Horse Riding - Lighthorse Adventures Queenstown
Horse Riding in Glenorchy with Lighthorse Adventures
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Excellent experience!
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Great experience; would and will recommend to all.
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Everything was well planned.
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Great experience! Will definitely go again!
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Very friendly and explained everything clearly and in-depth
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Amazing experience getting to ride horses in the outback.
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Great staffs, they are very helpful. Especially Shelley making the arrangement transport to Glenorchy even horse riding was cancelled due to bad weather Andy rebook for next day. Emma and another guide ( her name forgotten) we’re friendly and I having fun for my first time horse riding.
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Great customer service and I having fun for the horse riding.
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Love the experience. Nicole our guide was really experience in accommodating to riders of different experience and allowing all to enjoy the 2.5 hours ride. Very caring and thoughtful to rider’s needs and even understands well behavior of each horse. She’s a horse whisperer. Ride was truely enjoyable. Highly recommended but book early to avoid disappointment to the available tour itinerary.
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Swift booking and pickup service
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They made everything easy, I would use there serviced again.
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They cancelled due to Horse illness... Had to find an alternative.
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Everything went very smoothly, tours were great.
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Great tour, thankful for the extra waterproof gear to help combat the rain.
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I would like to thankss soo much to you, bcoz all my activity plan purchase thru you, goes as smooth as planned. Your fast response to my email is much appreciated.
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Worth with what I paid! Amazing experience with Dart Stables. Love it!!
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price is not so good though products are very comprehensive and good-organised
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Excellent experience. Good pick up and experienced tour guide
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Callum was great very helpful
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I did the river wild having tour - this is a mixed ability ride not an intermediate ride as I was told. Lovely horses and amazing countryside. I was disappointed by the pace of the tour and would advise any regular riders to book the advanced tour.
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Very effcient friendly and accommodating as had to change around bookings.Very polite and couteous.
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Amazing scenery and enjoyable ride. The guide Barbora was amazing helpful and her instruction on riding and guidance made learning to ride easy. She alos gave an excellent commentary about Genorchy and her knowledge of the area, its fauna, geography and history of the area/ fil trivia made the ride even more enjoyable. Well done. Even went back for a second day to ride with my children.
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Easy to use
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Absolutely in love with these horses. Also love that they are obviously well looked after. Great guides and great rides. Thank you so much!!
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no problems
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Fabulous day. well organised
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Initially overcharged but it was picked up and sorted. Cheers
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Horses were great. Guides were knowledgable. My only concern was with gear.... I did 2 rides and on both saddles the points were quite dodgy. Could lead to a nasty accident on the longer more active rides.
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Very prompt service and were able to book the activities I wanted. Saves time having to go through the companies directly
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Easy to book and use the website
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Lovely riding although one of the group wasn't an experienced rider and this impacted the whole ride.
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Easy to book.
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The staff at Dart Stable were beautiful with the horses and us!
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Easy to do
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Absolutely amazing!
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The booking with Dart Stables was made online and everything was just as advertised. Thank you!
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We did the Ride of the Rings tour with Dart Stables and loved it! We were a family of three, and there was one other rider on the tour. The bus ride out to Glenorchy was very scenic, and the driver even stopped a couple times so we could snap some photos. The ride itself was very nice with gentle horses and and easy trail. The guide shared lots of good information about the many movies (especially The Hobbit and LOTR) filmed in the area. It was a chilly, but sunny day. When we returned to the stable, the hot drinks offered were also much appreciated! Thanks for a memorable trip to Paradise!
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Will definately use everythingqueenstown.com next year when I come back.
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We loved our rides so much we went back the next day. The staff were all very friendly. Esspecially our guides Zoe and Amy.
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Very professional with high level of concern for the health and welfare of the horses. Guides superb with a high level of pride in the service they delivered.
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Easy to use and good information about the tour.
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Fabulous tour - great tour guides, horses and experience - loved it and will recommend to others. Well done!
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Great selection of activities all across queenstown and all different type of experiences. Really easy for me to decide what i wanted and plan my trip all on the one website.
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The company were very quick their response and issuing of the vouchers. We had not problems with any of the activities that we had vouchers for. Overall, a perfect holiday was planned for us! Thank you!
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One of our fav activities! Worth the money!
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easy to book with, fast feedback and receipts
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Excellent trip, very well knowledgeable travel guide and it was so much fun even though it rained!
Latest Questions about Horse Riding - Lighthorse Adventures (Queenstown)
Do you have an availability for 2 people tomorrow afternoon?
Hi there,
Is available to book for the month of May?
Am I able to change my tour from the 1 hour to the 2.5 hour one and pay the difference
Am I able to cancel my tour?
