Dominican Ranch Horseback Tour & Cattle Drive with Beach Ride

4.85

(137 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

I thought I knew what “country life” meant until we rolled up to Rancho Cana Tequila near Higüey. The smell hit me first—earthy, sweet grass, and something like sun-warmed leather. Our guide José grinned as he handed out helmets and explained how these Paso Higueyano horses are basically local celebrities (he said it with a wink). I was nervous about riding at first—my last horse experience was a birthday pony ride when I was six—but José made it feel easy, even when my horse decided to snack on some roadside leaves.

We started off winding through fruit tree groves—mangoes everywhere, and the air felt thick but somehow clean. At one point we stopped so José could show us how to spot ripe guava; he split one open for us right there. Sticky fingers, tangy-sweet taste—honestly better than any dessert. Then came the cattle part. Suddenly there were cows everywhere, big brown eyes watching us as we helped herd them across a pond (well… mostly watched while the real cowboys did the work). The sound of hooves in mud is weirdly satisfying. My jeans got splattered but I didn’t care.

There’s this hilltop where you can see forever—fields rolling out under a hot blue sky. We planted cocoa beans together (I probably did it wrong), and someone made a joke about leaving our mark in the Dominican Republic. Lunch back at the stables was loud and relaxed: rice, beans, chicken that tasted smoky from the fire, and fresh fruit on the side. They poured us a shot of tequila “for courage,” which made everyone laugh too hard for no reason. I still think about that view from the top of the ranch when things get noisy back home.