panama horseback adventures

Dave recently relocated his operations to Red Frog Beach Resort on Isla Bastimentos. He was kind enough to squeeze me in for a half day ride on short notice, and I'm glad he did as it was my favorite day trip while in Bocas. He teamed me up with a horse perfectly suited to my abilities (or lack thereof!), so I was very comfortable. His guide Ilja (sp?), was very friendly and took great care of me as she knew I was a bit nervous. The ride was not only beautiful, but great fun as we wove in and out of beach and jungle terrain to reach a beautiful overlook. I highly recommend the tour as it was the "something different" I was looking for after many days in/on the water.

I was visiting Bocas during low-season and called them up to see about a ride and no rides were available but they were able to pull things together to accommodate a ride. It was just myself and one other girl, and we had two great guides, Ilia (spelling?) and Narcisso. We got to ride through the jungle and see some of the most amazing views. I felt like I was on an episode of Lost (minus the weird stuff). We then had a really unique experience of going into a small village on the island and having a local meal while interacting with the locals and exploring their small village. NOT a typical tourist attraction and such a cool experience. The ride finished off with more awesome jungle treks, some more great views and a cold beer overlooking the ocean. The horses were sweet, well trained and fun to ride. Overall great experience!

I did the full-day ride on August 21, 2014 and it was the highlight of my trip to Panama! We (a dutch couple and me) were picked up by Ilja, one of our lovely guides, at the sailing dock in Bocas at 10am and boated across the bay to San Cristobal island. Once we arrived, we met the gorgeous horses and were each matched up with an appropriate mount. I’m a horse owner who has ridden all over the world and I’ve seen many island riding operations with their thin and sometimes unsound barn sour horses. This is NOT one of those businesses. These horses had good weight, feet and temperaments. The tack was also high quality. I was especially impressed that each horse received a thorough cold freshwater bath at the end of the ride (freshwater is at a premium especially on this remote island).Now for the ride. WOW. Though the rainforest we went, from one person’s property to the next, through fields, overlooking the ocean, surrounded by beautiful vegetation, cows, goats, pigs – walking, trotting, some cantering – we all had some previous riding experience. As we made our way to the native village, we were joined by a second guide, Narciso, who is also currently the primary caretaker of the horses. Once we arrived, we tied up our horses and took a tour of the village. It was truly a privilege to see how the people lived. (Ask permission before taking photos.) We then had a filling lunch of chicken, legumes and veggies and were back on our way. The ride home included tastings of mandarin limes and cacoa fruits. Back at the house, we hosed off our horses and took the boat returning to Bocas at 4pm.Something to note: Dave, the owner of the operation/horses, has built an incredible mutually respectful relationship with the native inhabitants of the island as well as his staff, and that was apparent throughout the tour. It was with the locals’ help that he created much of the trail system for riding, and with their permission that he takes his clients through their various properties. This was much more than your typical island vacation horseback ride and I would strongly recommend it to anyone adventurous who wants to get a different perspective on life in Bocas!

Were very much looking forward to a day's riding, but Dave the owner explained that the company is moving location (early August 2014) so be sure to call ahead of time to find out whether they have completed the move.Otherwise you may be disappointed as we were.

Amazing day ride for EXPERIENCED equestrians. 2 hours of trot and canter through the jungle, across cattle pastures, up and down hills, over creeks and logs… to get to the other side of the island where a delicious lunch of fresh fish tacos rejuvenated us for the ride back. The ride back was a bit slower allowing for some picture taking LOL. But it was still full steam ahead. NOT for the casual rider as you must have complete balance in the saddle and be able to handle a horse over challenging trails. Dave is fantastic and has an incredible knowledge of the area. The stories of how he got his horses to the island are pretty incredible. And don't forget to ask his wife Molly for some of the fantastic soaps and lotions that she has for sale.

First of all Dave( the owner) is awesome and really nice! His assistance Mauricio also did a great job. The ride on Dave's boat to San Cristobal was beautiful,his horses were gorgeous and I even got to meet his little girl who I got to play with for a bit.The ride on the island was great to maneuver for even the non rider that I am and my favorite part was visiting the indigenous people on the island! Keep up the awesome tour and I hope to see you again soon on my next border run to Panama in Aug!