I would like to participate in the graze and glory riding trek on Wednesday. Therefore I do have the questions if there is a helmet provided and whether or not there is the possibility to borrow riding boots. Thank you in advance. I am looking forward to your response.
Hello as we will only be staying in Queenstown for 3 days thus are not planning to rent a car. In this case, is it possible to travel to the horse riding place? Thank you !
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Unfortunately, the Lighthorse Adventures horse trek in Glenorchy is a self-drive only as they do not have transport available so you will need to make your own way out to Glenorchy for this trip. Alternatively, you can look at doing Horse Riding - Walter Peak. This trip departs from Walter peak so you will sail across Lake Wakatipu from central Queenstown on the Earnslaw boat before heading out on your trek at Walter Peak.
Is it suitable for kid at 140cm height? My son is abve 10 yrs old but I afraid his leg cannot reach the stirrups
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Thanks so much for your question regarding Light Horse Adventures. The team is amazing out there and they have the equipment to support children riding so this should not be an issue.
I am coming to Queenstown in September and would like to do your 3 hour ride with another friend. How soon should we book it in? What time does the ride start (need to allow enough time to drive from QT)? If bad weather can we cancel at short notice?
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Thank you so much for your enquiry. We recommend pre-booking as Horse Riding is a very popular experience. The 3-hour Graze & Glory trek operates Friday - Monday at 11 am. Please calculate 1 hour to driving time from Queenstown. If the weather is bad and the operator cancels you will receive a full refund. If you wish to cancel, please give us 48 hours notice.
We have 5 people, 21-30 yrs (3) and 59-60 (2). We have never had experience of riding. Can we still go for Dart Stables? It was said on your web site, it requires riding experience.
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Heya, Yes absolutely, many beginner riders go horse riding with dart stables. Just be sure to note that you have never ridden when it asks for your experience in the booking process.
How is this activity during July/September?
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Heya, The activity is the same all year round and is open the whole time. In July it will be very cold you will need to wrap up. As with September although maybe slightly warmer than July as September is nearly Autumn.
what sort of saddles (gp, jumping, dressage, western, endurance, stock or other) do you use on ur horses for the people to ride in?
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For the Dart Stables horse treks, most of the saddles are standard GPs (general purpose). If you are doing a standard 1-2 hour ride like the River Wild or Ride of the Rings (which are the most popular rides), then the saddle will be one that fits the horse best and will most likely by a GP or mix. If you are doing a longer ride (ie the Trilogy Loop) then the guides will try and find a saddle that best fits you.
Hi 3 of us are looking to book the Trilogy Loop ride in the next couple of weeks but are unsure of the weather at this time of the year. How long in advance do you need bookings?
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Always a good idea to book well your horse riding or any other Queenstown activities in advance as town is busy ant he snow is not great at the moment so many of the other tours and activities in town are booking up. The Trilogy loop ride is only suitable for experienced riders that have ridden over 100 times before. Is this the case for all 3 of you?
If you have a date in mind please let me know and I can check with the guides to see what is available for you around those dates. If the weather is poor then the ride will not go ahead anyway, and you will be given the option of rescheduling or receiving a full refund. Generally in the middle of winter the days are clear and calm, but not always the case.
Hi is the ride and drive tour operating on 24th or 25th of December 2015? Thanks Rebecca
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The horse riding at Dart Stables in Queenstown is not operating on Christmas day however it is in full swing the days before and after so if you wanted to book for the 24th you can certainly do so. This is a busy time of year so I would advise booking well in advance.
I am 57 years old and have never ridden a horse, would I be able to manage one of your horses if I booked the ride of rings tour.
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Hi Julie. Yes the Ride of the Rings horse ride in Queenstown is suitable for riders of all abilities including first time horse riders. The horses only walk on this ride and the scenery is absolutely spectacular. More experienced riders can do the River Wild tour and highly experienced riders can book the Trilogy Loop ride.
Hi,
In the ride 'The river and rings' will there be plenty of opportunities for trotting and cantering?
I am an intermediate rider and am confident cantering where as my friend can trot and has a good seat at canter but doesn't have a lot of experience at that gait.
Kind Regards,
Rianne
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Hi Rianne
Good news, yes with Dart Stables Horse riding on the River Wild section (2hrs) part of the combo (Ride of the Rings combo) you can trot and canter subject to the guides assessment of your riding ability. The other part of the combo called the Ride of the Rings (1.5hrs) is a walking only part of the combo.
How many hours riding is there in the combined river and the rings ride.
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Hi Colleen,
The Dart Stables River Ride is 2 hours, the Rings Ride is a little shorter at 1.5 hours. So the total time riding in the combo will be 3.5 hours.
