Hanna Stables
Hanna Stables
5
About
Hanna Stables offers horseback riding, adventure tourism and eco-farm stay for travelers of all ages and abilities in the San Ignacio, Belize area. One of the country's oldest horseback riding establishments, Hanna Stables is currently operated by Santiago Juan.Located not far from Hanna Stables is Nabitunich (The Stone Cottages), a 400 acre spread of land which has been in the Juan family for four generations. Nabitunich has 20 rooms available for accommodations for travelers in Belize and is open to eco-farm stays as well.
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5.0
297 reviews
Excellent
281
Very good
12
Average
3
Poor
1
Terrible
0
Deanna
2 contributions
Nov 2021
Wonderful guides, highly enjoyed our experience. Made our first-timer riders at ease, but gave them chance to build their skills/confidence when ready. Extremely relaxing and enjoyable tour.
Written 7 December 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
seriouslymistaken
Swindon, UK33 contributions
Mar 2020
I had a private tour with Santiago; we rode to Xunantunich. As an experienced rider, the riding was no challenge but I still had a superb day out - he's got British ancestry, and lived in the UK, so there's certainly no language barriers and we discussed everything from nature to politics. Plus Xunantunich was stunning, of course. A fantastically memorable day out!
Written 16 April 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RubyThursday
Süddeutschland254 contributions
Mar 2020
I would recommend the tour for beginners and not so experienced riders. The scenery (when you are not doing the tour to the ruins) at first is not so amazing but later on, riding along the river and in the jungle is fantastic. As an experienced rider I wouldn't recommend the tour because they won't go fast (almost no trot, no canter at all). Nice touch is the lunch at the end of the tour. Thanks!
Written 25 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sarah B
11 contributions
Mar 2020
Eddie took us on a horse back ride to Xunantunich - he was great to talk to! Very funny and personable. He was very helpful with the horses (even though I am quite the beginner) and really made us feel welcome in Belize. Scenery was beautiful. Jose was our tour guide at the site and I am continually impressed how knowledgeable and passionate the guides are about Mayan history. We ended up being the only group on the tour and he took his time explaining all he sites and took excellent picture for us. Food (chicken, rice, beens, and veggies) awaited us after we took the horse ride back. Highly recommend.
Written 21 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ilse VE
Murrieta, CA148 contributions
Mar 2020
I booked my initial ride to visit Xunantunich on their website and ended up doing a ride to the Botanical Garden the next day as well. Transportation to and from your nearby accommodation is included. Both my rides were with Santiago, who is an extremely knowledgeable person, especially when it comes to horses, agriculture and botany. We had interesting conversations on our rides, which I greatly appreciated. The horses could not be in more capable hands. I also want to say thank you to Terrie, who was nice enough to drive me across town to sort my money situation out, as well as letting me shower at the ranch and driving me to the border on my last day in Belize.
Written 17 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Peter I
Toronto, Canada2 contributions
Feb 2020 • Family
I don't usually write reviews, but I had to reactivate my TripAdvisor account just to write this review.
We came here with my wife and 2 daughters whom were 5 and 7 years old.
We were first greeted by Santiago, when we arrived. We had some good conversation, he took the time to explain the process to us and the introduced us to our guides.
We felt totally safe and comfortable under the care and guidance of Eddy and Roberto.
They were informative, fun to be with and put safety as the number one priority.
Luckily we got to see some monkies which were pretty cool.
We got to the gate of the ruins and was greeted by another tour guide Andy who was equally on point with his professionalism, knowledge and enthusiasm. Again fun to be with as well.
Truly a million thanks to the entire crew at Hanna Stables.
Hats off to all of you for giving us such a wonderful and memorable experience.
My youngest daughter doesn't want to ever leave belize now!
All jokes aside, if you're reading and unsure what to do or where to go in San Ignacio, Hanna Stables is definitely not to be missed!
We came here with my wife and 2 daughters whom were 5 and 7 years old.
We were first greeted by Santiago, when we arrived. We had some good conversation, he took the time to explain the process to us and the introduced us to our guides.
We felt totally safe and comfortable under the care and guidance of Eddy and Roberto.
They were informative, fun to be with and put safety as the number one priority.
Luckily we got to see some monkies which were pretty cool.
We got to the gate of the ruins and was greeted by another tour guide Andy who was equally on point with his professionalism, knowledge and enthusiasm. Again fun to be with as well.
Truly a million thanks to the entire crew at Hanna Stables.
Hats off to all of you for giving us such a wonderful and memorable experience.
My youngest daughter doesn't want to ever leave belize now!
All jokes aside, if you're reading and unsure what to do or where to go in San Ignacio, Hanna Stables is definitely not to be missed!
Written 21 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ILMtraveler2
Leland, NC121 contributions
Feb 2020
We are not experienced riders and expected another ordinary trail ride. The horses were gentle and our guide was just super. A long portion of the ride is on a lovely shaded path along a river, although as you approach the ferry there is a very short portion along a road,which we didn't consider to be a problem. The hand cranked ferry was quite interesting. After a while we felt like we were on a real horse ride. Xunantunich was fascinating and the family of howler monkeys was an added treat. It was a lovely afternoon. Our ride was about an hour each way plus time at the ruins, and we returned to the stable, tired, sore and happy. It was a lovely afternoon.
