Puerto Vallarta Ocean Expedition: Horseback Ride, Waterfall & Bbq

Louis and the captain sadly I do not remember his name. Freaking incredible! The trip was about 7 hours from start to finish. I would pay again to do that experience with them! The company needs to make sure you celebrate them for their customer service and knowledge of the area. The Captain of the boat was simply amazing with his boat handling. I’ve ridden on my boats but the way manipulated that craft was nothing short of amazing. Especially when we were retuning back to the port the water was rough. I cannot say enough about the experience! Do it! Make sure you get Louis aka el pollo!

We had a great day with Juan Carlos as our tour guide for the Hirseback/Snorkel/beach lunch tour. We booked it through the Cruise ship we visited PV on. We first boated down the coast to start the day with an adventurous Horseback ride through the forest. Next we snorkeled for 30 min along a different area of coast and then boated further down coast to a secluded beach village with a great lunch and open bar waiting for us. Very relaxing way to end the tour day eating lunch under beach umbrellas and swimming in the warm ocean. Juan Carlos was a great guide and very helpful and patient with everyone.

This is an awesome company. Easy to deal with and honest. This adventure is one of the greatest ones I've ever been on. I use this company every time I'm in the area and it's the best I've ever dealt with.

Very fun trip! Our guide Juan Luis and photographer Franco were fantastic. The trip was more than six hours. Food was great! Would recommend to anyone.

It was an awesome experience for someone who hates water but it was well worth it! The boat operator was Daniel (Danielle) who was great ! We also had Andy she was our photographer and took so many nice photos. We had three stops Pizota beautiful little place, our second stop Yelapa this was out horse experience also great! The last stop was Quimixto where we had our buffer on the private beach. Orwellian was our cook and very excellent! The bar tender Alex made some awesome drinks! Last but not least our guide Alex was totally awesome, as he was funny and very helpful! Totally recommend!

What an incredible excursion! I went with my daughter, and we both absolutely loved it. Huge thanks to Diego "chihuahua" for being an amazing tour guide and to Omar for capturing such stunning photos. Fair warning—there’s a lot of walking, but the views make it totally worth it!

The sea safari with captain Jesus, Edgar, Diego was amazing!!! The speed boat was super fun and the food at the end was so good!

If you’re booking the Sea Safari hoping to horseback ride to a waterfall… check the time of year. We went in May and there was no waterfall so we just went through the village. The tour was ~6hrs total and we probably did only 20 minutes of actual riding. I could’ve done without the gazillion stops at tequila makers, tortilla makers, photo stops, etc.

Diego, Franko and Danny were absolutely amazing! Highly recommend this excursion!! There is fun for the entire family. The bbq on the beach was some of the best food we had on our entire vacation!

While the Rhythms of the Night excursion was even better than its description, this trip was not. While the boat ride depiction is largely true, being a high speed inflatable, the length of the trip on open waters wasn’t mentioned and it is a physical challenge. The trips to the fishing villages was not really informative. In the dry season the advertised waterfall doesn’t have water. And the horseback riding was a complete nothing burger, both because of the shortness of the ride and for the uninspiring route it took. The beach BBQ was the highlight and our guides were excellent however

This excursion beat all my expectations and was the highlight of our trip! Our guide, Enrique was fun, knowledgeable and courteous the whole way through, he really catered to what the group enjoyed most. The beach BBQ food was delicious and the beach and amenities were clean and well take care of. I hope to return again!

Knowledgeable guides Fun and entertaining Horse ride and BBQ lunch were our highlights and snorkeling were a hit with us.

What an amazing tour from the boat ride, mule ride, to the village. We have told so many about this excursion. Enriquez was our guide and what a gem you have in him. He truly lives his job and it reflects it in his guided tour. He is a keeper!!! Thank you for a great experience.

Enrique was great. He personalized the trip with access to locals to really give us a taste of the local faire. We really enjoyed his knowledge and hospitality throughout the trip. We definitely recommend him to others.

This excursion was the highlight of our cruise! We saw whales, visited a seaside village, rode horses, went snorkeling, and had fantastic lunch. The tour operators were wonderful. And when my husband has a medical issue, they were professional and thoughtful. Don’t miss this one!

Very attentive staff and great food. I’d he did if the due he did he did she dnr dnd do r r d he e je

Captain chewy, the photographer, Franco, and the guide Raffi were absolutely amazing. They made the trip. The three stumps were incredible going back in time in Mexico was such a special moment. The food was incredible on the last stop and the whale were fully entertaining us all the way there and all the way back thank you for a fabulous day.

