My horse came to a stop at along the snowy trail as I looked around at the beauty of the Carpathian Mountains. I was in awe of the gorgeous snowy view as a feeling of tranquility overcame me. I looked next to me at Joshua from JAB Photos and I said, “Can you believe we’re horseback riding in the Carpathian Mountains?”
I was traveling with Joshua Brandenburg from JAB Photos, Sasha Vosk from the Rebuild Ukraine Foundation, and Oleg Moldavchuk. When I received my itinerary for my Ukraine trip, I knew I would encounter beauty unlike anything that I’ve seen before and Verkhy Horse Club delivered that expectation.
We pulled up and stopped alongside the road where two gentlemen from the Verkhy Horse Club were holding the reins of three horses. Like many other people in the world, I love horses. I’ve never had the pleasure of owning one, but I’ve ridden often growing up, but as an adult, do not have as many opportunities as I would like. Adding horses to a trip I had already deemed, “The trip of a lifetime,” pushed the pleasure of the trip into another stratosphere.
Our guides gave us a brief introduction to the horses and how to guide the horses on the frosty trail. We ascended onto the horses and made our way through the Carpathian countryside. My eyes darted around from tree to tree as a smile was plastered on my face. Occasionally, I had to pull up on the reins because my horse loved to snack on the occasional green grass protruding from the snow.
We came to a stop along the way and descended from our horses and shared a hot beverage. During this time, I pet the horses, walked around, and talked to our guides. I was once again amazed at Ukrainian kindness. Throughout my time in Ukraine, Ukrainians showed unmatchable hospitality. Our conversations covered a wide variety of topics, including the care given to the horses, the lack of out of country tourists and its effect on businesses, and the many costs of war. It was a heavy conversation amid heavenly beauty.
After giving our horses a rest and finishing our warm beverage, we were back on the horses. We reached our vehicles, and I thanked our guides for an amazing time. Once we got back in the car, I looked at my fellow travel partners and said, “I can’t believe we got to do that.”
Every day was a thrilling experience while in Ukraine. Horseback riding with the Verkhy Horse Club was another example of the great things Ukraine offers visitors. I hope peace can come to Ukraine soon so that the incredible people I met can live life the way they want and I hope foreigners can flock to Ukraine and experience all the wonderful things I witnessed.
All Photos are by Joshua Brandenburg.
Our Ukrainian host with the Lviv government organized our trip to show that Ukraine is open for tourism. We felt completely safe throughout our time in the Lviv Oblast region. We had many sumptuous meals and were entertained throughout our time. (Follow Lviv’s tourism Instagram and Facebook accounts for more information)
Our American/Ukrainian contact, Sasha Vosk, was born in Ukraine and looks to help build Ukraine through tourism. He founded the organization, Rebuild Ukraine Foundation, to help build up the Ukrainian economy and help inform the world of all that Ukraine offers. One doesn’t need to wait till the end of the war to visit the country. It’s ready for tourists now.
I also visited Ukraine with Joshua Brandenburg, a photographer from New York City. You can visit his website here and follow him on Instagram here.
Hear are more stories abour our time in Ukraine:
Where is God During War: A conversation with a Ukrainian Priest
15 Reasons to Visit Western Ukraine Now
Defeating Darkness with Art: Touring Park 3020
Getting Naked in Ukraine
Rebuilding Ukraine by Rebuilding Children’s Lives: My interview with the staff of SOS
Emily Resort and Spa in Lviv, Ukraine is a Luxury Paradise with Family-Friendly Activities
Visiting Ukraine During the War
Representing America in the Back of a Taxi in Ukraine
Promoting Tourism in Ukraine During the War
Visiting Ukraine During the War
Snowboarding in Ukraine
Tips for Americans Visiting Ukraine
Visiting Truskavets’ Healing Springs and Spas
Horseback Riding in the Carpathian Mountains
Visiting Kamianets-Podilkskyi: Remembering the Past and Building to a Better Future
The Show Must Go On: The Lviv Opera House is Open Despite the War
Traditional Ukrainian Drink Uzvar Recipe
Kyiv Mule Cocktail Recipe
Beautiful scenery, beautiful horses. We pray for the peace of Ukraine.
Exploring the Carpathian Mountains on horseback sounds breathtaking! This adventure offers a unique and memorable riding experience!