Written 7 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lisa's-Exploration
Baton Rouge, LA9 contributions
Jan 2020
The best tour you can imagine on horseback. My friend had never been on a horse before and I was worried about her. The guys made her feel secure, the horses were well trained, she had the time of her life. Eddie and Alton were amazing guys and their humor and laughter were infectious. We had our own tour guide, Omar who rode twith us. Lunch was wonderful and the ruins were amazing. We got to see the Guatemalan border from the top of Xunantunich. Such an excellent experience!
Written 1 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kate D
Washington DC, DC18 contributions
Dec 2019
My family and I did the Xunantunich + San Lorenzo Farm Horseback Ride with Hanna Stables and it was THE highlight of our entire trip. We arrived to find a beautiful setting and the horses well cared for and tacked. Santiago assessed us on the spot and determined the best horse for each rider, and off we went. The trail through the farm was well cleared and the horses were very well trained. We rode past fields, in the woods, along a rushing river, and then found ourselves along the road and across the hand crank ferry that would take us to Xunantunich. We dismounted to cross the river then hopped back on to make our way up the road to the temple. Once we arrived at the temple, tied up the horses (men were there to take care of them while we explored), had some water, and were introduced to Francisco, an incredible guide who was full of respect for and information about the temple. We climbed, hiked, learned, and thoroughly enjoyed our experience. He also took incredible pictures of us throughout the tour. After we completed our exploration (2 hours + on site, not at all rushed) we got back on the horses and made our way back to the farm for an incredible meal cooked on site.
I would HIGHLY recommend Hanna Stables, and this ride specifically, if you are looking for a day filled with education, delicious food, adventure, and well cared for horses. Every person in our group (of varying horse experience) was comfortable during the ride, the conversation we had with Santiago throughout the day was referenced many times over the remainder of our trip, and at the end of our 10 day Belize stay (which included a cave tour, howler monkeys off our back porch, snorkeling, shark swimming, island life, and more) this horseback ride was STILL the peak of everyone's experience.
I would HIGHLY recommend Hanna Stables, and this ride specifically, if you are looking for a day filled with education, delicious food, adventure, and well cared for horses. Every person in our group (of varying horse experience) was comfortable during the ride, the conversation we had with Santiago throughout the day was referenced many times over the remainder of our trip, and at the end of our 10 day Belize stay (which included a cave tour, howler monkeys off our back porch, snorkeling, shark swimming, island life, and more) this horseback ride was STILL the peak of everyone's experience.
Written 23 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
PDarby
19 contributions
Jan 2020 • Couples
We had the best time with Hanna Stables! The Mayan ruins were incredible and William was very knowledgeable about their history and the current happenings. The horses were very well trained and the ride through the jungle was an unforgettable experience! The cherry on top was the amazing home made lunch waiting for us at the end!
Written 20 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
kiccol
Boulder, CO
Question 1-- Do you pick up at Casa del Cabello Blanco, San Ignacio? My hus band and I will be staying there the first week in February.
Question 2--I am 65, do not ride horses or exercise frequently. It appears the ride to the ruins is 1 hour; ride for Lunch, 1 hour. Do you think the horseback riding activity would be manageable for me? Your reviews all seem wonderful!
Lauren H
UC, New Jersey19 contributions
A1: Hanna Stables is very good with local pick-ups especially in San Ignacio - contact them directly to arrange it.
A2: The ruin tour I took was a ride to the ruins, and then you leave the horses, and explore the ruins on foot (there is a hill to climb, as well as the ruins to climb and explore). The ride to the ruins is more relaxed occurring at slower paces, mostly walking. You do get on/off the horse to cross the hand-cranked ferry, and on/off at the ruins, then the ride back to the farm. It was an awesome experience all in all.
Amy S
Burke, VA25 contributions
Is there a minimum age or a maximum weight restriction for the horse ride? Also, can anyone eat at the restaurant any time or is it only for the guests? Thank you!
Deanna M
Kalamazoo, Michigan33 contributions
The restaurant is a popular tourist attraction (in an otherwise non -descript town) and anyone can eat there.
Galia M
New York City, NY8 contributions
This sounds incredible. Did you also stay with them? We are considering staying 3 nights at their farm, and I wanted to hear some reviews from people who stayed there. What's the accommodation like?
Thanks!
sagafrontier
Santa Monica, CA45 contributions
My girlfriend and I stayed there for 3 days and nights. It was an exquisite experience, seeing as how it was our first time vacationing on a farm. There were so many wonderful excursions, food was top notch of Belize (farm to table--how can you beat that!?), and best of all, the people! Everyone from Santiago, the farm's owner, to Debra, the cook, were just stellar people inside and out. We miss them dearly, and would not trade the experience for the world.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Hanna Stables
- Hotels near Hanna Stables:
- (0.59 km) Cassia Hill Resort Belize
- (0.49 km) Rolson Cocina,Cantina & Hotel
- (0.53 km) The Log Cab-Inn
- (1.84 km) San Ignacio Resort Hotel
- (0.51 km) Ek' Tun
- Restaurants near Hanna Stables:
- (0.00 km) La Ceiba Restaurant
- (0.00 km) Boiton's BarBQ
- (0.00 km) Ham's Barbecue
- (0.52 km) Rolson's Cocina Cantina
- (1.97 km) Cenaida's Belizean Food