Progressive ride in 5 days riding, from the lovely town of Trujillo following East direction to the Villuercas Geopark (UNESCO), getting picturesque villages in the Villuercas Mountains as Guadalupe, world heritage site by UNESCO, riding also through the gorgeous landscape of Dehesa, holm and cork oaks woods and pastures, the most emblematic landscape in Extremadura.

This ride starts in Trujillo and finishes in Guadalupe town, world heritage site by UNESCO with the impressive Monastery of Guadalupe from 14^th century. Guadalupe is located in the region of the Villuercas (GEOPARK by UNESCO), is a historic town of cobbled streets, traditional houses and monuments of great value, like the Sanctuary Monastery of Guadalupe (XIV century), declared World Heritage site (UNESCO). The ride allows visit other mountain towns belonging to the Villuercas as Berzocana, Cañamero and Logrosan. Trujillo is another very historic town with a mix of cultures, still exist Roman remains from the Roman town Turgallium, which nowadays is Trujillo. In the top of the town there is an spectacular Castle founded in the 10^th century by Arabs, in the main square many beautiful palaces built by Spanish Conquistadors during the 16th-century. Many storks, eagles, swallows can be seen circling the nests on the roof of the churches and palaces in the Plaza Mayor, very good atmosphere.

Trujillo is very famous for its monuments and because it was the birthplace of Francisco Pizarro and his brothers, conquerors of Peru, as well as of Francisco de Orellana, who accomplished the first descent of the River Amazon. Pizarro’s equestrian statue stands in the Plaza Mayor.

The landscape during the ride is spectacular, holm and cork oaks woods and pastures, called Dehesa, the most emblematic landscape in Extremadura and the impressive landscape of Villuercas GEOPARK by UNESCO, perfect for riding with our excellent horses.

Emilio knows the terrain and the trails very well and will show you interesting facts along the way.

The pace of this ride is moderate depends on the terrain, walk, trots and with good canters when is possible. The distance covered on the average is 25-35 km per day. The landscape changes every day. Normally we do not walk leading horses, except any circumstances that required like in this ride 20 minutes on the third day downhill.

LEVEL OF RIDING

Intermediate to experienced riders, means that you should be comfortable to walk, trot and canter in group in open spaces and your seat should be independent from your hands. On the rides you will be riding for between four to seven hours a day so it is important to be as riding fit as possible.

GUIDE

Every ride is personally guided by the experienced Emilio, with an experience over 30 years as equestrian guide he is a terrific guide. Emilio is expert rider and has a special ability to match his horses with riders. He is leading the groups with his confident and well-mannered horses that are a pleasure to ride and to be around, you will always feel very safe. He is English speaker.

HORSES

Excellent PRE horses, Hispano-Arabs, born at home, very much loved, very well trained, beautifully looked after and good natured, very easy to ride. They are all well fed and in great riding shape.

TACK

We use finest quality English saddles and tack with silicon seat saver and small saddle bags in front of the saddles. All the tack is in excellent conditions, very comfortable for horses and riders. The horse tack quality is outstanding.

HELMET

We recommend wearing a helmet, however you can ride without a helmet but your insurance must clearly state that you are covered to do that. You will also be asked to sign a disclaimer.

7 days trip/ 6 nights/5 days riding

Day 1  MADRID-TRUJILLO

Meeting point at Madrid Airport, transfer to Trujillo, welcome dinner at the hotel where we learn about the ride and region on the map.

Day 2  TRUJILLO-MADROÑERA

Transfer to our place. Distribution of horses.  Riding through the “Dehesa”, cultural landscape exclusive of southern and central Spain.

Dehesa is a multifunctional agrosylvopastoral system (a type of agroforestry). Used primarily for grazing, they produce a variety of products including non-timber forest products such as wild game, mushrooms, honey, cork, and firewood. The tree component is oaks, usually holm (Quercus ilex) and cork (Quercus suber). Dehesa is an anthropogenic system that provides not only a variety of foods, but also wildlife habitat for endangered species such as the Iberian lynx and the Spanish Imperial eagle.

Short afternoon through flat terrain to Madroñera, night and dinner in rural hotel, time on the saddle 5 hours.

Day 3 MADROÑERA-ZORITA

Departure after breakfast, we ride by the cattle trail to Zorita. Beautiful riding in the morning with opportunity for good canters through the Dehesa where cattle can be seen everywhere: local cows, sheep, goats and iberic pigs. Lovely pic-nic in the countryside, riding in the afternoon to Zorita. Dinner and night at rural Inn. Time on the saddle 5 hours.

Day 4 ZORITA-LOGROSÁN

A lovely day riding following the greenway, an old railway built in the 20s that due to the Spanish Civil War was never finished. Along the greenway, we will see objects and buildings that remind us that there would have been a railway. During the ride we can enjoy the view over the impressive Villuercas Mountains landscape (Geopark by UNESCO).

Dinner and night at rural hotel in the countryside. Time on the saddle 5 hours.

Day 5 LOGROSÁN-CAÑAMERO

Departure after breakfast, we will go through the vineyard in Cañamero, famous in Spain for good wines and olives groves. Here the landscape changes to the beauty of Villuercas mountains, we can see Ruecas river canyons. We will follow the greenway.

Dinner and night at rural hotel. Time on the saddle 5 hours.

Day 6 CAÑAMERO-GUADALUPE

This day is a short day from Cañamero to Guadalupe we will go through the Cañada Real. We can enjoy the view over the impressive Villuercas landscape. On any day we can observe Vultures, Eagles, Azure-winged Magpies, Red-billed Choughs, Shrikes and Ravens.

Villuercas has been declared Geopark (UNESCO, 2011) because of its Cultural and Natural Heritage and, of course, the great geological value of its relief, with a lot of interesting and visible geological elements.  Comfortable Lunch in the countryside, time on the saddle 4 hours.

