A beautiful location on the coast of Maui. The horses are all healthy and well taken care of. The guides are pleasant and helpful. They break you up into beginner, intermediate and advanced groups so you can ride according to your skill level. They have a few spots where you can run the horse s little by yourself or with the guide with you. A great experience and a must do in Maui. The lunch was really good too. read more

The scenery was absolutely beautiful. The staff was friendly. I don't know if it was just an off day but the horses did not want to cooperate. I spent the whole hour trying to get the horse to go and if it wasn't my horse it was one of the other poor horses behind me. The entire group was moving painfully slow and it just wasn't as enjoyable as I'd hoped. The slopes were quite steep and rocky and I think it would be better if there were some flatter trails for the horses to walk on over and over again day in and day out not only for the riders but the horses as well. The major turn off for me was the guides and the cigarette smoking. At one point they stopped at a scenic spot for pictures and lit up a cigarette. They were taking phones from us to take pics while smoking. Maybe it's just me but I thought that was really unprofessional, especially with children around. I was surprised that he threw the cigarette butt into the surrounding brush. Probably not the best idea?? Again nice people, beautiful breathtaking property but I think they should rethink the tour a bit along with professionalism of the guides. read more

The horses we rode were not well, sluggish and did not want to go on this ride. A small horse my daughter rode did not want to move. She was drooling and did not act or look like she was in good health. All the horses on this tour (approx. 10) were not energetic and many fell behind. The guides tried their best to make our tour a positive experience but I would NOT recommend this ranch. Beautiful views but run down. I have used other ranches in the past and had great experiences. read more

This was the best thing I did while in Maui. I contacted a bunch of horseback riding ranches on the island and this one had a great price and the best trail. Mendes Ranch is incredible with lots of great horses and the employees truly love what they do. My bf and I had an amazing time. Mendes Ranch is located north of the island, through a windy road much like Hana and towards the top sits this gorgeous ranch. They were so knowledgeable about the family's history and about the horses. The views were insanely beautiful. Other places were just through a ranch or jungle trails, but seeing the gorgeous ocean made it so much more fun. This is also the only ranch on the island that will let you ride the horse at a fast pace (like running), if you choose to. It was so exhilarating, and I had never rode a horse before, so i was especially excited. We stopped at a hill where the ocean view was in the background and they took pictures of us. It was awesome and I cannot wait to go back the next time I'm in Maui! read more

had lots of fun! beautiful views! they were super nice and helpful..will definitely return next time we are here

We had the best morning ride!! Eric and Destiny did an awesome job with finding the right horse for each person. They made all of us feel completely comfortable and made sure to set the pace so no one felt left out. read more

I was a little tentative going into this, as I've only done easy trail rides on the mainland in the past. After reading some reviews about "running" I told them to give me an easy horse. We had 2 guides during our ride and they did a good job making sure we were comfortable and told us what to do. My horse did end up running a little and it wasn't scary at all. Although it looked like someone else in the group got spooked at one point. As long as you hold on tight and don't freak out it is fine. I would worry about younger kids though as they probably can't control the horses as well. Very scenic and worth the $. It did take a long time to get everyone in the group on their horses, but we rode for the full 2 hours. read more

Beautiful place. My wife, my father-in-law, and I had an unforgettable time. It was amazing. They had a delicious lunch and the horse trails were amazing. The scenic route was to die for. The guides were so comfortable and very funny to be around. I had a wonderful experience and I recommend everyone to give this place a try. read more

We went to the ranch a few days ago. Perfect weather. Perfect guides. Perfect ride. The horses were great. (A little bossy trying to eat the grass at times, but fine!). Would definitely recommend going on a ride here. read more

I have had several horseback riding experiences and this was the best one so far. I'm not an experienced rider but this was the first time I felt safe riding a horse. The horses were gentle and our guide, Chad was very nice and helpful. He made the tour fun and visited with each and every one of us like we had known him for years. He's an awesome guy and the horses were so wonderful that I want a horse now. :) read more

Went horseback riding with my friend for the first time and picked Mendes Ranch.. We were both veryy satisfied with our experience here at Mendes Ranch and would definitely recommend it to everyone! The people working were all so fun and helpful. THumbs up! read more

