This year we experienced our first family horse trek in Bhutan, and it turned out to be one of the most unforgettable adventures we have ever done together!
But let me start from the beginning.
In 2018, we visited Bhutan for the first time. It was only a short one-week trip, but it was enough for us to fall in love with this little Himalayan country.
During that week, we also formed a very special connection with our guide, Sonam Loday. Before we even left Bhutan, we were already talking with him about coming back.
Initially, we thought it would happen in three or four years.
Apparently, we couldn’t wait that long! Our hearts guided us back to Bhutan only 14 months later.
This time, though, we wanted to experience a completely different side of the country. Instead of repeating the more traditional itinerary from our first trip, we planned a 21-day journey through Central and Eastern Bhutan, areas that receive far fewer international visitors.
And for a few days of that trip, we were going to experience Bhutan in a completely new way: on horseback!
The original plan was a four-day family horse trek through Bhutan, riding through valleys, forests and mountains and reaching places that we could never experience in the same way from a car.
None of us were particularly experienced horseback riders, but somehow that didn’t stop us from thinking this was a great idea! Maybe sometimes you need to be a little naive before starting an adventure.
Planning Our Family Horse Trek in Bhutan
For both of our trips to Bhutan, we traveled with Wind Horse Tours, Treks and Expeditions.
When we visited, Bhutan’s tourism system required us to arrange our trip through an official tour operator. The rules for visiting Bhutan have changed since then, but at the time, our tour operator organized essentially our entire trip, including our guide, driver, accommodations and activities.
Wind Horse also operated horse trekking experiences in Bhutan and maintained trails used for some of their treks.
But there was another reason we felt especially comfortable trying this adventure. Sonam was the person who had developed their horse trekking program. The same guide who had introduced us to Bhutan on our first trip was now going to take our family horse trekking through the mountains on our second.
We couldn’t have been in better hands.
And although we were incredibly excited, there was one little detail we probably hadn’t thought about enough before booking this experience: we weren’t exactly experienced horseback riders.
Were We Experienced Horse Riders?
Not really!Before this trip, Cosimo and Emma had ridden horses only a few times, and never for longer than an hour or two.
Their first experience had been riding horses on a beach in Mexico. It was exciting to have so much space and freedom to ride along the sand, but they weren’t completely comfortable with the horses yet.
A few weeks before our first trip to Bhutan, they also took a horseback riding lesson at Second Wind Ranch & Rescue. It was a great experience, although the horses were retired competition horses and were very tall, which made the kids a little nervous.
Then, during our first trip to Bhutan, they rode horses for part of the hike up to Tiger’s Nest Monastery. That was a very different experience because the horses were led on foot by their owners, so the kids didn’t really have to control them themselves.
Luca had even less experience. Until this point, he had only ever been on a horse with one of us. He had never ridden one by himself.
As for Mass and me, I had taken horseback riding lessons when I was a teenager, and Mass had ridden on and off when he was younger.
So, as you can see, we definitely weren’t an experienced horseback-riding family! Still, we were thrilled to have the opportunity to try a family horse trek in Bhutan.
Maybe we were also a little naive about how different it would be to ride a horse in a protected environment, like an arena, compared with horse trekking through forests and up mountains in Bhutan. We were about to find out!
Our Original 4-Day Horse Trek Plan
When we booked this trip, we didn’t worry too much about the length of the trek.
We also weren’t particularly concerned about the fact that the original plan included sleeping in a tent or monastery for a few nights in the middle of winter.
Looking back, I’m not quite sure what we were thinking! But sometimes I think you need to be a little naive before doing something new, otherwise you might let fear take over before you even start.
Once we arrived in Bhutan, however, reality set in. It was cold. Really cold.
Suddenly, the idea of spending five or six hours on horseback and then sleeping in a tent with three kids didn’t sound quite as easy as it had when we were planning everything from home. We especially weren’t sure how Luca would handle it.
So instead of pushing ourselves simply because that had been the original plan, we made a few changes. We decided we would still do the horse trek during the day but return to the warmth of our guesthouse each evening. It ended up being a very good decision.
Our planned itinerary looked like this:
Day 1 – Tang Valley: A shorter two- to three-hour ride to meet our horses, get comfortable with them and see how everyone reacted to being on horseback for a few hours.
Day 2 – Kunzangdra Monastery: A much longer six-hour horse trek through the forest and up the mountain to the monastery.
Day 3 – Forests and hillsides: Another approximately six-hour day of horse trekking through the Bhutanese countryside.
Day 4 – Bumthang Valley: A shorter three-hour horse trek along the river to finish our adventure.
That was the plan, anyway.
As we have learned many times while traveling, plans don’t always work out exactly the way you expect them to.
And Bhutan’s winter weather was about to remind us of that.
Day 1: Meeting Our Horses in Tang Valley
The first day of our family horse trek in Bhutan was exactly what we needed. We started with an easier ride through Tang Valley, planned to last only about three hours. The idea was simple: meet our horses, get to know them and, most importantly, start feeling comfortable riding them.