Hi, we will be travelling in this area around Easter and I was wondering if your ride of the rings will operate over the Easter break
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Hi Debbie. Yes the Dart Stables horse riding does operate all year and the Easter break is a very busy time of year in Queenstown so I would recommend booking in advance. Once you book online we will email your booking confirmation straight back to you.
We would like to take either the Ride of the Rings OR the River Wild horseback ride on Thursday morning, January 9th. What are the times of each of the rides (from Glenorchy)? What is the difference in the scenery that we would see on each? How much further from Glenorchy is Paradise? Whatever information you can give us will help us decide right away!
Thanks
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Hi Debbie, much of the scenery is very similar on both of the Dart Stables horse rides as all of the rides are in the same area however the River Wild focuses on river crossings and Ride of the Rings focuses on seeing Lord of the Rings filming sites. Also, the River Wild is a 2 hour trek as oppose to the Ride of the Rings which is a 1.5 hour trek. Both treks depart either at 9.15am or 2.15pm from Glenorchy but transfers are available from Queenstown as well. Paradise is a further 18km down the road from Glenorchy.
Hi, my wife and I are looking to do the Ride of the Rings towards the last few days in Sept and I was just wondering is there only 1 departure time of 2pm or is there a morning option too?
Thanks.
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Hi Iain. The Ride of the Rings horse riding in Queenstown operates two daily departures all year at 8.15am & 1.30pm. The mornings are often the best time to ride anyway so I definitely recommend booking your ride at 8.15am. You will be picked up from your hotel or from central Queenstown.
Hi,
my friend and I are hoping to do one of the riding trails but need some clarifyng as to transport. We will be in a hotel towards the centre of Queenstown. How do we organise to be picked up and taken to the venue? Is this part of the booking procedure, or do we need to organise it with the hotel?
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Hi Amy. Yes hotel transfers are included in the horse riding tour in Queenstown. When you book online via our website please indicate which hotel you are staying in and we can arrange to pick you up from there or from a central Queenstown location. Dart stables is about a 50 minute drive out of Queenstown. You will be dropped back off at your hotel after your horse ride.
Hi there, I want to book a River and Rings tour on 14th June and I wish be picked up from Queenstown. However, I realised the following information:
-8.15am and 1.30pm from Queenstown
-River and Rings departs at 8.15am.
This made me confused.
Do I need to be the place one day early?
Thanks for your help.
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Hi
For the River & Rings Tour, you will need to allow 8 hours. Therefore you will need to depart on the 8:15am trip.
The 1:30pm trip is for shorter trips.
Hi there - me and a friend are on the kiwi experiance and are Lord of the Rings fanatics - we were wondering what would be the best trip for us to do to see as many of the film locations as possible?
Thanks
Taelor
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Hi Taelor. If you are after a horse riding tour in Queenstown that visits the most Lord of the Rings film locations then I'd recommend booking the Ride of the Rings tour with Dart Stables. Please note that the horses only walk on this ride as its more of a sigtseeing tour. If you do want to trot or canter then you will need to book the River Wild tour. This is not as scenic as the Ride of the Rings tour but you will still experience some amazing scenery. If you are up for a full day then you could book the River & Rings ride which incorporates both ride.
My son and I are interested in the "River & Rings" ride this coming August. While I have ridden in the past (mostly day treks) my son (age 21) has never ridden. Would this trek be suitable for a complete beginner?
Thanks
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Hi Tim, the River and Rings ride caters for both experienced riders and beginner riders so you and your son would be absolutely fine to do that ride when you are in Queenstown in August. It is however a full day experience as you are combining two rides (with a break in between the two treks) so it is a long time in the saddle.
I am planning to book for 27nov this year. I would like to know on that time, how much the snow usually left on the mountain?..is it half of it?..i want to have a good picture while doing these activities.
If i am going to go with my wife, can thevtour guide take pictures of us?..like in the photo example.
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Hi Radzi. The snow in the hills and mountains around Queenstown is generally gone by the end of October so I wouldn't count on seeing any unfortunately. That being said, the weather is very changeable in Queenstown and spring and summer snowfalls do sometimes occur. Yes, you are more than welcome to bring along your camera and the guides will be happy to take some pictures of you and the spectacular views.
If my wife 1-2 month pregnant, can she participate in this activities?
Hi Radzi, it is entirely up to your wife as to whether or not she feels comfortable riding pregnant. She is able to ride with Dart Stables however this is entirely at her own risk.
hello, I was looking to do your afternoon ride of the rings next month, October 17th, Can I book just one person for the ride?
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Hi Anna, yes you can certainly book the Ride of the Rings tour for one person. The trip does require minimum numbers to travel however it is highly unlikely that you will be the only person booking the tour. If the tour does for some reason not confirm then you can reschedule for another day or receive a full refund.
