Testimonials ~ Asia & Middle East

Jordan

Heading home now after an exhilarating and flawless adventure in Jordan. It exceeded all expectations. The group on the ground - both Hashem (& his incredible horses) and Zaman - were exceptional and every detail went off without a hitch. I cannot think of a better way to escape from the news around us than in this stunning oasis. The Jordanian people are so lovely and welcoming and the country is magical. I look forward to returning one day. FD (USA)

This is an awesome ride in an awesome country. Jordan is an incredibly beautiful country and is an oasis of calm in an area of increasing unrest. The people are friendly and helpful and despite the terrible things going on in neighboring countries we felt safe at all times.
Hashem and his team go out of their way to look after and accommodate everyone and the horses are beautifully looked after. There are
not many places you can gallop towards an uninterrupted horizon on good ground, on fast well behaved horses. And then camp out next to your horses after a simply delicious freshly made lunch and/or supper. It just doesn’t get any better! AH (Guernsey)

We had the BEST time. Feels so surreal to be back. Hashem was a great guide, really matched us well to our horses (bar one who was a bit slow but he swapped it immediately) and every horse was fun, fast, well behaved, not crazy, just the right level of excitement to them. We had such fun galloping around, racing, and taking in the amazing scenery.
Not to mention the food which was delicious. We were so well looked after. Thank you for organising it all, it couldn’t have gone better.
AM (Oxfordshire)

Have just completed the survey and may I say again here, this trip was one of the best experiences of my life!! Thank you so much to Ride World Wide and all the individuals in Jordan who made it so unforgettable. I would do it again in a heartbeat and am already desperate to come back to Jordan. LM (Cumbria)

Just to let you know - the trip was fabulous- especially Hashem and his horses!! The group was super!! I am at the Jordanian airport and hope to return to this marvelous country soon!! KL (USA)

Hashem and Samer and crew were attentive, concerned with all the riders and wellfare; Hashem loved his horses and they were in great condition! love that; he was great fun too. Hashem kept it fun, a good pace, while keeping everyone safe. CW (USA)

This was an amazing ride - I can imagine it's not for everyone as the camping and the terrain are rough but that was very clear up-front and expected.....Hashem is an exemplary ride leader, one of the top guides I've had on any ride. LM (USA)

Just to say what a fantastic week we had in Jordan. All your arrangements worked perfectly and all Jordanian team charming and very helpful and cheery. We could not have enjoyed it more - Petra and wadi rum huge wow factors- greatly exceeding our expectations. So thank you and I shall certainly recommend you to anyone who asks. GW (Oxfordshire)

I just wanted to say a huge thank you for organising the trip. It really surpassed all expectations and you put together a fabulous group.
Enormous fun! It is easy for us all to forget how utterly crucial you (RWW) are to these trips. The comfort we all get that the quality and safety of the ride is assured is easily forgotten. And the luxury of not having to think or worry about anything is a big part of the trip. Finding Hasham is also a big part of it of course. CG (London)

Fabulous ride Rosie and I'll give 'glowings' when I boot up my laptop but in the meantime just wanted to say it was all good. All round good experience both with Ride World Wide and Hashem (as an excellent guide) in Jordan; thanks to all of you. DM (Australia).

What in your opinion were the highlights of the trip?
“Jerash, Petra, Wādī Rum, the 2x daily gallops, our last evening in the Desert + the Red/Dead Sea. It was interesting on so many different levels and the friendliness of the Jordanian people was outstanding.Hashem was a wonderful charming and amusing Guide and brilliant with every aspect of the horses and very concerned with their welfare. He carefully matched each rider to each horse and knew all the facts about the various sites we visited." S.P (Wiltshire)

Highlights of the trip: “Too many of them. fab scenery, great group, loved the “Lawrence” input. Sleeping out. Exceptionally good horses. Liked being able to take of own horse. The wonderful gallops! Hashem excellent at looking after less confident rider - i.e. me - felt much more confident by end of ride! Just want to thank you for the great organisation, making me flights so easy etc. And Rose was great!” JR (Scotland)

“The highlight of the trip was riding the amazing Arab stallion in the desert in excellent company. It was an excellent holiday that will be very hard to improve on. Good company, beautiful country especially in the desert and very well looked after and cared for throughout. Amazing fit, fast horses with boundless energy and enthusiasm. Amazing time, thank you very much for organising it.” AL (Lancashire)

“There was so much variety that every day was different. Really loved the gallops in the Wadi Rum. Hashem was a bit of a highlight for us girls and frankly he could have lead us round in circles and we wouldn’t have noticed!” JA (Dorset)

“Breath-taking scenery of the Wadi Rum. Brilliant guide with wonderful well trained exciting horses.” DM (Kent)

