Questions,
answered.

Not for our day rides — the horses are calm and we start slow, covering the basics before we leave the gate. Our overnight trips are private, so the guide sets the pace to you: the easy hot-springs nights suit complete first-timers, while the four-day Fowlers Circuit rewards fitness and saddle confidence. Keen, fit beginners are welcome on the bigger trips too — just tell us and we will make it work.

Long trousers, sturdy closed shoes or boots, a warm layer and a waterproof jacket. We supply helmets and tack. For overnights you bring a sleeping bag (or rent one from us) and personal layers.

Day rides suit almost everyone. The Fowlers Circuit is physically and mentally demanding across remote, self-supported terrain — moderate-to-good fitness and saddle confidence required.

Yes — for safety and for the horses’ welfare, every ride and expedition has a minimum rider age of 10 and a maximum rider weight of 110 kg. If you’re near the weight limit, or riding with younger children, get in touch and we’ll talk through the options.

From 90 minutes to four days. The scenic ride runs 1.5 hours with morning and afternoon departures, the half-day trek 3.5–4 hours and the full-day adventure 6–7 hours including stops. Overnight trips run two days and one night, three days and two nights, or four days and three nights on the Fowlers Circuit.

We ride out of the St James Homestead in the St James Conservation Area, about 20 minutes beyond Hanmer Springs village and roughly 90 minutes’ drive north of Christchurch on State Highway 7. Most guests drive; there is also a daily coach service to Hanmer Springs. Directions and a map are on our contact page.

We ride year-round, and each season gives you a different country. January and February are the warmest and most settled; March is our own pick, with gold tussock and cold clear nights; June to August is deep winter, with a hot pool in the snow and nobody else out there. September and October are the most changeable. A month-by-month breakdown is on the weather page.

Yes, on the right one. The one-night and two-night hot-springs trips are private, easy-paced and run behind a string of pack horses, so they suit first-timers with a basic level of fitness. The four-day Fowlers Circuit is the exception: it asks for real saddle confidence and is not one for a complete beginner. If you are new to riding, start with our beginner guide.

Expeditions are private — just you and your crew, no strangers along. Day rides are kept small and personal too.

Canvas tipi tents with portable wood stoves and sleeping mats provided. No built facilities out there — water comes fresh from the mountain creeks.

We ride year-round and route around conditions. Alpine weather changes fast and nights can drop near 0°C even in summer, so warm layers matter. Routing may shift after rain — your guide makes the call. Month-by-month conditions and the forecast lines we won’t cross are on our weather page.

Helmets are mandatory while riding. Guides are first-aid trained and carry satellite communications, and helicopter evacuation is available for emergencies.

We do, and it is some of the best riding of the year. Expect days at or below freezing on the tops, about nine hours of daylight, and a natural hot pool to sink into at the end of it. There is usually no full snow cover at the level we ride and camp. Winter riders need a four-season sleeping bag and proper layers — the winter kit list is on the weather page.

Every overnight trip and expedition is private to your own party — a minimum of two riders and a maximum of four, with the pace built around you. Day rides are shared, but kept small: four to six riders, and the guide shapes the ride around the group.

Bookings and payments run securely through WeTravel. Pick a journey on our Book page, or send an enquiry and we’ll help you choose the right trip first.

Yes — we accommodate dietary requirements (applied to the whole group on shared trips). Just let us know in advance.

Day rides: the 1.5-hour Backcountry Scenic Ride is $160, the half-day trek $350, and the full-day adventure $550, all per person in New Zealand dollars. Multi-day: the one-night hot-springs trip is NZD 1,300 per person, the two-night version NZD 2,600, and the four-day Fowlers Circuit NZD 4,500. Hunting support and custom itineraries of up to 14 days are quoted per trip.

Your horse and tack, a helmet, and an experienced guide on every trip. On overnight trips we also carry and set the camp, provide canvas tipi tents with wood stoves, sleeping mats, and all meals and hot drinks, and the pack horses that get it there. You bring personal clothing and a sleeping bag — ours are rated to 0°C and can be hired, though winter riders should bring a four-season bag.

Yes. Day rides go out in small groups, so a single rider joins one and rides. Overnight trips need a minimum of two riders, so we keep a list of solo travellers and pair people into departures — add your dates on the solo riders page and we will let you know when a trip firms up.

We decide from the forecast before we leave, not at the road end. We do not travel if the overnight low is under −5°C, if gusts are forecast above 25 m/s, if heavy rain is set to sit over the whole trip, or if two of those stack up. If a trip has to move, we will work with you to shift it — so keep your travel dates as flexible as you can, especially in winter and the shoulder seasons.