Take a break from the winter weather and ride with
Mexico's leading endurance rider, José Schravesande, on this well
organized, luxurious "Cavalcade". The ride takes place around Valle de
Bravo, a town two and a half hours west of Mexico City. Valle de Bravo is
located 6,000 feet above sea level and during the trek riders ascend to
over 11,000 feet where fir trees grow and the
Monarch Butterflies come to look for shelter from November to March.
Travel by horseback from 5,000ft elevations all the way up to
11,000ft enjoying spectacular panoramic views.
The weather around Valle de Bravo is hard to find
anywhere in the world. Winter is warm and sunny
during the day but cool enough at nights to enjoy a
chimney in the wonderful Finca Enyhe. Autumn and
spring are almost the same, with glorious clear blue
skies and refreshed verdant countryside. Some
beautiful clouds may be formed by mid-day and a rain
may fall for a couple of hours but again the sun
will be shining, creating a magnificent sunset with
orange and purple-pink clouds mixing together
Ride through picturesque
Mexican towns and villages, through ecosystems varying from temperate
pine forests to sub tropical farmland with sugar cane fields, and
tropical flowers. Located in the middle of the "Sierra Madre Occidental" mountains, you
can find a great variety of microclimates in the surroundings of Valle
de Bravo. Starting from a 10,000 ft altitude, where the forests only
consists of fir trees, you descend to an altitude where pines and oaks
are mixed together and further along to a 900 ft elevation to find only
the Caducifolia jungle, typical of the Mexican dry and hot lands.
On one of the days, after six hours riding with
spectacular views, riders return to town on a boat
that crosses the lake; a delightful and relaxing
experience after a long day in the saddle.
IT-MXIR01 Rates: All incl. from Mexico City, all meals
except 1 dinner,
3 alcoholic beverages per day, lodging in private estate Finca Enyhe , 6
1/2
riding days, 4-7 hours per day. 8 days/
7 nights $ 2,390
Single
+30% - waived if willing to share
HT SPECIAL $240 OFF
for selected dates 2008 Dates: 03/30-04/06 04/13-04/20
04/27-05/04
05/11-05/18 05/25-06/01
10/26-11/02
11/09-11/16 11/23-11/30
12/28-01/04 2009 Dates:
01/04-01/11 01/18-01/25
02/01-02/08
02/15-02/22 03/01-03/08
03/15-03/22
10/25-11/01 11/08-11/15
11/22-11/29
03/29-04/05 04/12-04/19
04/26-05/03
05/10-05/17 05/24-05/31
12/28-01/04
... add $190 for
New Year's
rides
Gratuities: 10% suggested
- pay locally Airport:Mexico City Meeting:
Mexico City hotel Horses:Quarter, Trakhener,
Thoroughbred, Appendix
Tack:English,
Western,
Mexican Charro,
Trail saddle -
- sheepskin cover Pace: Slow in the mountains,
trots and canters in the valleys. The route goes
up and down steep mountainous terrain, and wide open hacienda country Level: Intermediate Min/Max.: 2 to 12 riders Note:
Max weight
is 200 lbs, Minimum age is 12 yrs.
Accommodations:
Accommodation is in Finca Enyhe, a "FIVE STAR"
hacienda style house in the outskirts of the
beautiful colonial town of Valle de Bravo. Located
five blocks away from the main square it has the
benefits of both the town and the countryside. The
house has a central "patio" with water fountain that
invites to reflection and meditation. Four verandas
with columns and arches surround the "patio" where
multicolored hammocks are always waiting for the
guests to lay down and enjoy this paradisiacal
atmosphere. A big and enchanting garden surrounds
the house; it is very well kept and has a great
variety of flowers, plants and trees. In one of the
corners of the garden the swimming pool drops its
water to a line of paradise bird flowers whilst on
the other side a magnificent wisteria hangs on a
pergola giving shade to a one piece log table with
benches where delicious lunches are served.
...
more info Food:
A great variety of flavors from the Mexican kitchen
are offered to the guests with hygienic procedures.
The delicious homemade Mexican food gives the guests
the opportunity to taste different dishes every day.
Lunch is a picnic on the trail served with typical
Mexican "botanas", "tortas", and "tacos" that are
warmed on a fire. Lunch is refreshed with cold
beers, and sodas that are carried by "Don Sabino",
the charismatic pack mule that also brings whatever
might be needed by the riders. Excellent red and
white wines the same as beer is offered during
dinner and three alcoholic beverages per day per
rider are included in the rate.
