Horseback Trail Ride in SPAIN : THE SIERRA DE GREDOS & CASTLES

TRAIL RIDE IN SPAIN
INDICATIVE ITINERARY *

Day1: Madrid - Navareedonda de Gredos. Meeting at Madrid airport at 3 pm, transfer to Navarredonda de Gredos. 2 hours drive with a break in Avila town for a short visit: an amazing walled medieval town, classified as a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO. You will enjoy your welcome dinner at the hotel with your guide in Navarredonda de Gredos, a mountain village at 1600 m altitude, with beautiful views of the highest peaks in Sierra de Gredos.

Day 2: Navareedonda de Gredos - Navacepeda de Tormes. After breakfast you will be transfered to meet your horse. The first ride is a short and comfortable day, when you will get to know your horse. A ride through the Tormes valley and pineforests, open fields with great views of Gredos Mountains. Lunch at fisherman's hut with an excellent paella, cooked at the spot, beside the river Tormes where it is possible to swim in summer. Short afternoon ride to Navacepeda de Tormes. Night and dinner at a local hotel. About 4 hours riding.

Day 3: Navacepeda de Tormes - El Barco de Avila. The longest day and the most beautiful views of Gredos Mountains. You will ride down the valley and through small and remote medieval villages. Lunch at Aliseda de Tormes, beside the Tormes river and its medival bridge. In the afternoon you will ride down the opened valley with a different landscape, nice trots and canters, to El Barco de Ávila. You will cross the Tormes river on a Roman bridge in El Barco de Avila, a 12th century village and castle. Night and dinner at 4* hotel. About 6 hours 1/2 riding.

Day 4: El Barco de Avila - Hoyorredondo. You will ride to Salamanca province, a beautiful flat and dry area, with incredible granite formations a very rural area, fields with stone walls, where you can see farmers riding donkeys. The landscape today changes again, the riding is through holm oaks woods and pastures, you will cross Puente del Congosto, an other medieval village with a 15th century bridge and castle. Picnic near the river, a very beautiful spot for swimming in summer. In the afternoon, funny ride with nice canters to Hoyorredondo. Night and dinner at a very beautiful rural Inn, where you will be able to see the horses resting from your bedroom's window: a magical place. About 6 hours riding.

Day 5: Hoyorredondo - Navacepedilla de Corneja. Nice trots and canters in the morning by the flat and open Corneja River Valley to Bonilla de la Sierra, a very important Medieval town, with a beautiful church. Lunch will be a barbecue in a private garden with swimming pool. In the afternoon, you will start riding up to the mountains. Night and dinner at charming hotel in Navacepedilla de Corneja. About 6 hours riding.

Day 6: Navacepedilla de Corneja - Navarredonda. This is a magnificent mountain riding through 3 different valleys. In the morning you will ride up the mountain to the highest place of the ride, Puerto de Chía (1800 m), with a magnificent view of the Corneja river valley in the back and the Alberche river valley in the front. Lunch at San Martin de la Vega with the views of the Gredos Mountains. After lunch, you will cross the Alberche river and continue to Tormes River valley to reach the stables. Night and farewell dinner at the hotel in Navarredonda de Gredos. About 4 hours riding.

Day 7: Breakfast at your hotel, end of the ride for the 5 days riding version and transfer to Madrid airport, departure at 10 am, to be at the airport at 12 o'clock. Day ride in circle for the 6 days riding version with nice trots and gallops in pine forests and along the Tormes river. Excellent picnic in the countryside. In the afternoon, return to the stable. Farewell dinner and overnight in the same rural hotel as the day before.

Day 8: Breakfast at your hotel, end of the hike for the 6 days riding version and transfer to Madrid airport, departure at 10 o'clock, to be at the airport at 12 o'clock.

* Indicative itinerary that may be changed if necessary.