Is your idea of a great western riding holiday more “True Grit” than “City Slickers?” Do you dream of a truly authentic ranch vacation where you can totally immerse yourself in Western cowboy culture and experience life as true ranchers live it? Top50Ranches, specialists in Western ranch vacations, can help you find just that with their selection of Ranching First Western riding holidays.
?Ranching First represents through-and-through ranchers looking to share their lifestyle with everyday riders,? explains Top50?s founder Jody Dahl, herself a life-long rancher. ?Ranching First offers non-ranchers the chance to truly embrace real Western culture ? and enjoy a great vacation!?
Working ranches embracing Ranching First invite guests to be a part of all the day-to-day activities. No pampering or nose-to-tail riding here. What guests can expect is complete immersion in ranching culture and lifestyle. You?ll have every opportunity to get involved in real ranch work and riding, but there will also be plenty of time for relaxation, should you choose. With no scripted activities, you simply take each day as it comes.
Top50 has a great selection of Ranching First vacations:
Head “Down Under” to New Zealand?s Beaumont High Culture Experience, where you’ll herd sheep and cattle in the high country, and enjoy off-road, back-country horseback riding over diverse terrain. Stop off en-route for a hearty lunch and bottle of chilled New Zealand wine, and relax in the peaceful solitude amidst vastness of unspoiled tussock landscape.
If you’re looking to stay in the U.S., satisfy your inner cowboy at Rowse’s 1+1 Ranch, in Nebraska. Learn to work cattle, ride the range and experience life as a real cowboy, before retiring to the cosy accommodations (and they don’t come more authentic than self-built cabins and hand-made bedding), with great food and unbeatable hospitality to boot.
If your inner John Wayne is just dying to be unleashed, head to Bonanza Creek in Montana for the ultimate Western riding experience, where you’re guaranteed to be treated like one of the family. Saddle up your responsive horse and prepare for challenging riding as you run some of the 1,500 head of cattle over this 25,000 acre ranch.
Those looking for an intimate ranch experience will love Chico Basin Ranch in Colorado, a large-scale working cattle ranch taking only a few guests each week. Whether it’s working cattle or fixing corrals, you’ll spend your days working side by side with the resident team of wranglers, before sitting down at the dinner table alongside your mentors to carry on the authentic ranch experience.
Chico Basin?s sister ranch, Zapata ? a working bison, cattle and guest ranch ? is the rare treat to experience “Ranching First” with a taste of luxury. Zapata offers opportunities aplenty to work bison and cattle on horseback. Spend your days working side-by-side with its team of wranglers, then soothe those aching muscles in the hot tub, dine on gourmet cuisine and relax in the ranch?s luxury accommodations.
Runamuk Guest Ranch in Montana is a Mecca for those wanting to work cattle like a true cowboy. With only six guests at any one time and no specified trails, riding over this 18,000-acre ranch is an intimate experience offering complete freedom. Ride with a purpose as you work herds of cattle, take sunset rides and picnic lunches, or simply relax and take in the beautiful scenery on this fifth-generation working ranch.
About Top50: Top50Ranches.com is a brand dedicated to showcasing some of the most breathtaking, authentic and luxurious destinations in the world. Each featured property meets established criteria of hospitality, accommodation, activities and riding standards of excellence.
