This German-operated company offers beginners and experienced riders the unique opportunity to discover one of the last true nature paradise – Costa Rica in Central America – from horseback. The comfortable gaited criollo horses, trained with natural horsemanship, also this is paradise. For riders and the horse.

Far from ordinary tourism, we emphasize interaction with nature as well as the traditions of hacienda life and natural horsemanship in Central America. We do our tours in Guanacaste’s tropical dry forest and along the Golden Pacific Coast, giving you countless possibilities for trails and beach riding with the comfortable gaited criollo horses from Costa Rica.

On the endless number of expansive, untainted beaches of the Pacific coast, riders can fulfill their dream of cantering in the surf. Animal lovers will be delighted by a variety of exotic creatures from hummingbirds and hawks to howler monkeys, lizards, and the world’s biggest marine turtles, the Leatherbacks.

Our horse’s home base is Playa Junquillal, a 5 km stretch of beautiful sand that  hasn’t been spoiled by development. Located close to the small village of Paraiso which means Paradise and helped us to find a corresponding name for our company.

Paradise Riding was founded in 1998 by Erika Rapthel-Kieser.

She converted to cross-country riding after a good basic education in dressage and jumping. Erika has toured many different countries by horse and completed her experience in hunting in Hungary, and Mountain Tours in Austria and desert trails in the Sinai of Egypt.

First she worked during the high season as a riding tour guide for American, Canadian and German hotel guests at Playa Junquillal. With the founding of Paradise Riding she turned her passion into a profession and Costa Rica into her new home.

Since its founding, Paradise Riding has made a few hundred tours with more than a few thousand of satisfied clients from beginners to advanced riders. We have worked confidently together with all the hotels in Playa Junquillal. We also have successful partnerships with equestrian travel agencies in Europe and USA.