Planning a dude ranch vacation isn't something to leave until the last minute! There’s a lot to consider, so follow Top50's top 10 tips to make sure you get the most out of your western riding holiday…

1. Best place for a ranch vacation?
Which country? Which state? Mountains or desert? The options are endless. Here at Top50 Ranches we showcase Canada guest ranches, USA ranch vacations, Argentina horse riding holidays, riding holidays in Mexico, Australia horse treks and New Zealand cattle stations – but your choice will depend on how hot you like it and the kind of riding country you’re after. For mountain riding, Colorado, Montana, Canada and Argentina are good choices. If you like hot weather, choose a ranch in the southern States and south America, which boast great weather all year round. Best place for winter sun? Australia, which of course has its summer during the USA/European winter. Taking the kids? Find a child-friendly ranch with a supervised children’s program.

2. Budget early on
The cost of a dude ranch vacation varies greatly, so it’s worth setting a budget early on – taking into account getting there (flights, care hire if applicable), spending money and tipping. If you know your limits, you won’t even be tempted to consider ranches you can’t afford and save yourself disappointment. And it might be that you realise an extra year of saving might be worth it if you do want to opt for some luxury dude ranches.

3. Getting cheap flights
To avoid a shock when it comes to booking flights, check when it’s cheapest to fly before you book your ranch. Book as far in advance as you can, as prices tend to rocket closer to the flight date. Don’t be tempted to go for the very cheapest flight if it means several tight connections – give yourself plenty of time in case of delays, so you don’t run the risk of missing your connections.

4. Pack sensibly
Pack lots of layers if the weather is variable, and remember your swimsuit! Pack plenty of comfy jeans for riding, low-heeled shoes/boots for riding, smarter clothes suitable for dinners in the evening, and a pair of sneakers will also come in handy for exploring the ranch on foot. Check to see if you need to pack your hard hat or boots, as some ranches provide these for guests. Padded underwear and a good sports bra will also come in useful for long days in the saddle!

5. Leave room in your suitcase
…for souvenirs, gifts for friends back home, and the western riding gear you’re sure to be tempted by at local western outfitters.

6. Money matters
Some ranches charge extra for certain activities and remember that tipping is pretty commonplace – especially in America – so take enough currency that you won’t need to rely on your credit card (complete with hefty fees for use abroad). And yes, you will want to buy that shiny new pair of cowboy boots!

7. Do your western riding research
You will of course get ‘Western Riding 101’ from the wranglers before they set you loose on the open range, but it’s worth getting familiar with the western riding aids – many of them verbal – and techniques such as neck-reining. We can’t promise your dressage schoolmaster will know what on earth you’re asking him to do, however! Really keen? Book a couple of lessons at your nearest western riding centre.

8. Car hire
Even if you’re not planning a road trip and your chosen ranch provides airport transfers, you might want to head off ranch a couple of times to see the local area – especially if you’re near Yellowstone or Glacier National Parks, The Grand Canyon and other famous landmarks. From the UK or Europe? Booking car hire from the UK/Europe is vastly cheaper than getting it while in the USA and Canada, so save yourself some money and sort it before you go.

9. Make sure you’re legal!
Immigration officers abroad are notoriously strict, so avoid a lengthy delay at airport customs by making sure you have the right documentation before you travel. For travel to the US, that now means applying for a visa waiver online and paying a small fee, which you can do online here.

10. Get fit for riding
You might already pack in several hours’ riding a week, but hard riding all day for up to two weeks on long cattle drives or pack trips can take its toll on your muscles. Avoid burning out after the first day by getting fit before you go – swimming is a great way to up your fitness levels and muscle endurance, and practise sitting trot as often as you can to prepare that bottom!

To find your ultimate dude ranch vacation, visit Top50Ranches.com

Outback Australia: A WWOOFer’s guide to life on the land

How does a London desk bunny adapt to the remote red dust of Western Australia? Laura Mannering, journalist and editor of online travel magazine World Out There, tells Top50 Ranches about the time she was shown the ropes by two Outback cattle station owners…

Accessing Outback Australia can be hard if you don’t want to spend a fortune, but are keen to avoid the backpacker trail. A two-week volunteer placement on a cattle station called Wonganoo, in the Goldfields of Western Australia, gave me a first-hand insight into Outback existence.

