Chile Tradicional
Chile Tradicional 9 days / 8 nights
With this program we combine two riding tours to one.
After a three-day tour to a lagoon in Argentina, we enjoy typical Chilean food in the Rio Hurtado valley. After a day break we get on the horse again and this time we explore our home valley on a three-day ride. We enjoy the contrasts between the two valleys, one rather barren, although there is more water, the other rather dry but with vegetation. Between the two rides we enjoy the typical Chilean food at home with a local family.
Program
1st day
Arrival and overnight in Seron in Rio Hurtado. We discuss the upcoming riding tour and prepare our luggage for the start the next morning.
2nd day
We start at dawn, departure is at 05.00 o’clock. The trip to our neighbouring valley takes about three hours, where in Carizal, the last village, our horses and mules are waiting for us. While the guides load the luggage onto the mules, the guests can have breakfast. At about ten o’clock we finally leave. Our path leads with a gentle but steady gradient along a mountain stream up into the Andes. Before we get to the pass, the path gets rockier and steeper, at the top we are rewarded with a great view of the Argentine plateau and a small mountain lake, where we set up our first camp for the night. While the guides prepare the food, the guests have time to set up their night camp and take a refreshing dip in the crystal clear waters of the mountain lake.
Riding time approx. 5 hours
3rd day
Today is a bit shorter, we pack our stuff to get from the small mountain lake to a bigger one, around which we ride. Between the two lagoons we ride past springs with ice-cold but clear water. After we have almost circumnavigated the lagoon, we ride behind another mountain range back towards the Chilean border. But also this time we put up our night camp still on Argentinean side.
Riding time approx. 3 hours
4th day
The third and last riding day in this valley is also the longest. We continue to ride uphill until we finally reach the border to Chile on the pass again. A look back, from where we came, is worthwhile in any case, we still see the laguna as a blue strip in the middle of the reddish coloured mountains. One last time we admire the steep mountains of the Andes and the view into the valley before we descend back to our starting point. Once there, we return the horses to their owners and drive back to Seron, Rio Hurtado.
Riding time approx. 6 hours
Day 5
On our day off we enjoy typical Chilean food with a local family and can help with Empanada baking in a traditional oven. Meanwhile we discuss the next day’s riding tour and prepare for it. The rest of the time is at your free disposal.
Luggage for the riding tour, which we don’t need on the way, will be brought to the overnight place with the pick up.
Day 6
Directly from Seron we start the tour in a steady and partly steep uphill. We are rewarded with a beautiful view of our valley. This time we spend the night with a goatherd and we can decide whether we want to sleep in the beds or outside.
Riding time approx. 3 hours
Option: Depending on weather and moon phase we offer a short night ride according to desire.
Day 7
Get to know the Laguna de Seron area. On the way we see petrified tree trunks, 2000-year-old petroglyphs of the Molle and Diaguitas, beautiful rock formations and with some luck, free-living horses. Overnight stay again with the goat herder.
Riding time approx. 4 hours
Day 8
On the way back we ride along an impressive gorge and through the Rio Hurtado valley. Horse and rider show off their skills downhill. Around 16.00 o’clock we are really tired but with many new experiences and beautiful memories back in Seron, where we can finish the tour after a delicious dinner and an extensive shower.
Day 9
Farewell and individual onward or return journey.