Ask a Question

Check Availability

Overview

Martine and her family set up their wonderful ranch with the goal of creating a peaceful place to share with their horses and guests. At the stables, everything revolves around the horse's welfare, building respect and connection between human and animal. The horses live as socially as possible…

Highlights

  • Friendly, family-run ranch
  • Beautiful, well-loved horses with high welfare standard
  • Opportunities to learn horsemanship and groundwork
  • Stunning and peaceful countryside location
  • Multitude of other activities & cultural excursions

Essential Facts

  • 1 itinerary available
  • £1035 $1390 €1200 per person
  • Max 6 riders per group
  • Average of 2 - 3 hours riding per day
  • Weight limit: Strictly 80kg/176lbs/12st 8lbs.
    more info One rider up to 85kg can be accepted with each group, but please enquire.

Description

Martine and her family set up their wonderful ranch with the goal of creating a peaceful place to share with their horses and guests.

At the stables, everything revolves around the horse's welfare, building respect and connection between human and animal. The horses live as socially as possible on sand paddocks and are cared for with attention and love. They are energetic, relaxed, and reliable – perfect partners for an unforgettable riding holiday.

Martine carefully designs and plans the stays to provide in-depth experiences with groundwork, horsemanship, and trail rides, all in small groups with personal guidance. There is also the option to take lessons in the Centered Riding technique, improving your balance, breathing, and seat while deepening your communication with the horse.

For Martine and her horses, riding is not about performance or speed, but about a conscious and harmonious way of riding, where both rider and horse enjoy the experience. You can experience the calm of nature, feel the friendship of the horses, and discover the magic of Djerba!

Horses & Riding

Tack

The horses are ridden in a mix of saddles, including English, western, endurance saddles and Baroque, some are traditional tree saddles and others are treeless. The saddles are selected and matched to the horses keeping their individual needs and conformation in mind. They wear simple snaffle bridles or bitless bridles, again according to what suits the individual horse best.

Horses

The ranch is currently home to twelve lovely horses; ten stallions and two geldings. They are predominantly local Arabian and Barbary horses (or a mix of these breeds) that have small statures but big hearts. Generally speaking they are between 14-15 hands high (142-152 cm).

The horses have spent most of their lives living at the ranch and have been trained with kindness and respect. They have individual characters and are well cared for by your hosts. There are horses available to suit all levels and experiences.

Riding

There is 1 itinerary:

  • Horses & Culture Retreat is a based ride

Ages

None within reason. Young riders must be comfortable and confident to ride a fit and forward going horse at all paces. All minors should be accompanied by a responsible adult.

Health

General good fitness recommended.

Weight

Strictly 80kg/176lbs/12st 8lbs. One rider up to 85kg can be accepted with each group, but please enquire.

Food & Accommodation

Food

During the riding stays, the guest bungalows will be stocked with plenty of food for you to help yourself at breakfast. This will typically include fruit juice, coffee, tea, water, milk, yoghurt, cream cheese, marmalade, halwa tahini, margarine, eggs and fresh baguette every morning.

Lunches and dinners are not typically included, but the accommodation is located a short distance from the tourist areas of Djerba. Here you'll find a selection of wonderful local restaurants to try, serving traditional Tunisian dishes, fresh seafood or options for more European tastes too. Food delivery services are also quite common and the area the accommodation is located in is generally covered - so you can easily order take away to be delivered if you prefer to stay in and relax.

Tunisian cuisine is typically quite vibrant, spicy and mediterranean inspired with dishes comprising harissa, olive oil, seafood and plenty of fresh produce. Unlike many of Tunisia's neighbouring countries, its dishes are distinctively bold, featuring many fragrant herbs and spices such as cumin, coriander and caraway to create deeply flavour packed meals.

Accommodation

Guest accommodation is in one of the bungalows at the ranch; these feature one or two double bedrooms. The bungalows are built in traditional Djerba style for a truly authentic feeling. The bungalows are equipped with a living room, their own kitchen, air conditioning, and bathroom with shower and toilet. There is a further double room with its own en-suite shower room at the main ranch house.

In the garden there is a big terrace with a swimming pool, comfortable sun beds and parasols for your use. Free WIFI internet is available.

All accommodations have their own private terraces with views of the horses in their paddocks, ideal for any horse lover!

Itineraries

Horses & Culture Retreat Standard accommodation.

Other Activities

There is a lovely pool at the ranch for guests to use during their stay.

Your hosts are also very happy to help you plan excursions and visits in the local area. The region is well established for visitors, with boat trips to see wild dolphins and flamingoes, trips into local villages to visit markets, museums and traditional restaurants, or to spend an afternoon at the beach. It's also possible to book kitesurfing and windsurfing experiences locally.

Travel

The ranch is located just 30 minutes drive from Djerba international airport. Transfers to and from the airport on arrival and departure are included for guests.

Car and scooter hire is also a possibility for travellers during their stay, but it's easy to travel between the ranch and the main tourist areas of this region with taxis. Fares are relatively inexpensive, especially when shared between the group.

Itinerary & Pricing

Day 1 - Arrival - 29th August

Riding: No riding.

Arrive to Djerba International airport and take the included transfer to the ranch.

Your hosts will prepare a wonderful traditional dinner, allowing you to enjoy your first sample of Tunisia's culinary delights. Martine's husband is a professional chef, so this is guaranteed to be a fabulous treat.

This will also be a great opportunity to discuss the week's itinerary and get to know your fellow guests and riders.

Day 2 - 30th August

Riding: 2 - 3 hours

Rise & Shine!