...
more info
Monarch Butterflies: From November to March this trip includes a visit to the Butterfly
Sanctuary, where fir forests give shelter to the Monarch Butterfly, a large
American butterfly noted for its long-distance migrations and its brightly
striped caterpillars that feed on the milkweed plant (recently featured in
Vanity Fair). Riding to the Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary, we observe
butterflies that mate here during this time. Every year they use the same
trees, where they hang by the millions, giving a spectacular orange color to
the forest and the sky on their daily flight to the nearby streams. ...
more info
Itinerary Day 1
Riders will be picked up at the lobby of the hotel in Zona Rosa or
at the Toluca airport according to the schedule. Then transfer
by car to
Valle de Bravo, which will take approximately two and a half
hours. After registering and getting set in one of the magnificent
bedrooms in Finca Enyhe, you will get to know your mount and try your tack
inside the arena. A delicious lunch will be served in the swimming pool
terrace before getting mounted for a two hour ride to "Monte Alto" where you
will be able to get to know the horse you will be riding with during the
week. Come back to Finca Enyhe and enjoy the sunset with a margarita made
with an old family recipe. Dinner will be served at 7:30 accompanied with
delicious Chilean red or white wines.
Day 2 Delious Mexican breakfast will be served early in the
morning. Afterwards riders will mount on their horses and ride for three
hours across agricultural valleys and forests with orchids until lunch time,
which will be a picnic on the trail carried by one of our pack mules. After
lunch riders can enjoy a short "Siesta" and be ready to ride for one more
hour until you reach the 9,000 feet. The village of "Los Saucos" will
appear behind the trees. Here the horses will overnight and riders will
be taken by car to Finca Enyhe. The afternoon is free to relax in the
swimming pool or take a walk to town. During dinnerguests wil be able to
taste the excellent Mexican and International cuisine that comes out from
the kitchen of Finca Enyhe and is accompanied with high quality Spanish Red
or White Wines. After dinner, listen to a talk about Monarch Butterflies
and prepare yourself for a wonderful experience that wil be awaiting for you
next morning in the Butterfly Sanctuary.
Day 3 After breakfast, transfer by car to Los Saucos. Ride for
approximately one hour and if it is the time of The Monarchs get ready to do
some walking before reaching the Sanctuary. Spend some time experiencing
the presence of these mysterious and wonderful butterflies in the Fir Tree
Forest. Get ready to walk back to your horses and continue the ride until
lunch time. Today, lunch will also be a picnic in the trail cooked on a
fireplace. After lunch continue riding for two hours through evergreen
meadows and valleys next to Rivers that hold Trout Farms and beautiful Ferns
until you reach "Ranch la Compania". This ranch is one of the oldest
ranches of the area where fighting cocks are bred as well as Quarter
Horses. Guest can walk around it beautiful patios and gardens. Transfer
back to Finca Enyhe by car where a refreshing margarita will be waiting for
you in the swimming pool!
Day 4 After the car transfer to "Rancho la Compania" be ready to visit
a private Zoo and ride by a couple of lakes that are part of the landscape
of this Ranch. Continue riding until you are on the top of "La Sierra de
Juan Luis" from which you will be able to begin admiring fantastic views
that lay three thousand feet below and until your eyes permit you to see!
Here you will feel a change in the temperature, as you will be riding next
to the ridge where the hot wind from the "Tierra Caliente" warms this part
of the mountain. Bromelias and orchids decorating magnificent Oak tress
will become part of the views of on this day. Lunch is a picnic on the
trail, this time set next to "El Penon", a huge rock formation standing
alone and aside the chain of mountains. After lunch, continue riding to
another big flat rock formation, "El Coloso", from here riders are able to
see the different places they have vistited on this day's ride and part of
what will be covered the following day without of course missing the
incrediable site of "Los Tres Reyes". Ride through "El Manzano", a small
agricutural valley and finish today's ride in "Cerro Gordo." The care will
take you back to Finca where dinner will be, as well a four course meal
based on a delicious mix of Mexican and International recipes.
