Monfrague Park Trails

Introduction
Central Spain Spain
Riding from the lovely town of Trujillo, you will head North to the Monfragüe National Park, the largest and best preserved Mediterranean forest in the World.

The Monfragüe National Park is a true haven for Mediterranean flora and birdlife. Located close to Trujillo, with the Tajo river running through it, this National Park was declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 2003. It takes its name from the Romans, who called it Mons Fragorum, the fragmented mountain. It features a typically Iberian landscape that provides a home for the Park’s incredibly diverse flora and fauna.
The most popular birdwatching spot for visitors is the “Salto del Gitano”, a 300 meter cliff above the Tajo river. There, you can admire the black storks, vultures, Egyptian vultures and imperial eagles.
The Park is also the site of Monfragüe Castle, an Arab construction. People have left many other marks on Monfragüe over the ages, with many prehistoric cave paintings.
 
This ride starts and finishes in Trujillo, famous for its monuments and because it was the birthplace of Francisco Pizarro and his brothers, conquerors of Peru, as well as of Francisco de Orellana, who accomplished the first descent of the Amazon River.

Accomodation


Accommodations
This is a progressive ride, so nights are spent in different locations.

Description
Accommodations are in small hotels and rural inns with private bathroom (toiletries almost always included). All accommodations provide free Wi-Fi access.

Accommodation Itinerary - subject to changes based on availability
Night 1: Hotel in Trujillo
Night 2: Hotel in Jaraiceja
Nights 3 & 4: Hotel in Torrejón el Rubio
Night 5: Guesthouse in Aldea del Obispo
Night 6: Hotel in Trujillo

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.


Hotel in Jaraicejo
This accommodation offers ensuite bedrooms with private bathroom, TV, central heating and air conditioning. Wi-Fi is available free of charge.


Hotel in Torrejón el Rubio
This beautiful Inn has been built with local materials fits perfectly into its environment: the Extremadura countryside. The rooms are simply furnished and feature paintings from local artists. They are all equipped with a private bathroom, a flat screen TV and a safe. Amenities include a free Wi-Fi zone, an outdoor swimming pool, a lounge with a fireplace, and a paddle tennis area.

Guesthouse in Aldea del Obispo
This charming country house offers simply decorated bedrooms equipped with heating, private facilities with a hairdryer and free toiletries and free Wi-Fi access.


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

The following is a sample itinerary but please note that changes are possible due to weather and other circumstances.
The van support is always close to the group with the luggage, so it's not necessary to carry things on the horse. The group meets the van at tapas time, lunch time, or in any other moment if necessary (for shoeing a horse, take rain coats, etc).

Day 1 (Sunday): Arrival in Trujillo
Meet at Madrid airport at 3pm and transfer to Trujillo (2.5 hours’ drive). Visit of the spectacular town of Trujillo before welcome dinner at the hotel with us. We review the ride on the map.
Meals included: Dinner
Overnight at a Hotel in Trujillo

Day 2 (Monday): Trujillo to Jaraicejo
After breakfast, we transfer you to the stables (5 minutes) and distribute the horses. In the morning, riding through open landscape with beautiful views of Trujillo town. lt is possible to see bulls, sheep, goats, in freedom in the countryside, when we ride through the “Cañada Real Puerto de Miravete”. On this trip, we will ride through the “Cañadas reales”, a Spanish medieval network of paths for cattle movement, 75 m wide, perfect for riding. Short afternoon ride to Jaraicejo - very nice medieval village in the National Park. Overnight and dinner in rural hotel.
Riding 6 hours
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight at a Hotel in Jaraicejo

Day 3 (Tuesday): Jaraicejo to Torrejón el Rubio 
Departure after breakfast. We ride by the cattle trail to Torrejón el Rubio. Good trots and canters in the morning through the Dehesa. Another luxury pic-nic is waiting for us in a beautiful spot on our way. In the afternoon, riding with great views of Sierra de Gredos in front of us. Dinner and night at beautiful 4* hotel with SPA and swimming pool, where we spend 2 nights.
Riding 6 hours
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight at a Hotel in Torrejón el Rubio

Day 4 (Wednesday): Ride to Salto del Gitano 
Departure after breakfast. Today, we ride through the National Park to Salto del Gitano, crossing the most protected area of the park, the National Park Reserve. We get to the highest place in the Sierra de las Corchuelas, surrounded by oaks. Unique and stunning views to enjoy. We can see the Tajo river canyons. Lunch beside the river Tajo and after lunch time to visit the cliff “Salto del Gitano” to admire the black storks, vultures, Egyptian vultures and imperial eagles just a few of the many birds that nest in the area. Ride back to Torrejón el Rubio. Dinner at 4* hotel.
Riding 5 hours
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight at a Hotel in Torrejón el Rubio

Day 5 (Thursday): Torrejón el Rubio to Aldea del Obispo
Today is a beautiful day ride from Torrejón el Rubio to Aldea del Obispo, riding through the “Cañada Real”. We have lunch beside the Almonte river, amazing enclave where the Cañada Real crosses the river by another beautiful medieval bridge. After lunch, riding to Aldea del Obispo. Dinner and night at lovely country house.
Riding 7 hours
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight at a Hotel in Aldea del Obispo

Day 6 (Friday): Aldea del Obispo to Trujillo
This is a short day from Aldea del Obispo to Trujillo. Today, we will ride again through the “Cañada Real”. Fantastic lunch with paella cooked on the spot with magnificent views of Trujillo town. We have some time in the afternoon to visit Trujillo. Farewell diner in Trujillo main square with your hosts. 
Riding 3 hours
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight at a Hotel in Trujillo

Day 7 (Saturday): Departure
After breakfast, departure from Trujillo at 10 am. The transfer to the airport takes 2.5 hours, so please do not book flights departing before 2 p.m. All riders will be transferred at the same time, if any rider needs to arrive in Madrid before, we can arrange 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 Monfrague Park Trails

Dates Note:

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

Climate:
                                            Cáceres‎ area