Horses go back to our place by truck.

Evening to visit Guadalupe town and the Monastery. Dinner and night at Guadalupe Monastery Hotel. The Royal Monastery of Santa Maria de Guadalupe is at a location of great beauty, overlooking a valley surrounded by high mountains (Villuercas). The town of Guadalupe, built around the Monastery, whose foundation on 1337, offers in its buildings a unique style with a traditional architecture.

Day 7 GUADALUPE – MADRID AIRPORT

After breakfast, departure from Guadalupe at 10 pm, on time for flights. All riders will be transferred at the same time, so if any rider needs to arrive Madrid before, all riders depart earlier or we can arrange transfer (at extra cost).

ITINERARY MAY VARY DUE TO WEATHER OR OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES.

Please get in touch with us for any further information

The accommodation and the customer attention in every aspect of the rides is all to an excellent standard.

The accommodation along the way varies from charming rural Inn in villages to delightful hotel in Trujillo town. All rooms have private bathrooms. All of them very clean and comfortable. In this itinerary it is worth highlighting the accommodation in Guadalupe, the hotel is in the monastery itself, La Hospedería el Real Monasterio, amazing complex that will give you an added insight into of Iberian identity. Dinner at the Gothic cloister, very special place.

Single rooms are possible on request with a single supplement.

The food is another highlight of this trip, Mamen will delight you with the tapas-breaks waiting for you in any unexpected place with Serrano ham, Manchego cheese, olives, nuts, etc. Lunchtime is relaxing and social affair with delicious home cooked Spanish dishes as Paella, Tortilla Española, Iberian pork bbq, salads, soft cheese very typical from Extremadura “Torta del Casar”, excellent quality, followed by a siesta in the peace of the countryside.

After the day riding, your dinner in the evening is around 9 pm and you have a choice from different dishes and courses of local Spanish recipes, your dinner is at your guesthouse accommodation. All the drinks are included during the meals, excellent Spanish red and white wines, beer, canned drinks and water.

There is Wi-Fi in every place we stay and is for free.

There are towels, shampoo and liquid soap in each room and in some places they have hair driers.

Special diet (vegetarian, gluten free, allergies, etc.) can be arranged with advance notice.

The accommodation has been carefully chosen by us, due to the quality and also because of the place for horses, they will normally rest in a field next to the hotel where we spend the nights.

A support van follows the group during the whole week, meeting us in the morning, for tapas-breaks, lunches, at night and also to move your luggage, so you have access to your luggage during the day at least 3 times or when is necessary, so it is not necessary to carry anything on the horse. You have some small saddle bags in front of the saddles for small things, such as a bottle water, sunscreen, camera, mobile. The service along the rides is outstanding.

MEETING POINT AND TIMING?

The meeting point is Madrid Airport for all the itineraries. Emilio, Mamen or both will personally do the transfer. Telephone number in case of delay: +34 635 433 079 (Emilio)/ +34 609 833 783 (Mamen),

The meeting time is at 3:00 pm, so please flights on the first day not after 2 pm. The transfer Madrid airport –Trujillo-Madrid airport is included (for group of 4 riders or more). The transfer from Madrid airport to Trujillo is about 2,5 hour.

The transfer back to the airport on the last day will be at 10 to be at the airport about 12 pm, so please flights on the last day not before 2 pm.

All riders will be transferred at the same time, so if any rider needs a different transfer we can arrange transfer at extra cost.

WEITGH LIMIT?

90 Kgs / 198 Lbs.

NUMBER OF RIDERS?

Min 2 to Max usually 10

TRIP LENGTH?

“Trujillo-Guadalupe” The itinerary is 8 days, 7 nights, 6 days riding from Sunday to Sunday. The length of the ride is around 180 km.

NON RIDERS?

The ride is suitable for non-riding companions; they can travel in the support car and join in meals, dinners and others activities, or if they wish can rent a car in Madrid too. They can move in their own and join the group for dinner.

LEVEL OF RIDING?

Intermediate to experienced riders, means that you should be comfortable to walk, trot and canter in group in open spaces and your seat should be independent from your hands. On the rides you will be riding for between four to seven hours a day so it is important to be as riding fit as possible.

WHAT I NEED TO BRING?

We recommend you to check the weather forecast before coming, always is important to bring sunglasses, sun cream, a rain coat.

WHAT TYPE OF TACK?

We use finest quality English saddles and tack with silicon seat saver and small saddle bags in front of the saddles. All the tack is in excellent conditions, very comfortable for horses and riders. The horse tack quality is outstanding.

DO I NEED TO WEAR HELMET?

We recommend wearing a helmet, however you can ride without a helmet but your insurance must clearly state that you are covered to do that. You will also be asked to sign a disclaimer.

DO I NEED TRAVEL INSURANCE?

It is a condition of your booking that you take out a travel insurance covering you for all medical expenses, injury, cancellation, baggage and personal effects for the entire duration of your trip at the time of booking.

If you come from Europe, you should bring the European Health card, this gives you access to Spanish health care.

WI-FI?

There is Wi-Fi in every accommodation we spend the nights and is for free.

AGE LIMIT?

There is not an upper age limit, as long as you are riding fit and healthy, keep in mind we are long hours on the saddle for 4 to 7 hours a day. Minimum riding age is 10 years old, competent riders, accompanied by an adult.

WHEN CAN I RIDE WITH YOU?

We are opened all year round, so it is possible riding with us in Gredos or in Extremadura all around the year.

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO COME?

The programmed dates are the best season for riding to Guadalupe, March and April.

DO YOU CATER FOR SPECIAL DIET?

Special diet (vegetarian, gluten free, allergies, etc.) can be arranged with advance notice.