Andalusian Round Trip

Introduction
Southern Spain Spain 14 day Round-Trip Ride

A combination of our Ronda to Atlantic and Atlantic Coast Ride.  The triangle between the antiquated town of Ronda, the beautiful Mediterranean Sea and the bold and blue Atlantic Ocean offers ever changing and flowing spectacular scenery.  This truly is Spanish horse country at its best!  The pace is moderate with some nice canters along the way. From the town of Ronda, with its spectacular Tajo Canyon that divides the town in half, you start your ride.  During your journey, you'll ride through three National Parks, the Sierra de Aljibe, large and lazy meadows with herds of "fighting" bulls, the sandy beaches of the Atlantic and Zahara de los Atunes, visit the acclaimed Royal Riding School, visit Roman ruins, enjoy the pubs and food in Alcala de los Gazules and a lunch below the Moorish fortress Medina-Sedona.  Two weeks of natural beauty, challenging trail rides, friendly local life, wonderful horses and delectable food and wine! 

Accomodation

Accommodations are in 2,3 and 4 star hotels during this ride with one night in a guesthouse (Ronda Mountains) on Day Two - single rooms are not available even if you have paid for a single supplement – it is a small village in the mountains and rooms are difficult to come by.

Meals are mostly at local restaurants with typical local dishes. Dinner is usually not before 8 PM. Some table wine is served in limited quantities.
Note: BReakfast in Spain is traditionally very small with just coffee, bread, and ham.  Lunches are more elaborate - on most days the support vehicle meets you on the trail and serves fresh salads, bread, misc. cuts and on some days a barbcue.

Riding

The Ronda to the coast section has some steep mountain trails with long hours in the saddle for 2-3 days.  Riders should be in good physical condition for this trip.

