Treasures of Extremadura

Introduction
Central Spain Spain
Based in the lovely town of Trujillo, you will discover the surrounding region on horseback. 

During the trip, you will also enjoy 2 very interesting visits to the most important towns in Extremadura: Cáceres and Mérida , both World Heritage Sites by UNESCO.
In addition to these incredible sites, you will get to know the lovely Dehesa landscape. The region is also home to exceptional wildlife, making it a great trip for any animal enthusiast.

Accomodation


Accommodations
This is a stationary ride with all nights spent in Trujillo.

Description
Most nights are spent at a hotel in Trujillo, except for 1 night at a local finca.

Hotel in Trujillo
The hotel is housed in an elegant 19th century manor house. It offers 27 bedrooms that all come furnished with air conditioning, private facilities (with hair dryer and toiletries) and a TV. Facilities include a beautiful garden with terrace and free Wi-Fi access. There is a laundry service available for guests.

Finca Santa Marta
This finca was built during the 19th century and is composed of two old farmhouses (one for wine and one for olive oil). Nowadays, it welcomes guests in 13 tastefully decorated ensuite bedrooms fitted with central heating and air conditioning. Wi-Fi is available in public areas and guests are welcome to roam the 30 hectares (approx. 75 acres) park (with vines and olive trees) or go for a swim in the outdoor swimming pool.


Room Occupancy
If we are unable to find another rider to share the room with you, the single supplement fee applies.



Meals
All meals are included on this trip.

The food is a highlight of this trip! Mamen will delight you with the tapas-breaks waiting for you with Serrano ham, Manchego cheese, olives, nuts, etc.

Lunches are taken on the trail; in the countryside (we bring tables and chairs) and always include a starter (salad, gazpacho, vegetables, etc), a main course (paella, iberian pork, fish, etc), fresh fruit, coffee and local wines. Lunchtime features delicious home cooked Spanish dishes such as Paella, Tortilla Española, Iberian pork bbq, salads, and soft cheese very typical from Extremadura “Torta del Casar”. Lunch is often followed by a siesta in the countryside.
 
After the day riding, your dinner in the evening is around 9 pm and you can choose from different dishes and courses of local Spanish recipes. Your dinner is usually taken at the accommodation and include a choice between 3-5 starters (mix salad, soup, vegetables, pasta, etc), 3-5 main course (grilled beef, pork, stews, fish, omelet, etc), a dessert (flan, rice pudding, fruit, cake, etc), local wine, bread and coffee or tea.

The following drinks are included in the package: red and white wines, beer, refreshments, coffee or tea during the meals and aperitifs. Water bottle is provided every morning.

Dietary Restrictions
Special diets (vegetarian, gluten free, allergies, etc.) can be arranged with advance notice.

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

Riding


Riding Schedule
On a normal day, we start riding at 10am, after a well-deserved rest and a good breakfast. Participants are encouraged in helping with the preparation of the horses. Usually, we need to catch the horses from the fields where they have spent the night, feed them, brush them and saddle them up before breakfast.
In the morning, you will ride about 4 hours with a short tapas-break (Serrano ham, Manchego cheese, olives, nuts, etc. and something to drink) in the middle of the morning (usually around noon). After the break, we ride to the lunch place. A luxury picnic is waiting for us in the quietest and most beautiful spot. The stop for lunch is about 2 hours long, with time to enjoy the pic-nic and little siesta after lunch.
In the afternoon, we ride for about 2 hours until we get to our accommodation.

Riding Experience
This trip has been designed for intermediate to experienced riders. You should be comfortable at the walk, trot and canter, in group, in open spaces and your seat should be firm. On the rides, you will be riding for between four to seven hours a day so it is important to be as riding fit as possible.

Pace
The overall pace of riding is moderate with walk, trots and canters mostly every day, depending on the terrain. Usually, when the terrain allows for a safe canter, we canter. In the mountains, in many areas the terrain does not allow for trotting or cantering so we enjoy walking with breathtaking views around.
The distance covered on the average is 25-35 km per day. We usually spend about 6 hours in the saddle every riding day.

Tack
We use fine quality English saddles and silicon seat saver. All the tack is in excellent conditions, very comfortable for horses and riders. You have small saddlebags in front of the saddles for a water bottle, sunscreen, camera, mobile, etc.

Helmet
We recommend wearing a helmet, however you can ride without a helmet but your insurance must clearly state that you are covered to do that. You will also be asked to sign a disclaimer.

Support Vehicle
A support van follows the group during the whole week, meeting us in the morning, for tapas-breaks, lunches, at night and to move your luggage. This means you have access to your luggage at least 3 times a day.

Horses
We currently have 21 horses: 14 PRE, 4 Pure Hispano-Arab, 1 Anglo-Arab and 2 Crossed (hispano-bretón, hispano-lusitano).
Our horses are responsive, well behave, good natured and serene thanks to the natural horsemanship method used to train them.
Most of our horses were born and bred at home while others have been with us since they were foals.
They live in freedom as a herd, eating, drinking, sleeping and traveling together in the most natural way possible.
They live in a huge pine forest (500 ha) in the Gredos Mountains or in the rich pastures in the Dehesas of Extremadura. They keep fit as they can walk around 20 km every day. They live with other groups of animals including other horses, donkeys, cows and also wild animals such as wolves, roe deer, deer, wild boar, foxes.

