Exploring Sumba’s Equine Heritage with these experiences packages
Horses are integral to the soul of Sumba and NIHI®’s exceptional equestrian facility, Sandalwood Stables, offers a range of exceptional equine experiences for horse lovers, beginner through to advanced riders. Our team has handpicked our beautiful herd of local horses, ready to carry you off into the sunset and beyond. The original breed of the local Sumba pony comes from Mongolian and Arab bloodlines, brought to Sumba for trading in exchange for sandalwood and spices. Though a small breed, their genetic makeup makes for an extremely agile and highly spirited horse.
For novices eager to discover the power of horses, Ride and Recharge provides introductory experiences such as lessons from experienced staff, captivating sunset, and sunrise rides, and the famed Swimming with Horse’s activity.
Sunrise Splash
Includes
- 1x Swimming with Horses
- 1x Sunrise / Sunset Beach Ride
- 1x Riding Lesson
Loving the ride
Includes
- 1x Swimming with Horses
- 1x Sunrise / Sunset Beach ride
- 2x Riding Lesson
- 1x Bush to Beach
Sumba Quest
Includes
- 1x Swimming with Horses
- 1x Sunrise Beach ride
- 1x Sunset Beach ride
- 2x Riding Lesson
- 1x Bush to Beach
- 1x Ride to Nihioka Spa
Extra rides or Wellness treatments on request
Riders with more experience and confidence in the saddle can embark on an adventure tailored for intermediate toadvanced riders. Traverse scenic landscapes on exhilarating treks, creating lasting memories as you canter through theshallow water, get stuck in a buffalo traffic jam, climb up steep jungle trails and ride through the local villages where westop for a tasty coconut.
Island Freedom
Includes
- 1x Swimming with Horses
- 1x Sunrise / Sunset Beach Ride
- 1x Bush to Beach
Sumba Explorer
Includes
- 1x Swimming with Horses
- 1x Sunrise / Sunset Beach Ride
- 1x Bush to Beach
- 1x Ride to Nihioka Spa
- 1x Coconut Cove Ride
Elite Ride
Includes
- 1x Swimming with Horses
- 1x SunriseBeach Ride
- 1x SunsetBeach Ride
- 1x Bush to Beach
- 1x Ride to Nihioka Spa
- 1x Coconut Cove Ride
- 1x River and Ricefield Ride
Extra rides or Wellness treatments on request
More Offers
A Romantic Escape
Equine Experience Package
Closer to the Wildness
Ultimate Indonesian Adventure
Asia’s Luxe Adventure
The Best of Both Islands
Awaken To Magic
The Great Escape
The NIHI Passage
The Art of Escape
Nihigram
Because dreams were never meant to live on paper.
They were meant to be lived.
Wake up to horses grazing, rolling green hills, and endless views of the Indian Ocean.
This is NIHI. Life on the Edge of Wildness.
Start your morning with a game of padel in paradise, where the ocean breeze lifts your spirit and the sound of waves sets the rhythm. At @nihi, play becomes poetry, moments of laughter, movement, and connection woven together on the Edge of Wildness. Here, padel is not just a game, but a love story shared with nature, family, and friends.
Under the New Moon at @nihi, we gather in a calm, sacred setting where the mind softens and the body unwinds. Listen to the gentle rhythm of waves rolling onto Nihiwatu Beach, while our horses wander quietly along the shoreline. Take a moment to set intentions for the cycle ahead, and create space for what’s ready to come.
Raw beauty, untamed adventure, and moments that stay with you forever. Welcome to @nihi. A place that stays with you long after you’ve left. Experience the magic in the spaces between nature and luxury. A retreat from the modern world out on the Edge of Wildness.
There’s a magic that lives on the edge of the wildness. At @nihi, it’s in the sea breeze on your skin, the endless pull of the horizon, and the thunder of horses running free along the shore. NIHI Sumba isn’t just a place, it’s a feeling of deep calm, connection, and escape.
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#nihigram by @tomkellyslack
Today was Pasola Gaura in Sumba. Once a year, the island’s ancient traditions come vividly to life as villages gather for Pasola, one of Sumba’s most powerful and sacred rituals. From @nihi, guests have the rare opportunity to witness this extraordinary cultural event.
Riders charge across the field on horseback, hurling wooden spears in a dramatic contest between rival villages. The spectacle is intense, fast paced, and deeply symbolic.
For the Sumbanese, Pasola is far more than competition. It is believed that when blood touches the earth during the battle, it blesses the land and ensures a prosperous rice harvest for the season ahead.
A tradition centuries old, Pasola remains one of the most extraordinary cultural experiences in Indonesia.
Ocean views from another perspective bring a serene sense of majesty to the Edge of Wildness. Waves roll onto the shore, smoothing the sand as @nihi’s herd of horses meander gracefully against a backdrop of swaying palms. These are the picturesque moments in Sumba that leave you mesmerized by its untouched beauty.
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#nihigram by @gedewahyuu_
Early mornings on Sumba carry a quiet kind of magic. Before the island wakes, the ocean is calm, the surf rolls in slow rhythm.
Surfers paddle out to greet the first light while along the shoreline, @nihi’s beloved horses wander freely, enjoying the cool sand beneath their hooves before breaking into a gallop along the 2.5km stretch of wild coastline.
In these still moments, with only the sound of waves and hooves on sand, the spirit of the Edge of Wildness truly comes alive.
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#nihigram by @mahaloxp @lauraalexandraam
WIN a 3 night stay at NIHI Sumba to celebrate the Year of the Fire Horse.
One lucky winner and their guest will experience life on the Edge of Wildness, where horses roam the shoreline, mornings begin with the ocean, and every day feels a little untamed.
To enter:
• Follow @nihi
• Tag 2 friends in the comments
• Share this post to your story
Each comment counts as an additional entry.
Your escape to Sumba could be closer than you think. Closes 23:59 [GMT+8] on 30th April 2026. Full T&Cs available via the link in our bio.
Nothing can quite explain @nihi’s Spa Safari - a wellness journey like no other.
Five kilometres from the resort, the experience begins long before the first treatment. Travel by trek, horseback, or safari vehicle through villages and rolling hills until the landscape opens to a spa hidden between rice fields and the ocean.
Set across 100 acres of Nihioka, this is wellness shaped by nature. Design your own experience with open-air treatments that unfold across hours, carried by ocean breezes and guided by skilled hands. Open-fire meals, hidden coves, equine connections, and even a private villa stay are all part of the magic awaiting at NIHI Spa.
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