“Am in Abu Dhabi airport waiting for flight back to HK, and wanted to let you know I had an amazing time - it was unforgettable and I'm now worried no other trail riding holiday can compare! Hashem and team were fantastic (you won't be surprised to hear) and I can't wait to go through my photos. Riding through Petra in the early morning and being able camp in Petra, which is generally not permitted is a highlight. The Wadi Rum campsides were mostly pretty spectacular - worth getting up early to soak in the dawn.” RL (Hong Kong)

What in your opinion were the highlights of the trip? “The horses, very forward moving, being in the great outdoors, exploring Petra from different angles and Wadi Rum was just stunning. The dead sea and snorkelling in the red sea was so refreshing after the dusty desert. The riding was excellent. Rasmi and Samira were very attentive and the cooking excellent.” FC (Paris)

What in your opinion were the highlights of the trip? "Petra. Amazing horses and galloping across the desert. Staying in the second to last location - beautiful amazing camping locations. Really enjoyed it and thought we were looked after really well." MP (London)

What in your opinion were the highlights of the trip? "My horse - absolutely first class, easy to ride and control, but also very fast (we did several gallops in pairs). The guide (Hashem); always mild mannered and good humoured, approachable and informative - but also authoritative. Also the assisting team (Mohammed, Samir, Majed and Natalie) - really good people. The quality of the food (produced with minimal kit). A really very good holiday - but additionally the non-riding parts, were very good; well organised with drivers who were helpful and good company.” JM (West Sussex)

"... wanted to say that I had an absolutely incredible time, it was without doubt one of the best riding holidays I have ever been on, the horses were fantastic and we were given so much freedom, racing full-tilt across the plains of the Wadi Rum was definitely a highlight. Thanks so much for organising everything, especially as it was all so last minute from my end- really glad it came together. From the moment I got in touch the Ride World Wide team was brilliant, everything worked so smoothly door-to-door, Hashem and the team in Jordan were really fantastic and the horses were just perfect, it was a real privilege to ride them. Riding an Arab stallion across the desert was a dream come true! Thanks again for everything, I definitely know who to contact for my next riding holiday!" HB (Oxfordshire)

"I have just come back from Jordan where I had an amazing time. Before I went Rosie and the team were at all times helpful and informative, answering any questions I had to the full.
Hashem our guide and his 3 other colleagues were extremely helpful at all times, making sure we were happy and comfortable. He is a highly skilled horseman who knows his animals and ensures they are healthy, happy and well cared for. This is evident when you ride them as the are willing and eager throughout the days.
Petra is a beautiful sight and although you can walk around at your own leisure later in the day, that morning you ride through which makes it extra special.
Finally a relaxing soak in the Dead sea completes a special few days.
Despite neighbouring countries having political unrest, I never felt concerned for my safety at anytime. In fact I found the people kind and honest". GF (Hampshire)

Discovering Jordan!!! What a fantastic trip..so a big thank you to Nigel, Ruth and Rosie and the ride world ride team. I can say that this Ride was one of the most memorable experiences for me and I have travelled through many countries on horseback. The sheer honour of being able to ride through the historic site of Petra in all its beauty at sunrise and sunset took my breath away. Not only does this amazing country have such history to explore but the people really are some of the friendliest and helpful that I have come across. It is such a tragedy that people have boycotted Jordan from their travel itineraries as it has so much to offer. The trip into Wadi Rum was so special it will stay in my memory forever the colours of the sand and the rock contours are like nothing anywhere in the world and really are breath taking. Not least the wonderfully attentive Hashem, Abdul and Hussain and their incredible back up truck which was a bit like a Tardis forever producing delicious Jordanian food at every stop. The horses were the stars of the show and a pleasure to ride with comfy saddles and a seemingly inexhaustible ability to keep going no matter how deep the sand got!! So big thumbs up and please everyone see it for yourself it has to be on your bucket list!!! CH (Hampshire)

“Overall, I found Jordan a very friendly place, safe and unthreatening. I would recommend anyone to go there now - tourism has been very low since the start of the Arab spring, and Petra was almost empty. Also perhaps some might want to extend their stay in Madaba by 24 hours and see the archaeological sights there - we didn't have time to do so.
It was wonderful to have a native Jordanian as a guide. We learnt a huge amount from Hashem about the country, the customs, his Islamic faith … I wish EVERY guide on RWW trips was a native. I could
not recommended Hashem more highly -- he has beautiful manners, is highly intelligent, could have not looked after us better, and speaks almost perfect English. A fantastic advertisement for Jordan”.
EH (London)

Highlights Of the trip? Canter in Wadi Rum! Petra at dawn. The guides and the ground team dancing and singing. The Jordan sense of humour. Eid story telling.
"I want to thank Eid, Abdul and Hashem for making our trip a memorable one. Hashem was extremely caring both with us and the horses and dealt with any situation professionally and efficiently. He is a great asset and made us feel safe. The whole team was super friendly and fun to be with which is essential on holidays. We all loved the singing and dancing which came from the heart and bound us all as a group. One of the best trips I’ve been on!"
MC (London)

