Cotopaxi Cattle Round Up

Introduction
Highlands Ecuador

This extraordinary ride will introduce you to a side of our spectacular country that few Ecuadorians, let alone visitors, ever see. You will participate in a traditional "rodeo" (literally "round-up") of fighting bulls in the remote fastness of the Cordillera Oriental of the Andes.

This is not a spectacle organized for the benefit of tourists, but a time-honored annual event in the calendar of a working ranch. You will ride with real chagras (Andean cowboys) whose life and work has changed little for generations. The spectacle of chagras at work, resplendent in their traditional ponchos and llama or goat hair chaps and intricately carved wooden bucket stirrups, will leave you with life-long memories of the "real Ecuador

Accomodation

HACIENDA ALEGRIA is a family-run organic farm and the hospitality of the Espinosa household is remarked upon by visitors who return year after year. You will be welcomed with a roaring log fire in the sitting room, and in your bedroom when the nights are cold.

La Alegria can accommodate up to 24 people both in the farmhouse and a recently completed extension. The extension has been tastefully restored with solid cypress floors and beams and modern en-suite bathrooms with plenty of hot water and powerful showers. We have split-level family rooms which sleep five in comfort.

Paty and her staff provide full board if required. All meals are tailored for hungry travellers, riders and hikers, and combine delicious Ecuadorian and international cuisine. Our visitors book contains many compliments to the chef at La Alegria! Vegetarian / other special dietary options on request.


HACIENDA LA CARRIONA 

This trip includes and can accommodate special dietary requests.

Riding

At Hacienda La Alegria our horses are very important to us. Most have been bred here on the farm from mixed Criollo (native South American), English Thoroughbred and Arabian stock, resulting in a near perfect combination of toughness, agility, calm temperament and "mountain sense". Beginners and experienced riders alike have found them easy to ride, willing and good mannered. If you have previous riding experience you will be given plenty of opportunity to canter.

We have a range of tack including North American style, English style, Mclellan calvary, Chillean and traditional Ecuadorian "Chagra" style with its intricate leather-work and saddle horn.

Itinerary

Day 1: Transfer from hotel or airport for dinner and overnight to Hacienda La Alegria.
Optional accommodation: La Carriona

Day 2: Ride in the arena to try horses and get acquainted with the horse and tack that we will be using the next days. Lunch in the Hacienda house and later we ride around the neighboring Haciendas and the Viudita Mountain. Our acclimatization and first contact with the heights starts this first day.

Acommodations: La Alegria
Hours of Riding: 4 hours

Day 3: In the morning we enjoy a demonstration of the Chagras’ skills (the Ecuador Andes’ cowboys). After having lunch at Hacienda La Alegria we ride on what used to be the road to the coast. We ascend by the sides of Corazon to 3,500 meters and descend to the cloud forest. At the cloud forest we can observe a great biodiversity of plants and flowers, including giant gunneras, orchids, and birds such as the pava de monte (guan). In the late afternoon we arrive to Hacienda Bomboli 3,000 m (13,000 ft), and relax by the fireplace enjoying the sunset and watching the lights of the villages near the coast.

Option camping in Monte Oscuro, (Depends on the weather, min 4 pax)
Accommodations: Bomboli
Hours of riding: 4 hours

Day 4: We leave behind the cloud forest and ascend to the Corazon Volcano up to 4,000 meters. From there we can appreciate the green and fertile Machachi Valley and we can also see the routes we will take the next day. Crossing extensive pastures and eucalyptus forests we initiate the descent toward the valley. Snack and continue to the valley. Late afternoon we arrive for a delicious lunch at the Hacienda house.

Accommodations: La Alegria
Hours of riding: 6 hours

Day 5: We ride toward the west mountain range and through the valley toward Machachi. We stop at the Machachi market (on Sundays only), continue toward the Ruminahui skirts and stop at a beautiful Hacienda for lunch. We continue riding until we arrive to the Pedregal valley and stay overnight in a Hacienda at 3,500 meters.

Accommodations: Hacienda in the Pedregal Valley (near Cotopaxi)
Hours of riding: 4 hours

Day six, seven and eight:  Cattle Round up:
We cross the Cotopaxi valley and arrive mid day to the hacienda that’s hosting the rodeo. We will participate in the activities that take place in the corrals or we will round up more cattle towards the corrals. You will have the chance to ride with real Chagras, mustering wild fighting bulls in the most incredible mountain environment. We gather in a circle on our horses to be given our riding instructions by the head Chagras. 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.

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. When the bulls are safely corralled it is time for a late lunch and a relaxing afternoon of watching the Chagras tag and brand the livestock. Some amateur displays of bullfighting may also be put on. The evening meals will consist of a traditional barbeque and you can indulge in the knowledge that you helped round up the animal in question! The Chagras sing traditional songs in Quechua and the Aguardiente is sure to be passed round. And so to bed!

Accommodations and hours of ride during these days will vary depending on the Hacienda organizing the rodeo

*Note: Some of these facilities may not have hot water.

(The February cattle round up is held at an Hacienda located farther than the others, for this reason we will arrive the morning of day seven to join the cattle round activities)

Day eight’s activities will depend on the location of the rodeo. We will either help the Chagras all day with their round up and corral duties or bid a sad farewell to the hospitable Chagras after a half day of round up activities and continue our ride. We arrive to the Vicious Valley and will possibly see some deer, and condors.

Accommodations: Hacienda at Vicious valley or camp site
Hours of riding: 4- 7 hours

Day 9: We start riding toward the west, pass the Muchana rock (kissing rock), and mudadero where we can see hundreds of alpacas grazing. We pass the innumerable Cajas, Sto. Domingo lakes and get closer to the Cotopaxi Volcano. We pass the lava rocks that had descended to the valley and is now static; then we arrive to the only structure that is our very comfortable and warm mountain refuge.

Accommodations: Tambopaxi Refuge
Hours of riding 5+ hours

Day 10: Ride in the Lipiopungo plains (Cotopaxi base), feels like if you were riding on the moon’s surface. Here we do the highest gallop in the world. Pass to the highest point of our ride (4,200 meters) on the edges of the rocks of the Ruminahui Volcano. We continue our ride toward the green Machachi valley as always guarded by the volcanoes avenue. We cross the Machachi plaza where the horsemen are always welcomed; we pass the town of Aloag and arrive to Hacienda La Alegria for a pleasant dinner and rest time.

Accommodations: Hacienda La Alegria
Hours of riding 7+ hours

Day 11: Transfer to airport

    Subject to change

Rates and Dates for Cotopaxi Cattle Round Up

Dates Note:

Other Info
Meeting: Quito Airport or Hotel
Airport: Quito
Transfer: Quito

Climate:

The temperatures in the Ecuadorian highlands are around 70 to 80 farenheit (20 - 25 celsius) all year.

Please note that the evenings can be very cold.

A warm sleeping bag is essential. Long underwear or pantyhose (to prevent chaffing), vests / T-shirts, sweatshirts / long-sleeve shirts, fleece jacket, wind stopper / rain jacket, riding boots or lightweight hiking boots, gloves, scarf, high factor sunscreen, sunglasses. We provide riding helmets, half-length chaps, waterproof full-length chaps and ponchos for wet weather