Relief Riders International is a humanitarian-based, adventure travel company that designs and leads horseback and motorcycle journeys through remote areas while providing humanitarian aid to rural populations. Since 2004 we have been able to improve the lives of over 25,000 people, including 18,700 children in India, Turkey, and Ecuador.
10 voluntourism trips that will actually make a difference
"Throwing sweets at children, cooing at orphans and interrupting school lessons; thankfully, these days, savvier socially minded travellers are ditching unethical and token volunteering experiences in favour of a new breed of impact travel." read more >>
Delivering aid on horseback – a feel-good adventure through India
"For 15 years, Alexander's company Relief Riders has run humanitarian adventures in India, as well as in Turkey and Ecuador, combining a riding holiday with targeted aid that, to date, has helped more than 25,000 people, most of them children." read more >>
Watch Wesley Brown's heart warming film of the experiences she had while on this past November Pushkar Relief Ride. This is the first time in 15 years, that a film has been able to capture the length, breadth, experiences and feeling of our our Relief Rides in their entirety. I hope you enjoy watching this very stirring and wonderful film.
"What a profound and uplifting journey! Relief Riders International has crafted the perfect travel adventure. A rich sense of purpose, a humanitarian mission delivering goats to impoverished villagers, school supplies to hundreds of students, participating in dental and medical camps - it was awesome!" — Peg Steley, Relief Rider read more...
20-28 October, 2023 Bhutan Development Trip
For the first time in our 20 year history, we are inviting a small group of likeminded travellers to experience our development process. This non-horseback journey will take us to five beautiful cities in Bhutan where we will dine with dignitaries such as the Ministers of Health and Happiness meditate with Monks in Monasteries, learn and practice Bhutanese archery, perform a large dental camp for monks and be a part of Relief Riders International’s needs assessment tour.
20-28 October, 2023
17-26 November, 2023 Pushkar Relief Ride
Journey with us on horseback next November to the world's largest horse and camel fair. This 10-day journey on horseback will take us through the ancient landscape of the Thar Desert, from the ancient settlement of Baghsara to the sacred village of Pushkar, ending at the famous Pushkar Fair.
Like the desert nomads of the region, we'll ride due south, traveling seemingly endless sand tracks through breathtaking terrain, from rolling dunes to open plains and a mountain pass through a steep gorge, before arriving in the valley of Pushkar. read more >
On the way we'll pass through villages, which travelers rarely experience, let alone on horseback. We'll sleep under the starlit sky in canvas-covered tents, and during the days, we'll hand out educational materials to underserved schools, conduct our Give A Goat program, and set up medical camps, which provide dental, eye, and obstetrics care to populations lacking healthcare.
In Pushkar, on the banks of the lake, Rajasthan's largest camel fair awaits. One of the most sacred pilgrimage destinations for Hindus in India, the usually sleepy Pushkar transforms into a spectacle of color and celebration around November's full moon with livestock traders descending to buy and sell camels, cattle, and horses. But the real fun begins when the games kick off. Think camels brightly adorned in costume racing to the finish line, the drama of only the finest Marwari horses dancing, the infamous longest mustache competition, and the Hindu bridal pageant. All in all, the perfect end to a memorable and transformative experience.
17-26 November, 2023
14-24 February, 2024 Khimsar Relief Ride
Join us on an extraordinary ride that has us depart from the village of Baghsara in the Thar desert, which provided refuge in olden days to pilgrims and traders on the silk route.
The landscape that we travel through on this particular ride is the most varied of all our itineraries. We will ride through rolling hills with rocky outcroppings for a day, to a vast desert plain where nomadic tribes herd hundreds of camels to more fertile grazing. The region is populated by the Bishnois, a vegan and animal loving tribe, whose strict no hunting laws have, over centuries, created a beautiful anomaly in which all animals roam fearlessly in the desert. read more >
As with all of our Relief Rides, you will be instrumental in offering the greatest gift to those in need, such as regaining their eyesight, their ability to chew food, and by providing tools and sporting equipment that will inspire children into finishing their education. The ride culminates at a magical desert oasis camp in Khimsar.
14-25 February, 2024
Step into a world of Hindu Goddess Temples, mesmerizing wildlife and the flavors of ancient India. Our journey will take us into the Thar Desert of Rajasthan, encamped amongst the dunes, and immersing ourselves in village life, meeting with local tribes, while taking our yoga practice to new levels.read more >
A purposeful blending of Yoga and service, where you will be able to volunteer in One Verse Yoga's free medical camp, offering eye surgeries and dental care to a rural population that has no heath-care. Witness firsthand the joy and gratitude of school children receiving much needed school supplies and sporting equipment.
Join us on this remarkable journey as it will leave you and the people you meet transformed.
November 24th through December 2nd, 2022
Ride with us across the open steppe, meander through forested valleys, and experience the local nomadic culture in this remote region of one of the world's greatest horse riding destination. Our 12 day journey will have us install playgrounds, perform dental camps, and build bio-dynamic bathrooms for the communities we visit. This is a rare opportunity to experience and purposefully support ancient nomadic communities.
Bespoke Humanitarian Motorcycle Relief Rides through the Thar desert of Rajasthan
Join us on an incredible journey as we ride India's legendary Royal Enfield Motorcycles across the Thar desert of Rajasthan. This magnificent expedition weaves our signature brand of adventure and humanitarian work on an awe inspiring 1800 km road trip that spans most of the length and breathe of the land of the Maharajas. Riding through the Aravelli hills into the Thar desert, from stunning serpentine hill climbs to single lane rural desert roads, and staying in remarkable ancient forts and tented camps. read more >
As if all this fun was not enough, we also have the opportunity to give back with our free eye and dental camp near Pushkar and our well dig and bathroom build at a poor school in Ajeetgarh. This purposeful adventure promises to be an experience of a lifetime!