"Loved it all. Horses were fantastic. Scenery was spectacular and everything had been thought of.
Ride World Wide have been fantastic all the way from initial contact by e mail, to booking, to the logistics whilst in Jordan - everything happened as described, or better !
The guide was brilliant - Suleman Hamed - he was fun yet responsible and had a wealth of knowledge and lots of interesting conversations. Thanks v. much for everything".
RT (Newcastle)

"We had a wonderful trip, all well organized and riding was amazing. Guides were great and food was plentiful and tasty for us vegetarians. Sleeping out with the full moon in the desert was a once in a lifetime experience. As we left the trip a day early due to our own plans we were given a night in a 5 star hotel in Aqaba, we did not expect this level of hotel and thought it was very kind that we were given this due to our own decision to leave early. I would thoroughly recommend this trip to anyone. Thanks very much".
J & R T (N.Shields)

"My horse Jericho was absolutely lovely, fast but sensible - exactly as described, the guides were friendly and entertaining and the scenery was spectacular, as was sleeping under the stars, seeing shooting stars for the first time and waking up to the stunning sunrises is something that will stay with me forever".
EW (London)

This was a wonderful holiday. It encompassed excellent riding and the thrill of riding Arabs in their native landscapes; sleeping under the stars; experiencing a different culture; cultural visits; being close to and visiting places of historical importance….and all in 8 days!
LP (Bath)

The combination of riding, sleeping under stars and Faleh’s cousin Awadis lute playing was magical. I enjoyed being ‘with nature’ and so did everyone else – in fact I didn’t want to come back to civilisation / loos / showers and a ceiling above my head – it was a truly moving and magical few days.
DF (Norfolk)

Thank you for another first class holiday. Jordan was a unique experience - stunning scenery, friendly people and the Arab horses added up to a magnificent holiday. Food was exceptionally good, not only in hotels, but in camp – the big traditional lamb dish especially!
DH (Cumbria)

(our guide) Atallah was very committed to the well-being of the horses, and therefore also that we all arrived back at base well and without incident. It was nice that during the ride he would point us in the right direction and then go off to the back and let us ride on without him so that all the horses could spread out across the desert and not just ‘follow the leader’.
JL (Switzerland)

This was the most amazing ride ever from the weather, horses, scenery and riding companions to the guide and his extended family! Ever since leaving the Wadi Rum desert, I have been dreaming of returning.
LB (Glasgow)

I felt that Wadi Rum was the perfect ride for me. I thought that th horses were well cared for, the guide Faleh was fantastic and looked after everyone really well as did the rest of the people at the camp, like the cook.
SG (Middlesex)

The trip surpassed all expectations. The horses were amazing – exactly as described, spirited but safe. The experience was once in a lifetime. The guide and the local guides were professional but excellent company at all times. The food was unbelievable considering it was all cooked on a portable gas stove (travel arrangements were also unbelievably reliable)
TR (Merseyside)

..some of the hotels were a bit run down. There was a cockroach in one and the shower didn’t work in another – it didn’t bother me but it could others. The team - Faleh, Suleiman and Ahmed – were fantastic- they were helpful, kind and very funny. I had an excellent time. Thank you.
AS (London)

It was definitely an advanced ride and, although we were the least experienced, we had an extraordinary time and memories that will never fade. I would definitely warn any other Americans that the camp is not anything like a safari (camp) and is rugged camping, but that was part of the wonderful experience.
SM (USA)

"The horses were spirited, fast and a joy to ride... It’s definitely not a ride for novices...’’
GC (Lancashire)

"I had an absolutely fantastic time in Jordan. I will always remember the experience and thank both Desert Guides and RWW for their invaluable advice prior to departure"
RK (Aberdeen)

"Really enjoyed the whole trip – it was brilliant. If the mattresses were a little thicker, sitting down to eat and sleeping would be much comfier – I’m not criticising, I expected to rough it – just suggestions. Fabulous experience, I would recommend it to anyone providing they are reasonably fit and experienced riders"
LN (London)

"The only thing I would suggest is slightly thicker or more dense sleeping mats. I am a bony bird with square shoulders and I was a bit sore in the mornings… [others may] have liked to do more cantering etc. For myself, hunting and competing on a regular basis, I thoroughly enjoyed the good active walk with occasional canter and the opportunity to relax and view the awesome scenery. I was also very aware how careful Emmanuelle was to preserve the quality of the horses, something I greatly respected. I can only say that the whole package (having an extra day was a huge bonus – we flew Thurs at 5pm) with culture, riding, luxury spa was one of the best holidays I have had. (Communication - Sometimes information was not very forthcoming but as warned in your notes, if you ask for something (be it info or equipment) it was always forthcoming ...forewarned was forearmed). Many thanks"
JB (Wiltshire)

