34th Otago Goldfields Cavalcade
Be part of one of New Zealand’s most iconic riding events on a trusted high-country horse. We supply the horse while you join Mick O’Callaghan’s fully catered Cavalcade. Long days in the saddle make this ride best suited to fit, confident riders.
!!! HORSE HIRE ONLY !!!
You need to book the Cavalcade itself separateley through Mick O’Callaghan’s trail!
Details
Duration
8 days
7 nights
Riding
6 x 6-8 h
Competent
riders
Price (NZ$)
3.100
(Horse
Hire
Only!)
Payment Plan
yes
10 staged
Available Dates
27. Feb – 6. Mar ’27
Pick Up & Drop Off
Pick Up: time tba, QT
One taxi for all guests – so please be on time!
Drop Off in QT after trail: 1.30 – 2pm
Riding Location
Tarras
Included
transfer (Queenstown to location & back)
7 nights accommodation
trekking horse incl. tack and saddlebags
first aid kit
hard hat (as required)
camping equipment
luggage transport between locations
personal group wranglers
Excluded
flight/travel to and from Queenstown
travel insurance (mandatory!)
alcohol
personal riding & travel gear
personal medication
sleeping bag (hire 15$)
rain gear
Cavalcade
participation & catering,
Hoe Down Entrance
*Important Note*
Please book your cavalcade place separately to your horse hire booking.
This will also cover all your meals from Sunday evening through to Saturday lunchtime.
Tickets to the hoedown, as well as dinner on the Saturday night and breakfast on the Sunday morning are not included in the standard cavalcade ticket and must be purchased separately*.
In addition to the hire of one of our lovely horses for the week, our package includes all camping equipment, the assistance of our wranglers throughout the trip (help with catching and grooming horses is always appreciated but we will saddle and unsaddle your horse for you each day), and transport of your luggage and sleeping accommodation to each new location.
More information tba on official Cavalcade Website:
https://www.goldfieldstrust.org.nz/cavalcade
Summary
Vehicle-supported point-to-point trail, with accommodation locations changing each night.
Hire one of our wonderful horses and take part in the 34th Goldfields Cavalcade, hosted this upcoming year by Tarras. The Otago Goldfields Heritage Trust runs this brilliant event each year; in the week leading up to the final parade and hoedown celebration, hundreds of outdoor enthusiasts will make their way towards the host town.
There is something for everyone – tramping, mountain biking, running, travelling by wagon, and horse riding. The cavalcade provides exclusive access to private high-country stations that are rarely possible to explore otherwise and is a unique way to celebrate Otago’s gold mining and farming history and truly immerse yourself in an authentic South Island experience.
Riding with us
If you hire a horse from us to join the cavalcade, you will be riding in Mick O’Callaghan’s trail.
Our horses are a family herd and like to stick together, so we will ride together as our own ‘Adventure Horse Trekking’ group within the trail’s wider group (numbers are often up to sixty or seventy riders overall).
Unlike on all our other trips, we are not responsible for the route on this one, and although some of our team will ride with you to look after the horses and assist guests wherever needed, we will be riding under the guidance of Mick and his team of wranglers.
Mick and Kristen’s friendly hospitality and expert knowledge of Otago’s high-country always make for an exceptional experience.
Accommodation
You will have the option either to camp in a tent or sleep in our ten-horse truck, which we will jet wash at the beginning of the week and fill with comfy camp cots.
All camping equipment can be provided for you and wherever possible we will set up and take down all tents at either end of each day.
We will have a hot shower with us that we run off our truck (always a welcome luxury at the end of each day’s ride), but it is important to note that accommodation on this trip is very basic!
Food
The cavalcade provides all of the food for this trip; expect to be very well-fed on simple and filling traditional kiwi cuisine. A full cooked breakfast and two-course dinner is included each day as well as a picnic lunch to take in your saddlebags. There is a BYOB policy.
Adventure Level
5/5 – riding days on the cavalcade are often longer than on our own trails. Expect to spend around six to eight hours in the saddle each day. A good level of fitness is required, as is some trekking experience. This trip is suited to confident intermediate/experienced riders who are prepared to dismount and lead down some steeper hills and tackle some sections of more challenging terrain. All riding takes place at a walking pace only.
Ride Itinerary
Day 1
Collection from Queenstown Airport and transfer to the cavalcade’s starting point on the Sunday (full information on location provided closer to the time).
Once you have registered with event officials, we will conduct a pre-trail briefing and match everyone up their horse, before heading off on a short introductory ride (usually around half an hour). This is a great opportunity to make any necessary adjustments to stirrups and tack and to get a feel for your horse.
In the evening, get to know your fellow cavalcaders over dinner.
Day 2 - 6
Approx six-eight hours in the saddle.
We will ride from place to place each day, exploring a vast area of Otago’s high-country. The riding is varied and exciting and covers a wide variety of different terrain.
Dinner and camp each night will be based out of a different station’s woolshed. Often the station owners will join the group for the evening and introduce their property; you will gain an excellent insight into high-country farming by the end of the week.
On the Friday night, we will camp close to the town of Tarras. There is usually a live band and dancing on Friday and, although days in the saddle are long, the evenings are often lively and sociable.
Day 7
Approx three hours in the saddle.
On the Saturday morning, there will be a final, shorter ride into the town itself, where all of the different cavalcade trails join together for a parade through the town centre. There is always a celebratory atmosphere to this final morning in the saddle and the host towns put on a brilliant show.
The ridden part of your trip will be over by mid-morning on the Saturday and there will be a market will live music and plenty of food and drink vans to enjoy in the afternoon.
In the evening, there will be dinner and then the famous cavalcade hoedown – a fantastic opportunity to dance the night away with new friends from the trail.
Collection from Tarras and return transfer to Queenstown Airport.
Day 8
Questions about this trail?
Can't wait to write your own trail stories?
Trail Gallery - Cavalcade 2026
