Ride Texas the classic way: from the saddle, deep in the Hill Country. This riding centre sits on the former HQ of a century-old cattle ranch, with trails threading through 6,000 acres of live oaks, yucca and wildflowers. Expect wildlife cameos: deer, wild turkey, rabbits, the lot.

Family-owned, buried in the Witteberg Mountains of the Eastern Free State. 3,300 hectares, Natural Heritage Site, centuries of history, zero crowds.

Green pastures, mountain streams, plunge pools you will actually want to plunge into. Eland, black wildebeest, springbok, zebra, ostrich, warthog, caracal, serval, the full cast. 

Sicily in full technicolour: farm tracks, little hotels + agriturismos, three wildly different national parks, then a mic-drop finale climbing Etna. Horses are relaxed, willing, and game for the long winding tracks. And the food? Rustic feasts, homegrown wine.