"It was a brilliant trip. I particularly enjoyed sleeping under the stars and the friendliness of the Bedouin guides (and their visitors) – it was a lovely insight into a more natural way of life that we generally experience in the West. I also appreciated the environmental concern and high standards set by the crew ...the riding of course was really excellent, very memorable..."
JW (Derbyshire)

"I thought it was perfect! I loved my horse and I loved the scenery, the desert was more beautiful than I had imagined. People may say the ride is too slow, we only had one or two canters per ride but I thought it was perfect – it allowed you to appreciate your surroundings and really enjoy the complete peace and tranquillity"
NH (London)

"As you may remember I was a little nervous about travelling alone but once I got there, everything was absolutely fine. Hasham’s colleague met me at the airport and was very friendly and informative, the people at the Madaba Inn were especially friendly. Hasham is a very amusing guy so the trip to Petra didn’t seem to take long at all. The four riding/camping guides were brilliant! Mufleh went out of his way to talk to us and tell us about things. I slept outside every night and saw many shooting stars and the Milky Way at around 4am. Thanks again..."
CW (Staffrodshire)

"The local drivers and Bedouin guides could not have been more welcoming. We had a wonderful time and will be recommending it to others. Thank you"
CH (Edinburgh)

India

“Some of the accommodation and service in the forts & hotels was very impressive; Exploring the old ruined forts was a nice addition to the ride; Support services on the ride and in camp were very good; Horse care & preparation were excellent; Very friendly reception from the inhabitants of the various villages we rode through”
TB (London)

"Highlights of the trip:
1. The two-night stay in Fort Dundlod (in itself of great historical interest) and the hospitality we received there, aided by the kind, courteous and attentive staff.
2. The quality of the horses that were carefully matched to individual riders’ ability.
3. Special mention must be made of our host and ride guide, ‘Bonny’ and of his fellow escort, Colonel Singh, both of whom were charming and highly informative.
4. Staying in the three exotic havelis.
5. Seeing village life far off the tourist trail and experiencing the welcome we received in each."
PT & RS (London)

Highlights of the trip: The horses; the incredible contrasts of India; the efficiency and flexibility of the organisation and staff.
CW (E Sussex)

‘’Your description was very accurate and up to date. I had a wonderful trip. The highlight of the holiday was the camping experience away from everyday hustle and bustle, living out with the group and horses, but really enhanced by the high quality hotels, guides, drivers that safely checked us there and back‘’.
LL (Llangollen)

"Everything went wonderfully and Olivia and I really enjoyed the ride - so much in fact that I am seriously contemplating another one once I get my act together.
The team in India were thoroughly professional and Arun and Vipin could not have been more attentive.
Congratulations on a really excellent and professionally run organisation."
PS (Australia)

"It was heaven – I can’t think how you could improve it. Loved every minute of the trip. Team in Delhi extremely efficient and helpful. Excellent and charming guides & very good drivers & comfortable vehicles especially from Delhi to the Fort and on to Laxmi Niwas Palace. Thank you all for organising such a brilliant trip!"
JJ (Wilts)

Q…is there anything you feel we could do to improve this ride? " Honestly No! It was arranged beautifully! These guys know what they are doing! Additional comments: Don’t start me off - I will tell you again and again how wonderful the ride was - I had the BEST time. I couldn’t have picked a better scenario for my 40th birthday. Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
SV (Monmouth)

"We saw 2 tigers! That was a real bonus. I must thank you very much again for organizing such a great holiday. The only problem now is that it can never be bettered! Arun and Bonnie have everything so professionally organised and all the different forms of transport were on time and comfortable (apart from the Indian driving!). Everything was “no problem”. Camp was superb".
JC (Cheshire)

"The Dundlod team and all staff were superb and nothing was too much trouble. Also Expedition Tours arrangements were impeccable".
JB (Wilts)

"The grooms were charming and the guides, especially Shiv, went to great pains to use his imagination to arrange some off-plan trips, eg we stopped off for a local festival, which was great fun and took bottles of wine up to a hillside to watch the sunset over Jaisalmer Fort."
LK-W (Notts)

"We have recently returned from the Pushkar ride and loved pretty well every minute, the horses were great hearted and very handsome, if not exactly pets! Bonnie was kindly and magnificent and staying in his castle was a privilege, not only was there a warm welcome, but there was not an ugly line in the place! Pushkar itself was a wonderful experience, camels and horses as far as the eye could see and many of outstanding quality, I even rode what must be the only soppy and good tempered camel in the world! The second half of the ride from Rhohet was really lovely despite my husband having an unfortunate fall, but Khem, Shiv and the team were kind as well as very efficient and had Anthony riding again the following day! Khem's knowledge of the wildlife was encyclopedic and fascinating. Shiv, the young guide who looked after us on the ground was a very special person and made my life very pleasant by always having some limes for me to squeeze into my drinking water. It would have been nice to have a few days actual camping – the desert camp was so lovely, a sickle moon rising in a violet coloured sky is an image that will live for ever."
FG (Gloucestershire)

