The Mustang Ride

Day 1: Arrival & Orientation Ride

Welcome to Arizona, Globetrotters! After arriving into Show Low Regional Airport, you’ll be transferred to Dos Lomas Wild Ranch (approx 45min drive), an off-grid wild mustang sanctuary near Snowflake. Once you’ve found your tent and settled in, you’ll gather around the firepit for a relaxed lunch spread, meet your fellow riders and hear the story behind the sanctuary.

This afternoon you’ll tour the ranch and meet your trek mustang, before a basic horse stretching session with your guide, Ashen. Then it’s time to saddle up! Each rider gets a mini individual lesson, followed by a group session in the arena to get acquainted with their new partner. You’ll then head out on your first trail ride from the ranch to put it all into practice.

Back at camp, there’s time to freshen up before a hearty carne asada dinner by the bonfire, followed by s’mores under the stars.

Day 2: White Mountains, Petrified Forest & Painted Desert

After an early grab-and-go breakfast, you’ll load up the trailers and drive around an hour to the Panorama Trailhead in Arizona’s White Mountains for a 9-mile ride with plenty of long trotting and opportunities for loping. Expect winding forest tracks and big mountain views.

Once you’ve unsaddled, you’ll stop at a local café for a well-earned lunch before heading back to the ranch to change out of your riding gear and into comfy walking clothes.

This afternoon you’ll venture to the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert (approx 2hrs drive). Start at the visitor centre, then set out on foot to explore these otherworldly landscapes as the sunset light turns them to gold. Back at the ranch, a bowl of Mexican beef stew with grilled sourdough and a slice of local homemade pie with ice cream await by the fire.

Day 3: Sedona & Flagstaff

After a big breakfast of protein pancakes, bacon and eggs, you’ll pack up camp and hit the road. Our first stop is Winslow, Arizona (around 1 hour), where you can stretch your legs and soak up some Route 66 nostalgia, or admire the beautiful historic La Posada Hotel.

From here we continue to Sedona (approx 3.5 hours drive), famous for its towering red rock formations and spectacular desert scenery. Enjoy a charcuterie lunch while your guides get the horses tacked up. This afternoon you’ll ride the iconic Jacks Canyon Trail, with views at every turn.

Later, you’ll drive to Flagstaff (around 1 hour) where the horses settle in for the night, while you enjoy a hot shower, a soak in the hot tub and dinner at your Airbnb. Expect taquitos with chorizo beans and fresh-baked cookies, followed by an evening of games.

Day 4: Lake Powell, Antelope Canyon & Page

Today swaps the saddle for adventure as you travel to Page, Arizona (around 2 hours) while your mustangs enjoy a well-deserved day of rest at Vermillion Cliffs. You have two options this morning (and these will have been decided by you prior to arrival as pre-bookings for thesse activities are essential):

1. You have the option to enjoy a guided kayak tour through the stunning waterways around Lake Powell (a decent level of fitness is required but you can take it at your own pace).
2. You can explore the narrow sandstone corridors of a slot canyon on foot with a Navajo guide.

You’ll enjoy a packed lunch out on your chosen activity.

This afternoon you’ll stop at the famous Horseshoe Bend lookout, before continuing on to Kanab, Utah (around 1.5 hours). Check in to your Airbnb for a shower and a soak in the hot tub, while your guides settle the horses in at the local fairgrounds. Dinner is a BBQ feast of grilled chicken, warm potato salad and roasted Mexican squash, with honey-drizzled sopapillas for dessert and a few rounds of games to finish off the night.

Day 5: Sand Caves

Your first stop today is the impressive Kanab Sand Caves, just outside Kanab, Utah (10mins drive). Then it’s time to saddle up at Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park (around 25 minutes’ drive). Ride through swirling pink sand and juniper-dotted landscapes, stopping along the way to catch your breath and enjoy machaca burritos from the saddlebags.

This afternoon the horses rest at the trailhead while you swap your reins for something a little more adrenaline-fuelled with a Coral Pink Sand Dunes adventure where you can take a UTV ride, hike a slot canyon and try sandboarding.

Back at your Airbnb in Kanab (35mins drive), there’s time to unwind and soak in the hot tub before a casual dinner of smashburgers, elote and watermelon, finished off with brownies for dessert.

Day 6: Beach Fun & Departure

After a huevos rancheros breakfast, you’ll say goodbye to Kanab and head to Sand Hollow State Park near Hurricane, Utah (around 1.5 hours). Here, red sandstone cliffs meet sparkling blue water, and it’s the perfect place to relax, swim and splash about on the horses and ride along the sandy shores before your journey home. Lunch is a picnic of tortas and fruit at the beach.

The park has basic but clean restrooms where you can change before the 2 hour drive to Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport. Just a heads up, Las Vegas is on Pacific time, an hour behind Utah, so you’ll gain an hour on the drive. We recommend booking flights no earlier than 5pm Pacific time, or extending your stay to see a little more of Vegas before heading home.