Description
There are opportunities to go horseback riding almost everywhere
in Costa Rica, and climbing onto the back of a spirited
equine can be a wonderful way to spice up your vacation. The
selection of horseback excursions ranges from morning trail rides
in the mountains above San José, which get you back to your hotel
in after lunch, to all-day expeditions through the rain forest
that will leave you walking like John Wayne.
Though you might not associate it with a tropical
country, Costa Rica has quite a cowboy culture. The
tradition is primarily based in the province of
Guanacaste, one of the first parts of the country to be
settled by the Spanish, where vast cattle ranches cover
rolling hills and forest-draped volcanoes tower above it
all. Nevertheless, mountain resorts and nature lodges
located all over the country offer horseback excursions,
which can head through pastures, tropical forests, or
down beaches, and often stopping at waterfalls and
swimming holes.
Horseback tours are also excellent opportunities for bird
watching and getting close to timid wildlife, and the people who
lead them often have eagle eyes peeled for interesting critters.