"We had a wonderful holiday. I was unaware we would have the opportunity to see so much of Rajasthan before we even rode a horse! And that the accommodation would be so palatial! We had a marvellous group of co-riders and all got on extremely well.. I t was a good mix of Americans and ourselves. A great holiday was had by all."
JC (Cumbria)

"I thoroughly enjoyed the holiday. Arun’s organization was meticulous and I was never left unsure of anything. The hotels were superb, authentic and comfortable. I had a lovely, calm but willing horse to ride. I didn’t want to come back to England"
JS (Bristol)

"It could never be as good again! Our group had an exceptional holiday – Bonnie, Sunayna and the boys made the Heritage Ride very special. And our guide and drivers on the second half of the holiday were also excellent"
CE (Isle of Wight)

"I think nights were colder than we were told... Everyone was most considerate and friendly. I might add that we thought this holiday the best holiday we’ve had. Please thank everyone"
AJ (Isle of Wight)

"Really well organized. We were met and looked after throughout really well. Bonnie was a wonderful guide and they really worked hard to make it fun for us all."
JWB (Devon)

"I loved the riding! The horses were great, we had an amazing time. The sightseeing tours were also good. There was always someone to pick us up etc... perfect!"
SD (Netherlands)

"Arun had everything running like clockwork in his quiet way. There wasn’t a minute that I didn’t enjoy. The sightseeing excellent .We were made to feel like VIPs."
WS (Buckinghamshire)

"All excellent. Guides fabulous – looked after us brilliantly."
TT (Edinburgh)

"For me I was so glad I had those few extra days before the ride to visit the Taj. The build up to the ride with anticipation didn’t abate and carried on throughout the whole trip. I found the ride informative, pleasurable, fun... the group really bonded considering that we were from different parts of the world and from varying backgrounds, professional enterprises etc. I found Bonnie and his team caring and shared such hospitality with them I felt that I had known them for a lifetime."
PWP (Edinburgh)

"The horses on this ride were very forward going and I think we were lucky to have a group of riders of similar experience and ability. The horses were very fresh for the first couple of days. There was a big difference in the levels of accommodation. Certainly character building and made us appreciate our other beautiful hotels, but one of the forts we stayed in was a little gloomy and not quite clean. All other hotels were fantastic. Thank you so much for an incredible trip. We absolutely loved our time in India and the people were amazing"
ME (Somerset)

"The ride was incredible - the holiday of a lifetime and the organization was brilliant. I fell in love with my horse and have so many happy, colourful memories. Well done!! Thank you... feel very privileged to have the opportunity to get to know such wonderful horses and people. Fantastic organization from RWW"
DF (Berkshire)

Mongolia

“The ride is not for the faint hearted, you needed a degree of fitness and a spirit of adventure. Not a luxury tour but an adventure and a chance to learn something of the way of life of people unimaginably further than from my normal life! Mongolia’s history is fascinating and not what the movies would have you believe.” HB (New Zealand)

"I would like to thank the team for arranging a very memorable holiday to a fabulous destination. Mongolia had breathtaking scenery and quite an adventure.The pre-travel service was great and it was very useful to receive the helpful insights from the RRW team. Planning via you guys even at such short notice was the perfect thing to do!!
The team were great and Nomads were courteous and professional throughout the trip. The food was just as required and prepared to perfection. It will be strange going back to riding Dutch Fresian horses in a small arena from now on!!"
KA (Netherlands)

"Just following up on our amazing holiday in Mongolia so that you know what an extraordinary time we had.
Our local guide/ interpreter, Shanda, was a very intelligent young man who went the extra mile to make sure we had everything we needed and was able to accommodate our wishes. He was great company, as were all the horsemen on our journey. I found everything excellent from the horses to the food (keeping in mind the difficulty of what we were doing). It was wonderful to leave behind everything and everyone, literally, and enjoy the beauty and solitude of the Mongolian wilderness, make camp every night, pack up in the morning and leave as if no one had been there! The riding was challenging from a difficulty perspective - going through fairly fast running rivers, boggy mud areas and steep terrain - but it was not arduous and we were only riding between 4and 5 hours a day. It was well thought out. The lead horseman (Aagy) was well prepared, thoughtful and in control at all times.
The countryside was stunning - rivers, forests, mountains
I think your advice to be flexible was perfect as the trip unfolded on a daily basis - it is difficult to predict the weather and even though we had mostly great weather we did encounter, thunderstorms, lightening, hail and rain.
Two things I would point out - I was glad to have had the update about the cold at night - I took all my heavy duty thermals and a great sleeping bag and did not have a problem.
But I only had a light weight rain jacket for daytime and if I had not purchased a horseman's rubber coat in the market on Shanda's advice ($10) I would have been wet and cold. This maybe something that all participant get or advised about.
One other thing - Candy and I were going to share a tent but at the last minute decided to go with one each which was a really good move. They are small and 2 people could lie down in them but there would be almost no space for laying out your kit and if it is wet you have to be in your tent as there was no communal area that wasn't in the open. We had very little rain so it was not an issue for us.
I hope this helps
I cannot say enough what a unique and extraordinary time we had. Thank you thank you !"
LM (London)

