Activity Tips
Kevin Ditamore – Owner / Manager
Many people don’t realize that Hawaii has a rich cowboy tradition and that ranching is big in the islands. The Hawaiian language even has a word for cowboy … “Paniolo.” You’ll tap into that history if you do a horseback ride on Maui. Because horseback riding takes place in small groups, reservations should be made well in advance of your arrival … we suggest three weeks as a minimum.
Mendes Ranch is the largest and most well-known horseback riding operation on Maui. They have stunning ocean views from their ranch which is nestled at the top of a 1,000 foot bluff along the north shore of the West Maui Mountains. You ride from the upper ranch down a gently sloping trail that leads all the way to the ocean and then back again. This ride has a slow enough pace for beginners who have never been on a horse before, but there are one or two places where the more experienced can canter for short distances. This ride scores well on scenery; less so for the actual horse experience as these horses seem to be in control of the rider and not the other way around. Overall it’s a good experience for beginners, or for more advanced riders we recommend their private rides. Call for the details at 1.877.678.7333. Mendes Ranch recently changed the length of their rides from 2 hours to an hour and a half. They said that the 2 hour ride was taking 2 and a half hours, so they adjusted the ride to 90 minutes so that it now takes 2 hours … haha. I think it’s safe to say the ride there will last between an hour and a half and two hours depending on the speed of the group. A nice affordable BBQ lunch is available with either the morning or afternoon ride, but if you plan to eat lunch we recommend you do the morning ride and then eat lunch. The afternoon ride eats lunch and THEN goes on the horseback ride, and if you eat too much you might feel more like taking a nap than riding a horse!
Lahaina Stables & Makani Olu Ranch are also great horseback riding options.
Please note maximum weights and minimum ages for riders when making your reservations.
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