Dahana Ranch

Excellent experience! My 9 year old daughter and I booked a ride with Kiyo. She took us out for the 1.5 hour beginner «Ranch Ride». Kiyo selected the appropriate horse for our level of experience which was close to zip. It was my daughters best experience of our week long trip. Kiyo encouraged my daughter and taught her the basics of horseback riding. You cannot go wrong and my daughters permanent-​smile is still on her face! They do not ride head to tail here. Great fun, excellent horses, down-​to-​earth people, and something my daughter will treasure forever.

It is impossible to get a response from this place. I have kept calling for 3 days, left messages-​nothing. You should be more responsive to your clients

Had the best time and it was so amazing. The family is so in tune with the horses and the people. I will go back when I come back to Hawaii

This was an unexpected last minute decision to go horseback riding on our last day in HI– we called Dahana Ranch and fortunately they had four spots open up so we took them for a 3:00 ride. (Apparently this never happens bc the other family who rode with us booked it two months in advance)!
With two adults and two kids (8,6) it was an experience we will never forget. First they make sure you’re safe and can understand directions on how to ride your horse — this is not your ordinary trail ride– they let you ride free on the open range and guide your horse yourself! Our family had zero riding experience before and we were able to do it — such an amazing time. Highly recommend it for families and kids of all ages.

As all have said before, great place. My granddaughter is a first time rider. They got a smaller mount for her, took the time to lead her horse for several hundred yards, assessed she was comfortable then gave her the reins after asking my permission. Our wrangler then gave her attention throughout the ride. Could you ask for more? They have helmets but they are not required. Only one XL, my need which was not a good fit. Pretty day. It was very windy but it didn’t make any of the horses skittish. 5 – 20 year old darlings and four friendly ranch dogs. Cattle calm as we rode among them.

Best horseback ride ever! We were able to ride our horse freely across a beautiful ranch with green rolling hills. Brie, our Wrangler, was fun and knowledgeable. We had children ranging from 3 – 12 y.o. and she took care of them all:) If you are looking for a real riding experience that is kid friendly, I highly recommend Dahana Ranch

We loved it here! We took a chance and drove up with 4 adults and 3 kids. Didn’t think we could get to horse back ride on the same day. Luck us, they took us right away. Price was very reasonable, guide was amazing, scenery was beautiful. Highlight of the kids trip to the Big Island.

So gorgeous and green! Lovely and fun ride appropriate for the whole family. Our kids are five and seven and we went on the 90 minute family ride. This is not a «follow the horse in front of you down a dirt path» ride, it’s scamper around a big open grassy green pasture and chart your own path. Breathtaking scenery. Our guide, Bree, was wonderful. Patient, knowledge and not on auto-​pilot. She took a real interest in making sure we all had a good experience and worked with our seven year old to improve her riding skills. She also lead our five year old, which made me feel more comfortable, for sure. We all loved it.

We went to dahana a bit last minute. Called ahead to check on availabilities and were able to go on the 3pm ride. It was my husbands first time on a horse so I thought we should start off on the mellower 1.5 hr ride.
Their approach is different from most trail rides. They emphasize their horse training on your ride, which I really liked. Our guide was great at teaching my husband how to ride. His horse did notice his hesitation and took some advantage but by the end of the ride, he looked like he was more in charge and more confident! And I’m so happy to hear that he would go again!
The views were spectacular, even though there was some clouds hanging about. We still lucked out and saw clear views of mauna keas summit.
We hope to come back soon and maybe I can convince my husband to try out the cattle drive.

My husband and ended our last memorable vacation day doing a 2 ½ ride at Dahana Ranch. It was so healing and enjoyable. After baking in the hot sun in Kona all week, we felt so refreshed by the cooling mist of Waimea. It’s a family run working cattle ranch and they couldn’t have been nicer. We were matched up with horses that are actual cattle working quarter horses. What was so nice was that our owner/​guide let us go to walk, trot, or cantor — no head to tail ride. We learned so much about the family history of the land and met some repeat riders that just dropped by to say hello. That really told us something about the genuine character of the owners. I would highly recommend this adventure. They have rides for all riding abilities.

This ride was the highlight of our trip. We went horseback riding at na’apala staples in waipio valley first but because we love horses and saw the reviews on this ranch. We went horseback riding for a second time and chose this ranch! It was amazing and did not compare to our first horseback riding at all. The horses here are trained extremely well! They really listen and even in just looking at them you can tell how well they are cared for! Our wrangler/​guide was Pa’akaula and he was really great and made us feel comfortable with his excellent instructions. My group was accustomed to nose to tail rides but here he stressed not doing that and instead to take your own way to get to certain meeting points. When it was flat we were able to trot a bit. My entire group was really blown away with how well trained the horses were. The property is also gorgeous and we were able to see the cows and bulls and even baby calves as well as the retired horses. We loved it and will definitely return on future trips to the big island. Do yourself a favor and go to Dahana Ranch you’ll be very happy you did!

the staff was attentive and informative. Awesome views and great experience. Great for a group and small children.