“Staying with the horseman’s family was really interesting, as you got to really see the culture close up.
The scenery was amazing, especially higher up in the mountains where there were alpine pastures filled with wildflowers”.
SW (Kent)

"This is not a trip for wimps! There are flies, thunderstorms and no shelter from either, but as far as the riding goes, it is fantastic. Amazing horses which are not shod, groomed, petted or fed on anything other than grass and water, which will gallop endlessly. We averaged about 35km a day, and at one stage clocked 18kms in 30 mins. While at first I was a bit disappointed that there were only the two of us on the ride, it turned out to be very fortunate as we could go at our own pace all the time.
They have a very different attitude to horses to ours - they aren’t at all sentimental. They don’t groom them or pet them or even give them names - I was told not to go near them when I first went to make friends - I was told that they were wild and that they would kick! They are however, in excellent condition and it’s amazing with they can do just on grass and water - and they gallop over stony paths happily with no shoes!
The trip also gave us an interesting mix of horses and aspects of the largely Buddhist culture. But I thought the Naadam Festival was a bit of a let-down. When we were on the actual ride we came across a local festival, which was much nicer and had all of the same events that the one in UB had, but it seemed more authentic and you could get closer to the action.
I think Nomads do an excellent job of putting together a fantastic ride, and it is a great privilege to have experienced what is undoubtedly an insight into the last great horse culture of the world".
KS (Devon)

The small number of clients on this trip allowed us to know everybody really well - it felt as if we were a real group not just holidaymakers. Our guide was an amazing conduit for communication.
This trip was amazing - the pack horse transportation made it feel like a real adventure - really travelling, My horse went like the wind and we experienced random events that no amount of planning could have surpassed. Thank you.
DF (Yorks)

Adyanaa the Nomads guide was AMAZING, we were so well looked after and she was so much fun. We went out all together on the last night and it was great to have a guide so close to my own age.
LS (Herts)

Our guide Tumee was an excellent ambassador for her country. Her knowledge of its history and religions were a credit to her. I got the horse I asked for – steady and reliable. The holiday was an amazing experience…..Everyone from Nomads, from cook’s assistant to head horseman worked extremely hard the whole trip, particularly in the worst of the weather.
CW (Somerset)

This was an amazing holiday. I have gone on 4 riding holidays previously in the USA and Europe – this exceeded all. I was extremely impressed at the support provided prior to leaving. Your team covered everything required. The advice and information received ensured everything ran smoothly. Thank you so much for your help making sure this holiday was truly amazing.
CS (Edinburgh)

"We had a great time and it all went very smoothly apart from the weather! The scenery was wonderful and we were well looked after throughout the trip. We found Ulaan Bataar fascinating and very much enjoyed the visits to the monastery, museums and the cultural evenings we were taken on by our guide as well as the exploring we did by ourselves."
PC (Dorset)

"Facilities and food basic but better than expected! All the staff, guide, driver, cooks and horsemen were very helpful and very good company."
PI (Berkshire)

"Overall the organization of the ride was very good. Sogie our guide did everything to make the holiday a really good experience. The whole of the camp staff and horsemen made the holiday a very good and happy riding holiday. This is the 2nd time we have gone and we hope to go again..."
GW (London)

"The trip operator and their staff were excellent. I thoroughly enjoyed the holiday Very accurate information - by far the best of any other rider on the trip"
NH (Hampshire)

"It en-captures all the elements of experiencing the naturalness of the landscape with the extraordinary hospitality of the local people. The people who looked after us were amazing. Our guide Tumen was exceptional and an integral part to our enjoyment. The horsemen were exceptional – and the adventure experienced was a truly memorable honeymoon!"
SE & AD (London)

"We absolutely loved our time in Mongolia and this was mainly due to getting a feel for and enjoying the people away from UB. They were friendly, funny and caring and even the language wasn’t a barrier – we had lots of adventures including rounding up wild mares and watching them being milked and blessing their new stallion followed by the ubiquitous tea party ‘sans vodka’, capturing and riding a passing yak, trying our hand at milking a goat (also captured) we were rubbish at that and only got enough for a cup of tea!"
SM (Dorset)

"...the hotel Ghengis Khan is perfectly comfortable ...despite the weather frequently being extremely wet, the ride proved most enjoyable for all concerned with fabulous spots in which to camp. The vastness and the silence of the Great Steppes, with a background of distant mountains, provided an unforgettable experience... The horses are tough as nails - really only ponies between 12 hands 2 and 13 hands 3 - and can carry heavy weights all day long, and once the technique of riding them is mastered are fun and comfortable to ride. Mongolia in every respect exceeded our wildest hopes and expectations"
PB (Berkshire)