This was a phenomenal excursion! We could not believe all the things we got to do for one reasonable price. The village was incredible and the waterfall was absolutely stunning! We jumped right in, and it was magical! The locals were wonderful and welcoming. When we went to the island, the chef prepared the most amazing buffet of healthy and delicious food! On every single trip across the bay in the boat, we saw whales and dolphins! It was an absolutely stunning trip! Angel was a fantastic guide and added so much to our afternoon! It should be noted that there is a lot of walking on cobblestone roads and sandy beaches for this trip. There are also a lot of breaks so it’s not horrible, but be prepared for quite a few walks.

Angel was an awesome guide for the day and the food and sights were a blast! We saw 3 small towns and it was neat to see how the people live here.

This tour took us to couple places that were not covered in the description. We had a taco at someone’s house and owner tried to get us to come back and rent a room from them. There is LOTS OF WALKING on cobble sandy slippery “street” more like allies where you had to avoid four wheelers coming by these very narrow passages. The horseback ride was only about 10-15 minutes long on these narrow uneven allies where you had to doge wires. We got off the horses and walked 20 minutes or more up steep rocky dangerous passages with Sanford on. We were never told we would have to do so much walking to get to the waterfall. It says the horses will take you back but that was not the case. We had to walk. We stopped at 2 different “ venders “ and were asked to support the locals. Before we had lunch we were to have 45 minutes of snorkeling but our guide said it was unsafe. This may or may not been the case since a second group of people joined us at the lunch spot doing the same trip from a different ship said they were able to snorkel. For the price we paid I was very unhappy with how we walked on Tetris narrow passages.

The whole excursion was a WONDERFUL time!! Captain (Jesus), Tour Guide (Daniel), and Photographer (Omar) were super informative, polite, and overall made the experience a great time! We enjoyed all the activities that this had to offer!! Definitely recommend if you want a FUN time 🤩 Tequila Familia!

The staff on this tour is incredible. Felipe was a terrific tour guide and brought a lot of energy and improvisation. We had some difficulty at one point with the boat and ended up doing the Macarena and YMCA on the dock …when life gives you lemons you make lemonada! The food on the island beat out the resort hands down. The little villages and people were so very welcoming - treated you like family. The cobblestone roads are a bit steep and can be a good hike so you do need to be in fairly good shape for it. Enjoyed the horseback riding, although I got stuck on the little silly burrow that didn’t wanna move! The scenery is beautiful and I didn’t wanna leave.

We always enjoy our adventures with Vallarta Adventures! Their staff is so friendly, accommodating and knowledgeable. We really enjoyed touring the little towns and learning about Mexican culture, I LOVED riding the mules around Yelapa! The bbq was delicious! Especially the quesadilla bbq’d over charcoal! The speedboat was fun and we really appreciated that the staff took the extra time to stop and watch the whales for a moment. Papa Chihuahua was a great tour guide! Be sure to bring pesos for tips!

Daniel (Danny), Yaya, danniel, and Salvador were all amazing. This was our second cruise but our first one to Mexico and on this day we experienced what became me and my husbands absolute favorite excursion out of all of them. Danny was so knowledgeable, charismatic and outgoing. We learned so much about the culture and saw awesome sights! Everything from the horses to the people to the dogs were friendly and welcoming. The home-cooked meal by a local woman was INCREDIBLE. Don't miss this once in a lifetime. Yaya takes great pictures the whole time too so you can always look back on this awesome memory.