The station spreads over a million acres of burnt Martian landscape, with 3,000 cattle hiding amid the sparse, wizened vegetation. Having grown up in London and lived in the city most of my life, being somewhere so remote was an eye-opener.

Wonganoo is 240km from the nearest small township, Leonora, and a seven-hour drive from the much bigger mining hub of Kalgoorlie. Food is delivered to Wonganoo by the mail man once a week. If you’re really ill, you call the flying doctor. The myriad choices of day-to-day city living are totally absent. I was surprised at how soothing I found it – the huge starry skies at night, the terracotta earth stretching uninterrupted to the horizon. But it was my hosts who really made it special.

Station owners Kathy and Malcolm Boladeras welcomed me in and taught me how to use a power drill, mend barbed-wire fences, solar panels and windmills, lay baits for dingoes (their sheep were wiped out by a dingo invasion five years ago and they are worried their calves will go the same way) and mince camel steaks (there are around 500,000 feral camels in Western Australia, originally imported in the 19th century as a means of transport. Station owners cull them and nutritionists were promoting camel meat as ‘healthier than beef’ when I was there). As Malcolm kindly put it, I was ‘on a very steep learning curve’.

Losing their flocks was a devastating blow and the end of an era at Wonganoo – Malcolm’s grandfather had set it up as a sheep station in 1925. Now the couple rely on cattle to make ends meet, but domestic beef prices are low and they make their best money selling bulls to Indonesia. Then there’s the weather – persistent drought relieved by the odd smattering of blessed rain.

Malcolm and Kathy have been taking volunteers at Wonganoo for several years to gain a helping hand – and to give them another way to connect with the world outside. It was a pleasure for me to learn about a way of life so different to my own, and to be welcomed into it so openly.

Volunteering Tips

I arranged my placement through Willing Workers On Organic Farms (WWOOF) Australia which has plenty of Outback options. Sign up online or in person when you arrive in Australia. You’ll pay AUS$60 (around £40) and receive a directory of all the WWOOF hosts. Volunteers are unpaid, can be any age, and do not need a working holiday visa. Your host provides you with food and board and you lend them a hand. Using a tourist visa from the UK, I did five placements all over Australia in three months, and enjoyed them all.

To get the most out of your experience, it’s important to:

• Know what you want. Are you after something laid-back, or are you willing to pull out all the stops? Some hosts see their role as being a cultural guide, others will treat you as ‘one of the boys’ and expect you to muck in round the clock.

• Find recommendations from other volunteers via the WWOOF online forum, or by word of mouth if you are already travelling in Oz – plenty of travellers of all ages and backgrounds will have done a WWOOFing stint along the way.

• Speak to your host on the phone before you turn up. It’s a good chance to see if you click and to check they are bona fide. Lots of WWOOF hosts also have websites too, which are worth a look.

• Ask questions and make sure you are happy with the set up (the hours you’ll be helping out, where you’ll be sleeping, provision of meals, opportunities to explore the area). WWOOFers are expected to help out for four hours a day, but some hosts want more, some less. Most people ask you to stay for a minimum of five days, others will want a longer commitment.

• Trust your instincts – if you’ve gone down the line with a placement but don’t feel comfortable with the arrangements, politely back out. Once you’re on a remote farm, particularly if you don’t have your own transport, it can be hard to escape!

Valentine's Day can be less than fun when you're single, what with couples going all gooey-eyed over each other, your loved-up friends rambling on about their Valentine's Day plans and people asking what you're doing for the big day. You could bury your face in the sand for a few days until it's all over - or you could celebrate being single and jet off for a last-minute vacation to escape the fuss! There's still time to book yourself a Top50 dude ranch vacation for the Valentine's week - after all, there's no better place for lone travelers to take vacation than a western ranch.