Turkey

"wanted to let you know we just got back from the most fabulous week in Cappadocia with Nico and Helen. Unbelievable horses, riding, scenery, hospitality, could not have asked for more. Thank you so much for organising on such a tight time scale....." R & E (London)

"6 Days of the Best Trail Riding - Great looking, forward, spirited but safe mannerly fit horses, mainly well put together Arab crosses covering up to 36km's per day over difficult and varied terrain. You either walk or canter due to the natural gaits of the Arab.
Safe and comfortable tack with great instruction for those not used to trail riding or tethering.
Amazing, amazing views for absolutely 99% of all the rides. Perfect lunches at different restaurants every day with interesting hotel stops each night.
Nico and Helene went out of their way to look after my non riding partner with GPS guided walks and visits to historical sites.
Would we recommend the progressive trail, and would we love to come back. 100% yes on both counts.
Be walk and ride fit though otherwise you may find 6 hours in the saddle including some stiff hill climbs/walks quite difficult".
FW (Somerset)

“We did have a fantastic time the riding was great - all quite stretching and adventurous, but nice horses and, as always, a most delightful mix of punters! Many thanks for another brilliant holiday.”
BC (Leicestershire)

“the countryside was absolutely stunning, the weather gloriously hot, but with a breeze most of the time. My horse was fantastic, the baklavas were un-missable, the rest of the team so nice and probably the highlight was having survived!!”
GJD (Northumberland)

“Long canters especially the 12 minute one. the beautiness of the area, other riders in the group. I have been on many horse back riding holidays but this was one of the best ones. Nature was absolutely beautiful!”
HN (Finland)

"Just quickly to say-it was up there with Hungary for me!! Absolutely loved it! Gorgeous horses-lots of good gallops-spectacular scenery-and home each night to good accommodation!! So---where next!!??? The balloon ride was fun too-contrary to my expectations I loved it!! Can't understand why more people don't go to Cappodocia-its unique!! Don't know where to go next! Am running out of plans!"
HF (Warwick)

"I can tick every box with an excellent. It was a superb holiday & Helene & her horses at the Kapadokya Ranch deserve full marks.
Many thanks for recommending them".
DJ (London)

"The ride was EXCELLENT, and I cannot see how anyone could find Nico other than admirable. We had a wonderful time. Thoroughly recommended."
FF (Cayman Islands)

"Stunning scenery. Sweet horse. Sleeping in a cave. Meeting some lovely new friends. Turkish hospitality. Taking an air balloon. Happy and free!
Huge thank you for squeezing me on this ride, was superb!"
LP (London)

Highlights of the trip: Lovely horses, beautiful scenery, great food.
I was very impressed with the level of service Ride World Wide provided.
“Riding through the Cappadocia countryside in May was fantastic; splashing through streams, riding along green valleys with the impressive rock formations, wildflowers, butterflies and birdsong; it was a world away from so-called civilization. Most of the time we saw no one else all week, save a couple of groups of walkers and a couple of mountain bikers. The horses were all very well trained and behaved well, even for a large group in the gallop. However the terrain does require a reasonable level of horsemanship.”
SM (Cambs)

"This was a fabulous holiday - a real trek going through such varied and challenging landscape. Enjoyed the variation in having to walk ourselves - it all made the holiday feel an adventure. Connie our guide was very safety conscious and handled everything well and professionally. The horses were fit and well mannered. Guesthouses were comfortable and food very nice".
LP Bath

"Under difficult circumstances (the other guide was called away) I felt Nico did a great job as our guide for the first two days of our trip. He was always available at the end of the day to organise taxis, excursions etc and his skill with his horses was extraordinary. …Whilst I have limited experience I thought the horses were really well looked after, full of energy and very responsive. There were rest breaks during the day, regular water stops and their well being attended to at all times. I had the most fabulous week and would happily return to Cappadocia".
FN (London)

"I would say it was for advanced riders…it was fantastic - the planning and the trail amazing, food wonderfully delicious and healthy, Nicholas very focused and confidence inspiring at difficult moments (a horse problem and a storm). .. I am very happy that I coped with everything although the ride was even more demanding than I thought".
BF (Suffolk)

The trip was brilliant and better than described. The days were really well paced with lots of breaks and the routes were well planned, varied and always interesting. The campsites were well chosen and varied also and the organisation in getting us from place to place was faultless. There were 9 riders in our group and perhaps a little smaller group would have been better. All in all it was adventurous, charming, sometimes daunting and challenging - everything I could possibly want in a holiday and please pass my thanks and appreciation on to Nicholas and Dominique.
AD (London)

