Escape to Ajusco

Introduction
Central Mexico Mexico
Would you like to do a quick stop at our Ranch and ride our beautiful horses in breathtaking landscapes? Choose the length of your stay and enjoy all the amenities and riding! The Ranch is only roughly 20 kilometers from Mexico City.

Accomodation


Accommodations
On this stationary ride, all nights are spent at the same location.

Description
There are limited number of rooms at the ranch so we can guarantee quality of service, privacy and a relaxing stay. All rooms are decorated Mexican style with unique paintings, antique furniture and beautiful details in each one of them. All rooms and suites have a private bathroom with hairdryer, shampoo, body wash, conditioner and bathrobe. Each room is also equipped with a heater, safety-deposit box, and extra blankets for your convenience.



We have a heated swimming pool, steam room, Jacuzzi, squash, mini basketball court, riding paddock, bar area and lots more for you to have an unforgettable stay!
Laundry facilities (extra charge) and Wi-Fi are available at the ranch.

Room Occupancy
For solo travelers willing to share, no single supplement fee is charged, even if we don’t find you any roommate.



Meals
All meals are included in this trip.
Usually, breakfasts and dinners are at the ranch and then lunch is on the trail.

Meals are often buffet style, mixing Mexican and international cuisine, with ingredients from the region.

This trip includes some wine with dinner.

Dietary Restrictions
We can cater to all dietary restrictions with prior notice.

This trip includes some wine with dinner and can accommodate special dietary requests.

Riding


Riding Experience
This trip has been designed for intermediate to experienced riders. Some of the horses are less energetic than others but mainly they are not for people who have never gotten on a horse. At times, we can cater to beginners but they pay for a private wrangler who is there at all times to attend and help them with the horse. We have rides of varied length (from 1 hour to 12 hours) and of different difficulty levels (from beginners to experienced).

Pace
Because the terrain of our riders is mostly in mountainous areas, we mostly go at a fast walk pace. However, we do also go at a trot and canter when the terrain allows. There are open fields and flat areas suitable for canters on the trails. On our rides, guests do not have to stay in line, following each other.
Riding days vary in length depending on the trails you choose to do (from 2 to 12 hours per riding day).

Horses
We have many breeds at the Ranch: Warmbloods, Quarter Horses, Haflinger and Friesians mostly.
The Friesian horses can be used in the paddock and on short trails (less than 2 hours) but, because they are very heavy horses, they get tired easily and are not made for cantering in the fields.
The warmbloods, quarter horses and other breeds are more suitable for long trails in the mountainous areas.

All of the horses are very experienced in the fields and they do not get scared easily. However, you should always keep in mind that they are animals with their own thoughts and can be unpredictable.

The horses are fed twice a day and each one of them gets their very own portion of oat and alfalfa with abundant hay.

After a very long trail (7 hours or more), we usually let the horses rest the next day and we give them a nice bath and their mane and tail are braided. We like to keep our horses pretty and in a good shape because they are the one who makes all these amazing horse-riding experiences possible.

Itinerary


We have rides from one hour for the beginners to up to 12 hours for the most experienced riders.
Enjoy a beautiful sunset over Mexico City from one of the volcanoes near the Ranch, take a ride to a Hidden Village called Capulin or go with the pilgrims to a famous town called Chalma...The choice is yours!
You can design your own itinerary from a selection of our most popular rides.

Ride Samples

Hidden Village "Capulín"
Duration: 5 hours
Difficulty: novice to experienced
This ride is one of our favorites; rapidly changing landscapes and wide dirt roads. In the morning you will be taken in our SUV's to the starting point of this trail, just a 15 minute drive away from the Ranch. The horses will be waiting for us in a place called "Las Cruces" and from there we will hop on and start riding. For the first 2 hours we will be riding through an open landscape where you can canter your horse at your own pace. The village is hidden behind a small mountain so we will have to ride for half an hour in the woods up and down the hills. After that part, a beautiful Valley opens up in the horizon; you’ll see the village “Capulín” in a slope of a hill and some local farmers from the village taking care of their potato fields.
You will have the opportunity to purchase cold beverages and maybe even try a local specialty called “Conejo”. It’s a very traditional local drink, prepared with sweet syrups, rompope and liquor. After the break, we will ride back to the starting point and hopefully see some wild horses on our way. We will arrive to Las Cruces at around 2 pm, load the horses back to the trailer and drive to the Ranch where lunch will be waiting.

