Surrounded by 4,000 acres of pristine rainforest, Banana Bank Lodge has miles of equestrian trails to choose from. They keep an impressive stock of horses: around 100, with a breeding program that produces a number of colts each spring. Their horses are well kept in lush pastures and whisper trained. Trust, discipline and communication are key words here. You will be in very safe hands while you enjoy an amazing ride.

The lodge is indicated by a sign off the Western Highway, just before (if you're heading west) or just after (if you're heading east) the turning to Belmopan. The most fun way of getting there is to take the track to a parking spot above the river and walk down to a big bell at the river side. Give it a good clang, and a member of the lodge staff will bring the boat over to ferry you across.

That first sighting of the lodge will stick in your memory. You climb the steps from the river and see tall trees and luxuriant bushes doing their very best to make you think that the Garden of Eden cannot have been much different than this. Then you will see the main lodge, large, pink and civilized on the other side of sloping lawns; surrounded by flowers, with a balance of long, narrow, curve-topped, white-framed windows, and a balustrade staircase sweeping grandly to its upper storey like a vision of Versailles.

You'll be reaching for your camera the moment you get out of your tour vehicle. When you have finished photographing the river, the boat, the amazing scenery, the flight of steps, the iguanas lazing in the branches, and the impressive chateau-like lodge, you will definitely want a close up of Tikatoo, the jaguar, then the spider monkeys and not forgetting the cockatoos, parakeets, toucans et al in the large aviary. This is a place that has been assembled by an artist. If you have not already done so, make a mental note to google Carolyn Carr when you're next online.

The horses are mixed breeds, predominantly quarter horses, which mean they are stable and agile enough to negotiate jungle trails, slippery banks and river terrain. Whether you are an experienced rider or a beginner, this unique location will give you a ride to remember.

• Bug spray, containing at least 25% deet (Remember you're riding in the jungle, and do not want to be eaten alive while you're doing it).
• Sensible clothing for riding: long trousers for a measure of protection (against insects, plants which may brush against you and friction from the horse's movement) and as little exposed skin as possible (a long-sleeved shirt?); shoes that cannot fall off your feet and that will feel secure in the stirrups.
• Your listening ears: for hearing and following instructions, keeping you safe and maximizing your enjoyment.
• Camera, for those special shots from horseback height of some of the most beautiful natural locations on earth.