You'll never feel alone on a dude ranch vacation

Dude ranch vacations are a wonderful way to meet new people and whether you visit a luxury dude ranch, authentic guest ranch or real working ranch, you will never feel lonely. The unique welcoming and inclusive environment that only dude ranch vacations can provide means you will feel like part of the family and make life-long friends - horses included! The welcoming atmosphere is extended through all ranch activities, from camp-outs and cattle drives to mealtimes, where, on many of the smaller and more intimate ranches, everyone dines together family-style around the dining table.

Women in particular are often worried about the safety of traveling alone, but dude ranch vacations offer a totally safe environment for single travelers, and with all the freedom to access remote wilderness that non-ranch resorts can't offer. Explore remote landscapes and untamed wilderness on horseback, on foot, by boat or mountain bike, whether it's with other guests, by yourself or with an experienced guide.

Or maybe you're looking for a bit of holiday romance on your dude ranch vacation? With many other ranch guests often fellow singles travelling alone, you could just find love in time for Valentine's Day!

Top50 Ranches' Top 10 Dude Ranch Vacations for Singles

1 Echo Valley Ranch and Spa, British Columbia, Canada - With top-notch spa facilities, this is THE ranch to visit if you want some pampering and 'you' time

2 C Lazy U Ranch, Colorado, USA

Julie Goodnight women's clinic at C Lazy U

OK, so it might not quite coincide with Valentine's Day but that doesn't mean you can't treat yourself to a ranch vaca later on in the year - visit May, September or October 2012 and book the Julie Goodnight riding and yoga retreat for women, a true escape from the stresses of everyday life. Learn how to be your horse’s leader and master your equestrian skills through understanding horse behavior from top trainer Julie Goodnight, plus enjoy Anusara yoga from instructor Ellen Mesaros and indulge at the “Lazy U” spa for world-class massages, facials and more.
Not wanting to exclude the singles guys out there, C Lazy U's new Stargazing & Science Learning Getaway is perfect for both male and female singletons, with nature hikes led by a resident biologist and geologist and nightly lectures from the resident astronomer, where guests can view the wonders of the cosmos.

3 Rowse's 1+1 Ranch, Nebraska, USA - Authentic western hospitality and the chance to ride alongside real cowboys on real cattle drives at this detail-oriented working ranch

4 Badger Creek Ranch - Taking just 6 guests at any one time, this working ranch welcomes you to share in their lifestyle: you'll feel like part of the family

5 Burnt Well Guest Ranch - A real working cattle operation where you can get to play cowboy alongside the wranglers - you'll be so busy horseback riding and getting involved in real ranch work, you won't have time to feel lonely

6 Estancia Ranquilco, Neuquen, Argentina - Take a 7-day pack trip into the mountains with a small group of guests and expeirenced guide T.A - an adventure worth traveling alone for!

7 Tod Mountain Ranch, British Columbia, Canada - Tod Mountain is one of the few Canada guest ranches not to charge single supplements for its cabin accommodations, so you can enjoy the whole cabin to yourself at no extra cost.

8 Snowy River Horseback Adventure, Australia - Australia is a lone traveler's haven and this down-under ranch fits right in, offering adult-focused horse treks across breathtaking Snowy River countryside

9 Sugar and Spice Ranch, Texas, USA - Single moms can bring their daughters with them on vaca, for a bonding experience alongside other moms and daughters

10 Rancho Las Cascadas, Mexico - A small, luxury ranch offering guided and unguided horseback rides, cultural tours and European-style pampering

For more information on all of Top50's ranches perfect for singles, visit Top50Ranches.com

It’s that time of year again when New Year resolutions are formed - always with good intentions, but normally ditched alongside surplus Christmas puddings and unwanted presents a few weeks into January. Well, 2012 may be the year all that changes. The team at Top50 has come up with some New Year resolution ideas that you might actually keep – and they could be life-changing...

1. Curb your spending Dude ranch vacations don't have to mean blowing the budget - check out these special offers from USA dude ranch Alisal Ranch, Canada guest ranch Tod Mountain Ranch and Argentina dude ranch Estancia Los Potreros. These special offers and discounts will see you saving $$$s on dude ranch vacations in 2012.

