5 great horseback holidays in Australia

Time to saddle up for your next riding adventure? Here are five of the great horseback experiences around Australia.

1. Horseback Winery Tours, VIC

Length: one day

Vino and ponies; is there a happier match? Based in Red Hill on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, Horseback Winery Tour s has been taking travellers to wineries on horseback for 15 years, with plans to open a new five-million-dollar equestrian centre and cellar door.

Weaving through farmland, down picturesque country roads and across rolling hills overlooking the sea, the tours then stop at cellar doors such as Red Hill Estate , Olive Grove and T’Gallant Winemakers . Pick up a bottle (or box), which you collect at the end of your ride. Among the packages is a three- and five-hour option (from $160 and $250 per person, respectively).

2. Snowy River Horseback Adventures, NSW

Length: 2–5 days

The Man from Snowy River meets a touch of luxe with Snowy River Horseback Adventures. Designed for experienced riders, the two-to-five-day treks meander along tracks used by wild brumbies in Kosciuszko National Park, through snowgum forests, along crystal clear streams and up peaks with postcard-perfect valley views.

Horse riding Jindabyne Snowy Mountains — Outdoor more: Horse riding in the Snowy Mountains.

Then after a day of spectacular scenery, retreat to the grand Old Ingebirah Homestead for a hot shower (or spa bath), a sumptuous three-course meal and relax on the verandah or in front of a cosy log fire.

3. Kelly’s Ranch Riding School, NT

Length: 2.5 hours

Run by long-time stockman Jerry Kelly, a traditional owner of the region in Tennant Creek, these tours are a lesson in both horse riding and local bush tucker. From private riding lessons ($50 per adult) to scenic trail rides through the surrounding wilderness ($150 per person), all options cater to various skill levels and ages.

Along the way, Kelly also points out native food sources and tells tales from the ‘good ol’ days’, topped off with a cup of billy tea and a slice of damper cooked on an open fire.

4. Jillaroo training at Home Valley Station, WA

Length: one day

Set alongside the spectacular Cockburn Ranges in WA’s iconic Kimberley region, this once-thriving cattle station now hosts a range of horse riding experiences for guests.

There’s childrens’ pony rides ($15 per child) to guided trail rides along the Pentecost River ($120 per person), but it is the Mini Cattle Muster option (from $290 per person) that’s the most unique. That is, with the help of Home Valley’s resident ringers, guests (regardless of riding ability) can learn how to ride for a real cattle muster in true jillaroo/jackaroo fashion.

5. Uluru Camel Tours, NT

Length: one day

OK, we admit it, this isn’t strictly a horse-riding experience, but it’s still an unforgettable outback experience on a four-legged steed. Set in Australia’s most iconic outback location, with Uluru and Kata Tjuta as memorable backdrops, there’s a number of rides available including Camel Express tours during the day (from $75), as well as sunrise and sunset tours (from $119).

Uluru Camel Tour NT — Camel-back trekking: Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park.

But the ultimate ride is arriving by camel to a Sounds of Silence dinner – a bush-tucker inspired buffet under the stars, enhanced by a traditional dance performance and a talk from the resident ‘star talker’ (from $275). See ayersrockresort.com.au

Did you know?

You can catch a game of ‘horse soccer’ in Queensland’s outback town of Hughenden – about 350 kilometres north of Longreach. It’s one of 20 sporting events at the biennial Great Western Games, held in July 2015. see flinders.qld.gov.au

MORE: Want more adventure ideas?

WA might be enormous, but the right insider knowledge brings its mysteries a whole lot closer.

“Western Australia is a land of record-breakers,” says Carolyn Tipper, a Travel Director working on AAT Kings Western Australia tours. “It has the second-longest fault line, the second-largest meteorite crater, the second-fastest flowing river—it just keeps surprising you. And every area has its charm.”

From tropics to deserts, Australia’s largest state is a land of extremes. You can’t see all of Western Australia in a lifetime, but with the right guide, you can discover its hidden pockets of magic.

Carolyn wishes to reach her guests’ hearts. “I want them to enjoy and be in awe,” she says. “I want them to have the holiday of a lifetime.”

1. Mimbi Caves

You wouldn’t expect a Great Barrier Reef in the outback – but that’s what you’ll find at Mimbi Caves. Once part of a 350-million-year-old reef, these caves hold marine fossils, ancient Indigenous rock art, and Dreamtime stories shared by a Gooniyandi guide.

“That’s when the real connection happens,” says Carolyn, who has taken guests through on the AAT Kings Wonders of the West Coast and Kimberley tour . “When guests connect, not just with the land, but with the people who have called it home for tens of thousands of years.”

