is possible to transfer to the airport that evening and stay for just 4 nights. Please enquire.
Please note: All itineraries are given for your guidance only and it may be altered on the ground and in accordance with the prevailing conditions by the organising team.
There are over 20 horses and ponies at the stables to cater for a wide range of guests. Most of the horses have at least a dash of draught in them, with some having 50% draught. There are also some Arab and Arab X and the occasional Thoroughbred. They also have a handful of Quarter Horse crosses. Heights range from 14.2 - 17hh. The horses are schooled and well trained for trail riding; forward going, responsive and in excellent condition. Every effort is made to match horse and rider and there is the opportunity to swap horses if necessary.
This ride is for intermediate to advanced horse riders. You are expected to have a firm and balanced seat in walk, trot and canter, be confident riding in open, varied country and to be able to mount and dismount unassisted.
The weight limit for this ride is 220 lb/100 kg, please enquire if you are an experienced rider exceeding this weight.
Guests stay at the comfortable Bakers Beach Homestead located in the heart of Narawntapu National Park in the historic Farm Cottage, with twin bedrooms, bathroom, living room and fully equipped kitchen. It is just a short drive from the nearby town of Port Sorell which has a choice of pubs, restaurants and shops.
Meals included in the price - Lunch on day 2 to lunch on day 5.
Breakfast will have cooked options such as bacon/egg/waffles as well as cereals/toast and tea, coffee and juice. Lunch is usually a home-made picnic on the trail and dinner will be more home-cooked food such as roast chicken and vegetables or sometimes a BBQ. Your hosts are not licensed to supply alcohol but are happy to assist riders with purchasing alcoholic drinks to have with dinner if requested
The Homestead has a fully equipped kitchen which you are welcome to use to prepare meals outside of what is included i.e. Dinner on day 1 and 5, breakfast on day 2 and 6. With prior arrangement, basic supplies can be arranged to be at the homestead for when you arrive. Alternatively you could visit the nearby town which has a choice of pubs and restuarants.
Vegetarian or other dietary requirements within reason can be accommodated with advance notice. Please contact Unicorn Trails with requests before booking.
Please note that it is your responsibility to ensure you have the correct documentation in place for your trip. NB: Be sure to check the COVID status of the country you plan to visit including entry procedures and requirements while travelling. Visa requirements can change from year to year depending on diplomatic relations. Please request information from the appropriate Consulate in your home country. Unicorn Trails will assist with any questions you have or supply any necessary supporting documents as required by the consulate should you need a visa. Visas are normally required for all travel to Australia In the UK the British Foreign Office gives advice: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/australia In the US: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Australia.html In Canada: https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/australia
Another useful resource is Sherpa - this summarises any travel and vaccination requirements based on when you are travelling simply by entering your home country followed by your destination country: https://apply.joinsherpa.com/travel-restrictions
Tasmania has four distinct seasons with the warmest months being December to March. The average maximum daily summer temperatures are between 17 and 23 degrees Celsius and winter daily temperatures sit between 12 and 17 degrees Celsius. The driest months are Dec-April and the wettest months are June-September. July and August sees the highest rainfall.
COVID: Be sure to check the latest COVID regulations for travelling in any country you visit.
Please refer to your country’s latest health guideline for travel in Australia and contact your own GP for up to date advice on vaccinations and prophylaxis prior to travel.
In Australia the supply voltage is 230V. If the appliance is a single voltage rated appliance, it will need to operate at the same voltage as the supply voltage of the country i.e. 230V. If this is not the case it should be used alongside a voltage transformer or converter to allow the appliance to work safely and properly.
Both of the accommodations on this ride have electricity for charging cameras. However there is NO wifi at either accommodation complex. Telstra 4G phone and internet works well at either Bakers Beach location and there is some Telstra 4G phone service at the Kimberley location.
- Riding Helmet - we strongly recommend that you wear a properly fitted riding helmet of the current standard which is PAS015 or BSEN1384 (One can be provided, but we recommend you bring your own)
- Gloves
- Clothing for horseback riding (resistant fabric pants, fast drying shirts, long sleeve shirts to protect from the sun)
- Jodhpurs - jodhpurs, breeches or other comfortable trousers (jeans may rub and can also be quite hot)
- Riding Boots - it is important to have correct shoes or boots for horse riding. Jodhpur or ankle boots with a rubber sole are recommended but sturdy shoes with a definite heel are acceptable (such as walking boots). Tall leather boots are not recommended, especially in summer, because of the hot weather and humidity. Instead it is recommend to wear short riding boots with short chaps.