2. Travel to another continent Journey south of the equator for a horse riding holiday at Snowy River Horseback Adventure in New South Wales, Australia. Ride in ‘Man from Snowy River’ country as you embark on horse treks along bush trails and mountain ash forests. Or venture to neighboring New Zealand for a horse riding holiday at Beaumont High Country Experience, an authentic working cattle station where you can try your hand at sheep mustering. This 18,000-acre high-country sheep station offers incredible terrain over which you can choose to go horseback riding, on ATV tours, or hiking.

3. Take more ‘you’ time Blood pressure rising to the max? Overworked and stressed out? Then vow to take some more ‘you’ time in 2012. And what better way to relax than get away from it all on a dude ranch vacation at a luxury ranch with a spa? Dude ranches such Triple Creek, The Resort at Paws Up, Lone Mountain Guest Ranch, C Lazy U Ranch and Averill's Flathead Lake Lodge all offer wonderful surroundings in which to relax, de-stress and recharge your batteries. Relax in the pool or hot tub, take a leisurely horseback ride through peaceful scenery, and relax in the tranquility of it all.

4. Shed those Christmas pounds! Feeling the after-effects of all that Christmas overindulgence? Beat the post-festive bloat and put a spring back in your step with an energising and invigorating horseback riding adventure at an authentic working ranch like Burnt Well Guest Ranch, Estancia Huechahue, Rancho Los Banos and Bonanza Creek Ranch. With long, fast-paced days spent horseback riding, you’ll soon be feeling fighting fit!

If you’d rather shed those extra pounds without having to exert yourself so much, you could instead opt for dude ranch vacation at a ranch specialising in healthy cuisine. After all, there’s no better way to detox than by sampling delicious healthy cuisine whilst on a western ranch vacation.Top50 recommends Echo Valley Ranch and Spa, which specialises in gourmet, healthy cuisine. Even special diets such as 'Eat for your blood type' are incorporated into its extensive menu!

5. Reduce your carbon footprint Go green with a dude ranch vacation at a ranch with ethically sound practices. Free Rein Ranch creates ethical menus based on locally sourced produce, as the Canada dude ranch advocates the '100 mile diet', buying as much produce from local suppliers within a 100-mile radius. Chico Basin Ranch uses traditional methods to complement innovative management programs to sustain the Colorado working ranch's natural resources, and its sister ranch, Zapata Ranch, takes a similarly holistic approach and runs recreation, education and outreach programs as part of its ethical strategy.

6. Learn a new language Take up Spanish, whether it's brushing up long-forgotten schoolday skills or learning from scratch. Best of all, it's a great excuse test your skills on a ranch vacation at dude ranches in Argentina – such as Estancia Los Potreros, Estancia Ranquilco and Estancia Huechahue. Ride with the gauchos and practise your Spanish lingo - and probably pick up some authentic phrases along the way!

7. Take up a new sport Ever fancied trying something new on horseback - Polo, for example? You can do just that on a dude ranch vacation at Estancia Los Potreros in Argentina. Or maybe try your hand at non-riding activities offered by one of the Top50 dude ranches, such as cycling, golf, tennis, water sports, skiing and other winter sports, or fishing. Top50 has hundreds of dude ranch vacations, working ranch vacations and guest ranch vacations perfect for trying something different.

8. Spend more time with your family Dude ranch vacations offer the perfect opportunity to reconnect with family, and family dude ranches are ideal for getting away with the kids. Family dude ranches such as Majestic Dude Ranch and Lone Mountain Guest Ranch offer brilliant children’s programs, and Elk Mountain Ranch even has a full children's program for 3-7 year olds.

9. Spend more time with your partner If you’re looking for a romantic getaway, head to one of Top50’s adult-oriented dude ranches with your loved one - such as The Ranch at Rock Creek, Bonanza Creek, McGinnis Meadows and Rowse's 1+1 Ranch Quiet and secluded, such dude ranches offer great couples' ranch vacations.

10. Catch up with old friends Call your girlfriends and get 'em on a ranch vacations at Rancho Los Banos in Mexico - the working ranch and guest ranch is offering a Ladies' Special in August 2012, the perfect excuse for a budget girlfriends' getaway.