Volcano El Arenal
Duration: 2.5 hours
Difficulty: beginners to experienced
This beautiful crater called "Arenal" or Menzotepec, is located in between of Ajusco Town and Mexico City. The ride from the Ranch to this old volcano is mainly on wide paths. The view from this volcano is absolutely amazing, you can see the whole metropolis from the top. We can do a night trail to el Arenal and watch how the sun sets on Mexico City!

Riding to "Los Chivos"
Duration: 2 hours
Difficulty: beginners to experienced
A ride to Los Chivos will take you out from the backdoor of the Ranch to the varied landscapes behind the Ranch. We like to take our guests on this ride on their first days at the Ranch because it's a great way to get a feeling of the surrounding countryside. We will get out from the back door of the Ranch, and ride by the edges of Ajusco Town for a while before heading up to the hills behind the Stables.

Agua De Cadenas and Wild Horses
Duration: 6 hours
Difficulty: intermediate to experienced
Agua de Cadenas is a very small village, with only a few habitants, located in the middle of wilderness. It is a common rest place for pilgrims who walk three days to Chalma. On this trail, with a bit of luck, you’ll have the opportunity to spot a herd of wild horses. Usually they are very eager to get close and follow our groups. This ride starts from “Las Cruces” where the horses will be waiting for us at 9 am. The ride to a small town called Agua de Cadenas takes around 3 hours; you can grab a cold beverage and take a break before the three hour way back to the meeting point.

The Sanctuary of Chalma
Duration: 12 hours
Difficulty: experienced
Chalma is a small community in Mexico State. Its small population is almost completely dedicated to the pilgrims who come to visit the Sanctuary of Chalma, the second most-important pilgrimage site in Mexico. The sanctuary is dedicated to an image of what many people describe as a "black Christ" on a cross that legend says miraculously appeared in an area cave where the worship of a deity commonly known as Oxtoteotl used to take place.
Chalma is a popular destination for catholic pilgrims mostly during December and Easter. This is one of our longest trails, so we only accept experienced riders on this ride.
On this ride you'll get to ride from mountainous paths to open fields. Arriving to Chalma, you can walk around in the small streets, buy local hand-crafts and sweets from the market and get a close look on the famous "Señor de Chalma" Church.

La Marquesa National Park
Duration: 6 hours
Difficulty: intermediate to experienced
La Marquesa is a National Park where many tourists, mainly Mexican, arrive to practice all kind of outdoor activities. During this ride, you'll experience varied terrain from open landscapes to small paths in the woods. At the end of the trail, we take a race to the meeting point where our staff will have a barbeque ready for you. The horses will be transported to the Ranch in trailers and riders in SUV's. The arrival is around 4 pm, so you'll have the rest of the evening to enjoy all the amenities at the Ranch.

Lagoons of Zempoala
Duration: 5 hours
Difficulty: intermediate to experienced
This is a trail to a Natural Park near the state of Morelos, where the water from the mountains stays in the valleys between them forming lagoons. We will have a meal waiting on us by the water, and you have the possibility to buy ice-cold beverages like beer, sodas and others.
The meeting point is at "Las Cruces", where the horses will be waiting for us. Ride through open landscapes to Capulín and from there, we will keep going all the way to the lagoons, where a lunch and transportation will be waiting for us.

Rates and Dates for Escape to Ajusco

Dates Note: * minimum 7 nights during Easter, Christmas, and New Year

Other Info
Meeting: Mexico City
Airport: Mexico City
Transfer: Mexico City

Climate:
                                                Mexico City area