Staff
Emilio and Mamen (both born in Gredos Mountains) will be personally escorting you on these trips. Emilio will happily guide you across the trails, while Mamen will be preparing delicious meals and pic-nics.
Emilio has been working in equestrian tourism for over 30 years and he dedicated his whole life to his horses. He speaks English and Spanish.

Age Restrictions
There is no upper age limit, as long as you are riding fit and healthy. The minimum riding age is 10 years old (competent riders only), accompanied by an adult.

Travel Insurance
It is mandatory to take a travel insurance for this trip! If you come from Europe, you should bring the European Health card, this gives you access to Spanish health care.

Itinerary



Sample Itinerary - subject to changes

Please, note that the order of the days are flexible and might differ from the itinerary below.

Day 1 (Sunday): Arrival in Trujillo
Meeting point at Madrid Airport at 3:00pm and transfer to Trujillo (2.5 h driving). Time to visit to the spectacular town of Trujillo before welcome dinner at the hotel in Trujillo where we learn about the ride and region on the map.
Meals included: Dinner
Overnight at a Hotel in Trujillo

Day 2 (Monday): Ride around Trujillo and visit of Mérida
After breakfast, horses are already ready to go! We go for a lovely ride along the ancient cattle paths between fields and green pastures with carpets of wild flowers. While riding in the surroundings of Trujillo, we have great views of the historical town.
After our picnic break with good local wines (Extremadura red wine is excellent and almost unobtainable anywhere else), in the afternoon, we visit Mérida (45-min drive from Trujillo).
Mérida, is a real spectacle, with beautiful Roman buildings including the Roman theatre, amphitheater and Roman bridge across the River Guadiana. In facts, Mérida was founded by the Romans in 25 BC as Augusta Emerita, the capital of the Roman province Lusitania, one of the most important towns in Iberia.
This afternoon you can visit the historic town and the Roman theatre during a couple of hours. There are audio guides available (not included: tickets to Museums and Monuments, guided visits or  drinks/snacks in bars)
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight at a Hotel in Trujillo

Day 3 (Tuesday): Ride to Finca Santa Marta
Today you get to ride through ancient Mediterranean Forests, with beautiful views and open landscape. In the afternoon, you will ride in the Dehesa and alongside olive trees and vineyards lined by stone walls. After lunch, you will ride for 2 more hours in order to get to the Finca just in time to have a relaxing break before your dinner.
Finca Santa Marta is a former olive oil mill which was converted into a country inn, situated in the heart of the outstanding natural landscape of the Extremadura dehesa, with swimming pool and olive grove, still possible to visit the old olive oil mill.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight at Finca Santa Marta

Day 4 (Wednesday): Ride back to Trujillo
Good trots and canters in the morning in open natural landscape. Cattle can be seen everywhere: cows, sheep, goats and iberic pigs. They still live in a way which is reminiscent of bygone days. After lunch, in the afternoon, good canters to Trujillo.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight at a Hotel in Trujillo

Day 5 (Thursday): Ride through the Dehesa and visit of Caceres
This day the riding will be in the morning, with beautiful views of the best-preserved Mediterranean forests. Rolling hectares of holm oaks, the classic landscape in Extremadura “Dehesa”. Comfortable lunch in the countryside, with starters, main course, salad, fresh fruit, coffee or tea with chocolate and biscuit; good wines.
In the afternoon, transfer to Cáceres (about 30 min) for a visit of this historical World heritage site. The Old Town is a wonderful medieval and renaissance complex full of history and palaces. This afternoon you will visit Cáceres for a couple of hours (not included: tickets to Museums and Monuments, guided visits or drinks/snacks in bars)
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight at a Hotel in Trujillo

Day 6 (Friday): Half-day Ride and visit of Trujillo
After breakfast, we go for a lovely ride along open natural landscape. Green open spaces and cattle can be seen everywhere.  Lovely picnic lunch with an excellent paella cooked on the spot.
In the afternoon, visit of Trujillo, a very historic town with a mix of cultures. There are still Roman remains, a spectacular Castle founded in the 10th century by Arabs & in the main square, many beautiful palaces built by Spanish Conquistadors during the 16th-century and the equestrian statue of Pizarro.
Many storks, eagles and swallows can be seen circling the nests on the roof of the churches and palaces in the Plaza Mayor. There are also two museums – Casa-Museo de Pizarro and Centro de Visitantes Los Descubridores (not included: tickets to Museums and Monuments, guided visits or drinks/snacks in bars). 
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight at a Hotel in Trujillo

Day 7 (Saturday): Departure
Breakfast at the hotel and departure from Trujillo at 10 a.m., to be at Madrid Airport around 1 p.m. Please, book a flight departing from Madrid Airport after 3 p.m. All riders will be transferred at the same time, if any rider needs to arrive Madrid before, all riders depart earlier, or we can arrange special transfer at extra cost.
Meals included: Breakfast


Non-Riders
Non-riding companions are welcome to join this trip. They can travel in the support car and join in meals, dinners and others activities, or if they wish, they can rent a car and move on their own, joining the group for dinner.

Rates and Dates for Treasures of Extremadura

Dates Note:

Other Info
Meeting: Navarredonda de Gredos
Airport: Madrid
Transfer: Madrid airport

Climate:
                                            Cáceres‎ area