Castles of Gredos

Introduction
Central Spain Spain
Starting in Navarredonda de Gredos, you will follow the Tormes river valley, crossing different landscape everyday as well as beautiful medieval villages full of history.

During this ride, you will also stay one night in Barco de Avila, the hometown of your host. Here, your guide spent his childhood riding with his brother, moving his grandfather’s cows.  

The terrain we ride on is different every day and the scenery never gets boring. This is a great ride year round! 

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). Most overnights are at charming rural hotels where we enjoy the exquisite regional cuisine, known for its tendency to be gourmet. We will also experience modern hotels, built in the traditional European style, located in areas of outstanding beauty.
All accommodations provide free Wi-Fi access.

Accommodation Itinerary - subject to changes based on availability
Night 1: Hotel in Navarredonda de Gredos
Night 2: Hotel in Hoyos del Espino
Night 3: Hotel in El Barco de Avila
Night 4: Rural Hotel in Hoyorredondo
Night 5: Rural Hotel in Navacepedilla
Night 6: Hotel in Navarredonda de Gredos

Hotel in Navarredonda de Gredos
This small hotel is surrounded by nature and provides great views of the mountains. The bedrooms all come with Wi-Fi access, a TV and private facilities. Guests are welcome to relax in the panoramic lounge or outdoor terrace.


Hotel in Hoyos del Espino
This charming hotel offers beautiful views over the Gredos Mountains. It has 21 rooms, all equipped with a TV, private bathroom and free Wi-Fi. The hotel has a digital telescope and can arrange observation sessions on clear nights.


Hotel in El Barco de Ávila
This beautiful hotel built out of noble materials offers modern and comfortable accommodations featuring private bathrooms with hair dryer and toiletries, heating/air-conditioning, a TV, free Wi-Fi access and hardwood floors. The property benefits from a beautiful view over the city and surrounding mountains as well as a lovely garden and terrace.


Rural Hotel in Hoyorredondo
This charming rural accommodation is surrounded by beautiful nature and has been built in the traditional architectural style of the area. It has 6 guestrooms with a rustic decor, private facilities and a TV. There is a lovely garden and terrace where guests can relax. There is also a living room with a big fireplace that guests are welcome to use. Wi-Fi is available in public areas.


Rural Hotel in Navacepedilla
This charming rural complex has 17 accommodations with beautiful views over the surrounding mountains. The rooms feature natural materials with stone walls and beam ceilings. Each one of them has been fitted with a TV, free Wi-Fi access, a lounge area with fireplace, air conditioning and a modern bathroom. Guests are also welcome to relax in the beautiful garden.

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 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.

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 to Navarredonda de Gredos
Meet at Madrid airport for 3:00 pm and transfer to Navarredonda (2 hours’ drive). Stop in Avila for a short visit. Enjoy a welcome dinner.
Meals included: Dinner
Overnight at a Hotel in Navarredonda de Gredos

Day 2 (Monday): Navarredonda de Gredos to Navacepeda de Tormes
After the distribution of horses, we ride through the Tormes valley and pine forest. We cross some open fields with great views of the Gredos Mountains. We have lunch at fisherman´s hut with an excellent paella, cooked on the spot, beside the river Tormes (possible swimming in summer). Short afternoon ride to Navacepeda. 
Riding 4 hours.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight at a Hotel in Hoyos del Espino

Day 3 (Tuesday): Navacepeda de Tormes to El Barco de Avila
The longest day and the most beautiful views of Gredos Mountains await us! We ride down the valley riding through small and remote shepherd villages. We stop for lunch at Aliseda de Tormes, beside the Tormes River and its medival bridge. In the afternoon, we will ride across an open valley with a different landscape and good trots and canters to El Barco de Ávila. We will cross the Tormes River on a beautiful roman bridge to get to the village. Night and dinner at a 4* hotel.
Riding 6.5 hours.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight at a Hotel in El Barco de Ávila

Day 4 (Wednesday): El Barco de Avila to Hoyorredondo
We ride to Salamanca province, a beautiful flat and dry area, with incredible granite formations. It is a very rural region, where you will see fields with stonewalls and farmers riding donkeys. Later on, we ride through holm oaks woods and pastures. We will cross Puente del Congosto, another medieval village with a 15th century bridge and Castle. Picnic near the river, a very beautiful spot for swimming in summer. In the afternoon, we will have some fast and good canters to Hoyorredondo. Overnight and dinner at a very beautiful rural Inn, La Trocha de Hoyorredondo, where it is possible to see the horses resting from your bedroom´s window. A magical place.
Riding 6 hours.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight at La Trocha de Hoyorredondo in Hoyorredondo

Day 5 (Thursday): Hoyorredondo to Navacepedilla de Corneja
Good trots and canters in the morning by the flat Corneja River Valley to Bonilla de la Sierra - very important medieval town, with a beautiful church. We take our lunch break in a private garden with swimming pool and taste a bbq with Avilan beefsteak. In the afternoon, we will start climbing to the top of the mountains.
Riding 6 hours.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight at Hotel in Navacepedilla de Corneja

Day 6 (Friday): Navacepedilla de Corneja to Navarredonda de Gredos
This is a magnificent day! We ride in the mountains through 3 different valleys. In the morning, we will ride up to the highest place of the ride: Puerto de Chía (1,800 m), with a magnificent view of the Corneja river valley in the back and the Alberche river valley in the front. Lunch break is at San Martin de la Vega with the views of the Gredos Mountains. After lunch, we will cross the Alberche River and continue to Tormes River valley to get to the stables.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight at Hotel in Navarredonda de Gredos

Day 7 (Saturday): Departure
Breakfast at the hotel, departure at 10am to be in Madrid airport around noon.
Meals included: Breakfast

8-day option: Same itinerary with extra day riding with good trots and canters along the lovely Tormes river valley.

Day 7 (Saturday): Navarredonda de Gredos
You go on a circular fast-paced ride along the lovely Tormes river valley.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight at Hotel in Navarredonda de Gredos

Day 8 (Sunday): Departure 
Breakfast at hotel, departure at around 10 am. To be at Madrid airport at 12 pm.
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 Castles of Gredos

Dates Note:

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

Climate:
                                                Ávila‎‎ area