Inspired? Browse all of Top50's ranches to find your own way to keep your 2012 New Year Resolutions!

Dude ranch vacations in winter don’t have to mean sleigh rides, snowy trail riding and curling up by a huge log fire to escape freezing temperatures. If your idea of a winter ranch vacation is to find some sun, Top50 has plenty to offer...

Temperatures of up to 75 degrees Fahrenheit (24 degrees centigrade) are not uncommon temperatures in Arizona during winter. To make the most of the warmer climes this US state offers, head to Rancho de los Caballeros for a winter dude ranch vacation. Enjoy horseback riding over 20,000 acres of rolling hillsides and wide open spaces in the Sonoran Desert, and try team penning in the arena. With golfing, tennis, a full-service spa and outdoor swimming pool, you won’t believe that it’s winter on your dude ranch vacation! Open between October and May, and offering a great children’s program, Rancho de los Caballeros is also perfect for family Arizona dude ranch vacations out of season.

Mexico has a similar winter climate to Arizona, so head to a Mexico dude ranch for your winter horseback riding holidays. Los Banos Ranch is the place to go if you want adventure from your Mexico ranch holiday. This genuine Mexico working ranch offers world-class horseback riding, cattle work and trail rides, along with hiking, trekking and box canyon adventures. If you love horseback riding and the outdoors, this sunny ranch is the place to come for your winter horse riding holiday.

Another Mexico dude ranch is Rancho Las Cascadas, a small luxury ranch where guests’ needs are always placed first. Leave all snowy thoughts of winter behind as you relax in the infinity pool with a cocktail, or saddle up and go horseback riding across open countryside and through rock mountain paths.

Rancho Las Cascadas:

Winter is the perfect time to travel for an Australia horse riding holiday if you want some winter sun. Snowy River Horseback Adventure, in New South Wales, enjoys summer temperatures during the northern hemisphere’s winter months, so you can get a tan whilst enjoying horse treks through ‘Man from Snowy River’ country. This is one horseback riding holiday that’s worth travelling the extra miles for.

Neighboring New Zealand also offers horse riding holidays in a great climate when winter sets in for the northern hemisphere. Beaumont High Country Experience operates its guest season between November and April, so escape the throes of winter and enjoy sheep mustering at this authentic working cattle station. Aside from offering great horseback riding holidays through the backcountry, Beaumont also takes guest on a jet-boat excursions, where you’ll ride through white-water rapids!

Known as the Sunshine State, California guest ranches are surely the place to go for a warmer dude ranch vacation during the winter months. The Alisal Guest Ranch and Resort is a 10,000 acre working cattle ranch, blending incredible horseback riding opportunities with luxury accommodations and facilities, as well as first-class spa services and fine dining.

Another California dude ranch is Rankin Ranch, as working ranch with a great reputation for family dude ranch vacations. Although the excellent children’s program doesn’t run during winter months, kids and adults alike with enjoy the supervised horseback riding opportunities, complete with trail riding and lessons in the arena – and don’t forget the outdoor pool for added fun and relaxation.

For some real sunshine, head south of the equator to Argentina working estancias for horseback riding holidays with a difference. Estancia Huechahue allows guests to sample life on a Patagonian working estanica, whether it’s horseback riding, horseback pack trips across the Andes, hiking to see Indian burial caves or rafting on the River Alumine. Enjoy the summer temperatures with a soak in the hot tub, a swim in the river and a BBQ dinner on the river bank.

Estancia Ranquilco is another Argentina working estancia, remotely nestled in the foothills of the Andes and boasting 100,000 acres on which to enjoy winter horseback riding holidays. Take a horseback riding pack trip into the mountains, and swim your horse through remote mountain lakes on your horse riding holiday at this Argentina working estancia.