Diego, Chima, and Daniel were all fantastic guides. I forgot our boat captain but he was great too. You start off in a speed boat and make your way to Los Arcos to snorkel. The speed boat can get a bit bumpy but you're in a speed boat - so its expected. You can bring shoes if you want but I was able to do everything in sandals and slippers. Make sure you bring sunscreen and to reapply every break you can if you're sensitive. Diego does a great job of accounting for everyone while providing history of the land with fun facts while Chima is taking lots of shots. He takes a lot of candid shots as well but these guys are super friendly so don't be afraid to ask if you see a dope opportunity along the way. After snorkeling, is probably the best part for me and my wife. They took us to Quimixto into the home of an older couple; Don Benjamin and Don Tonya (I think that's how you spell it). It was a very welcoming experience where they cooked tortillas and we eat it with guac, beans, and salsa. It was something quick to have something in our stomachs. We enjoyed their company thoroughly. A lot of people will lay out the sequencing so I will just premise this review with the following: this team is showing you what it takes to live here and the beauty in life there is when you stop and look. And as tourists, the level of respect and hospitality given entering their motherland of folks who have been there for generations, I believe it needs to be reciprocated. Please bring cash for tips. Along the way, the guide will take you to fruit stands, bar stands, the homes of people to eat in. That is the people of this land who are showing you their culture and generosity. If you can afford this excursion, you can afford to pay a little extra along the way. And by all means, that is not to discount the experience!!! This experience made me feel at home and specifically, the Philippines. After snorkeling and town hopping, you go horseback riding, and then walk through Yelapa to a waterfall to freshen up. Afterwards you go back by boat to Calletas or a beachfront to eat lunch. The lunch is free but again - don't forget to thank those who have given the time out of their day to service you.

One great adventure after the other, speed boat ride, sea caves, horse ride through the river, swim in a waterfall, snorkeling, time on a private beach with yummy BBQ lunch. Danny-awesome guide, Felics provided a smooth speed boat ride.

A shout out to our guide Daniel, our Captain Felix, and our photographer Kevin. This was our first trip to Mexico and the three made it most memorable. Daniel was informative and educated us about the area and Mexican history. Felix's driving skills were on point. It's definitely one of the highlights of this trip. Kevin took phenomenal photos, which I shall treasure. All of these gentlemen were accommodating, kind and patient. The residents of Yelapa welcomed us. Have the shrimp tacos!! For real! The horseback ride was pleasant. Very well trained. The waterfall was magnificent. It's such a beautiful and magical place. Then later was snorkeling. I'm not sure which I enjoyed more for each was an adventure worth experiencing To end the tour on a secluded beach with delicious food and intoxicating drinks was the icing on the cake. I highly recommend this tour to all who come across the option to go. It was worth it!

Our tour guide Daniel, Captain Danny and photographer Martin hosted a great day in Yalapa, snorkeling and beach BBQ. Our ride to Yalapa on Banderas Bay was smooth. We spotted a sea turtle. Daniel was informative and passionate about the history and culture of Yalapa. We enjoyed the 20 minute horseback ride followed by a beer at Fanny’s. There were bathrooms available at Fanny’s but the sinks don’t work. There is a lot of barbed wire on the sides of the narrow paths, so be cautious and control the horse. We wished we had more cash with us because we truly wanted to support the community by buying a few things. The walk to the waterfall was a little slippery due to rain, but the swim was very refreshing. The next stop for snorkeling lasted 20-30 minutes. The beach BBQ was absolutely delicious and we enjoyed another swim in the ocean before our cruise back to the port. This excursion is definitely not for anyone with mobility issues or struggles to climb in and out of a raft. It is also not for anyone that might feel uncomfortable seeing a poorer community. For us, we felt privileged to view the lush beauty of this area and to experience a great day on the water. Thanks for a great trip!

From the time we left the Maritime Terminal to the time we arrived back we were treated with the utmost respect! The guides Maui and Angie and the captain Dani were all very friendly and explained everything well the entire tour. When we got to Yelapa we were greeted with smiles by the locals, who were all very friendly for the duration of our time there, riding horses, enjoying the beachfront and our hike to the waterfall as well as our time in the waterfall! I recommend taking pictures of your own if you do not want to purchase the ones taken by the tour photographer. Snorkeling was amazing and the guides had a sheet describing all the different kinds of fish you could find. We saw many, many different types!! Pizota was amazing ❤️ the lunch was delicious, the bartender Angél was great about timely service and was very lively and played great music. The beach was breathtaking and wonderful to walk on after we enjoyed lunch. My husband and I strongly recommend this tour, but if you get motion sickness I suggest taking meds prior to leaving as well as packing some for the trip. The boat ride was beautiful as well ☺️