From the beginning, we connected with our horses much more easily than I expected. After all my thoughts about whether the kids would be comfortable, they seemed to settle into the experience almost immediately. It was actually Mass and I who probably needed a little more time!
The ride gave us the chance to get used to how our horses moved and reacted while also enjoying the beautiful landscape around us.
By the end of the three hours, we were tired and cold. The weather had started changing, and we were very happy with our decision to return to a warm guesthouse instead of spending the night in a tent! But most importantly, everyone was happy.
Our first day had gone well, the kids were excited and we were ready for the much bigger challenge waiting for us the following morning.
Day 2: Horse Trekking to Kunzangdra Monastery
The second day was completely different.
This was going to be our first real test: about six hours on horseback, trekking through the forest and up the mountain toward Kunzangdra Monastery.
And this was when I really understood that horse trekking is not the same as horseback riding! We weren’t riding around an arena or following a nice flat trail. There were steep sections, narrow trails and natural obstacles along the way. At times I would look at what was in front of my horse and wonder: how in the world is he going to get through that? And somehow, he always did.
There were definitely moments when it was tough and even a little scary. I had to learn to stop questioning every step my horse was taking and start trusting that he knew what he was doing. He knew these trails much better than I did!
The kids, meanwhile, seemed completely unfazed by everything. While I was worrying about the steep sections and obstacles, Cosimo and Emma were usually ahead of us, perfectly happy on their horses. Eventually, after making our way through the forest and climbing higher and higher, we reached the top. And suddenly all the difficult parts were worth it.
We sat together and enjoyed an amazing meal surrounded by an incredible view of the valley below us. I remember looking around and thinking: I can’t believe we actually made it up here.
Nobody was complaining about being tired. Nobody was asking when we were leaving. We were simply sitting there together, surrounded by the mountains of Bhutan, feeling incredibly lucky to be experiencing that moment. And, of course, very proud of our new best friends, the horses that had carried us all the way there.
And Then the Snow Came…
As we made our way toward our stop for the evening, the weather started changing. And this was probably the one time during our travels when we were really hoping it wouldn’t snow! Unfortunately, it did.
A huge snowstorm moved into the area, and suddenly our carefully planned four-day horse trek needed to change again. The snow continued through the night and into the following day.
We had originally planned another six-hour ride through forests and hillsides for Day 3, but looking at the conditions, we knew it wasn’t the right choice for our family.
Maybe other people would have continued anyway. But with three kids, we didn’t feel we had anything to prove.
So instead of spending six hours on horseback in a snowstorm, we spent Day 3 at the hotel.
It wasn’t what we had planned, but sometimes part of having an adventure with kids is knowing when to keep going, and when it’s perfectly okay to change the plan.
Our four-day horse trek was turning into something quite different from what we had imagined. But the adventure wasn’t over yet.
Our Kids’ Experience Horse Trekking in Bhutan
Our kids were fearless! They climbed onto their horses and seemed to connect with them almost immediately. They felt safe and comfortable from the beginning, and as the days went by, their confidence just kept growing.
Cosimo and Emma were completely at ease getting on and off their horses. When we came across obstacles or steep sections of the trail, they rarely seemed worried.
In fact, they were usually in front of us reassuring us that it wasn’t that hard!
The hours seemed to pass without them even noticing. And do you know what we never heard?
“Are we there yet?”
That alone says a lot when you’re spending five or six hours doing something with kids! They didn’t want the days to end. When we returned to the guesthouse in the evening, they couldn’t stop talking about what we had done and what their horses had done.
By the end of our family horse trek, they had become so comfortable that all three of them were galloping.
Watching them was thrilling! They weren’t simply coming along on an adventure that Mass and I had planned. They were completely living the experience themselves.
Luca: Four Years Old and Riding His Own Horse
Our biggest concern before starting the trek had actually been Luca. He was only three when we began the trek and had never ridden a horse by himself before.
The original plan was for Luca to sit on his horse while Sonam walked beside him and guided the horse on foot. That way, Luca could have the experience while Sonam was always close enough to help him. That plan lasted about 30 minutes.
After his first half hour of “assisted horse trekking,” Luca announced that he wanted to do it by himself. So we let him try. And he did great!
His horse was probably the perfect match for him. He was incredibly sweet, patient and apparently very understanding when our almost-four-year-old rider gave him some rather questionable commands!
It was incredible to watch Luca become more and more confident. But this adventure became even more special for him for another reason. Luca turned four during our horse trek in Bhutan.
On the morning of his birthday, Sonam surprised him by decorating his horse with balloons. I can still picture him sitting there on his horse surrounded by balloons, absolutely over the moon. There aren’t many kids who can say they celebrated their fourth birthday horse trekking through Bhutan!
It became one of those little moments that made an already incredible adventure even more unforgettable.
What Horse Trekking Taught Us About Trust
One of the biggest things I learned during those days was that when you are horse trekking, you really need to trust your horse.