- Half Chaps - these are great when worn with ankle boots and help prevent the stirrup leathers rubbing against your legs
- Warm slippers for winter evenings
- Casual Clothes - for when out of the saddle
- Lightweight rain/wind jacket that fits into the (provided) saddlebags.
- Sunglasses
- Sunscreen
- Personal Items - toiletries, any medicines you require and please be sure to take insect repellent
- Refillable Water Bottle - it's very important to drink a lot of water when it's hot, especially when doing physical activities
- Camera, spare Batteries/Chargers - an absolute must! It is also a good idea to take a camera case you can strap around your waist or onto a belt for whilst you are riding
- A copy of your passport & travel insurance
Please be aware that all used horse riding gear must be declared on arrival into Australia and must be clean and free of sand and horse hair.
Provided by the ride:
Australian made full-length oilskin coats can be provided.
A small assortment of second-hand short chaps is available for guests to use.
Riding helmets
4d / 5n programme with 4 riding days available on set dates
2024: 19 - 24 May
| No of days/nights |
Riding days | Product item description | £ | |
| 2024 | 6d/5n | 4 | 5 nights | 1,525 |
| No of days/nights |
Riding days | Product item description | € | |
| 2024 | 6d/5n | 4 | 5 nights | 1,835 |
| No of days/nights |
Riding days | Product item description | US $ | |
| 2024 | 6d/5n | 4 | 5 nights | 1,979 |
| No of days/nights |
Riding days | Product item description | SEK | |
| 2024 | 6d/5n | 4 | 5 nights | 21,519 |
'English Passengers' is a historical novel written by Matthew Kneale in 2000, which won that year's Whitbread Book Award and was shortlisted for the Booker Prize and the Miles Franklin Award. It is narrated by 20 different characters and tells the story of a voyage to look for the Garden of Eden in Tasmania and the rapid decline of that island’s indigenous population of Tasmanian Aborigines.
'The Hunter' is the first novel by Julia Leigh, published in 1999. It follows the efforts of an anonymous agent as he attempts to track down the last Tasmanian tiger rumoured to exist in Tasmania.
It is also possible to arrange quad-biking tours, fishing trips and visits to a local cheese and chocolate factory.
Riders are likely to ride past forester kangaroos, wallabies and the occasional wombat as well as dozens of species of bird life. Some parts of the ride take guests through a native coastal landscape that includes amongst the many species of flora, the rare Tasmanian Grass Tree, a species that dates back thousands of years.
In 1768 the British Admiralty instructed Captain James Cook to begin a search for the 'Great South Island' first reached by Dutch sailors in the early 17th century. The crew of The Endeavour subsequently landed at Botany Bay and claimed the Island for the British. King George III decided that Botany Bay should become the destination for British convicts under sentence of transportation and in January 1788 the first fleet sailed under the command of Captain Arthur Phillip. In total more than 168,000 convicts were transported but the discovery of gold in the 1850s also began to attract free settlers to the Island.
The indigenous population of Australia, the Aboriginies, have suffered as a result of this colonisation. However succesive governments have addressed this issue and there are now several government organisations and laws protecting and supporting these people and their claim to land.
Australia is a multi-cultural country, so its not unusual to walk down a street and hear people speaking Italian, Greek, Lebanese, Vietnamese or Arabic as their first language. Aboriginal languages are also spoken. English-speaking Australians have a passion for abbreviations and are liable to use a hotchpotch of local slang that can take the first-time visitor a while to untangle.
Australia's biggest attraction is its natural beauty. The landscape varies from endless sunbaked horizons to dense tropical rainforest to chilly southern beaches. Scattered along the coasts, its cities blend a European enthusiasm for art and food with a laid-back love of sport and the outdoors.
Australia is between eight and ten hours ahead of GMT depending on where in the country you are. They use the metric weights and measures system, so kilometres and kilograms instead of miles and pounds. There is approximately 1.6 kilometres in a mile and 2.2 pounds in a kilogram.
The international dialling code is +61.