First- let’s give the CREW the credit they deserve. From the beginning, our guide Angel was INCREDIBLE in his communication, attentiveness, and information he shared about the area. As a local to Yelapa, you could hear the genuine love for his home as he took us horseback riding, waterfall hiking & then made some short stops at points of interest thru town along the way back to the boat. He was joined by Guillermo(Memo) who provided fantastic photography just for our group at points ALL along the way and Chuy, our boat captain, who navigated that stretch of coast with a level of skill that can only come from years of making frequent trips back & forth in a variety of conditions. (I usually have anxiety out in open ocean, but even despite some decent sized swells on the ride back, I felt SO safe with this crew that I actually closed my eyes, relaxed & just went along with the ride.) Yelapa is MAGICAL in an untouched/unspoiled kind of way- I hope the locals continue to advocate to keep property owners LOCAL. As the weather shifted on us mid-day, the snorkel spot was better suited for experienced snorkelers, but I didn’t mind staying in the boat with Chuy & enjoyed watching the others check out the sea life. Pizota was the last stop where we got to enjoy a DELICIOUS buffet style Mexican lunch beach side with a FULL bar too. After lunch we had time to lounge in the hammocks, play ball on the beach, and although paddle boarding is usually an option, that particular day our group all opted to vibe lounging on the beach. The CREW truly made the entire experience PERFECTO, and I would come back & request the SAME crew again & again. ¡Ciao mis amigos!

Overall a very nice and peaceful experience enjoyed by my whole family. Locations were very pretty and we learned a lot about the local folks and their native ways and economy. The raft /boat ride was the most intense because not a fancy boat, but our captain had tremendous skill navigating the water safely, and my typically motionsivk hubby had no issues. The horseback riding was great, but a very quick romp through a narrow trail/local streets to little water area and then back - roughly 20 mins total. CAUTION: Trail/Street through neighborhood had areas lined with rusty barbed wire fence, which unfortunately my husband’s horse went straight for since had vegetation around, gouging his leg on the barbed wire when horse wouldn’t obey directives - thankful for recent tetanus shot but bummed because we didn’t have any antibiotic ointment with us and still had the waterfall to visit (fingers crossed no major infection brewing). The snorkeling was quick too - another 20 mins or so, but we saw some very pretty fish. The waterfall was great, and we were grateful to have gone with a small group after witnessing a larger excursion arrive and the chaos they experienced trying to all experience the waterfall at once - that area is very small. The bbq/picnic was in a pretty spot and had amazing food! The best steak we had our whole trip (and brownies if you ask my daughter) . When asked, my teenager said she loved it which means it was a success! Would recommend with the notes mentioned above for awareness!

What an excellent experience today. After arriving at Puerto Magico by Uber. We mounted a high-speed boat and went to a small village of 2000 people that’s only assessable by boats. We rode horses there and went for a hike. We got back on the boat to go for our snorkeling adventure where we got to see many varieties of fish of all different colors … from there. We went to another secluded area on the beach and it looked like we were entering, the bachelor or the bachelorette location …it was quaint. It was nice with hammocks , lounge chairs the smell of cooking the open bar and we got to witness a proposal of a young couple from Michigan with flowers and rose petals. It was special. The food there was exceptional one of the best meals I’ve had in Mexico, Danny or tour guide was a delight and informative and made the experience worth it all. If you’re up for mix of different adventures grab this one is well worth it.

Wonderful experience! Great adventure. I loved everything- boat ride, horseback riding, secluded beach...Our tour guide was excellent!

Danny and Yaya were AMAZING! This trip was an incredible experience. Horseback riding, snorkeling, incredible lunch and a private beach, what more could you need?!

This was such a great and informative tour! We saw wales, dolphins and Manaray on our way to the island. The people there are wonderful. The tour guides were very knowledgable. It was a beautiful way to emmerse yourself in the similicity of life for the locals. Horse back ride, snorkeling, waterfall and great views. This tour does require some stamina and ability to walk up hill, get in and out of the boat etc. The family style BBQ was DELICIOUS and very well done. Open bar was also available despite what the website says about having to pay extra. Overall a definate 5/5 experience and worth it!

Not so much of a safari as a nice day out to Yelapa and Pizote. Angel was a really fun and charming guide. The lunch was wonderful and the beach at Pizote was relaxing and beautiful. Horseback riding was just a short trip through Yelapa. The hike was a short walk to a Yelapa waterfall that is mostly dry this time of year. Snorkeling area was murky so we couldn't really see fish.

Danny is the best! We had a wonderful time. Danny took care of us during each adventure. Made sure we we informed, safe, and happy.

The private beach, open bar, and buffet was amazing. Amazing tour guide with great knowledge of the areas we visited. Waterfall was perfect, and the town of Yelupa was beautiful.

