On my second trip to India in February 2017, I decided I wanted to go beyond the beaten track of Delhi – Taj Mahal – Goa.
So, I took an overnight train with my friends Ele and Asim from Delhi and we made our way to Rajasthan. Udaipur, specifically.
We were kindly hosted by Asim’s college friend’s family. They treated us like their own children and fed us an unbelievable quantity of home cooked jain food. Udaipur is also known as the “white city” and the lake palace, which we visited.
But this isn’t a blog about sightseeing – so let’s talk about the real reason we all travel: how’s horseriding in Udaipur?
Table of Contents
The Location
I found Krishna Ranch on Google Maps. It’s nearby the city centre, but also surrounded by enough nature to be worth a visit.
Beware: many tourist traps in Udaipur old town advertise horseriding. The horses look malnourished and stressed though – so avoid. Call Francine directly instead!
How to get there
Krishna Ranch picked us up from our friends’ home and dropped us off after. The staff is lovely and can communicate in good English. They picked us up in a 4WD which was essential in a few points of the road.
Facilities
Krishna Ranch is beautiful and includes stables, open-air arena, sand paddock plus a few cottages you can stay in.
We were welcomed by Francine and Dinesh and offered tea with milk (fresh from the cow!) as per indian tradition.
You can feel the warmth in every corner of Krishna Ranch.
Horses
Marwari horses deserve a blog post of their own! A heritage breed from Rajasthan with a very distinctive ear shape who used to be the designated war horse. They’re not ponies, but rather short and fit horses with a warm blooded temperament.
You can tell that the owners Dinesh and Francine love their horses. The stables are in tip-top condition, surrounded by greenery, and new foals are born almost every year!
Experience
Ele and I opted for a 90 minute village ride. My friend had only been on a horse once before so we didn’t want to go too fast.
Together with us, owner Dinesh leading at the front and another instructor at the back.
The nature is beautiful and rural. The surrounding area has luxury hotels and a few sleepy villages.
When we passed by, all the local kids were waving at us! A few dogs were excited to see us too – but thankfully we kept them at bay.
My favourite part though was the riding. Even when walking at a slow pace, you can feel how “sparkly” the Marwari horses are. They’re very curious and full of energy.
At first – I was apprehensive. In any Western stable, this means you’re on a spooky, anxious horse. NOT HERE! The horses were calm and cooperative, and just genuinely happy to be exploring with us.
We walked for most of our ride, except a few bouts of easy trot.
A halfway stop for chai at the village chaiwalla is mandatory and just what you need in the heat. The horses had some water too.
After coming back, Dinesh (the owner) felt he could trust me on the horse and the instructors closed off a road so we could gallop fast! OOooh my. It was FUN.
Here’s a video my friend took of us starting out:
Would I go back? IN A HEARTBEAT.
Krishna Ranch also organises 5-10 day treks. My Estonian friend Ria went on one and confirms all my feelings for Marwari horses and Dinesh’ staff. It’s definitely on my bucket list!
What else to do in the area
Either explore the city, or come back for more horseriding!
I spent 3 days in Udaipur in total and 75% of my days was spent eating. I have no regrets, and I’m looking forward to coming back. See you soon, Dinesh and Francine!