Ride beyond Nihiwatu Beach and into the untamed heart of Sumba. NIHI’s equestrian team at Sandalwood Stables has mapped trails for all abilities — winding through palm groves, emerald rice fields, and traditional villages. Return with an optional gallop along Nihiwatu Beach.
The island opens up differently from horseback.
We offer a range of trail rides across Sumba’s varied landscapes — explore the options below and find the one that calls to you.
Horses are woven into the soul of Sumba — and at NIHI’s Sandalwood Stables, our locally selected herd carries that spirit forward. Each horse has been chosen for personality, agility, and character.
Speak to our team at Sandalwood Stables to plan your ride.
Trails include:
For safety reasons, weight limits apply: 75kg for all trail rides. Helmets and boots are provided; leggings or long trousers recommended.
DURATION
1-2 hours
NOTES
min. age 6 years old
75kg weight limit
After an unforgettable first Healing with Horses retreat on the Edge of Wildness, we’re delighted to announce that Candice Webster will return to NIHI Sumba in 2027.
Our inaugural retreat brought together the extraordinary energy of Sumba, our Sandalwood horses and Candice’s intuitive approach to equine healing for five deeply transformative days of connection, renewal and discovery.
In 2027, we return to the herd for two intimate retreats:
1–6 June 2027
8–13 June 2027
Spaces are limited. Each retreat offers the opportunity to slow down, reconnect and experience the profound relationship between horses, nature and self.
Full details and enquires are available via the retreat page, linked in our bio.
A true @nihi journey that has only just begun.
Cherish is a graduate from the Rote Hospitality Academy. Today, he is proudly part of the team at @nihirote, welcoming guests from around the world and sharing the beauty, culture and stories of the island he calls home.
@rote_hospitality_academy is proud to help create opportunities for Rote’s next generation, providing the skills and pathways to build their futures on the island.
Where culture runs deep and nature remains wild.
From ancient traditions and the enduring bond between the Sumbanese people and their horses, to untouched coastlines, rolling hills and endless horizons, Sumba is a place shaped by both its people and the land they call home.
At NIHI, every journey is a chance to experience the island as it has been for generations: raw, beautiful and deeply connected to its roots.
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#nihigram by @gedewahyuu_
Mornings to dream about.
Wake to the sound of rolling waves, swaying palms, and birdsong as the island slowly comes to life. Here, peace isn’t something you have to search for, it’s all around you. In the quiet, away from the everyday, you’ll find space to reconnect with nature, with the moment, and with yourself.
The simplest mornings often leave the greatest impression.
Experience one of NIHI Sumba’s most magical moments: swimming with horses at Nihiwatu Beach.
Deeply woven into Sumbanese culture, the local people have bathed their horses in the ocean for generations. More than just an adventure, it’s a rare opportunity to connect with these incredible animals while experiencing a tradition that has been passed down through the ages.
Join the daily swimming with horses experience and discover one of Sumba’s most beautiful and authentic rituals.
The soul of Sumba lives in its traditions.
Here, culture isn’t something preserved behind glass. It’s woven into every thread of ikat, passed from one generation to the next through age-old stories and legends, and carried proudly by the people who call this island home.
The bond between the Sumbanese people and their horses runs deep, shaped over centuries and celebrated in the ancient Pasola festival, where tradition, courage and community come together in one of Indonesia’s most extraordinary cultural events.
Even today, these timeless scenes can still be found along the beaches of Sumba, where horses roam freely and the island’s heritage continues to live on.
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#nihigram by @gedewahyuu_
The first light spills across the ocean, the mist slowly lifts, horses wander freely along the shoreline, and the world seems to move a little slower.
This is the magic of mornings at NIHI, quiet, wild, and beautifully untouched.
Where wild horses roam the shoreline, endless palms sway in the ocean breeze, world-class waves roll onto untouched white sand, and every sunset feels like nature’s grand finale.
This is Nihi, a place where time slows, the horizon stretches forever, and every moment reminds you just how beautiful the world can be.
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#nihigram by @scottybauer_
No notifications. No playlists. No endless scrolling.
Just birds singing, waves rolling onto the shore, and the kind of silence that reminds you what peace actually sounds like.
As the sky melts into brilliant shades of gold, amber, and fire, there’s no better place to be than on horseback along the shores of Nihiwatu Beach as the sun slips below the horizon. This is NIHI Sumba.
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#nihigram by @lucaspinhel
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