LOVE LOVE LOVED my experience horse back riding at Mendes. The guides were knowledgeable, informative, friendly and funny. They made sure everyone was comfortable and felt safe. Running the horses was my favorite part. They got soooo excited to run, it was so much fun. Many Mahalos to the crew at Mendes. Keep doing what your doing!! read more

This place is heaven on earth!!! The views are absolutely breathtaking and the horses are very sweet and well-behaved. I loved this place so much that I went twice on my current stay on Maui. I really enjoyed my guides, Destiny and Butch. They're both very knowledgeable, friendly, and seem to really enjoy working with the animals and meeting new people. Other staff that we interacted with around the ranch (both in person or over the phone) were also very friendly. Two spots on the trail ride where you can trot/canter/gallop (or whatever your horse will give ya) for a short distance uphill so it's tamed and controlled. This ride is suitable for anyone regardless of their experience with horses. This will definitely be one of my must-do things each visit to Maui- a great way to take in the beautiful island views and be around great animals. I left both times a very happy gal! P.S. Tip your guides! They work hard to keep all those horses in line and the riders safe! read more

This was our second time attending this ranch. The first experience was great! So we thought the second time would be as well. Well...let me just say that most of the staff seem like they are on drugs. There is a uncle and niece that act very bizarre, and grossly sexual with each other. Their talk with each other that was public and all the riders heard was very inappropriate. They were twitchy and high strung, and just acted like people who were definitely impaired. I can't say for sure, I'm just saying this is what it seemed like to me. My impression. The women who signs you up your paper work is awesome. But beyond her, the staff is definitely questionable. The horse ride was awesome. I did feel bad for the horses. They seemed very tired. Didn't get any water on the whole ride and seemed very drained and over worked. I asked the one of the guides if the horses were getting enough water and he said yes but I never saw him giving them any water before during or after the hour and a half ride. It is very hot and our bodies are a lot for them to lug around for that amount of time without any water or breaks. There are photo stops where they stop and take photos of you and whoever your with. The pics are awesome and turn out great, and the scenery is stunning. They are considerate with how comfortable you are on a horse, and give you the proper horse to match you with your riding capabilities. Overall our ride was ok. Our guide was very informative and told us a lot about the land, the type of fruit that grew, and how the land came about with the volcanos and such. Just be aware that the staff isn't very professional, and that you're getting a very authentic cowboy and cowgirl scene. A no shits given kind of experience. Giddy up! read more

This was the best trail ride my wife and I have ever been on. And we have been on hundreds. Butch,our wrangler was helpful and full of insights about the ranch. The ocean views were spectacular. We may go back this week to see it again. P.s. the bbq was just fine as well. read more

Absolutely amazing!! And worth every penny! I did this ride with my mom and both of us have basically never rode a horse... the guides spilt you into small groups. My group had 6 of us riders, plus the guide. They matched us with the appropriate horse, helped each of us individually mount the horse and gave us basic instructions about riding. These horses are well trained and know the trail so I felt very safe. You can wear a helmet if you need to! The trail was beautiful, with ocean views and our guide Butch gave us a lot of history about the property and the area of Maui we were in. He was awesome! Very much a character! He picked passion fruit for all of us to try and we were able to give our horse the skins after :) which they loved! My horse definitely went at her own pace which was good for me! There are a few spots in the trial where you can run the horse! Butch helped me run mine and it was very fun! However you don't have to run the horse if you don't want to! We stopped quite a few times to take pictures which was great! The guide takes A LOT of photos! So bring your camera or phone! They offer saddle bags where you can store belongings. They also have a ton of other animals on the property. We saw Texas long horns, peacocks, bunnies, pigs, ducks, goats, and chickens as well as a few friendly cats :) they do provide a lunch you can pay for but it's optional! But they did provide us with drinks after our ride. The horses seem well cared for! And in great shape! We were told not to ride to close to each other because each horse has their own personality and some don't get along! Didn't have an issue with any of that on our ride. We were also told not to let the horses start snacking along the trail and correct he behavior immediately.. As long as you do this you shouldn't have a problem. If you're a very experienced rider I could see maybe being bored at the slower pace, but it's more about the view then rushing. Make sure to wear sunscreen! It does get very hot. This was wonderful experience I would gladly do again :) read more

