About us

Ranch Manippos is a horse riding center founded in June 1995 by Manos Altiparmakis on a seaside plot, just 1 km outside the village of Kallithea, on the first peninsula of Halkidiki (Kassandra).

Manos' deep love for horses began in childhood. Growing up in the countryside, surrounded by animals raised by his grandfather—including mules and horses—he dreamed of becoming a cowboy-Indian. As he got older, he nurtured this passion, gaining extensive knowledge in horse training, behavior, and care by attending various seminars and conferences across Greece and Europe. The rise of tourism in Halkidiki inspired him to create a ranch—not just a business, but a way of life, as he used to say. His goal was to share his love for horses and nature with fellow enthusiasts while raising his family in an environment rich with animals, including horses, dogs, cats, chickens, and goats.

One could say that Manos turned his passion into his profession. However, for him, horse riding, horses, and nature were never a job—they were a way of life!

As tourism in Halkidiki continued to expand, Manos sought a quieter place where he and his family (including their animals) could retreat during the winter months. In 2010, the "Manippos family" established a farm in the wider Loutra Pozar area, initially as a private retreat. However, with the growing popularity of winter tourism in Loutra Pozar, the farm officially opened to the public in 2015 under the name Ranch Manippos Pozar.

In recent years, due to health challenges, Manos has entrusted the full management and operation of both locations (Horse-Ranch Manippos Halkidiki and Horse-Ranch Manippos Pozar) to his children, Konstantinos and Eriesti. Having grown up in this unique environment, they have inherited his deep love for horses, animals, and nature—perhaps even more passionately than before!

Our horse-human family follows a seasonal rhythm:

• From Mid-October to mid-May, we are based in northern Greece, at our main farm near the mountains, Horse-Ranch Manippos Pozar.

• From late in May to early in October, we move to our summer riding center by the sea, Horse-Ranch Manippos Halkidiki—a true vacation season for us and our horses.

At Ranch Manippos, you will find a variety of horse breeds, including Hannoverian, Draft, German Warmblood, Haflinger, and more. Some of our beloved horses are Zephyrus, Mayou, Hippolyte, Eriesti, Lydia, Xanthippe, Indiana, Zeus, Hercules, Penny, Phaedra, and Achilles.

Meet Our Team:

• Manos, the founder of Ranch Manippos, is an expert horse-riding trainer with over 20 years of experience.

• Konstantinos is a riding guide and tour attendant.

• Eriesti is a riding guide, tour attendant, and horse-riding trainer.

• Kathrin is a riding guide and tour attendant.

• Kyriakos is a riding guide and tour attendant.

• Natasa is our social media manager.

What’s in a Name?

Our name, Manippos, comes from Manos + Ippos (Ippos meaning "horse" in Greek).