This wasn’t always easy for me. When we reached a steep section or an obstacle, my instinct was sometimes to tense up. There were moments when I almost lost my balance because I couldn’t get myself to relax and trust that my horse knew exactly what he was doing.
But after we made it safely through a few of those difficult sections, something changed. I started realizing that he knew the trail much better than I did. I needed to stop trying to control every movement and let him do what he knew how to do. Once I started trusting him, even the tougher parts became easier.
Of course, Cosimo, Emma and Luca seemed to have figured this out from the moment they climbed onto their horses! Kids have this incredible ability to connect with what they are doing and simply get into it 100%.
As adults, we carry so many fears with us. We think about what could happen, what might go wrong and sometimes even bring past experiences into something completely new. The kids weren’t doing any of that. They were simply riding their horses.
And once again, watching them became a lesson for me too.
Sometimes we need to stop letting fear decide what we are capable of and just trust the experience a little more.
Practical Tips for Horse Trekking in Bhutan with Kids
Looking back at our experience, there are definitely a few things I would keep in mind if you are considering horse trekking in Bhutan with kids.
- You don’t have to be an experienced rider. We certainly weren’t! Having some previous experience on a horse can help with confidence, but what mattered most for us was having experienced horses and people around us who knew the trails.
- Start with a shorter ride. Our first three-hour trek was perfect. It gave all of us time to get to know our horses and see how the kids reacted before attempting a much longer day.
- Be prepared for the weather to change. We were traveling in winter, and the snowstorm completely changed our plans. In the mountains, weather can change quickly, so flexibility is important.
- Dress in layers. Sitting on a horse for several hours can feel much colder than you expect because you aren’t moving your body as much as you would while hiking. Warm layers, gloves and good socks made a big difference for us.
- Don’t underestimate how long several hours on a horse can feel. Even if the kids are having fun, five or six hours is a long time. I would definitely consider your children’s ages, personalities and comfort around animals when planning the length of a trek.
- Trust the horses and listen to your guide. This was probably my biggest lesson. These horses knew the trails much better than we did. The more I trusted my horse, the more comfortable I became.
- And most importantly, be willing to change the plan. Our original four-day adventure didn’t happen exactly as planned. We gave up camping when we realized how cold it was, and we skipped a full day of riding because of the snowstorm. None of those changes made the experience any less special. If anything, they allowed us to enjoy it instead of forcing ourselves to complete an itinerary simply because that was what we had originally planned.
Would We Recommend Horse Trekking in Bhutan with Kids?
For our family, absolutely.
But I don’t think this is an experience where the goal should simply be to say that you completed a certain number of days or rode a certain number of hours.
The beauty of it was how we experienced Bhutan while doing it.
We horse trekked through forests, up mountains, along rivers and across open valleys. We reached places slowly, surrounded by nature instead of looking at it through the window of a car. And for three days, these beautiful horses became part of our family adventure.
I still can’t believe sometimes that we actually did it altogether!
What I remember most, though, isn’t how many hours we spent riding or how difficult some of the trails were. I remember watching our kids. I remember seeing them become more confident with every hour they spent on their horses. I remember Cosimo and Emma riding ahead of us without a worry in the world. I remember four-year-old Luca sitting proudly on his horse after deciding he didn’t need anyone to guide him anymore.
And I will definitely never forget his birthday horse covered in balloons!
This family horse trek in Bhutan taught us about trust, flexibility and, once again, how capable our kids can be when we give them the opportunity to try something new.
Returning to a Country We Love
This horse trek was only one part of our second 21-day journey through Bhutan, but it became one of the experiences we remember most.
Our first trip to Bhutan had introduced us to this beautiful country. We visited many of its better-known places, learned about its culture and spirituality and hiked to Tiger’s Nest.
Then, only 14 months later, we came back looking for something different.
This time Bhutan took us farther into the mountains, into Central and Eastern Bhutan and, for a few unforgettable days, onto horseback.
It was exactly the kind of experience we had hoped to find when we decided to return.
If you’re curious about how our story with Bhutan began, you can also read Visiting Bhutan with Kids: Inside the Magical Kingdom of Bhutan, where I share more about our first trip, Bhutanese culture, food, Gross National Happiness, Tiger’s Nest and practical tips for planning a family trip.
And if there is one thing our two trips to Bhutan taught us, it is that sometimes going back to a place you love doesn’t mean repeating the same experience.
It can mean discovering an entirely new side of it. 🇧🇹
Continue the journey with:
If you are planning a trip to Asia, these unique destinations should definitely be on your radar:
- Discovering Cambodia: From Phnom Penh to the Magic of Siem Reap with Kids
- Exploring Malaysian Borneo: Wildlife, Ecotourism, and Adventure
- Meeting the Reindeer tribe: Our incredible travels in northern Mongolia
- Visiting Bhutan with Kids: Inside the Magical Kingdom of Bhutan
I hope our experience helps you plan an unforgettable Asia adventure of your own!
