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Experience ranch holidays in North America this yearHave you ever dreamed of riding a horse on a ranch in true cowboy style? Now you have your chance. There are a variety of ranches available all over North America, but some are different than others. All options offer western hospitality at its best and the chance to go horse riding, fly fishing, hiking and on wildlife adventures.
Here we find out what a dude ranch can offer, as opposed to a working ranch, resort ranch or guest ranch. Read below to find out more about ranch holidays in North America and how they differ. Dude Ranch HolidaysFor the most part, dude ranches are either cattle ranches converted for hospitality or they are true, working ranches. During a stay, guests have the chance to ride horses as much as they like, go swimming, view rodeos, enjoy hiking and biking and attend the popular evenings at the campfire.
Meals are normally enjoyed family style, with all guests participating together and horse riding programmes tend to differ depending on age or previous experience. Guests can enjoy a breakfast ride or beautiful, evening sunset ride. Some ranches even offer a camp-out ride, where guests spend a night in a tent in the wilderness at the edges of the ranch. Working Ranch HolidaysA working ranch experience is different from others, in that you won’t be treated as a guest, but rather a member of the working team. This “hands-on” approach might not suit everyone, especially with the work you are expected to do and you do need to already be an experienced horse rider.
Work varies depending on the time of year. Spring will be spent performing tasks such as branding cattle. In summer, guest workers will often spend their time driving the ranch’s cattle to new grazing pastures. Autumn visits usually involve rounding up the cattle to either take them to their winter pastures or head them off to market. During your working stay, you might also have to help repairing or building new ranch infrastructure. While a working ranch doesn’t offer any special facilities to guest workers, you will enjoy a hearty meal at the end of the day before heading to bed. Guest Ranch HolidaysGuest ranches are welcoming, homely places, usually sporting rustic decor, but with the addition of comfortable accommodation along with modern amenities. Most are family run ranches with a selection of daily activities on offer to guests, including the obligatory horse riding. Most guest ranches only have horses and no other livestock, however the opportunity often arises to help with cattle work on other ranches close by.
More often than not, you can enjoy a day horse riding around the ranch, or go fishing, camping and hiking nearby. Each day ends with a camp fire experience, with guests gathered around with the family. Guest ranches feature varying forms of accommodation, including rooms in the main house or cabins on the property. Resort Ranch HolidaysResort ranches are completely different to any of the above options. They are resorts, not the more personal guest ranch. There is a choice ranging from low-key and rustic ranch resorts to the higher-end luxurious, five-star resorts. While families with children are welcome at many resort ranches, the luxurious options tend to be adult only.
Luxury resorts feature five-star service, luxurious accommodations and gourmet meals, but all resort ranches focus on relaxation, with horse riding coming second. The lower end of the scale tends to offer the normal cowboy experience, along with other options to enjoy, such as hot air ballooning over the plains, golf and water sports. Enjoy
a ranch experience this year for the holiday of a lifetime and whichever
option you choose, come home with the best selfies ever!
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Latest update: February 17, 2019
