Horse riding in Tenerife: coast or forest, and which ride to book
Updated October 7, 2026 · 6 min read
The short answer: for most visitors in the south, the Horseback Ride with Instructor is the one to book — from €45 per person, 4.4 stars from 929 reviews, a choice of a one- or two-hour ride, and the only one of the three that takes you to the coast. If you want a beginner ride with a better rating through a forest in the north, the Guided Horseback Riding Tour to the Lomo Forest costs €48 and has 4.8 stars from 273 reviews.
Check availability and prices for the horseback ride with instructor
The three rides cost almost the same, so price will not decide it. Where you are staying, how heavy the rider is and how old the youngest person is will. Each listing sets its own limits for weight and age, and they are not the same.
Three horse rides compared
| Ride | Duration | From | Rating | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tenerife: Horseback Ride with Instructor | 1 or 2 hours | €45 per person | 4.4 (929) | Visitors in the south, a ride to the coast |
| Tenerife: Guided Horseback Riding Tour to the Lomo Forest | 1.5 hours | €48 per person | 4.8 (273) | Beginners and families, a forest ride in the north |
| Tenerife: Horseback Riding Experience in the Forest | 1 to 2 hours | €50 per person | 4.9 (18) | A very small group of up to four |
The ride in the south
The ride with instructor goes across the dry lava landscape of southern Tenerife, with tabaiba, cacti and cardón plants, and views of the mountains and the sea. The two-hour option also goes down to the coast and the beach; the one-hour ride does not. Groups are limited to six, and the instructors speak English, Spanish, Russian and Dutch, though one reviewer notes the instructor is a native Spanish speaker with only a little English. A reviewer who booked the two-hour ride says the guide took photos and videos and sent them afterwards, and that staff asked about riding level beforehand to assign a horse.
The listing names children under 6 and people over 91 kg as not suitable; a second line on the page says 95 kg. Shorts, swimwear and bare feet are not allowed. Take sunscreen and water.
The forest ride in the north
The Lomo Forest ride is a slow ride at walking pace, advertised for beginners, non-riders and children, up to 85 kg. The listing says 1.5 hours; the operator’s description gives the trail as 1 hour 40 minutes and sets the day out differently: you arrive at 11am for grooming, saddling and helmets, the trail starts at noon and ends before 2pm, and guests who arrive after 11:30am cannot join. That is a half-day, not a 90-minute errand.
The page lists children under 5, pregnant women, people with epilepsy, people with animal allergies, people with low fitness and people over 70 as not suitable. If any of that might apply, ask your doctor. Family members who do not ride can come along on foot. The page also warns that satellite navigation sends drivers up a steep side road, and asks you to keep to the main road and park near their sign.
Check availability and prices for the Lomo Forest horseback ride
The small group near El Sauzal
The forest experience begins with learning how to groom, prepare and communicate with the horse, followed by a ride through woodland and a small food reward for the horse afterwards. It takes at most four people and lists children under 10 and people over 95 kg as not suitable. At €50 it is the dearest, and with 18 reviews it is the least proven; the 4.9 rating is real but tells you little. Treat it as an option if you want a very small group and the other two do not fit.
What the listings do not tell you
Where the south-coast stables are is not stated in the summary, so check the meeting point on the booking page before you choose the two-hour ride. No ride can promise the weather. Tenerife’s north is cooler and cloudier than the south, and the forest ride is the one where you can be riding in cloud: one reviewer rode in cloud and rain and still found the experience better than expected. Check cancellation terms before you pay.
Who should skip it
Anyone above the weight limit on the listing, which is 85 kg for the forest ride and 91 to 95 kg for the others. Anyone with a child under the listed minimum: 5 for the forest ride, 6 for the coastal ride, 10 for the small group. Anyone who wants to gallop: the Lomo ride is walking pace only, and the operator says other trails exist for experienced riders. For animals with younger children, see our guide to animal outings with children.
Our recommendation
For most visitors in the south: the Horseback Ride with Instructor from €45, with the two-hour option if you want the coast.
For a beginner or family ride in the north: the Guided Horseback Riding Tour to the Lomo Forest at €48, if the weight limit and the 11am arrival suit you.
More ideas for a day out are in the things to do category.