Like the idea of a winter horseback riding holiday in Argentina and want to incorporate a spot of polo into your winter dude ranch vacation? Then head to Estancia Los Potreros, an Argentina working estancia offering just that. As well as trail riding, this working estancia offers horseback riding opportunities like lassoing, moving horses and taking part in traditional ‘gaucho games’ – and, of course, polo! Hop aboard one of the estancia’s polo ponies and learn a new sport on your Argentina horse riding holiday.

Estancia Los Potreros:

What are you waiting for? Escape the snow, wind and rain of winter and head for some winter sun on a Top50 dude ranch vacation, guest ranch vacation or working ranch vacation.

Climbing on-board a horse on a guest ranch vacation is extreme enough in itself, but if you’re looking for even more adventure from your horseback riding holiday, Top50 Ranches has some wild and wonderful western ranch experiences that’ll really get the adrenaline pumping.

Serious riders will love the true adventure and unparalleled remoteness of Estancia Ranquilco. Nothing gets you closer to nature than pack tripping in the wilderness, and guests visiting this 100,000-acre Argentine estancia can do just that in the foothills of the Andes. This is no donkey ride, however; you’ll learn to pack and lead a mule, and saddle and care for your horse as you spend 10 days packing in the mountains near Chile, camping under the stars in the pristine wilderness of Patagonia. Strong, calm, sure-footed horses will take you through remote valleys, over huge mountains and along narrow, steep and rocky trails. Entailing a three-hour horseback ride just to get in and out of the estancia, this horseback riding adventure is not for the faint-hearted.

Above: Pack-tripping at Ranquilco

If you prefer the saddle of a bike to that of a horse, Majestic Dude Ranch in Cortez, Colorado, has just the thing. Located near Durango, a town famous for its outdoor adventure activities, Majestic offers more extreme adventure opportunities that you can shake a water-ski at. Aside from a top-notch horseback riding program, Majestic boasts lake water sports, river floating and white-water rafting on its schedule of activities. But the highlight here lies in a small basement tucked away under the luxury lodgings – home to a brand new, top-of-the-range set of mountain bikes. With a bike and safety gear to fit every age and size, Majestic will kit you out with everything you need for the highlight of its cycling program – the famous Phil’s World, one of the top 10 cycle trails in the United States. Located high in Mesa Verde National Park, this network of single-track trails features half-mile climbs, a ‘rollercoaster’ section and several jumps – making this twisting, turning, up-and-down mountain trail one of the fastest growing destinations for mountain bikers the world over. Accompanied by Majestic’s cycling guide, you’ll experience the ultimate adrenaline-fuelled ride with stunning mountain scenery to boot. Guests are so won over by awe-inspiring cycling program, they’ve even been known to take a bike home with them!

Above: Unbeatable cycling program at Majestic, with access to world-class mountain biking trails

For the same stunning Colorado terrain but tackled from the back of a horse, head to neaby Chico Basin Ranch in Colorado Springs – the ultimate in working ranch vacations. The third-generation ranch operation’s day-to-day activities will dictate the nature of your stay, so expect to get your hands dirty and a sweat on your brow. And if you’re looking for frills then you’re best headed to the nearest hotel in local Colorado Springs, because you won’t find any here – this is the real ranch experience with true working cowboys. With the chance to spend more than eight hours in the saddle each day, a ranch vacation at Chico Basin is not one for the fainthearted, requiring boundless energy and enthusiasm – not to mention seatbones of steel!

Above: Herding the cattle at Chico Basin

A working ranch vacation at Chico’s sister ranch, Zapata Ranch in nearby Mosca, is equally challenging – but for very different reasons. Still a working ranch operation but with a more luxurious feel, Zapata offers its guest the unique challenge of moving bison herds aboard real cow horses. A completely different experience to moving traditional cattle herds, riding with bison requires quick reactions, skill in the saddle and nerves of steel! Horseback adrenaline rushes don’t come better than this, but for those preferring to get their kicks out of the saddle, whitewater rafting trips down the Arkansas river will provide Zapata guests with the ultimate in extreme adventure experiences.

