GREDOS SALAMANCA RIDE - SPAIN

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The ride to the charming town of Salamanca with the oldest university in Spain, starts in Navarredonda de Gredos. You ride in the Sierra de Candelario and Sierra de Bejar, a very lush area with its microclimate, then follow the Tormes River further north. The predominant landscape is holm oak where you will see black bulls.

Your guide Emilio knows every stone along the path of the ride and is dedicated and entusiastic about this trail. His warmth and care bring to life the contrasts and different landscapes during the week, all contributing to an all round experience.

You ride home bred pure Andalucian and pure hispano arab horses, born, brought up and trained by your guide. They are well loved and used to gentle English riding methods. The accomodation en route is of a very high standard with comfortable en suite rooms most nights and a hot shower and apperetive never very far away. Typically Spanish food is cooked to a high standard with extensive warm lunches provided by a backup vehicle. All this makes for a very special and personal experience. 

Trip length 8 days/7 nights Ride price detailed prices price promise 2012: double pp £1,225/€1,449/$1,969 Departure dates 2012: 22 April; 6 May; 9, 30 September Approximate riding time per day 6 hours Riding ability required Walk, trot and canter, experience hacking out over varying terrain. Group size 1-8 Meeting point (getting there) Barajas Airport, Madrid (MAD) at 15:00 Transfer Included from Barajas Airport, Madrid. Transfer time is approximately two hours. Flight guide Madrid - London return from £60, see below for flight info. Single supplement detailed prices 2012: £135/€155/$215

SAMPLE ITINERARY - GREDOS SALAMANCA RIDE

Day 1 MADRID-NAVARREDONDA DE GREDOS
Meet at Madrid Airport and transfer to Navarredonda de Gredos stopping off in Avila for a short town visit en route. Overnight in the National Parador of Gredos where you will learn about the ride and region on the map followed by a welcome dinner.

Day 2 NAVARREDONDA DE GREDOS-NAVALPERAL DE TORMES
Distribution of horses. Follow the Tormes River at the bottom of the valley to the Charco de las Paredes. Lunch and a chance to swim. Short afternoon ride downhill to Navalperal de Tormes, night and dinner in a rural hotel.

Day 3 NAVALPERAL-BARCO DE AVILA-BECEDAS
Departure after breakfast. You will go through the cattle trail to Barco de Avila, to Sierra de Bejar. Finally you coem to Becedas, the last village in Avila province where the horses spend the night. Riders are transfered to Candelario, one of the most beautiful towns in Spain, where you will spend two nights.
Dinner and night at a charming rural inn in the centre of the town.

Day 4 BECEDAS-CANDELARIO 
A half day from Becedas to Candelario going through villages with peculiar features.
The afternoon is free to visit Candelario, the church, walk up the steep streets and walk along the channels that collect water from the mountains, magnificent examples of architecture....
Dinner and night at the same inn.

Day 5 CANDELARIO-NEILA DE SAN MIGUEL-GUIJO DE AVILA
Northward to Salamanca through Puerto de la Hoya. You arrive at Neila de San Miguel and stop for lunch at very special church. Afternoon landscape is open and flat and you will reach the Occidental Cañada Soriana, one of the main paths in Medieval Spain. 
You will spend the night at Guijo de Avila at a rural complex in very comfortable cabins with a nice views of the Tormes River.

Day 6 GUIJO DE AVILA – HORCAJO MEDIANERO 
You cross the Tormes River by Santa Teresa´s dam, a huge water reservoir. Ride all day through the Dehesas of Salamanca with holm oaks, bulls, black Iberian pigs. Lunch by a small river. Afternoon canters through the Dehesa and holm oaks to Horcajo Medianero. Night and dinner a at monastery.

Day 7 HORCAJO MEDIANERO – ALBA DE TORMES
The day begins with a long morning ride along the Eastern lands of the province with beautiful and clear horizons bathed by waters of the Tormes River.
The history of Alba de Tormes is linked to Santa Teresa´s life and death, where the body rests in one of the convents.
This is the end of the ride. The horses spend the night in Alba de Tormes and travel back home by truck the next morning. While riders are transfered to Salamanca, a 20 min drive. In the afternoon you can walk along the streets of this historical town, dinner at a restaurant located at the Plaza Mayor, one of the most beautiful main squares in Spain. Night in the heart of Salamanca.

Day 8 SALAMANCA – MADRID
After breakfast walk along Salamanca to visit some important monuments.
Departure from Salamanca at 12 pm for flights departing Madrid after 4pm. All riders will be transferred at the same time, so if any rider needs to arrive at Madrid before noon, all riders depart earlier or we can arrange a transfer at an extra cost.

The weight limit for this ride is 14 st/198 lb/90 kg, please enquire if you are an experienced rider exceeding this weight.

FURTHER DETAILS
As we are specialists in our field we have extensive knowledge of all our products from details of accommodation and meals to number/size/type of horses to pace of riding ... and much more.
Should you wish to receive further details of this ride please click here.

WHAT IS INCLUDED
All transfers from the meeting point, meals, wine/beer/sherry/coffee/tea/aperatifs with dinner and lunch, accommodation in twin bedded rooms with private bathroom, riding, horses, tack, English speaking guide, luggage transport and excursions described in itinerary. Water bottle.
For price details click here

WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED
International flights, single supplement, alcoholic and canned drinks other than those mentioned above and items of a personal nature.


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