Listed as one of the “10 Best of Everything” in National Geographic and “Great Horse Treks of the World”. Enjoy a first class ride in Mexico! For twenty five years, your guides have been leading riders along the camino reales to the exhilarating Sierra Madre Mountains. This Ride is rated number one in National Geographic “Ten Best of Everything.” The views are spectacular, your meals are fresh traditional Mexican…even the guacamole is made from scratch and the hospitality is true Mexican which makes the old saying “Mi casa es tu casa”‘ hold true.

ITINERARY:

Day 1: Sunday
Transfer from Marriott Reforma at 10:30am or the Courtyard Marriot, Toluca Airport, at 11:30am to the Hacienda. After lunch, you will ride to Monte Alto.

Day 2: Monday
After a delicious Mexican breakfast, you will enjoy the scent of fresh pine needles and the faint smell of wood smoke rising from the local village in the warm dry Mexican air as you ride under sun glinted canopies of Motezuma pine and scrub oak to Los Saucos with quaint houses and crop fields nestled in a valley. In the afternoon, you can choose to relax with a Marguerita next to the pool or experience the local culture with a visit to the picturesque 400 year old village of Valle de Bravo.

Day 3: Tuesday
Your horse ascends 10,000 feet through pungent pine and stoic oak forests to the Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary where  in season, you will mingle with billions of beautiful butterflies hanging in the fir trees. The ride will then continue along a road surrounded by lovely ponds to Rancho la Compania. This is one of the most beautiful ranches in the area and home to racing horses, fighting cocks and other wild animals.

Day 4: Wednesday
The ride will journey past El Peñón, a magnificent rock over 9,000 feet high and the fascinating El Nevado volcano. After lunch, the El Coloso flat rock arises under the horses’ feet. A drumming sound erupts from the hooves meeting the hollow ground. The Tres Reyes, three huge rocks each located on the top of a hill, emerge from the valley below. The ride finishes at Cerro Gordo.

Day 5: Thursday
An exhilarating canter along a wide trail will bring you to a narrow mountain path. The spectacular view of endless mountains unfolds before you as your ride to Atezcapan. After lunch of typical Mexican fare – tortas or tacos, sodas and hilled beer which has been carried by a mule- the ride will descend to a lake. A boat awaits to take you on a relaxing ride across the water.

Day 6: Friday
You will take the boat across the lake to return to the horses for a ride through the “hotland.” Lofty green trees have been replaced with mesquite shrubs and cactus. The trail runs along a cascading river to an ascending path. An opportunity for another canter will bring the ride to the cool shade of pine trees. The ride concludes at Ixtla.

Day 7: Saturday
You will gallop across a wide meadow as you return to the Hacienda. Your delicious farewell dinner will be served in a fine historical restaurant in Valle de Bravo.

Day 8: Sunday
Breakfast, then transfer back to Toluca Airport or Mexico City.

Details:

Dates:
2011:November 13–20, November 27–December 4, December 11-18 2012: January 8-15, January 22-29, February 5-12, February 19-26, March 4-11, March 18-25, April 8-15, April 22-29, May 6-13, May 20-27, October 21-28, November 4-11, November 18-25, December 2-9
Airports: Mexico City International Airport or Toluca International Airport
Meeting Place: Hotel Marriott Reforma, Mexico City or Hotel Courtyard Marriot, Toluca Airport.
Riding days: 6
Group size: 2 – 12
Riding ability: Strong Intermediate – Advanced
Saddles: English, Western, Mexican Charro
Horses: Quarter horses, Mexican Criollo, Trakheners
Non-riding activities: golf, sailing, kayaking, water skiing, mountain biking, tennis, paragliding, shopping
Hotel/s: *****Hacienda
Prices: $2,440 per person, double occupancy, high season, $2,200 per person, double occupancy, low season (April, May),
$400 single supplement

Includes: transfer to and from airport hotel meeting location, 7 nights lodging, all meals except 1 dinner, horse, tack, guide, in-season visit to Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary, Lake boat trip.
Not included: airfare, pre or post ride lodging in Mexico City or Toluca, farewell dinner, gratuities