Villa de Leyva Trail

Introduction
Andean Colombia The Viceroy's Roads - Ponds, Desert and Colonial Heritage. We will ride from Sisga Dam (Cundinamarca) to Villa de Leyva (Boyaca), Colombia.
We will cross the beautiful mountains and valleys of the northwest of Cundinamarca and Ubaté and then we will enter the centuries-old oak forests of Ráquira; Later we will cross the desert of La Candelaria and finally we will arrive at Villa de Leyva, a jewel of colonial architecture that is part of the network of heritage towns of Colombia and is nominated to be declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Accomodation

This trip includes and can accommodate special dietary requests.

Riding

Riding Experience
This trip caters to strong intermediate riders and above as it includes several long days on horseback.
Overall, guest should come with a positive attitude and ability to listen to the guide’s instructions.

Horses
Our horses are the result of a careful selection for more than 25 years, and all of them have some Colombian Criollo in their blood. Our horses have a heart marked on their left forearm. This symbol has been used on cattle and horses in family haciendas for more than 150 years.
For our trails, we like to use angloarabians crossed with Colombian Criollos as they are particularly suited for multi-day excursions and long distance rides.

Itinerary

Sample itinerary - Subject to changes

Day 1: Bogotá Arrival in Bogotá.
Transfer Airport / Hotel. Check into hotel and overnight (no meals included).

Day 2: Sisga Dam – Cucunubá
Horses and guides await for us near the beautiful Sisga Dam, 1 hour from Bogotá. We will start our riding tour through the valley of the Sisga River until it flows into the Bogotá River, whose water at this point is still crystalline and full of aquatic life. Then, we will take a mountain trail on our way to Suesca Lake, from where we can appreciate the northern side of the Bogotá Savanna with the legendary Tominé Reservoir in the background. After crossing the Cajones Mountain at 3200 m.a.s.l. (meters above sea level) we will descend to the beautiful Suesca Lake where we can see the old railway station, which was used until the middle of last century. We will continue our way to Cucunubá, a beautiful colonial town well-known for its handmade virgin wool fabrics and clothes, located in a corner of the Ubaté Valley where we will spend the night at a cozy inn while the horses rest and are fed.

Day 3: Cucunubá – Guachetá
From Cucunubá we will take the road to Guachetá, admiring the beautiful natural lakes of Cucunubá and Fúquene, through paths that cross artisanal coal mines and beautiful dairy farms in the Ubaté Valley, arriving in the afternoon to a beautiful private Hacienda from the 1800´ s, full of history and just renewed.

Day 4: Guachetá – Monastery of La Candelaria
After breakfast we will proceed to Ráquira and the Monastery of La Candelaria where we will spend the night. Along this route we will see native oak tree forests, hundreds of years old, and with the Desert of La Candelaria within sight, we will find the many clay ceramic handicraft workshops for which the Ráquira region is famous. Finally, we will arrive at the beautiful Monastery of La Candelaria, the first to be established in the Americas by the Augustinian monks. It was founded by Father Mateo Delgado in 1604, on the banks of the Gacheneca River, where he started a community by bringing together the hermits that lived scattered in caves in the surrounding area. Today, the convent houses the novitiate of the Augustinian monks, is used for spiritual retreats, and also provides lodging for tourists.

Day 5: Monastery of La Candelaria – Villa de Leyva
After leaving the monastery we will cross the beautiful Desert of La Candelaria on our way to the Valley of Villa de Leyva. We will ride along the hills surrounding this beautiful town, founded in 1572 by order of Don Andres Diaz Venero de Leyva, first President of the New Kingdom of Granada, with the main purpose of becoming the supplier of foodstuffs for the conquistador armies stationed in Moniquirá and Tunja. In the afternoon we will arrive to a farm in the outskirts of town, and we will proceed to Villa de Leyva where we will enjoy a delicious meal in one of the many excellent restaurants that are available there.

Day 6: Villa de Leyva
We will ride heading north of Villa de Leyva enjoying the beautiful landscape and weather of this area and have a picnic besides one of the many creeks crossing this region. In the afternoon after a shower and something to drink at the hotel, we will go to Villa de Leyva where we will have a delicious meal in one of the many excellent restaurants that are available there.

7: City Tour in Villa de Leyva – Bogotá
We will visit the main square in the center of the Villa, considerate the biggest square of Colombia. It’s the most important attraction in the town along with the Church located in the principal square. The city tour includes the visit to the Casa del Cabildo, a historical relic located next to the Principal Square, the Casa de Nariño, house where Antonio Nariño died in 1823. The house is a museum now, where you can find an interesting material of the colonial time and the independence fight. Finally, we will see the Claustro de San Agustín, first church of the town and headquarters of the Humboldt Institute. Return to Bogota in the afternoon and accommodation in a comfortable hotel (dinner not included).

Day 8: Bogotá Transfer Hotel / Airport.
End of this great adventure.

Rates and Dates for Villa de Leyva Trail

Dates Note: * Other dates by request.

Other Info
Meeting: Bogotá
Airport: Bogotá
Transfer: Bogotá

Climate:
                                                Bogotá area

• Hat of wide wing. 
• Raincoat. 
• 2 baggy pants. 
• 2 shirts (long sleeves). 
• 3 to 6 pairs of socks.
• 2 t-shirts. 
• Footwear: 1 – 2 pairs of sporting shoes. Do not wear very wide shoes to avoid trouble putting your feet in the stirrups. Riding boots are recommended.
• Breeches. If you want to wear jeans or similar we recommend to use chaps if you have them or long underwear to avoid bruises. 
• Gloves to avoid sunburn and bruises.

• Particular medications. 
• Flashlight and batteries. 
• Sunglasses. Eyedrops (for people sensitive or allergic to the dust). 
• Sunblock factor (30 minimum, desirable 50), moisturizer, lip balm, creams to heal bruising.
• Elements for personal hygiene (medium towel, soap, toothbrush, wet wipes, etc.). 
• Camera with good or rechargeable batteries.