Where we ride · St James Conservation Area
Horse Trekking near Christchurch
Ninety minutes from the city — swap the motorway for a mountain skyline.
You can be in the saddle, deep in the mountains, less than two hours after leaving Christchurch. The drive north on State Highway 7 trades the city for the Hurunui hills, and by the time you reach the St James Conservation Area the only traffic is the river.
It makes a brilliant day trip: leave Christchurch early, ride the high country before lunch, and be home for dinner. With a little more time, a one- or two-night expedition turns the same drive into a proper escape — hot springs, canvas camps and a sky thick with stars.
Flying into Christchurch Airport? You are 90 minutes from a horse and a mountain skyline. Pick up a rental, point it north, and we will handle the rest.
Getting here
90 min from Christchurch
Every ride leaves from the St James Homestead, about 20 minutes north of Hanmer Springs in the St James Conservation Area. We send full directions and a meeting time the moment you book — no four-wheel-drive needed, the road in is sealed most of the way.
Two ways
to ride
Whether you have a spare morning or a spare week, there is a ride from Christchurch that fits.
Horse Trekking near Christchurch — good to know
Around 90 minutes north via State Highway 7, through Hanmer Springs to the St James Homestead trailhead.
Yes — a day ride works perfectly as a day trip. Leave the city in the morning and you will be back by evening.
Plenty of our riders do exactly that. Hire a car at the airport and drive north; we send full directions when you book.