I just got back from a ride at Dahana with my 8 year old daughter. It has been the highlight of a wonderful Hawaii trip. We were able to ride to our comfort level. We take lessons and were able to use some of those skills. The guide was wonderful. He would talk as you wanted or let you just enjoy the beauty of the area. And let me tell you, it is beautiful there! The views, the cattle and young calves, the horses, etc it was just perfect.
The horses are wonderfully well trained. But also you aren’t getting some beaten down mare. These horses work around the farm as well as providing tours. Our guide also mentioned that some of them are used in competitions. So these are wonderful, in their prime horses. You are responsible to control your own horse. The guide gives you all you need to know for those not familiar. He was a pleasure to have as a guide.
Go, you will not regret it!

Has such an amazing morning ride around the ranch. Everyone was super friendly and gave good instructions. It had been years since i had rode a horse so I was a bit nervous, however the horses were extremely calm and easy to ride. My awesome horse Skunk didn’t always want to listen to me but since my skills were lacking, its was understandable. It was encouraged the entire time for us to blaze our our path across the meadows and hills which was great. So riders in our group were more skilled than others but its didn’t really matter too much as the horses were well trained.

I’ve been on a lot of trail rides and it’s ALWAYS a nose-​to-​tail gig. BUT NOT HERE! Here, you can roam where ever you please (generally) and even canter a bit!
For a big island trip, this is a MUST. Like, you’re hawaii trip won’t be the same without doing this trail ride. I’ve been on A LOT of trail rides, but this has to be my ultimate favorite. My husband has never ridden a horse before and was worried about squashing the ‘boys’ or hurting in certain sensitive areas, even though I told him everything is FINE. lol. Well, after our ride, he reported everything was FINE! Oh brother… lol.
At Dahana Ranch, they encourage you NOT to follow the horse in front of you and let you roam where ever and give you a far off destination. THe guide takes you all around their acres and acres and ACRES of ranch, which only contained a scene out of Dances with Wolves. Green grass lands with rolling hills for as far as the eye can see.
I wish we paid a little more to herd cattle, but for my husband’s first time riding, I didn’t want to freak him out too much. Definitely next time.
It was just so fun to go up and down the hills and walk along side herds of cattle. There was also a little goat on the ranch that took my immediate attention as it was barely clearing 1.5 ft. I die…
Super friendly, lots of instructions, plenty of freedom. This is truly a rider’s dream and a beginner’s new first love.

Amazing staff super friendly and great for small children. We recommend this to anyone looking for awesome views of the mountains and a fun filled afternoon

An experience not to be missed! I found this place while searching horseback riding on the Big Island, and boy am I glad I did. For me personally this was the highlight of my trip. Got to enjoy the beautiful and sprawling landscape and have a great time riding as well. This is not your typical nose to tail ride which is what my whole family loved about it. We did the 2 ½ hour Range Station Ride. We got to herd cattle! While we walked for the majority of the outing, we also had a chance to trot and lope along the way too. My daughter rides English style at home and loved this western style outing. Will definitely return to Dahana Ranch on my next trip to the Big Island.

Our family of five wanted to horseback ride while vacationing in Hawaii. We found Dahana Ranch online. They were the only place that could accommodate our weight/​age requirements. We were glad they were able to.
The ride on their family mountain ranch was one of the highlights of our vacation. We did the 1−½ hour ranch ride. I am an experienced equestrian but others in the family are not. I had an amazing time even though it was the «beginner» ride.
They were very hospitable. They encouraged us to spread out and not to ride head to tail. It was raining the day we rode but the wet weather didn’t ruin our experience. Their ranch is a working ranch with beautiful scenery. We will be visiting them again next time we are on the Big Island.

This was definitely one of the highlights of our two-​week vacation. We were a little worried at first that this trail ride was going to be a nose to tail ride, but it was definitely an open range ride. Speaking as someone who has ridden quite a bit, I was pleasantly surprised by the freedom we were allowed.
Ikena was our guide and even though she was quiet at first, she really opened up and we were able to learn a lot about her and her family’s ranch, which was fascinating. We chose the range station ride and it was awesome! Even though we were in a group, Ikena made sure that we were able to participate.
The views on this trail ride were spectacular: lush, green, rolling hills with cattle and horses scattered throughout. Also, the horses seemed to be in good health, well taken care, and extremely well trained (but not the «follow-​the-​leader» type).
All in all, this was a great experience for us and we would choose it again in a heartbeat! Highly recommend!

I loved this experience. We are on our honeymoon, and one of the top things I had on my list to experience on the Big Island, was a horseback ride. We took it a step further, however, and opted for the 2.5 Hour Range Station Ride. Our wrangler was Keo (apologies for the misspelling). She went through the basic steps for horseback riding, how to work with your horse and take control, etc. I can count on one hand, not even needing all of my fingers, how many times I’ve ridden a horse in my life. The horses at Dahana Ranch are trained quite well, from what we experienced. Keo was great. We learned a little bit about her, and she learned a lot about us. I really felt comfortable with her and trusted her and her expertise.
We practiced riding with our horses and explored the beautiful green, rolling hills of the ranch. It was SO FUN when we came to the point of herding the cattle! I’m typically a quiet person, but when it came time to herd, I was yippy-​ki-​yaying with best of them. It is a working Ranch, and our ride was a «working» experience. If you’re a diva and have no interest in getting dust in your eyes and listening to direction, then this ride is not for you. If you’re adventurous and open-​minded and patient, then you’ll have a great time.
I would absolutely recommend this Ranch experience, and if you have the time, the Range Station Ride is worth it. Thanks for a memorable experience!