I recently went on this activity and overall the experience was great however I was disappointed by the amount of time spent horseback riding. As seen in other reviews, the horseback riding part of the trip was VERY short, I would say under 30 minutes, maybe closer to 20. You literally take a trail through a small village and turnaround and go back. Definitely not what I was expecting. The trip itself is lots of time in the boat getting to/from PV area and the other areas visited, snorkeling, and then majority of time on a secluded beach. All this was nice, but for those expecting actual horseback riding and lots of it, this is definitely not that kind of trip.

We thought horseback ride through jungle. Horses were sickly looking. Rest of trip was nice. Great food, great tour guides

Daniel was such a fun and funny guide! Such a fun filled day, would recommend! The horse back riding was my first time but they made you feel comfortable and safe.

Had a great time on the Sea Safari with our guide Moses. He was knowledgeable about all of the places we stopped, and was social/interactive.

I had an amazing day on the Sea Safari. The tour operators were professional and organized, our guide, Angel, was informative and fun, and our photographer, Yahaira, was creative and so nice. The boat ride across the bay was fast and thrilling! Yelapa is very picturesque. The horses we rode were sweet and gentle. The walk up to the waterfall was fairly steep, but it’s a short walk and we didn’t go fast. There are vendors along the way, but nobody was pushy. Just friendly greetings. The waterfall was amazing. It does get a bit crowded with all the tourists, but still a good experience. Here is a tip: reapply sunscreen in Yelapa before getting back onto the boat to snorkel! The snorkeling was a lot of fun. I stayed at the surface viewing the fish, but others dove down among the rocks and saw more. Playa Pizota was the last stop for drinks, lunch, and free time. The beach is beautiful, the buffet lunch was delicious and plentiful, and the drinks were nice and cold. I spent my free time watching the local dogs run around on the beach. There was no pressure to buy the photo package, but I’m glad I did as I was traveling solo and didn’t have any photos other than selfies. Thank you Yahaira! I highly recommend this tour and will probably go again if I’m ever back in Puerto Vallarta!

Guide was awesome. Loved seeing and learning about the towns. Loved the horseback riding. The snorkeling wasn’t good- because there was no visibility. But if that’s not your main goal- I highly recommend the experience. The food and drinks in the end were delicious!!

Very nice. Saw dolphins and whales. Waterfall was good. Horse ride was nice. Good food for lunch. Did not expect to have to get in and out of boat into water, but it was ok. Guide and crew was extremely helpful which made it easy. Guide was very knowledgeable

We had an amazing time, this tour had a little bit of everything. We saw multiple whales on the boat ride and even some sea turtles. Silvino was a great guide, super friendly and informative. Yelapa was beautiful and the people were very friendly. The kids had a blast riding the horses through the town. The waterfall was beautiful and the hike was easy. We had perfect snorkeling conditions and saw tons of sea life. The lunch @ Pizota was the icing on the cake. The food was amazing, authentic Mexican food. The Beach was gorgeous and the weather was perfect. 10/10 would definitely recommend to anyone looking for a fun filled day.

What a lot of fun! Ride in a speed boat across the Bay of Banderas, stop to see humpback whales and dolphins (bonus), then dock in the small village of Yelapa, hop on a horse or mule for a leisurely stroll through the town and across the river. Then off to learn (and taste) about Raicilla; Mexican moonshine; then hike to a waterfall for a cold relaxing swim. Afterwards, wash down a Corona, then back on the boat for some snorkeling and then hit a private beach for a fabulous lunch. We reviewed the photos taken by the official photographer and bought the whole package. Such great action shots were taken! We had a great tour guide and speedboat captain and thoroughly enjoyed our time. Highly recommend!

This was more of an exploration of the town Yelapa than a “sea safari” but it was great. Loved getting to see more of Mexico and sample multiple activities—snorkeling, horseback riding, mini waterfall, local town, and hanging out on the beach! Even saw some whales on our speedboat ride. Tour guide (Daniel) was great.

This was a really fun experience! You get a little bit of everything. Horseback riding, hiking to a waterfall, snorkeling, hanging out at the beach, and a really great lunch. What I'm about to say is NOT a complaint about the tour company or the experience; it's a complaint about Trip Advisor/Viator. I agree with other reviewers that say that this experience is described in a very misleading way online. Based on the current description of this activity, I thought this was mostly horseback riding. It's not. There are several activities in one day. I wouldn't have known about the snorkeling if I hadn't read the reviews. If anything Trip Advisor/Viator is underselling the experience. It was really fun!! I am just glad I read the reviews so I knew what to expect and what to bring.