USA Escorted Ranch Tour
The great Escorted Ranch Tour with Ben Longwell is back again for our 8th year! The Ranch Tour is designed for our overseas guests or those students flying in from the US and unable to bring their own horse.
Get ready for the trip of a lifetime full of adventure, fun and experience that Western dreams are made of!
**Please note – this experience is suited for intermediate-advanced riders only. The Ranch is huge and some days you will need to long trot out to where the cattle are to begin the day. You must be comfortable with lots of trotting and loping to reach the cattle. Low stress stockmanship is used with the cattle, so this is a slower pace…until one tries to get past you.**
As our guest, you will get to learn practical horsemanship on the ranch with Ben, within a small group (8 min/10 max) and experience some of the landscape, history, culture, horsemanship, cuisine, stockmanship and music that Ben grew up with in his homeland of the American West. The Tour is 8 full days with Ben starting in Elko, Nevada with shopping and checking out some western history, to spending 5 full days riding on a family-owned, 6th generation working cattle ranch.
Why book with us when you can just pick a random guest ranch online? Great Question!! We take the ‘guess work’ out of your vacation, taking you to fantastic places to eat, the best tack and gear stores, an amazing ranch adventure, camaraderie of like-minded folks and so much more for the trip of a lifetime!
“I’m going to use the cliche words ‘trip of a lifetime’ only because it really was. I’ve dreamed of riding across America’s open plains and into the mountains since I was a kid, and Ben and Natalie from True West Horsemanship made that a reality. Their guided tours are full of fun and adventures and horsemanship that just added to an incredible holiday. Being able to work with cattle and drive herds down roads and across plains really wouldn’t have been easy without Ben’s guidance. The ranch was amazing as was the host family’s hospitality and stories. Highly recommend this trip!” – Erin
When/Where:
The full tour is 8 nights, 8 days, Saturday May 17th at 9am (we recommend you flying/driving into Elko on Friday 16th) – Sunday May 25th.
You will start by flying or driving into Elko, Nevada where you will meet up with Ben Saturday at 9am for a shop ’til you drop morning at a number of different ranch & western stores. After lunch we will experience some very special history (and more shopping!) at J.M. Capriola’s – world-renowned for their hand-crafted western gear.
Sunday morning we will delve deep into some history with a private tour of the Cowboy Arts & Gear Museum, where you will get to try your hand at some leather craft of your own. After lunch we will be heading to the remote 6th generation working horse & cattle ranch in northeast Nevada where cattle work is done on horseback, yet there is a strong focus on progressive, regenerative practices, combining the best of tradition and cutting-edge technology and science.
After your week of riding we return to Elko on Saturday for a final afternoon where you can choose to shop some more or visit the history, art & animals at the amazing Northeastern Nevada Museum. We will enjoy a celebration dinner together and a night at a hotel before departing from Elko on Sunday 25th May.
You will come to the ranch as a group of relative strangers, you will leave the ranch as friends and family!
Ranch Activities:
You will have the opportunity to advance your riding skills to the next level with Ben out on the job for daily groundwork, riding and cattlework, studying and applying the art & skills of horsemanship & stockmanship. The majority of the work is done on horseback and there is always something to do. This is the real deal. Along with moving cattle to new pastures – ranch work also may include checking fence, branding, doctoring and checking water, herd health & grass condition. Education about the broader picture of ranching operations is part of the experience! In addition to this work there is varied scenic trail riding.
Horsemanship and Stockmanship:
Practical horsemanship lessons progress from the arena to the hills & mountains surrounding the ranch – with emphasis on safely building practical communication with your horse. Stockmanship will be taught and experienced – the art of handling cattle horseback in a low stress and humane manner. Incorporating both together is one of the best ways to advance your feel & timing as you share practical purpose with your mount – and it is so much fun!!
Shopping:
Ben will make sure he gets you to local western & ranch stores and you will have plenty of time to shop. We suggest packing your suitcase light – or booking an additional bag on the return trip to accommodate all your new purchases! The highlight will be J.M Capriola’s in Elko, who supply a huge range of top-quality handmade gear and are the makers of the original Garcia Bits & Spurs as well as the curators of the Cowboy Arts & Gear Museum.
