Set at the foot of the Cariboo Mountains, in the heart of Canada’s ‘cowboy country’, Siwash Lake Ranch is perfectly placed for a halfway stay between Canada’s Pacific Coast and the UNESCO World Heritage listed Rocky Mountain parks of Banff, Jasper and Lake Louise. 

Awarded an elite position as one of the Canadian Tourism Commission’s “Signature Experience Collection”, the riding program here has been designed so guests of all riding abilities can saddle up to explore Canada’s rugged heartland on horseback.

The frontier-style accommodation includes a ranch house, a hand-hewn barn and lavish safari-inspired tents and for the duration of their stay, each guest is partnered up with one of the Ranch’s gentle horses, hand-picked to suit the unique attributes of the guest

Family owned and operated, the property also maintains a minimal environmental footprint and has eco credentials including Gold Certification (the highest) from Green Tourism Canada and 5 Green Keys (the highest rating) with the Hotel Association of Canada (it is one of only eight properties in Canada to have achieved this rating).

Form Guide A cross-over between a genuine working ranch, luxury dude ranch, and boutique wilderness resort, horse riding is the main attraction at Siwash Lake Ranch with each guest given their own dedicated horse to ride for the duration of their stay.

Yearlings Ages 4 and over.

Pace Children’s programmes run from June to August with a variety of clubs for different ages. The ‘Free Range Kids’ programme invites children aged 4+ who can safely control their own horse to ride with their parents and explore the Rocky Mountain trails, or simply stay at the ranch and ride the gymkhana course. And when guests get a little saddle sore, they can opt for a spot of fly fishing, archery, mountain biking or kayaking, learn wilderness survival skills, hike to nearby waterfalls, do yoga in the great outdoors or simply relax at a canvas-clad spa in the forest.

Stables There are three options for accommodation at Siwash: suites in the traditional ranch house itself, suites in the hand-hewn barn a short distance from the ranch house, and luxury tents where guests can sleep under canvas in ultimate privacy only steps from the picturesque lake (tents have luxury ensuites, including flush toilet and in-floor heating).

Feedbag The five-star dining here focuses on organic food that is grown on the ranch or foraged from the wilds nearby.

Purse Five nights for a family of four staying in a luxury tented suite on an all-inclusive basis (including two nights stay in Vancouver and economy flights from the UK) costs from Canadian $10,825 per adult and $6,790 per child under 12 for travel with Scott Dunn in July or August 2014.