What an incredible day! Dave picked us up in his boat at Red Frog and we were given a great “mini-tour” on our 25 minute ride to the horses. His knowledge of local history is wonderful. I’d gotten my moneys worth even before we rode the horses. Make sure to ask him how he got the horses to the island. Crazy-amazing! When we arrived the horses were ready to go. Dave talked to each person about their riding experience to make sure we were matched with the right horse. The ride was beautiful and educational. Dave has really done his homework. Because our group had 2 young girls, we did a nice walk through the jungle which was perfect. Having not ridden for almost 20 years it was a perfect re-introduction. Now we’re ready for the longer more adventurous ride. We'll see you soon Dave!

We went on the full day tour (10:00 AM to 4:00 PM). Being novice riders, it was so helpful and educational having Dave give us safety pointers and a quick-and-dirty lesson on how to handle ourselves and the horses on different terrain. He and his trail guide, Narcisso, made us feel totally comfortable and confident. The trail was beautiful and along the way, Dave provided education on the local flora and fauna. He also shared many colorful stories on the history of Bocas. The lunch in the village was delicious - yummy chicken, coconut rice, and beans. I purchased a great bag and two bracelets made by the local Artisans. Something I'll treasure, along with the memory of the ride, forever. Don't hesitate to go!!

Having read the other comments regarding this tour, I happily booked a half a day trip with my friend (another novice). The day was worth every penny, Dave is a thorough and personable guide and you feel very comfortable in the saddle, the trail is demanding in places and this adds to the overall experience. This was my second time in Bocas and was the highlight of both trips along Panama's Northern Caribbean tourist hotspot.

One of the nicest thing about the tour besides the riding itself was meeting Dave, Molly and Narcise. My wife and I are inexperienced riders. Dave made everything so comfortable that after the tour was done I asked about doing a more advanced ride.. Unfortunately we ran ride out of time. Our tour was the best and most interesting one we did. The scenery, the wild life and getting to see a real Panamanian village was amazing. Thanks to Dave and his help and keep the good times coming.

Dave picked us up in Bocas Town, and after a short and very cool boat ride, we arrived at his and his wife's amazing home. I'm an inexperienced rider and Dave showed me the 'ropes', put me on a nice horse and off we went. We went through the jungle and saw some amazing views. It was an incredible day. Well worth it!

For a first time rider, I had a great time. I live in Bocas and I have been on the tour twice, and I will do it again.

We went on Dave's tour on the last day of our honeymoon, and we both wish we had scheduled it earlier in the week so that we could have done it again! It was easily the best tour of our trip, and we had an action-packed vacation. Dave was a wonderful host, was knowledgeable about the area and local history, and had some entertaining stories of some of the more colorful residents of the area. San Cristobal is the PERFECT place for a horseback tour. Every inch of the tour was full of beautiful landscapes and views, and full of wildlife to grab your attention. I couldn't stop taking pictures, there was just too much to see! The opportunity to go into the village was something we'll never forget. Dave was obviously popular there, and helped guide us through their customs. Dave was friendly, and down to earth, and we felt like we had known him for years. It was truly a treat to have his full attention on the tour by ourselves, we didn't feel like we were just a part of a crowd. The horses were well cared for and perfectly well-behaved for riders of all types. Narciso and Rosco were excellent tour companions as well, and are a huge part of our memories from this one-of-a-kind tour. I couldn't recommend Panama Horseback Adventures enough, there are too many good things to fit all into one review.

Dave gave us an amazing and informative tour of San cristobal on horseback. He personally picked us up by boat in Bocastown. Arriving we climbed 129 stairs to the stables where very well cared for horses were already saddled and ready to go. Over the mountains and through the sugarcane fields and cocoa farms we rode to an indigenous village. Served lunch and bought crafts. Ride home had incredible views. Back at the barn we met Molly , Dave's wife, who makes wonderful soaps and lotions. This is a 5 star experience.

I've done some riding along the Caribbean coast of Panama in Colon, but was really impressed with Dave's operation. The horses were healthy and responsive, the tack was very high-quality and Dave's horsemanship was skilled and a pleasure to observe. Definitely looking forward to the next opportunity to return and go for a longer ride to really get a feel for the island!