I am 15 and have not ridden regularly for a few years and do some trail riding, but am interested in the trilogy ride, would this be suitable? or should i do one of the lower experience rides.
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Hi Sophie. The Dart Stables trilogy loop ride in Queenstown is only suitable for really experienced riders that have ridden at least 100 times and most probably have owned their own horse. Do you fit in this category? If not then I would recommend that you do the River Wild ride which is more suitable for beginner to intermediate riders and even experienced riders will have fun as there is some trotting and cantering. The Ride of the Rings horse ride is more of a scenic option for beginners and there is no trotting or cantering, only walking so I don't think you would enjoy this, unless of course you just wish to take in the spectacular scenery.
Hi there, can you please confirm whether you are open 7 days or which days. I am interested in riding (River Wild) this Friday 17th August. Can you please advise times this ride would depart. From your website I understand this is your shortest ride at 2 hours. I am a very experienced rider but want a short relaxing ride thanks to ski injury, cheers Geraldine
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Hi Geraldine,
Dart Stables Horse Riding are open 7 days a week departing at 8:15am.
There are great trails with epic views - take your camera! It is busy in Queenstown at the moment so I would suggest booking in advance if you want to go out for a ride.
Regards,
Nigel
hi there,
i am wanting to book for my husband and i as this is something he has wanted to do for a while now. i've read in one place that your weight limit is 100kg and in another 95kg. he hovers around the high 90's. is that okay?
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Hi Melynda, your husband should be fine if he is in the 90's. It generally depends on the individual themselves but as long as he is not over 100kg then this shouldn't be an issue to do a Dart Stables ride.
Good Afternoon,
I am coming to Queenstown in NZ in late July Early Aug. I wish to surprise my wife by booking one of your rides. Which do you suggest would be the most enjoyable for this time of the year. My wife is a very experienced rider. I look forward to hearing from you very soon
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Hi Scott. Dart Stables horse riding in Queentown offer a number of great rides to suit horse riders of all abilities. If you wife is very experienced then the Trilogy Loop is the ride for her altough if you want to go along with her and you have ridden less than 100 times then this ride wont be suitable for you. If you want to ride together and you are not very experienced then I recommend booking the River Wild.
Will you be offering riding experiences in July this year?
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Hi Bradley, yes Dart Stables horse riding in Queenstown operates their rides all year round.
Hi There
I will be in Queenstown in late june- just wondering if you still provide the tours in high winter?
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Hi Jay. Yes Dart Stables will be open in June they operate all year round.
Hi,
I USED to be a rider (never jumped but took lessons and went on rides in the European Alps) 20 years ago. I am now 48. I have NOT ridden, perhaps just once. I am wondering whether I could do the combined rides, starting at 8:15. Just the beginners' ride may not be what I want, but the combined ones may be too difficult or too long. What do you think?
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Hi Cecilia, I would recommend doing the River and Rings ride at Dart Stables. This means you will do both the Ride of the Rings and the River Wild rides. Ride of the Rings is a fantastic scenic ride and you will enjoy it no matter what your riding ability because of the scenerey however the River Wild will allow you to focus a bit more on your riding skills and give you the chance to have a canter etc.
Hi I am interested in the Trilogy Loop. Is there an opportunity to ride bareback?
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Hi Esther. The Trilogy Loop horse ride with Dart Stables in Queenstown is an amazing ride for experienced horse riders. They won't, however, permit bareback riding as it's a 3 hour, 23km ride and this would not be very comfortable for the horses, or for the rider either. It is also too dangerous an option for a commercial horse riding company to offer. I hope this doesn't put you off booking this tour as it is truly an amazing experience with the most picturesque scenery.
Hi, I would like to book to do the Trilogy ride in May, however am just wondering if there are any really really high and steep parts to the ride? I mean high like the Remarkables high?
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Hi Karen. The Trilogy horse ride offered by Dart Stables in Queenstown does not have any really high or steep parts at all.
Hi - Interested in your Lord of the Rings Horse riding tours. The time suggested for River Wild or Ride of the Rings is 5 hours. If you are doing the River and Rings combined tour how long does that go for? And how long is the break in Glenorchy? Thank you!
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Hi Belinda, The River and Rings Horse Ride tour does the 2 hour River Wild ride in the morning and finishes by 12.30pm, you then have until 2pm to walk round Glenorchy which is a 10 minute walk from the Stables. Then you will start the Ride of the Rings 1.5 hour horse ride at 2pm. This trip includes pick up from your accommodation in Queenstown.
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Reply from Everything Travel Group
Hey Katherine, Thanks so much for your feedback. Truly glad you had a great time. Happy Travels :) Kind regards, Alicia.
Posted 19-Sep-2017