Reviews & Recognition
What guests wrote, where they wrote it, and what we changed because of it.
Book Your Ride
Across Every Platform
- Average rating
- 4.9 Average rating
- Guest nationalities
- 30+ Guest nationalities
- Review platforms
- 3 Review platforms
- Guests who return
- 40% Guests who return
Reviews in Full
Each with the month attached, so you can see how recent it is.
Without doubt the highlight of our entire two-week Indonesia trip. Riding along the deserted beach at sunset with the golden light streaming across the water was absolutely magical. Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable about the local culture and made us feel completely safe even though we were relative beginners. The horse swimming the next morning was something I never imagined possible. We have already recommended Sumba Horse to three couples back home.
As an experienced equestrian who has ridden in Patagonia, Mongolia and Morocco, I can say Sumba offers something entirely unique. The Sandalwood horses are remarkably sure-footed on the mountain trails, and the landscape is unlike anywhere else I have ridden. The guides genuinely care about their horses and it shows in every interaction. The photography package was outstanding — over two hundred professionally edited images.
We brought our two children, aged eight and twelve, for the family package and it exceeded every expectation. The team matched our kids with gentle, patient horses and the children's guide was wonderful — patient, fun, and always safety-conscious. Watching my daughter's face when she trotted on the beach for the first time is a memory I will treasure. The village visit was educational and respectful.
I chose the honeymoon package and it was the most romantic experience we have shared. The private sunset ride ended with champagne on the beach under a sky full of stars. The attention to detail was impeccable — fresh flowers in our room, a route past secluded waterfalls, and a candlelit dinner cooked by a local chef using traditional Sumbanese recipes.
Our corporate team of twelve did the three-day retreat and it was genuinely transformative for team bonding. There is something about sharing a riding adventure that breaks down professional barriers. The team-building was thoughtfully designed, the guides managed very different skill levels brilliantly, and the accommodation was excellent. We are already planning to return with a larger group.
I had never ridden before and was genuinely frightened. The team had me feeling safe and confident within the first twenty minutes. By the end of the beginner lesson I was on a forest trail grinning. I booked two more rides before I left the island.
What Guests Consistently Name
Across platforms the same four things come up: the condition and temperament of the horses, the knowledge and warmth of the Sumbanese guides, the variety of riding locations, and the sense that the logistics were handled without the trip feeling over-produced.
The phrase that appears most often is that the experience exceeded expectations — which we take less as a compliment than as a standard to keep meeting.

Recognition
Alongside guest reviews, our work has been recognised by travel publications and tourism bodies.
- TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice Award
- Indonesia Tourism Board sustainable tourism certification
- Featured in National Geographic Traveller
- Reviews on Google, TripAdvisor and Instagram
What We Do With Feedback
Every review, comment and survey response is read by the management team, and we hold a monthly meeting where guest comments become assigned actions.
That process is where several concrete changes came from: upgraded safety equipment, new trail routes suggested by guests, a wider dietary menu, and an expanded photography service.
After your trip you will get an email with links to Google and TripAdvisor. We would rather have an honest three-star review that tells us something than a polite five-star one that does not — and we read a wide range of reviews ourselves before recommending anything to guests, so we would suggest you do the same with us.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I leave a review?
After your experience we send a follow-up email with links to Google and TripAdvisor. We read every review and respond personally to all feedback.
Where else can I read reviews?
Beyond the reviews on this page, you will find us on Google, TripAdvisor and Instagram. We would encourage reading across all of them rather than relying on the selection any business puts on its own site.
Are these reviews edited?
They are trimmed for length only. Nothing has been added, and the package and month shown with each review are the guest's actual booking.
Do many guests come back?
Around forty percent book a second or third visit. Returning guests get priority booking in peak season and access to trips we do not offer first-time visitors, including the full-moon beach ride and Pasola viewing.
Write the Next One
Join guests from more than thirty countries who have ridden Sumba with us.