Above: Get the chance to ride with Bison at Zapata Ranch in Colorado

For off-roading at its most extreme, head to the untamed natural environment of New Zealand for the Beaumont High Country Experience. A good level of fitness is recommended for the backcountry horseback riding over diverse, hilly terrain – whether it’s on full-day rides personally guided by a station owner, or week-long remote pack trips through the ranch against the backdrop of the Southland’s great mountains, where you’d be forgiven for thinking you’d just stepped into a scene from Lord of the Rings. For those preferring wheels to hooves on their guest ranch vacations, the excitement and adventure of four-wheeling in the high country awaits. Or if water sports are more up your street, travel to nearby Clifton for a thrilling jet boat adventure, crossing Lake Hauroko to the mouth of the Wairaurahiri River where you'll encounter some of the most intense and exciting white-water rapids New Zealand has to offer.

Above: Imagine you're in Lord of The Rings at Beaumont High Country Experience, New Zealand

While you’re ‘down under’, why not hop over to Australia for a Snowy River Horseback Adventure for a ranch vacation? With two to five-day treks across the snowy river countryside, Snowy River offers riding country that’s second to none, with each day in the saddle offering new adventure and diverse landscape to explore. This is no easy ride, however, and is certainly not for the fainthearted. Covering an average of 30 km each day, you’ll need to be riding fit; but the hard work will be worth it when you spot wildlife such as emu, kangaroos, wombats, wallabies, echidna and deer, and herds of brumbies – Australian wild horses – along the way.

Above: Horseback adventures at Snowy River, Australia

If it’s remote wilderness you’re after, Rancho Los Baños ticks all the boxes – don’t expect to see a sign of civilisation for miles at this Mexican ranch. Safely located at the foot of the Sierra Madre in secure northeast Sonora, this travel destination is unlike anywhere else; a unique kind of guest ranch vacation catering to new-generation adventure travellers. The wilderness is comparable to the likes of Zion, Kenya and Tanzania, making for backcountry horseback riding you won’t find elsewhere. The vast, rugged and diverse land offers up a whole host of adventure pursuits, making for a 30,000-acre personal playground; whether it’s canyoneering or bouldering in the canyons, trekking in the rocky mountains, exploring the country by jeep, white-water rafting or a night-time safari, Los Baños guarantees a thrilling, challenging and fun-filled adventure.

Above: Landscape like no other at Los Banos Ranch in Mexico

For an equally remote adventure in the USA, Triple Creek Ranch’s Selway Wilderness Rides offer guests horseback riding in an area so secluded it cannot be reached except by airplane. A plane ride to the top of the Rocky Mountains in the Bitterroot National Forest brings guests to their horses and tack, ready to set off on rock ledge trails, across rivers and through fields, before fishing in pristine streams loaded with trout. Strictly for cowgirls, November sees ‘Klicks for Chicks’ – a 62-mile, women-only endurance ride. Venture into deep canyons, over mountain passes, past crystal clear lakes and through pristine meadows, to discover the last frontier of the Rocky Mountain West.

Triple Creek is located in the secluded Rocky Mountains

If the only thing that could drag you away on a ranch vacation are wild horses, then The Hideout Guest Ranch in Wyoming is the place to go. Home to a McCullough Peak wild Mustang herd, this luxury dude ranch offers the rare and unique opportunity to ride with wild horses. Says The Hideout’s manager, Peter De Cabooter: “Just last week, close to 50 wild horses came to circle the guests while we were out herding cows.” The Hideout, also a fully operational working ranch, has several Mustangs in its string of guest horses that head wrangler Ramon Castro has tamed and trained himself. Head to the ranch in September for The Hideout’s ‘Mustang Package’, and you can ride one of Ramon’s Mustangs to go exploring for the wild herd across the ranch, before attending the Supreme Extreme Mustang Makeover in Fort Worth, Texas, in which Ramon himself will be competing. Horse riding holidays don’t come wilder than this!

Ride with wild horses at The Hideout Guest Ranch, Wyoming

Whether you head to one of Top50's dude ranch vacations, guest ranch vacations, working ranch vacations we know you'll have a great time. Or book a riding holiday estancia Argentina or a riding holiday, or to a working ranch in New Zealand, or go horse trekking in Australia, either way Top50 can help you find that ideal ranch experience.