Riding programs: ANST

Rancho La Paz - Starter Trail
Andalusia stationary and short trail

[back to overview]

Starting with rides around the ranch through the romantic Andalusia countryside followed by a day at the Atlantic beach and a four-day tour through mountain villages from the Mediterranean Sea to the mountains. This riding holiday is designed for riders who want to experience trail riding for the first time, but also want the comfort of staying in the same location each night. Before going out on the four-day ride you will spend a day getting to know your horse and riding in the surrounding countryside. For the remainder of your tour you will participate on a comfortably paced, four-day tour from village to village. Each night, the horses are stabled at different places, while you are driven back to the Finca for a comfortable night's lodging.

Day 1: Arrival in Malaga and transfer to the Finca (ranch).

Day 2: After a good breakfast, introduction to the horses and explication of the Spanish riding style. Today you will have a morning and afternoon trail ride, each about 2 to 2.5 hours. Lunch and dinner at the ranch.

Day 3: Today is the first day of the four-day trail ride. After breakfast you begin your journey. We travel through the shade of pine tree forests and over the mountains of the Sierra de Mijas to Alhaurin El Grande. You have breathtaking views over the busy Costa del Sol and the city of Malaga with its port, to which the inland with its hills and small scattered villages forms an astonishing contrast. On the way you have a picnic lunch. Later the horses stay in a coral close to Alhaurin. For dinner and overnight you're again back at the Rancho La Paz.

Day 4: Only a few miles from the touristy and fully developed coast time seems to stand still. We ride past small farms where donkeys and mulis are still used as a means of transportation. Here we find endless orange and lemon plantations. In spring you can admire the magnificent almond blossoms. Lunch is in a venta, a small, typical restaurant close to the town of Coin, before you ride on towards the Rio Grande, the "big river" which runs water throughout the year. The horses stay here overnight and you return to the Finca.

Day 5: Andalusia's inland is romantic and peaceful, the exact contrast of the Coast. The Andalusian people are hospitable and everywhere we receive a warm welcome. We ride along old cattle drive trails until we meet the support vehicle which carries picnic for us. In the late afternoon you reach one of the typical white mountain villages - Casarabonela - where the horses stay overnight. You are again driving back to the Finca for your overnight stay.

Day 6: Today the hills become mountains. Through pine forests you cross the Sierra de Alcaparan and the Sierra de las Aguas on soft, winding forest trails and enjoy great views over green valleys and endless mountains ranges with few scattered villages. Before you reach Puerto de Carmen you stop for a picnic, then the horses are loaded in the trailer and all drive back to the Finca.

Day 7: Today's ride takes you to the coast. Broad sandy beaches, several miles long where you only meet a few fishermen are typical for this part of the Atlantic Coast. Right after breakfast the horse once more are loaded in the trailer and we're on the way. You have a drive along the Costa del Sol, pass Marbelle, Gibraltar, Tarifa - perhaps with views over to Africa. Close to Facinas the ride takes us across the pastures of the famous black bulls until you reach the Atlantic close to Zahara. Lunch (not included) at a beach restaurant. Then the beach is yours! Just like you the horses only wait for the command for a gallop. Beaches several miles long invite for long canters! In between you can walk your horse into the waves to cool down. After about six miles, close to Barbate, the horses are again loaded in the trailer and you drive back to the Finca.

Day 8: Transfer to the airport in Malaga and departure.



This is a combination of stationary rides and a trail - you have the possibility to get used to the way of riding and your (and can change if you like so) on two rides around the ranch and then have a trail of 4 days in the romantic inland from town to town and also a beach ride at the Atlantic side.

You should have experience in the countryside and have your horse under control galloping.
Riding time about 5 hours / day. (Weight limit 95kg)

 
   


top [back to overview]