We'll make an early start today to take advantage of the cooler part of the day. But don't worry, there will be time for a lovely breakfast together on the terrace. Once we're ready, gather up our riding gear and head to the stables for the first official meeting with the horses.

Martine will take some time to introduce everyone to their mount for the ride and tell you about their individual personality and characters. Mount up in the arena and make sure you are happy with your horse and tack before we head out on our first trail ride to discover the countryside.

On return to the ranch, we will help to untack and wash off the horses before returning to the accommodation to clean up ourselves.

Meet back at the ranch entrance at 12 midday to take a taxi into town for lunch. Martine will join us and provide a guided tour of the markets and town in the afternoon.

We will return to the ranch once everyone is ready and have some free time in the afternoon to cool-off by the pool!

We'll finish the day with another tasty dinner cooked by Martine's husband.

Day 3 - 31st August

Riding: 2 - 3 hours

We'll enjoy another early start and leisurely alfresco breakfast today!

Meet at the stables when we're ready to enjoy another lovely trail with Martine and her wonderful horses. On our return to the ranch we'll help to look after the horses and make sure they are comfortable, before freshening up and heading into town together for lunch.

Today we have the choice of spending a little more time in town, or perhaps heading to the beach for a relaxed afternoon.

Returning to the ranch in the late afternoon, we will have the opportunity to join Martine at the stables for an introductory groundwork session. This will be a wonderful masterclass in reading your horse's body language, developing a way of communicating with them and gaining a better understanding of their behaviour. Following Martine's wonderful demonstration, we will each have the chance to try ourselves and work through simple exercises under her supervision.

With the feeling of deeper connection, we will enjoy another tasty dinner together and the opportunity to discuss everything we have learnt and experienced today.

Day 4 - 1st September

Riding: 2 - 3 hours

Another early start in paradise!

Our trail ride today might take us along the stunning coast and beaches of flamingo island. Keep your eyes peeled for the characteristic pink plumage of these flamboyant birds amongst the backdrop of white sand and the crystal blue sea.

We will again travel into town to enjoy a tasty typical lunch together.

This afternoon will be set aside for us to enjoy at our leisure. Some might like to return to the ranch and simply enjoy some free time by the pool, others may prefer to book a kite or windsurfing session nearby. Please let us know if you are interested in doing this as it will likely need to be booked in advance of travel.

Meet back at the ranch in the early evening for a delicious dinner together with the group.

Day 5 - 2nd September

Riding: 2 - 3 hours

Hopefully by this point in the week, we will be starting to settle into the daily pace and routine on the ranch.

Another early start will see us enjoying a great trail through the countryside together with our beautiful horses. Hopefully the connections are feeling really strong and we have started to build great trust in one another.

We take a little break to enjoy lunch in town and perhaps another opportunity to visit the markets to pick up some souvenirs.

Returning to the ranch in the afternoon, we can enjoy another session of groundwork or even liberty training with Martine and her horses.

Day 6 - 3rd September

Riding: 2 - 3 hours

With connections to both humans and horses feeling stronger than ever, we'll take a relaxing trail ride together this morning.

Today has been earmarked as the day to take our horses to the sea and enjoy a refreshing swim together. A photographer will be on-hand to document this wonderful moment and capture photos you can keep to treasure forever. It's a unique opportunity and one you'll want to look back on with great fondness.

A delicious group dinner back at the ranch will give us a chance to connect and share stories, dreams and experiences of the day.

Day 7 - 4th September

Riding: 2 - 3 hours

Rise bright and early today for our final day in paradise.

We'll meet Martine and our wonderful horses after breakfast to take our final ride together with gratitude and full hearts!

On return to the ranch, we can spend time caring for and making sure the horses are comfortable before freshening up to head into town. The afternoon has again be reserved for free and personal time; perhaps you'd like to return to the beach for a few hours, or back to the ranch to rest and relax. We can also help you in booking tours or activities locally, if you are still feeling active!

For those interested, we can lead a short and relaxing stretching session in the shade by the pool, or some quiet reflection and meditation. We recommend bringing a journal along to write down your experiences, thoughts and dreams. This can be a powerful exercise in self-reflection and a great compliment to the emotions and bonds you will have built this week.

A final celebratory dinner together with your fellow riders and hosts will signify a perfect end to this retreat.

Day 8 - Departure - 5th September

Riding: No riding.

After breakfast today we'll collect up our bags and take a transfer to Djerba airport for our flights home.

A final goodbye to our fellow riders, humans and wonderful horses!

Accommodation

All guests will have their own room in one of the bungalows at the ranch.
Experience Intermediate / Experienced

Strong intermediate and experienced riders are welcome. The horses are calm and sensitive, with individual characters, so your hosts will do their best to match you with the best possible partner. You should be confident riding at walk, trot and canter outdoors for the trails. This is not a fast paced ride with multiple gallops, although the pace is still varied. This ride suits those who share your hosts passion for treating horses with respect and gratitude.
Minimum group size 1
Maximum group size 6
Departure windows

Aug. 29, 2026 - Sept. 5, 2026

Pricing

2026 £1035 $1390 €1200
Included Return Djerba airport transfers, 7 nights accommodation in single rooms with breakfasts, dinner each evening, 6 trail rides, 2 groundwork/liberty sessions, 1 swimming with horses session + photoshoot, 1 guided market/town visit, taxi costs to/from town.
Not included flights, lunches, insurance, drinks, tips, personal expenses.
Note: All programmes and itineraries are weather dependent; in the face of adverse, or unexpected, weather conditions reasonable attempts will be made to provide equivalent riding. All programmes are accurate at the time of writing. However, the team may adapt or modify details, whilst aiming to provide a similar experience.