Eye-level view of traveller exploring Mimbi Caves. — Walk through ancient limestone passages. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

2. Kalbarri National Park

Nothing prepares you for the Kalbarri Skywalk: a 25-metre platform jutting over Murchison Gorge, 100 metres above the red cliffs and river below. From July to October, join the AAT Kings Untamed Pilbara and West Coast tour to see over 1000 wildflower species paint the park, and listen as an Indigenous guide shares their uses, bush foods and medicine plants.

“I want our guests to have an emotional experience,” says Carolyn. “It’s not just about seeing the land, it’s about stepping into the stories.”

An aerial view of the Kalbarri Skywalk, one of the secret places in Western Australia, with visitors on the edge. — Stand on the Kalbarri Skywalk in Western Australia. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

3. Hamelin Bay Wines

Margaret River isn’t just a top wine region – it’s a winner in every category. Where the Indian and Southern Oceans collide, granite cliffs rise, limestone caves sprawl and Karri forests tower. It almost distracts from the world-class Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay.

Almost.

Out of over 100 cellar doors, AAT Kings pick Hamelin Bay Wines as a favourite. Hosted tastings of small-batch wines on the Western Wonderland tour end with a group meal. The menu shifting with the seasons.

“Get off the beaten track to one of WA’s most relaxed venues for some amazing red and white signature wines,” explains Carolyn, “accompanied with upmarket pub food.”

Spectacular views.

A person raising a glass of Chardonnay against a glowing Western Australia sunset. — Sip world-class wines at Hamelin Bay in Western Australia. (Image: Getty)

4. Wildflower Guided Walk, Kings Park

Western Australia is home to 12,000 native plant species – 3000 bloom in Kings Park’s Botanic Garden. Stroll past Kangaroo Paw, Banksia and blooms from the Goldfields, Stirling Ranges and Kimberley. “The diversity of Western Australia is immense,” says Carolyn, who leads guests through on the South Western Escape tour .

Couple enjoying the view from the Lotterywest Federation walkway at Kings Park and Botanical Garden. — Wander among thousands of native plant species. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

5. Hoochery Distillery

Did you know that between Kununurra and Emma Gorge lies the state’s oldest continuously operating distillery? Well, the oldest legal one. Set on a family farm, Hoochery Distillery was hand-built using materials found on the property, conjuring up award-winning rum from local sugarcane, wet season rainwater and yeast.

Today, visitors can sample a hearty nip of rum, along with whiskies and gins – all crafted using traditional, labour-intensive methods. It’s the ideal way to soak up the ‘spirit’ of the Kimberley on the AAT Kings’ Untamed Kimberley tour .

People enjoying a rum tasting at one of the secret places in Western Australia. — Sample award-winning rum. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

6. Geraldton

The wildflowers of the Midwest will make your heart blossom. In Geraldton, the Helen Ansell Art Gallery brings the region’s botanicals to life in vivid colour and intricate detail. In nearby Mullewa, wander bushland trails lined with everlastings and native blooms. Further afield, Coalseam Conservation Park bursts into carpets of pink, white, and yellow each spring. Do it all on the Wildflower Wanderer tour with AAT Kings.

woman walking through Wildflowers, Coalseam Conservation Park — Chase vibrant wildflower trails. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

7. El Questro

Wake up after a night under the stars at Emma Gorge Resort, ready to explore the mighty beauty of the El Questro Wilderness Park. With deep gorges, thermal springs, and cascading waterfalls, time slows here.

Join the AAT Kings’ Wonders of the West Coast and Kimberley tour to drift through Chamberlain Gorge, where sheer sandstone walls glow burnt orange in the sun, archer fish flick at the surface, and rock wallabies peer down from ledges above. Then, step into Zebedee Springs, a secret oasis of warm, crystal-clear pools among prehistoric Livistona palms – a moment of pure, wild stillness.

Emma Gorge Resort at El Questro. — Wake to adventure at Emma Gorge Resort. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

8. Lake Argyle

Once vast cattle country, Lake Argyle now sprawls like an inland sea – Western Australia’s largest freshwater lake, created by the damming of the Ord River. Scattered with over 70 islands, its glassy waters teem with life, like freshwater crocodiles, barramundi, bony bream, sleepy cod and over 240 bird species. That’s nearly a third of Australia’s avian population.

Glide across the lake’s surface on a cruise as part of AAT Kings’ Untamed Kimberley tour , where the silence is only broken by the splash of fish and the call of birds. For Carolyn, this place is a perfect example of how WA’s landscapes surprise visitors. “Lake Argyle is a big puddle of water that became a game-changer,” she says. “Seeing it from a boat, coach, and plane is mind-blowing. It puts time, isolation and the sheer scale into perspective.”

Aerial View of Triple J Tours on the Ord River, near Kununurra. — Glide past islands on Western Australia’s largest freshwater lake. (Image: Western Australia)

Discover more of Western Australia’s hidden gems and book your tour at aatkings.com.