Horse holidays abroad · India
Horse Riding Holidays in India: Rajasthan, Jodhpur and Udaipur
Horse riding holidays in India take place mostly in Rajasthan, riding point-to-point between villages, forts and palaces on Marwari horses, on trips lasting one to two weeks.
- Best monthsNov to Mar
- Level
Experienced to expert - Typical trip6 to 12 nights
- Price guide
Higher to premium
At a glance
What does a riding holiday in India involve?
- Best monthsNovember to March
- Riding level
Confident at all paces, and adaptable - Hours in the saddle4 to 6 hours a day
- Typical trip6 to 12 nights, 4 to 8 riding days
- Weight limitAbout 90 to 95kg, varies by ride
- Group sizeSmall groups, matched to riding ability
- HorsesMarwari, with curling ears and a fifth gait
- TackEnglish saddles, adapted for the Marwari
- AccommodationTented camps, heritage havelis and small palaces
- Price guide
Higher to premium for this kind of holiday, per person, before flights
The riding
What is horse riding in India like?
A riding holiday in India crosses the farmed and grazed land of Rajasthan from village to village, past fields, wells and temples.
The going is mostly open, with real chances to canter, broken up by slower stretches through settlements.
A trip timed to a Rajasthani fair arrives at a festival that is already taking place, rather than one staged for visitors.
Jodhpur and the Thar fringe
Udaipur and the Aravalli hills
Kumaon and the Himalayan foothills
When to go
When is the best time to ride in India?
The season runs from November to March. Outside it the heat is too much for the horses, and the summer monsoon closes the routes.
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
November, and February into March, have the best weather, with warm days, cool nights and clear light.
December and January are colder, with chilly mornings on the desert fringe, though the light and the going stay good.
Festival dates move with the lunar calendar, so if you want a particular fair, its dates decide when you travel.
Your level
What riding level do you need for India?
You need to be confident at all paces on a forward, sensitive horse, and willing to ride quietly rather than firmly.
Novice
Intermediate
Experienced
It suits you if
- You ride with a light, quiet hand
- You are happy with a changing daily schedule
- You want a cultural trip built around forts and villages
It is not for you if
- You ride mainly with strong leg and hand
- You need a fixed timetable each day
- You want empty, wilderness country rather than settled land
If you ride a Marwari as firmly as you would a European horse, you spend the first day doing far too much.
The days are long and the timings can change, so it helps to be adaptable. Long sleeves, long trousers and a hat are needed every day against dust and sun.
The horses
What are the horses and tack like in India?
The Marwari is the horse of the Marwar region, known by its long, fine ears that curve inward until the tips touch or cross.
It is a light-framed desert horse with a high-set neck, forward and responsive to far less leg than most European horses need.
Some are trained to the revaal, a smooth lateral gait that covers ground comfortably for hours.
Stallions are ridden more commonly in India than in Britain, and the guides manage them through spacing and order on the ride. The tack is English, adapted to the shape of the breed.
Where you stay
Where do you stay on a riding holiday in India?
The route runs point to point, and you stay in tented camps, heritage havelis and small palaces along the way.
Luggage travels by road between stops, so on the horse you carry only what you need for the day.
The cost
How much does a riding holiday in India cost?
A riding holiday in India is a higher price for a seven-night palace to palace trip, before flights.
Rajasthan Palace to Palace Ride
Price guide
Higher
Magic of Marwar
Price guide
Premium
A longer trip, such as ten nights through the Marwar region, moves up to a premium price, as a longer expedition costs more, also before flights.
Rides we can arrange
Which rides do we recommend in India?
We know horses, and we know the people who run these rides. Tell us how you ride and where you want to go, and we will put you with the right one.
Rajasthan Palace to Palace Ride
Four riding days on Marwari horses through the Aravalli hills between Udaipur and Jodhpur, staying in palaces and forts along the way.
Pushkar Fair Ride
Six riding days through the Rajasthan countryside, mostly on Marwari horses, timed to Diwali and the Pushkar fair.
Ladakh Trail
A high-altitude ride in Ladakh on small, sure-footed Tibetan horses, mostly at a walk, between monasteries and timed to a festival. Altitude, not riding skill, is the challenge.
Common questions
India riding questions
What is a Marwari horse like to ride?
It is light, forward and sensitive, with a high-set neck and a great deal of go for its size. It responds to much less leg than a European horse, and one trained to the revaal has a smooth fifth gait built for distance.
Why do Marwari horses have curled ears?
It is an inherited trait of the breed and the clearest way to identify one. The tips curve inward and may touch or cross, and it has no effect on the horse's hearing.
Do you ride stallions in India?
Often, yes. Stallions are ridden more routinely in India than in Britain, and the guides manage the group with spacing and order on the ride.
Is a riding holiday in India suitable for a nervous rider?
Not usually. The horses are forward and sensitive, and some sections pass close to traffic, livestock and people, so you need to be confident and adaptable.
When is the best time for a riding holiday in Rajasthan?
November, or February into March. In December and January you should expect cold mornings on the desert fringe.
What is a festival ride?
It is a riding trip timed to a Rajasthani horse and livestock fair, so the route finishes in or passes through the event. These weeks sell out, often a year ahead.
Where to go next
Nearby, and next
Tell us how you ride
Tell us your level, your dates and the country you have in mind, and we will point you to the ride that fits.