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival at the airport in Malaga and transfer to the riding stable in Fuengirola. Free time in the afternoon around the pool or to explore the nearby hilltop village.
Day 2: Early transfer to Ronda. On the first day you ride through deep canyons that are only accessible on donkey trails, which are still being used by smugglers. Cortes de la Frontera is one of the typical white villages for which the whole region got its nickname 'Pueblos Blancos' (white villages). Time seems to stand still when you enter this village in the evening. This part of Andalusia is also an historical region: You should visit the wall paintings in the caves Cuevas de la Pileta before dinner. Overnight in a guesthouse.
Day 3: After descending into the canyons of the white villages you enter the naturepark Cortes de la Frontera. Soft, springy forest trails alternate with livestock and donkey trails. The slopes are covered with pine cork oak forests through which you slowly descend towards the plain. At the Puerto de Galis, the border between the provinces of Malaga and Cadiz, the horses stay for the night while you drive to Alcala de los Gazules. The central Village Square is the heart of the village life where people meet - especially late at night after dinner. Bordered by half a dozen of pubs and in safe distance from the church, every villager walks across the square at least once a day. Virtually undiscovered by tourism, Alcala is one of the few remaining typical Andalusian villages. There is even a saddlery here that you might like to check out.
Day 4: The last stage through the mountains. You have probably already admired the surefootedness of your Andalusian horse. You now ride through the nature parks Aljibe and Alcornocales, which are very rich in wild game and have been established to halt the Spaniards' passion for hunting. As no cars are allowed in the parks, you carry your lunch picnic in the saddlebags. In the afternoon you ride over rolling hills on trails that are bordered with hedgerows cacti through large meadows and fields of sunflowers. The horses stay at Patrite nearby Alcala while you drive back to your hotel.
Day 5: The large-scale landholdings of the bull and horse breeders are located in the triangle between Alcala, Jerez, and the coast. You ride across large meadows with fighting bulls and cows with their calves. One meadow is often several miles long. Spring is spectacular in this area as the meadows are covered with wild flowers and are very lush and green while they dry out during the summer. You will certainly meet 'vaqueros', Spanish cowboys who spend their days in the saddle looking after the cattle on these large ranches. You stop for lunch at a 'venta', a typical country restaurant, just below the old Moorish fortress Medina-Sidona. On wide sandy trails and the livestock trail 'Paquiri', named after the famous matador, you ride to Los Naveros where the horses spend the night. You drive to Zahara de los Atunes on the Atlantic Coast. The next nights you will spend in a hotel right on the beach where you can enjoy a swim in the pool or the Atlantic Ocean.
Day 6: In the morning you ride through meadows and fields of sugar beets, beans, cotton, and the bright yellow sunflowers. The support vehicle awaits you as usual with the lunch picnic and today you will need to fortify yourself for the fast rides on the beaches. You will soon note that you're reaching the beach in Conil: Feel the anticipation of your horse! Except for very few stretches, the beaches are deserted. You enjoy long canters and gallops on yellow sand and into the blue waves of the Atlantic! You ride along the coast on sandy trails and through pine forests, past Cap Trafalgar where Lord Nelson fought his last sea-battle, to Caños de Meca. You drive back to the hotel in Zahara. At the beach you can see the small fishing boats that deliver their catch every day to the local hotels. Enjoy these Atlantic delicacies for dinner.
Day 7: Another day on the beach awaits you. First you ride along sandy trails through the coastal pine forests and around the fishing village Barbate. A 7-mile long stretch of deserted beach invites you. This area is under the supervision of the military; so, no hotels have been built. In a fast gallop you reach Zahara. Dinner and overnight.
Day 8: After breakfast you start your ride along the beaches. The firm sand gives you the opportunity to get used to your horse in all gaits.  On a clear day you can see as far as Morocco. In Bolonia you have lunch in a typical Spanish ‘venta’. If you want you can visit the famous Roman ruins. Then you ride along a sandy beach, (several miles long) that invites to brisk canter, to Tarifa. The horses stay in Tarifa; the riders are driven back to the hotel at the Atlantic beach.
Day 9: Along sandy trails you'll ride back to the beach where you will enjoy more canters. Only towards the end of this morning you'll reach the busier parts of the coast. You'll be pleased to stop at a beach-bar for refreshments. For lunch you'll turn inland to meet the support vehicle. Leaving the coastal pine forests behind, you'll cross a stretch of fertile land with sugar beet, cotton and bean fields before reaching the first meadows of Andalusia. The support vehicle awaits you with the picnic and refreshments. Ride on along Andalusia's meadows. The horses stay in the little farming village Los Naveros, the riders drive back to Zahara.
Day 10: Leaving Los Naveros, you'll ride to Paterna along old livestock trails, the "veréras", which are still running through all of Spain, and across meadows of cows and fighting bulls. Lunch stop in a "venta". There are no asphalt roads between meadows and fields, giving you the opportunity to canter again and again. Enjoy the view over the wide open landscape. Keeping a respectful distance you'll ride around herds of bulls and wild cows. The horses stay in Paterna, the riders drive Alcala de los Gazules. The central Village Square is the heart of the village life where people meet - especially late at night after dinner. Bordered by half a dozen of pubs and in safe distance from the church, every villager walks across the square at least once a day. Virtually undiscovered by tourism, Alcala is one of the few remaining typical Andalusian villages. There is even a saddler here that you might like to check out.
Day 11:  Till now you had the possibility to know the Andalusian horses with their work in the countrysides - today you will see them in high dressage. You drive to Jerez de la Frontera the heart of Spanish Horses with the deposit of Pure Spanish Stallions, the biggest festival with Spanish Horses ( Feria de Jerez ) and of cause the Royal Riding School where to can visit the morning training. Have a look behind the scenery how to train young horses to get show horses and young riders to get good trainers. You also can see the historical monuments with the stables. After the training you have time you visit the old part of the town or have guidance in one of the famous bodegas. Use the chance to try typical tapas in one of all this small restaurants ( lunch not included ). In the afternoon you drive back to Alcala.
Day 12: From Paterna you cross the opened land coming through the big groups of "retintas" the big red andalusian cows. In this area you find a great affection of the hunting with Galgos - Spanish hunting dogs and the horses on the fields. You have lunch near Santuario de Nuestra Señora de los Santos - a small church where the whole town of Alcala comes together for their festivals. The horses stay in Patrite and you drive back to Alcala.
Day 13: Until today you have probably been amazed by the endurance and smooth canter of your Andalusian horse. Now you can admire how surefooted they are when climbing the mountains of the National Park Alcornocales. Only by special permission are we able to enter this protected nature reserve once owned by old Andalusian nobility. These mountains are covered with cork oaks and other deciduous trees and keep the natural waters all year round, even in the summer. Rare plants, such as orchids, grow in the shade of the trees. Although this mountain range is only 1,600 ft high, it offers spectacular views over the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic. After picnic you will get to a big reservoir where the horses and you start your way back to the riding center 20 minutes from Malaga,  where you will stay the last night.
Day 14: After breakfast transfer to the Malaga airport.

Rates and Dates for Andalusian Round Trip

Dates Note:

Other Info
Meeting: Malaga
Airport: Malaga
Transfer: From Malaga incl

Climate: