Horseback Riding in Mexico
LA SIERRA CAVALCADE |
The land of Aztecs and Conquistadors is at our doorstep. The cultural and historical value of this ride is to be favorably compared with many European trips. The base is the picturesque, 400 year-old village of Valle de Bravo with its beautiful setting of pristine mountains, pine forests and soft grasslands. One sees lovely Spanish haciendas and old colonial structures. The Quarter Horses and Thoroughbreds are excellent horses one would expect to find in Europe or the U.S., rather than the smaller horses usually found in Mexico and Central America. The ride is run with European competency without losing the charming flavor of Mexico.
Watch our Mexico horseback riding video to see this wonderful place.
"The Mexico "endurance" ride was splendid. Remember crossing paths with the competition that day at the top of the mountain? It certainly was a vivid snapshot of one of the many incredible differences between Equitours and them. Can you image? A bologna sandwich in a Styrofoam container compared to the superbly prepared, traditional Mexican meals Pepe prepared for us every day. I think we're spoiled!
- Ginna Frantz
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| Itinerary |
| Day 1: | Plan to arrive in Mexico City the day before the start of the ride to be ready for an early morning pickup on Day 1.
Either meet in the hotel lobby of the Hotel Camino Real inside the Mexico City airport at 7AM or in the lobby of the Hotel Royal Zona Rosa in Mexico City at 8AM. Drive 2 ½ hours to Valle de Bravo, passing near El Nevado, a snowcapped volcano that stands high above the rolling hills. Meet the hosts of the ride at Finca Enyhe, a beautiful home with lovely gardens, riding ring and scenic view of Valle de Bravo. Lunch is served on the open terrace where riders are able to see some of the trails in the mountains that are used for the holiday. After lunch riders are carefully matched with a horse and tack of choice and are checked out in the ring. There is a two hour familiarization ride in the hills behind Finca Enyhe, reaching a point high above Valle de Bravo with a wonderful view of the lake and mountains surrounding the town. Settle into the rooms with free time to visit the town square with its white stucco buildings, tiled roofs and wooden balconies. A visit to the local handicrafts market is also recommended as it is famous for its pottery, blown glass and embroidered cloth. Dinner and overnight at Finca Enyhe.
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| Day 2: | After a full breakfast at 7AM mount the horses and begin the ride at 8:30AM. Ride for three hours through wooded hills, across several streams and open farmland with opportunities to trot and canter. A picnic lunch is served near an old collapsed volcano crater that affords a spectacular view of the area. The afternoon ride passes through the forest, full of yellow, blue and deep red wildflowers if in season for two hours before arriving at Los Saucos, a small village with clusters of houses set on a hillside. |
| Day 3: | Meet at 7:30AM for breakfast. Transfer to Los Saucos where the horses are tacked and ready for a 9:15AM departure. Ride for an hour up hill to reach approximately 9,000 feet where the fir forests give shelter to the Monarch Butterfly Reserve. Leave the horses and hike further up the hill in search of the butterflies *. Spend time observing the millions of Monarchs clinging to the tall fir trees or flying in clouds in search of food. Continue riding in the forest before reaching the lunch site, a grassland valley where the meadows are fringed with trees. After lunch the route meanders by cultivated fields. The horses are left at the oldest ranch in the area, Rancho La Compania, which is now devoted to raising racing Quarter Horses.
*This is a beautiful area and will be visited even when the butterflies are not present.
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| Day 4: | Meet at 7:30AM for breakfast. Transfer to Rancho La Compania to begin riding by 9:00AM. Set off through a ranch with a variety of animals such as, antelope, buffalo and white tail deer. The ride continues with a descent into farmland planted with various crops, woods laced with small streams and small grass valleys that are well suited for long canters. Lunch is served overlooking El Penon which rises straight out of the valley floor, followed by a steep descent on a small path to the valley below. The days trail ends at Cerro Gordo where the horses are left and the riders meet by the driver of the van. Drive by Rancho Avandaro, which was the site of the equestrian events of the Mexico City Olympics in 1968. |
| Day 5: | Meet at 7:30AM for breakfast. Transfer to Cerro Gordo to mount the horses by 9:00AM. The route begins with wide flat roads through the woods which offer soft footing for long canters. The trail narrows before climbing up to El Divisadero; a huge magnificent rock where lunch is served. There is time to relax and enjoy the incredible view of the town of Zacazonapan 3,000 feet below. The climate below is different than that of Valle de Bravo, creating a hotter, dryer region. After lunch a steep descent to El Cerrillo where the horses are left for the day. Riders are met by a small boat and transferred across the lake to the town of Valle de Bravo. It is a relaxing ride of approximately twenty minutes with a great opportunity to see the mountains that surround the lake and the route that riders have completed. |
| Day 6: | Meet at 7:30AM for breakfast. Transfer to the edge of the lake to meet the boat and return to El Cerrillo, where the horses are waiting. Ride through Valle Tilostoc, the typical “tierra caliente”, a semidesert land with cactus, mesquites and low bushes. Continue on reaching again the pine forrest area and enjoy lunch. Cross the river after lunch and continue riding through woods and valleys until reaching the town of San Gabriel Ixtla. Arrive back at Finca Enyhe mid-afternoon. |
| Day 7: | Meet at 7:30AM for breakfast and transfer by vehicle to where the horses are waiting. Ride through the agricultural land of San Gabriel Ixtla to San Francisco Mihualtepec, a typical Mexican town. Follow the path that leads towards Rancho Santa Rosa and from there arrive back at Finca Enyhe around 12:30 PM. Free afternoon to visit the town. Farewell dinner in town (at your own expense). |
| Day 8: | Meet at 8:00AM for breakfast. Begin the drive back to Mexico City in order
to be at the International Airport by 12:00 noon.
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| THIS ITINERARY IS FLEXIBLE. CHANGES MAY OCCUR DUE TO WEATHER OR OTHER UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES. |
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| Pricing and Dates |
| Meeting Point | Mexico City |
| Length of Ride | 8 days, 7 nights and 5 full and 2 half days riding. |
| Riding Ability | Strong Intermediate Intermediate |
| Group Size | Minimum-2 Maximum-12 |
| Riding Per Day | 6-7 hours |
| Pace | moderate |
| Tack | Western, English, or Mexican Charro |
| Horses | Thoroughbred, Quarterhorse, Trakhener, Criollo cross |
| Weight Limit | 200 lbs |
| 2008 Dates | Jan 6-13, Jan 20-27, Feb 3-10, Feb 17-24, Mar 2-9, March 16-23, March 30 - April 6*, April 13-20*, April 27 - May 4*, May 11-18*, May 25 - June 1*, Oct 26 - Nov 2, Nov 9-16, Nov 23-30, Dec 28 - Jan 4, 09(**) |
| 2008 Price | $ 2,405
(*) $ 2,165
(**) $ 2,595 for New Year's Ride |
| Single Supplement | $ 500 |
| 2009 Dates | Jan 4-11, Jan 18-25, Feb 1-8, Feb 15-22, March 1-8, March 15-22, March 29 - April 5*, April 12-19, April 26 - May 3*, May 10-17*, May 24-31*, Oct 25 - Nov 1, Nov 8-15, Nov 22-29 |
| 2009 Price | $ 2,405
(*) $ 2,165
(**)$ 2,595 for New Year's ride |
| Single Supplement | $ 500 |
| Additional Information | The farewell dinner on your last night is an out of pocket expense. |
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