I don’t think there was enough emphasis on how fit you need to be…the horses were lively and the route is quite demanding on both rider and horse. You definitely need to be an experienced rider. I managed to swop to a calmer horse on the 4th day. The experience was absolutely fantastic, countryside amazing, organisation brilliant, food superb, group great and Nico(the guide) ended up in a good mood by the end and was charming.
SM (London)

This was a fantastic holiday. I think it will be hard to beat - ever. It was superbly organised and planned to give riders a real experience of the horses, countryside and to some extent, the history. Locations were stunning. The guide was a real mixture. Its an exceptionally hard job taking out 9 unknown riders on the treks they do. At times, especially initially, he obviously loved horses, people not necessarily so. ……but, as Sally has said, the guide changed over the week from being informative / communicating what he needed to but minimally - and on a couple of occasions rudely - to being utterly charming in the 2nd half of the week and entertaining us with stories!
EM (York)

I really enjoyed it. Amazing scenery and the pace was correct to see it. You do need to be fit enough to enjoy it. There is a lot of walking but I believed this was an excellent idea as it stopped the aches you normally expect.
ZW (Merseyside)

Yet another brilliant RWW experience!
EG (Leicestershire)

(the ride) is unique in the way it is run and the type of horses and terrain.
VF (West Sussex)

.. overall loved the ride, the horses, the hotel. Our guide was excellent and very helpful organising the non-riding activities as well. Food was great – too much on offer sometimes!
AM-S (Buckinghamshire)

Dominique is a great girl. Brilliant English, good fun, but authoritative when really necessary. The routes were really interesting and testing enough to make you feel you had really done something. Some of the touristy evening things turned out to be quite expensive and not as good as we expected (whirling dervishes and hamam). But all an experience!
NM (W. Sussex)

Thank you – am still on a high from the holiday – keep thinking about what I was doing “this time last week”. Really enjoyed this my first ever riding holiday and would recommend this holiday to anyone who enjoys travel, riding, horses and adventure.
GD (W. Sussex)

(the ride) was great fun, amazing scenery, needed to be fit though, but we all had a fantastic time. Dominique was brilliant.
WT (W. Sussex)

Care and safety by Dominique and Nico was outstanding - they seem a first class team and a pleasure to spend a week with them.
HC (Hants)

I had a superb horse - Cici. The scenery was breathtaking, especially with
The Autumn colours. The pace was perfect as we were all pretty much the same
standard. Dominique was charming and always very informative. Their care and
consideration of the horses was excellent and all the staff most polite and helpful.
The guesthouses were charming and comfortable and I really couldn’t fault it in any
way.
DG (Norfolk)

The canters are v fast, but that’s good – let people know – that’s not a complaint it’s a compliment!
SS (London)

… it is a holiday where you need to be reasonably fit as there is time where you are required to walk up and down some steep hills. Also having to tack and untack your own horse, water it etc., is more strenuous than some of the other holidays in your brochure. I thoroughly enjoyed it though. …scenery was spectacular and would mention in the brochure that this (riding) is one of the best ways of exploring Cappacocia as you can get around into some fantastic places far quicker than on foot.
JP (London)

It was brilliant – loved the landscape, loved the clever horses, loved the people and dogs. One of my best holidays ever – thanks to all.
CW (Devon)

Nico the guide was somewhat bossy to begin with and not exactly a bundle of fun!! However he got a lot better as the week went on and we did manage to make him laugh! We think he prefers horses to humans! BUT, what a stunning ride.…us oldies managed to keep up as well! Still on a high.
SK (Surrey)

"Overall it was a very good holiday - the horses were excellent and the scenery stupendous. Also the Turkish wine, although expensive for its quality, was quite palatable!"
VO (Fife)

“ The horses were great, Nico matched us superbly, the saddles comfortable, good picnics, great challenges and amazing scenery. I loved this ride, it was great fun but it was hard work (I do appreciate I am knocking on a bit!). It was worth the effort, brilliant.”
JE (Essex)

“ I haven’t just ticked the ‘very good’ boxes for simplicity, it really was a VERY GOOD holiday and I was impressed by Dominique’s leadership. Dominique did say that their hackamores are much softer than the ones we use here just in case people are concerned about it.”
SW (Devon)

“ There was more dismounting to walk than expected due to the terrain and the opportunity to spread out and take own line was much appreciated where the terrain allowed. It would have been nice to trot regularly on sandy tracks as well as walking and fast canters.”
LL (London)

Mum and I had a fantastic trip. The ride was just as described by Kate – thank you for your time and effort in helping us choose. The organisation was spot on and we were all matched very well with our horses. I could not recommend it enough.
SB (Leeds)

Kyrgyzstan

"Unspoilt natural beauty of the Tien Chen mountains and particularly within the Sary Chelek National Park. The local guides were charming, kind and thoughtful and their ponies were fabulous".

"every single thing big and small were exactly as advertised / communicated but SO much better in real life" JL (london)

"We have seen the most beautiful landscapes and nature. Thank you for sharing your secret Kyrgyzstan" SR (Spain)