Lodging:
Accommodation in your Ranch Tour Package is included for 2 nights in hotels (Sat May 17th & Sat May 24th) and your accommodation at the Ranch for 6 nights. The comfort of the ranch guest lodge is all about good old fashioned ranching hospitality. Rooms are allocated on the order of bookings.
Single Occupancy will have own room in hotels and ranch. Shared occupancy (a couple or 2 friends sharing) will have shared room in hotels and at ranch. All rooms have private bathrooms.
Ranch Accommodations Include:
– Three rooms with one twin bed and one double bed.
– One room with queen bed.
– Three rooms with 2 twin beds.
Food:
During the tour your 3 main meals per day are included in the package price including tax & tip. At restaurants, alcoholic drinks are your responsibility and not included in the package price. Some special dietary needs can be accommodated within reason. You are welcome to pick up snacks in Elko before heading to the Ranch if you would like something in between main meals.
Group Size & Age Restriction:
We have a minimum of 8 guests on the trip to secure the exclusive use of the Ranch. We have a maximum group size of 10. The trip is designed for those 16 years and over.
Alcohol:
Alcohol at the Ranch is BYO – before our drive from Elko to the Ranch we will stop at a liquor store for anyone who would like to purchase their own drinks for dinner time. Any sort of alcohol is not permitted prior to or during riding activities.
Travel Insurance:
Insurance is highly recommended (as all payments are non-refundable), but as many people like to make their own arrangements for this, or have the option free with their credit card, this price is not included in the package price. Please make sure you are covered for horse riding and pandemics (as we were all stung by travel insurance not covering us during covid)!
Further Travel:
As one of your biggest costs is the price of airline tickets if you are traveling from overseas – we recommend making additional travel plans after the Escorted Ranch Tour is finished. If you would like further ideas of things to see and do in the American West, we would be happy to make suggestions.
Riding Ability/Weight Limit:
This experience is suited for intermediate-advanced riders only. The Ranch is huge and some days you will need to long trot out to where the cattle are to begin the day. You must be comfortable with lots of trotting and loping to reach the cattle. Low stress stockmanship is used with the cattle, so this is a slower pace…until one tries to get past you! There are no mounting blocks away from the barn (sometimes you can find a stump or an uphill) so we recommend a good general fitness and being able to mount from the ground unassisted.
Tipping:
For those of our guests coming from overseas – this concept can be hard or feel a little intimidating, as many countries are not used to tipping – it’s just a part of life in the US. We can help you out with this, but for the main part of this trip (the stay at hotels, the Ranch & meals) – we have included it in the price.
Flights:
Flights are NOT included in your package price. Guests have the choice to either to arrange their flights with their own travel agent or book flights themselves.
Cost:
Prices are in US$ and will be charged at current international exchange rates on day your card is charged when you book.
Single Occupancy (own room in hotels & at ranch): US$4650 per person [incl food, accommodation, horse activities, education, ranch activities, etc]
Double Occupancy (shared room in hotels & at ranch): US$4090 per person [incl food, accommodation, horse activities, education, ranch activities, etc]
Payments:
A US$1000 non-refundable deposit is required to secure your spot on the trip – which you may book and pay on the form below. Final payment of $3650/3090 is due March 31, 2025.
*All payments are non-refundable. We recommend you book travel insurance once you have decided to come. If you are unable to attend for some reason – it is your responsibility to find a replacement rider to take your spot or we also may have someone on the waiting list willing to take it – then we will refund you less $200 admin fee. Otherwise, the deposit/final payment is non-refundable (we can provide you a letter for your travel insurance company).
So… are you coming with us?
We have been working hard to make this an amazing opportunity for those who are interested in advancing their horsemanship but also looking for the adventure of a lifetime in the West with some like-minded people passionate about horses!
Booking Form: Escorted Ranch Tour 2025
