Feb 13, 2026
It's always fun when your guides are having as much fun as you are! - Tomas and his family were SO welcoming and made sure our experience was safe and filled with joy and beauty. The scenery was incredible, our guides were so jolly and seemed to be genuinely having fun themselves. The lunch that was cooked for us after our ride was so delicious, every ingredient was grown from the ranch around us. Tomas explained the ingredients and how the food is prepared and we were able to relax afterwards and enjoy the beautiful views from the ranch. I would recommend this trip to anyone visiting San Miguel.
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Feb 9, 2026
Breathtaking. Exhilarating. BEST EXPERIENCE! - I can’t even put into words the freedom and exhilaration I felt riding at Rancho Xotolar. This beautiful working ranch has been in the Morin Ruiz family for over four generations and stretches as far as your eyes can see.
There were three of us on the trip and an "uncle" to watch over each of us. Our guide Leo was equal parts teacher and entertainer.
We enjoyed hours of riding, learning, a gorgeous sunset, and sharing a meal together at the end that included fresh cheese made fresh that morning from the farm’s free ranging cows — cows who decided to join us along the way on our ride. And the dogs, of course, who I loved. It was my favorite day out of three weeks in San Miguel. XO
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Jan 28, 2026
Rancho Xotolar is a special place! - I recently visited Xotolar Ranch with my husband and daughter. Tomas picked us up from out hotel in San Miguel and we drove out to his beautiful family ranch just 45 minuted out of town. Tomas was a wonderful host, he told us all about the history of the area and his childhood growing up on the ranch. Once there we learned to milk a cow and how to make cheese with the fresh milk.
Horseback riding was next. We opted for a shorter ride than the usual two and half to three hour ride that is offered. We are all intermediate riders and we found the horses to be easy to handle and well trained. It was a really spectacular ride, like riding through an old western movie! Cactus, deep echoing valleys, cows bedded down under stubby trees. Sturdy jeans and long sleeves are a must as you will come in contact with some vegetation that can scrape and poke. Felix and young Tomas along with another wrangler were great company! They kept us entertained with songs and conversation all while keeping us safe.
Once back at the ranch we walked a trail up to the kitchen pavilion where Tomas’ sister was preparing lunch. Everything was delicious! After lunch we relaxed on a porch that looked out on the ranch watching butterflies and birds fly from tree to tree.
It was perfect! Tomas and family are so warm and welcoming. My family and I ride often on vacations. We find that it is a great way to see the country side and meet local people on our travels. We all agreed this was our favorite ride to date! Xotolar Ranch is a special place.
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Jan 27, 2026
Amazing Horseback Riding Experience at Xotolar Ranch near San Miguel de Allende - A group of seven of us went horseback riding at Xotolar Ranch outside San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, and it was easily one of the highlights of our trip.
From the start, everything was well done—from the exciting hotel pickup in San Miguel de Allende to the warm welcome at the ranch. The guides were fantastic: knowledgeable, patient, energetic, and genuinely fun to be around. They gave great instruction and made everyone feel comfortable, regardless of experience level.
The ride itself was incredible. We galloped through river crossings, climbed mountain trails, and took in breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside. It felt adventurous, authentic, and perfectly paced. Afterward, we enjoyed great food and wonderful camaraderie with our group and the guides.
And this says a lot: I usually don’t enjoy horseback riding and only go to make my wife happy—but I truly loved this experience. That alone speaks volumes.
If you’re looking for the best horseback riding near San Miguel de Allende, I highly recommend Xotolar Ranch. We had such a great time that we happily left a very generous tip. Well deserved.
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Jan 27, 2026
Fun adventure! - Do not miss the opportunity for this amazing horseback adventure! We were in San Miguel de Allende with friends for a wedding and did a group tour. It was the most fun we had on our trip. The guides are very friendly, fun, knowledgeable, and make you feel ease. I cannot say enough good things about this ranch! By far the best trail riding experience I’ve ever had!
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Jan 27, 2026
The most incredible experience - The most incredible experience we’ve ever had! We’re still thinking about it after five months. We were not experienced in horse riding at all, only a short trotting session once before. They put us at ease immediately, and we knew we could trust them 300%. And we did: we ended up galloping and zigzagging between the cactus. It was incredible! The landscapes were breathtaking, and the whole experience is highly recommended. We will definitely go back one day. We can’t thank the family enough for their warm welcome and for sharing their story and a bit of their daily life with us. Muchísimas gracias, Tomás, Félix, and Roberto!
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Jan 23, 2026
A must have, truly authentic Mexico expereince - Visiting Rancho Xotolar was a highlight of my trip to Mexico. Impassioned people living on their family owned land, truly and authentically sharing the experience with their visitors. Apart from the beautiful and wonderful riding experience in countryside you would never normally see( I even got to gallop through the stream at the foot of the canyon), it was a cultural and culinary experience. Their hospitality was genuine and the day unforgettable.
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Jan 23, 2026
Best horseback riding experience ever! - Best horseback riding excursion I have ever experienced! The cowboys and their families graciously shared their home and passion for the horses. Everyone had a great time! I went twice morning and sunset ride because it was so much fun!
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Jan 14, 2026
So glad we chose to rif=de horses at Xotolar Ranch! All of us LOVED it! - We had a WONDERFUL experience with these ranchers on their family owned ranch! Thomas and his father ( partial owner with his siblings) communicated very well, texted and called when I missed their email, and picked us up from our lodgings in SMA. Respectful, funny, engaging and offered a lot of interesting details and facts as well as answered all of our questions!
The ride was beautiful , interesting and informative with cool views, and mostly followed the trail but also offered a few opportunities for some of us who are more adventurous to gallop and canter, even through water! Other older members of our group were helped and treated gently and brought forward with the guides so they could VIEW the intensity and fun without having to bounce around themselves. The guides helped us get videos and we had a AWESOME TIME!
All three of our tween/teen children enjoyed it and would have gone back the next day of they had had the opportunity!
I loved how they gave instruction on the mechanics ( how to place feet/use reigns etc) not only at the beginning of the ride but tips on handling horses, how to lean etc to those that could benefit, as we continued the ride. We were there on a special celebration day and they made food from the ranch that specially touched our hearts. It was rich, delicious and served hot when we came in from the ride. One of the most delicious meals of our whole trip! I would definitely recommend taking a ride at Xolotar Ranch. I could say much more but I don't have time!
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Jan 7, 2026
Horse Ride Experience - we travel ALOT and go on many tours. This was the best tour we have ever been on. The ranch guys were the BEST and we had so much fun with them. What a wonderful experience!!
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