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USA Escorted Ranch Tour: 24 May - 2 June

The great Escorted Ranch Tour with Ben Longwell is back again for our overseas guests or those 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! 

As our guest, you will get to learn practical horsemanship on the ranch with Ben, within a small group (7 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 – from Salt Lake City, Utah & Elko, Nevada shopping and checking out some western history, to spending a week 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 Americas 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 2019

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When/Where:

The full tour is 9 nights, 8 days, Friday 24th May – Sunday 2nd June. You will start by flying into Salt Lake City, Utah, where you will meet up with Ben for a welcome dinner of American slow cooked BBQ on Friday night. Saturday morning you can shop ’til you drop at a number of different ranch & western stores before travelling to Elko, Nevada. Sunday we will have some very special shopping & history at J.M. Capriola’s – world-renowned for their hand-crafted western gear. In the afternoon we will be heading to the remote 6th generation working horse & cattle ranch in northwest 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 Salt Lake City on Saturday for a finale at a PRCA Rodeo. 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!!

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Shopping:

Saturday, we have time for shopping in Salt Lake City, UT, before heading towards Elko, NV. Ben will make sure he gets you to local western 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 are opening up the shop on Sunday especially for our group. They 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.

Rodeo:

We are fortunate that our dates match up to head to the Herriman PRCA Rodeo near Salt Lake City after our week at the ranch. It will be a fantastic finale to the week and Ben will take you to experience the excitement and entertainment of American Rodeo. 

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Lodging:

Accommodation in your Ranch Tour Package is included for 3 nights in a hotels (2 nights in Salt Lake City, UT & 1 night in Elko, NV) 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 all breakfasts at your hotels and 3 dinners in town are included in the package price. Before we reach the Ranch, 2 lunches will be your responsibility and 1 lunch on return to Salt Lake City. We will plan accordingly. All meals at the Ranch are prepared by a chef and are included in your package price. 

Group Size & Age Restriction:

We have a minimum of 7 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 transfer 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)!

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Further Travel:

As one of your biggest costs is the price of airline tickets to and from the US – we recommend making additional travel plans after the Escorted Ranch Tour is finished. Salt Lake City, UT is a major airport for you to connect onto further travel or pick up a rental car and hit the open road and explore! 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:

As you will be ‘in the saddle’ for most of the week – and the majority of guests will not be used to this, the Ranch suggests a general fitness guideline: “Guests who want to participate in Horsemanship activities should be fit enough to be able to mount from the ground unassisted and not have to rely on the horse or a mounting block. In general, participants should comfortably handle their own weight and comfortable at all gaits.”

Tipping:

Most people have a bit of a hard time or feel a little intimidated with this concept as many are just 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 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. 

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Cost:

We have been working hard to keep costs down (even though inflation has soared) and have managed to get our pricing very close to our 2021 Ranch Tour.

Single Occupancy (own room in hotels & at ranch): US$3980 per person [incl food, accommodation, horse activities, education, ranch activities, rodeo]

Double Occupancy (shared room in hotels & at ranch): US$3650 per person [incl food, accommodation, horse activities, education, ranch activities, rodeo]

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 $2980/2650 is due April 12th, 2024. 
All payments are non-refundable. You are more than welcome to book travel insurance once you have decided to come. If you are unable to attend for some reason and would like a refund – 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. Otherwise, the deposit is non-refundable. 

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!

Waiting List: Escorted Ranch Tour 2024

Waiting List – Ranch Tour 2024

  • Our 2024 Escorted Ranch Tour is fully booked, but please fill out the form to join the waiting list, as we may end up with spaces becoming available if someone needs to cancel. ​
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Interested Form: Escorted Ranch Tour 2025