Cabalgata La Yolanda — Local services in La Fortuna

We recently did the Volcano Horseback Riding Tour with this amazing small, family-owned business and it was truly one of the highlights of our trip! From start to finish, it felt incredibly personalized and real—this isn’t your typical touristy trail ride, it’s an adrenaline-filled journey through beautiful, working farmland.

We rode through lush fields, crossed rivers, and tackled rugged terrain on strong, well-cared-for horses. My horse, Tequila, was a sweet mama who gave me such a special moment when she stopped riding for a bit—our guide explained it was because she sensed she was far from her baby. Sure enough, once we got close to the end where her foal was, she let out a call, just like he said she would. It was so beautiful and touching!

Our guide (I wish I remembered his name!) was knowledgeable, kind, and clearly loves the land and animals. He shared stories about the farm, the animals’ personalities, and the history of the area, which made it all the more meaningful.

To top it off, we had the sweetest surprise companion—a family dog who joined us for the entire 2-hour ride! He trotted along faithfully, like a loyal little guardian. We also spotted cows, birds, and other friendly farm dogs along the way.

Towards the end, we told our guide we were up for some speed—and he delivered! It was the perfect burst of adrenaline to end the ride. If you’re staying at a resort nearby, skip the polished, scripted excursions and come here for something real. This tour is for those with an open mind and adventurous spirit who want to connect with the land, the animals, and the people who live...

Our experience with this company started out great. The booking process is incredibly easy and the price for what you are getting out of the excursion is wonderful. My reason for giving two stars is the lack of safety procedures taken to ensure all riders have a completely safe trip. Before getting on the horses I asked the workers to double check if the saddles on the horses were tight enough because I have fallen off of a horse due to the saddle not being properly tied and it going off the the side while riding. When I asked the workers smirked and did not double check they instead dismissed my concerns. Coming back from the waterfall the horse my mother was on began to run and of course, the saddle was loose and went to the side . My mom got thrown off the horse while it was running onto the street and there were oncoming cars headed towards us. We ended up spending four hours in the urgent care to get X-rays of her wrist, back and ankle since she was unable to walk. Our guide did not once apologize and instead told us that they fall off the horses all the time and she should go get a massage to make it better…. I’m sorry but a massage does not fix a sprained ankle or wrist. I’m incredibly disappointed with the lack of accountability and safety at this place. Although it is a beautiful horseback ride and the waterfall was wonderful, the safety of your family should be first and it seems that it is not a priority to...

I can not say enough great things about this facility and the ride. I rode at multiple places during my stay in Costa Rica, and these horses were BY FAR the best cared for of any horses we came across. They are well fed, well trained and behaved, you can tell they are very happy horses. The saddles actually fit them well AND are comfortable- double bonus.

The ride itself is also fantastic. You start off at the barn, in a covered very clean facility, and set off onto your adventure thru the jungle area, then an open field thru cattle, you cross a couple rivers, make a pit stop to drink out of a coconut and then ride all the way to where the park entrance is to get to the waterfall.

The ride really was great. But I actually want to emphasize how great condition these horses are in. As an experienced rider with horses of my own, trail riding companies in general are always a crap-shoot. I was very disappointed in the quality of care the horses as a whole were receiving everywhere else we visited. However, Cabalgata la Yolanda blew them all out of the water! No need to look around for the best horseback riding in costa rica- these guys are the clear winners! Will absolutely be back and send all our friends. Thank you for an amazing...