Horseback riding

Want to discover the magical landscapes of the South Province in an original way? Share New Caledonians’ passion for horses: go horseback riding! On your mount, you’ll gain access to places that are usually inaccessible. Rivers, plains, mountains, beaches… Get up high and explore the territory! Led by experienced guides, enter the heart of rural New Caledonia and share the lifestyle of the Broussards. Equestrian tourism continues to grow in New Caledonia. There are now many options for horseback riding, for a few hours or several days…

Dive into the heart of the rural world on horseback

To explore the South Province on horseback is to enter a rural world of preserved traditions. Equine owner-breeders are often long-standing residents who know a lot about their island’s history. With them, the whole culture of the bush opens up to you. The stockmen generously share their testimonies of the past, their bush lifestyle, their relationship with the land. Several equestrian centers are located on livestock farms, such as Les 3 Boucles in Thio, where you can watch the cattle bathing. In this typical West Coast atmosphere, riding a horse proves to be much more than a classic horseback ride!

Centers with quality labels

The Comité régional de tourisme équestre (CRTE-NC) awards labels to promote equestrian facilities in New Caledonia. A guarantee of quality, safety and professionalism, these labels are based on a number of criteria. Guide qualifications, equestrian center insurance, declarations, etc. These “horseshoes” guarantee that riders are in safe hands. The following facilities have been awarded the label in South Province:

Live your Wild West dream

Eager to feel like a cowboy? Put on a hat, jeans and leather boots, and head to one of the West Coast ranches. Some passionate landowners will be delighted to share what makes them tick on a daily basis: the horses, of course, but above all this Wild West culture, worthy of the best Westerns. You only have to visit the local agricultural festivals to realize this. At the Bourail fair or the Fête de Boulouparis, there’s always a rodeo to play the stockmen! Wind pump, vintage horse-drawn carriage, gaiac furniture… At the Ranch de l’îlot Puen in Boulouparis or the Far West Ranch

Our Selection of Horseback Riding Trails

Pocquereux RandonnéesSERVICE PROVIDERSLa Foa

Yala RanchSPORTDumbéa

La Foa RandonnéesSERVICE PROVIDERSLa Foa

Vaqueros RandoSERVICE PROVIDERSLa Foa

A land and water experience

The South Province offers horseback riding experiences where leaving the heights to reach the shore can be done in the same day! Imagine galloping along a white sandy beach, swimming with your horses, with the mountains in the distance and the ocean in front of you… The Lebris peninsula near La Foa or the islet Puen are just some of the spots where horseback riding rhymes with the lagoon! At low tide, you can even explore the mangrove swamps. Inland, it’s in the rivers that you’ll find those magical sensations, when your horse swims with you on its back.

Service providers who can take you for a ride between land and water:

On the beach/at sea

Into river

Arpentiate the Central Range on your mount

While equestrian activities often begin inside estates and ranches, they soon take to steeper terrain. Horseback riding is an original way – sometimes the only way – of accessing the landscapes of New Caledonia’s Central Range. At a slow pace, high up on your mount, you gradually climb the steep mountain slopes to reach the grandiose panoramas of the ridges. Relief, plains and ocean merge into one. Along the way, it’s a chance to get to know the endemic plant and animal species.

Get more inspiration in south province

Explore the best of the south province