Itinerary 

Day 1    
 HACIENDA LA CARRIONA
Transfer from airport to the Sangolqui valley in the southern outskirts of Quito. Your stop is in the first highland hacienda of the circuit: La Carriona. A forty minute drive, from the busy city to a vast green valley surrounded by mountain peaks from the Andean ranges, will take you to this luxury hotel and home of its host Fernando Becdach. Your suite, decorated comfortably to savour a family environment of the historical haciendas in the highlands also offers a modern bathroom with all necessary utilities. Immaculate garden lined with Jacaranda trees invite the guest to wonder around and discover peace and harmony away from the hustle and bustle of Quito. Its location, on the outskirts of Quito, is ideal for quick access to Quito’s historical centre, birth place of the first and most important colonial art school in South America. You are perfectly well situated at La Carriona to begin your ride in the central highlands through which you will be riding for the remainder of the circuit. You may choose to spend the rest of the day relaxing by the heated pool, in the sauna, or simply enjoying the beauty of the hacienda and its history.
Day 2  HACIENDA ALEGRIA:
Adaptation to horses and altitude; ride to Viudita Mountain  You will be collected from La Carriona and driven half an hour south along the spectacular "Avenue of the Volcanoes" to Hacienda La Alegria. Your host, Gabriel Espinosa, is passionate about horses and riding, and you will soon see why his operation is famed for the quality of its horses. You will be given the chance to get used to your horse in the safety of our "round" and paddock. A 4 hour ride to the Viudita mountain is scheduled. From its top you will be able to enjoy a spectacular sunset view of the volcano avenue, your riding area for the following days. Native moorland vegetation enriched with the humidity that rises from the coast provides the most unbelievable landscape and view of Quito and its surrounding valleys of Machachi, Pifo, and Puembo. This mountain is a perfect fit for a first day ride on Ecuador’s highlands. In the evening, riders will return to Hacienda La Alegria for dinner served in a cozy environment with a warm fireplace. You may later enjoy our bar and listen to the old farm tales.  Riding time 4-hrs
Day 3 
RUMINAHUI and COTOPAXI
Early breakfast and departure from Hacienda La Alegria towards the town of Machachi, known as the capital of the Ecuadorian cowboys “Chagras”. We will ride upward to 4,200m near the peak of the rocky Ruminahui Mountain and continue to Limpiopungo Lake in the Cotopaxi National Park. Our destination will be a cozy lodge awaiting us for your day’s  rest. An overnight stay  in this comfortable lodge and a hot shower will undoubtedly renew your body. Enjoy dinner and share our pleasant experiences close to an inviting fireplace. If the weather permits it, admire a star sparkled moonlight sky.
The following morning, get up early to appreciate the most incredible scenery right in front of your eyes.....the snow capped Cotopaxi volcano.
Day 4
COTOPAXI, Sto DOMINGO LAKE
This day will be opportunity to canter in some parts of the ride: crossing terrain that resembles the lunar surface, pass the Santo Domingo Lake 4100 mts high; descend to the Vicious Valley 3500 mts high, a canyon formed by the Cotopaxi lava flow route; and spot along the ride herds of wild horses, fox, deer and birds of the area. A hardy welcome will be given to the riders by the personnel at Yanahurco Hacienda, the largest hacienda in the Ecuadorian highland with its 72,000 acres. Its spectacular chagra traditions and farm life will enchant you from the moment you reach its premises. After Lunch, we receive the chagras that will work in the farm cattle round- up, explore the surroundings of Yanahurco by foot and admire this vast, widespread region that has preserved various endangered animal habitats. At night, enjoy a briefing of Yanahurco`s attractions and activities such as its annual cattle rodeo and its wild horse rodeo by a sparkling fireplace. Sleep in comfortable private rooms, warmed by furnaces, quits, and hot water bags for your delight. A hot water shower will surely be comforting after this wonderful and exciting day is over...    riding time-6 hrs
Day 5 
Jatuncocha Lake Ride
Today you will be given the chance to ride with real chagras, mustering wild fighting bulls in the most incredible mountain environment. The day starts with a hearty breakfast, don't hold back: you will earn it! We saddle up and gather in a circle on our horses to be given our riding instructions for the day by the head chagra. The circle of mounted chagras is a colourful sight. You will be assigned to a chagra who will take care of you for the day and make sure you are not in danger at any point. We ride up the paramo to the high ridges surrounding the local mountains, climbing from 3600 to 4000 m, and through a series of calls and whistles the chagras communicate to each other, indicating the position of the various groups of bulls – "vaca jaja!", "vaca carajo!". Gradually each rider works his/her way down pushing the cattle ahead down into the valley bottom. Some of the "bravo" bulls are lassoed with two ropes and expertly driven into the corrals. After a long ride east towards the gateway of the jungle, passing rain forests and land of wild cattle, at mid day you reach the spectacular Jatuncocha Lake (800 m long and 600 m wide). A rustic campsite stands next to this solitary and untouched site You can participate in this exhilarating work or hang back and watch. These bulls are effectively "wild" and have bred from Spanish fighting stock, so you must be an experienced rider to join in. Overnight accommodations are waiting for you and your team of riders and horses. Enjoy preparing trout you have fished during the evening next to a warm campfire and a delightful dinner which the chagras will serve you. Sleep tight under a star night sky with the sound of silence in a typical highland grass hut.   Riding time: 4- hrs
Day 6    RODEO
After breakfast, we ride back to hacienda Yanahurco pushing along the 800 heads of cattle rounded –up in this area of the hacienda. We have our lunch along the trail and arrive to the hacienda  late afternoon after a long beautiful journey working along with the chagras to keep the herd together. The cattle is placed in a huge closed natural corral right near the  farm house and  riders leave their horses in the fields. It is now time to  relax and enjoy a delicious meal at the farm. Once your ready, jump into bed and get a good night’s rest.
Day 7   ANTISANA
The day starts with a hearty breakfast at 7am! We saddle up and gather in a semi-circle again to listen to the “chagras” new riding instructions for this day. Right after this, we bid these hospitable cowboys farewell, to continue our ride on another route further north towards the spectacular snowy cone of Antisana  across the truly awe-inspiring land which lies between Quilindana, Cotopaxi, and the Sincholagua mountains. We cross Loma Gorda and arrive at lunch time to the Hacienda Antisana.  Here we say goodbye to our horses and after a short visit to the Mica Lake, we head back to Hacienda La Carriona/La ALegria for our last overnight. 
Day 8
Transfer to airport from La Carriona