Day 5 Upon arriving to "Cerro Gordo", your mount will be ready and
eager to start today's ride. On this day ride throught magnificent "Vistas"
and rock formations. You will be riding thousands of feet above "Zacazonapan"
a town located in the "Tierra Caliente". Experience breathtaking views from
the edge of the mountain chain. Todays lunch is served in another
magnifient spot called "El Divisadero". That means a place from where you
can see and feel like Hernan Cortes must have while riding through the
Mexican countryside and high mountains, never ceasing to amaze what the land
offers to its visitors. After lunch, riders will have the opportunity to
see another incredable spot all what they have covered by horse in the past
days and the route that is awaiting them for the following days! It is an
incredible opportunity to really see all what a horse and rider can do in
one week of riding! A breath taking descent to where the horses will be
left on this day will always be remembered by our guests, including
outstanding vistas of the lake and of "Atezcapan", the village that lies
next to the ranch where the horses will overnight. Many peacocks will
salute you on your way out by truck from "Rancho Calderones" to the lake
shore, where a local boat will be waiting for the group to be transferred
across the lake to the main deck in Valle de Bravo. This is a perfect
moment for a picture and time to relax and enjoy the trip across the lake.
From the boat you will be able to see "La Pena" another rock formation where
the Aztecs came to make human sacrifices and which now a days is surrounded
by outstanding weekend homes.
Day 6 Before meeting your mount you will cross the lake by boat. This
also is a good time to mediate or enjoy this peaceful and quiet boat trip.
On the otehr side of the lake the truck will be waiting for you to make a
five minute transfer to where the horses slept. Today you will ride along
the lake shore until you reach the dam. After crossing by the side of the
dam you will continue riding for a couple of hours in what is know as
"Tierra Caliente". This land is for what Mexico is generally known for: no
forest or shade, just a vast of open valley, all planted and plowed like the
olden days. The old Mexican style of working with no tractors or machinery
just pairs of oxens, horses or donkeys plowing the land lead by a peasent
and followed by his wife or daughter who manually plants one by one the corn
seed, strawberries,potatoes and flower plants. Just about the time you are
wondering when a tree shade will appear; the horses begin reaching the
woods. Fresh wind begins to blow whilst pine and oak trees shade the path
and finally a group of rocks set for a fireplace let the riders know lunch
time has arrived! After lunch, continue riding for three more hours in a
different type of forest, where lots of Spanish Moss hang from the trees.
If the river is not too high and with a fast water, experience the exciting
movement of crossing the big river! Arrive to San Gabriel Ixtla, a small
village where the horses will overnight. This time riders will come back by
car to the Finca through a different road.
Day
7 Today the ride is shorter, only half of a day. Riders will arrive to
Finca Eyhne on their horses just in time to have lunch in one of the
terrances of the property. You will ride through the main street of "San
Fransico Mihualtepec." This is an authentic Mexican town where you will be
able to see lots of things. See how local people live in their homes and
see the housewives enjoy taking care of the many pots with flowers in their
Veranda. Watch how the Butcher works and how the traditional "Barbacoa" or
"Carnitas" are being cooked. These are traditional meals prepared only by
men and where women do not participate in the cooking. They are only
invited to eat. This is a "Macho Man" chore. See the fields with all sorts
of different flowers: Paradise Flowers, Water Lili,Agapantus,Gladioles,
etc. After leaving this interesting town, the biggest Ranch in the area
will be visited. This is "Rancho Santa Rosa" where well kept forest,
evergreen horse padocks and magnificent contemporary Mexican style homes are
all set in harmony. If you are lucky, you will be able to see how the
horses that are bred in this ranch are trained for show jumping. Arrive at
1:00 PM to Finca Enyhe just in time for lunch. Today there will be more
time to visit the town and do more shopping or if you prefer, enjoy the
facilities in the property and have a good and restoring Massage session in
the comfort and privacy of your bedroom. At 7:30PM, host and guest will
depart to town where a farewell dinner will be offered in a beautiful
restaurant in one of the oldest Colonial buidings in town
(NOT INCLUDED IN
RATE)
Day 8 Breakfast will be served a little later at 8:00 AM.
Transfer back to Mexico City International Airport is at 9:00 AM. Estimate
time of arrival to the airport is around 12:00 PM.
Riders have three options with different schedules from where to
choose:
A) Hotel Royal Zona Rosa in Mexico City
Sunday at 8:00 Hrs. at hotel lobby
B) Hotel Del Rey Aeropuerto near Toluca International Airport.
Sunday at 9:15 Hrs. at hotel lobby.
IT-MXIR01
From November to March this trip includes a visit to the Butterfly
Sanctuary, where fir forests give shelter to the Monarch Butterfly, a large
American butterfly noted for its long-distance migrations and its brightly
striped caterpillars that feed on the milkweed plant (recently featured in
Vanity Fair). Riding to the Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary, we observe
butterflies that mate here during this time. Every year they use the same
trees, where they hang by the millions, giving a spectacular orange color to
the forest and the sky on their daily flight to the nearby streams. ...