My family had beginner& intermediate riders and Mendes Ranch showed all of us a top notch time. For those who want to trot or canter, we got the chance. It wasn't just plodding along in a line. Totally worth it, and the BBQ afterwards was really good. Two thumbs up! read more

What a great place and ride. They really know how to make people comfortable who have never ridden a horse before. A totally great thing to do. read more

What an awesome experience! I took my two teenage girls that have never ridden horses before and I truly can't say enough about the staff and their knowledge. It was an experience they will never forget and treasure forever. We're a local family from the island of Oahu and still couldn't get over the breathtaking views and all that this trail ride had to offer. The highlight was being able to run the horses!!! Freddy was our guide and he made the girls feel comfortable and confident. I highly recommend Mendes Ranch and want to say Mahalo to the entire staff! We'll be back! :) read more

My boyfriend and I have both ridden in the past so decided to try the Mendes ranch afternoon ride because you are allowed to gallop the horses. All the staff and guides were very nice and we enjoyed the BBQ lunch before the ride. It does take a little time as they match each rider up with a horse according to ability, etc but this is a hugely important step for the success of the ride overall and it shouldn't be rushed. I was really surprised at how inappropriately a few riders were dressed. In particular a little girl whose parents had her in short shorts and a tank top. You need to wear long pants and will want long sleeves as well - the sun is intense, and the horses sometimes walk close to brush which can scratch. The ride started off going uphill to a lookout point where the guides 'posed' the horses infront of a view and took photos with your cameras. I thought this was very nice - it didn't take that long and will give everyone a nice souvenir of the ride. Then we headed downhill to a bluff over the ocean. I didn't realize that was part of the ride as well and was very beautiful. My only dislike about the whole experience is that there is quite a bit of time spent going downhill and I found riding the horse downhill a bit uncomfortable. That may just be me. Having said that I was certainly sore the next day! read more

I try to ride as much as I can when I travel and so I riding in Maui was part of my vacation agenda. I was pleased with the experience I got from Mendes Ranch. I joined the tour with the barbecue lunch and although the lunch was simple, it was pretty good and had enough to eat. After lunch, we had to wait a while to get our group all together. I wish there was not much waiting in between but we had to wait for everyone before we got into a van and drove off to our starting point where all the horses where. Then once we got to that point, there was more waiting under the hot sun trying to get everyone fitted to the right horse. There were people from different levels and they saddle up the advance riders first. I was anxious waiting in the horse for more than 20 minutes standing in a stationary spot waiting for everyone to get fitted. It is a walking tour and it can get very hot and dusty. Wear long pants and cover up! If you are in the front of the line, there is no problem with the dust but everyone after the first person is going to get so much dust! There were two guides with us, one in the front and one in the back. Being an advanced rider, I was put in the front of the line. Then the guide would cordon off the rest of the people behind who did not want to gallop with me. The gallop was so much fun but it was also too short. I wish they had tours for advanced riders where you could canter and gallop most of the way. It is too boring to sit and walk for several hours. Then there is more waiting during picture taking time where in everyone gets a shot on their horse in two different spots- one with the mountains in the back and one with the water in the back. Overall, a fun experience. read more

This is by far worth every dollar. When you first get there, you are served a delicious lunch and then your afternoon ride begins. The staff there are so friendly and great about taking pictures with your camera while on the horses. The ride is fabulous and you get to ride up to see waterfalls and down to the beach. The ride itself was about two and a half hours long. It was so great. We were able to let the horses gallop if we wanted to. All of the horses were very friendly and easy to ride. This was not a "touristy" type of ride. You really get the feel of being in the outdoors and riding in a secluded wooded area. My husband and I were so impressed with the horseback ride. Butch was our guide and I couldn't think of a single complaint. He was fantastic. He stopped and got off his horse at the waterfalls and at the beach to get pictures of my husband and I with our camera. I would definitely recommend this over an over populated "touristy" type ranch. A wonderful experience and a great ride up and down mountains, to the beach, up to see waterfalls and much more. read more