The Chinese Zodiac Year of the Horse begins on 17 February 2026, ushering in a bold new way to explore the world’s most remote and culturally rich landscapes. World Expeditions’ Horse Trek Series is a collection of journeys that blend the age-old tradition of exploring on horseback with the comfort, support and low-impact ethos that defines every World Expeditions experience.
According to the Chinese zodiac, the horse represents adventure, independence, and vitality – values deeply shared by World Expeditions and by the communities that make these new experiences possible.
For a company long known for its pioneering style of travel in the world’s wildest places, the horse trek series, launched in November 2025, honours the enduring partnership between people and horses – a timeless way to explore remote landscapes, become integrated with nomadic cultures and travel responsibly.
“There’s a deep sense of connection that comes with travelling on horseback,” says Sue Badyari, CEO of World Expeditions. “It’s a style of exploration that’s both ancient and immersive, perfectly aligned with our ethos of low-impact, meaningful adventure travel. Our horse treks celebrate travel that reconnects people with the land, with history, and with themselves.”
Each new itinerary has been carefully designed in collaboration with local horsemen and women, prioritising cultural exchange and ethical animal welfare practices. Whether riding with Kazakh eagle hunters in Mongolia, crossing Andean passes with gauchos in Argentina, or following ancient trading routes through the Tian Shan Mountains of Kyrgyzstan, these trips go beyond the saddle to offer a deeper experience of place.
Highlights include:
· Argentina – Experience the vast plains, lenga forests and rugged coastlines of Tierra del Fuego’s remote wilderness on one of the most powerful horse treks on earth.
· Chile – Traverse remote Andean valleys with baqueanos (local horsemen), accessing wild terrain unreachable by vehicle.
· Dolpo, Nepal – Explore beyond the trails, deep into the remote Dolpo region, one of Nepal’s most mystical landscapes, for a journey of cultural depth and physical challenge.
· Kyrgyzstan – Journey through alpine pastures, yurt camps and Silk Road routes, immersed in one of Central Asia’s richest horse cultures.
· Mongolia – Experience the rhythm of nomadic life on horseback in Mongolia’s vast grasslands and alpine river valleys, with accommodation in wilderness camps with spacious tens.
· Mustang, Nepal – Explore the arid, high-altitude landscapes of the once-forbidden kingdom, where horses remain vital for mobility and trade.
Each journey supports regional livelihoods and sustains traditions that have existed for generations.
The launch of the Horse Trek Series reaffirms World Expeditions’ leadership in ethical animal tourism, with all trips developed in line with the company’s strict animal welfare guidelines, as well as Leave No Trace principles.
“We welcome World Expeditions’ ongoing commitment to ensuring that their travel offerings are animal friendly, including animal-assisted adventures,” says Ben Pearson, Country Director, World Animal Protection Australia. “Their leadership over many years has helped lift standards across the entire travel industry.”
World Expeditions is one of the few global operators to have adopted formal animal welfare guidelines across all destinations. The new horse treks have been developed in close collaboration with local partners and communities, ensuring best-practice care for animals and genuine benefits for host communities.
More information about the company’s approach can be found in its Animal Welfare Policy.
With local guides leading each journey, travellers experience these wild landscapes at a slower pace, allowing for connection with culture, nature and tradition. For those seeking a new way to see the world, the Horse Trek Series opens the gate to a timeless style of adventure.
