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8 Day Colle dell'Orso Adventurous Horse Riding Tour in Molise, Italy
Altaviahorses, Coll' Arso, Carovilli, Province of Isernia, Molise, Italy
Exhilarating Horse Riding Tour Italy
Join Altavia Horses for a horse riding holiday in Molise, Italy! This area is ideal for a holiday on horseback.
Key information
- Rider weight limit: 90 kilograms / 198 pounds
- Tack type: Western tack
Meet the instructors
Carmine
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Highlights
- 7 days of horse riding
- Approximate daily riding time: 5 to 6 hours
- Ride through hills, meadows, and woods
- 7 nights accommodation
- Daily meals
- Transfers from and to the railway station in Isernia
Skill level
- Intermediate
Styles
6 days with instruction in English
The organizer also speaks: Danish, Dutch, French, German, Italian
Group size: 5-8 participants
Accommodation
Check-in Time:
20:00
Check-out Time:
09:00
You will be accommodated for three nights at Altavia, one night at an agriturismo, two nights at a mountain lodge, and one night at a hotel.
Altavia
The house, dating from 1885, is situated at almost 3,000 feet above sea level. It is the only inhabited farmhouse in this little nature conservation area. The nearest neighbors live in Carovilli, a little village four miles away. The front of the house faces a large oak forest whereas the rear offers a splendid view of the mountains and a valley.
The house is not very big but quite comfortable. It was completely renovated in 2003. The living room has a nice fireplace, a piano, and a modest library. There are three guest rooms (two double and one accommodating six) and two bathrooms with all modern conveniences. Meals are served on the terrace or in the kitchen diner.
Program
You can ride for hours without coming across fences or roads, let alone another human being. Trek through “Colle dell Orso” (valley of the Bear). This splendid plateau offers a variety of sceneries. From the end of April until the beginning of November, there are many cows and semi-wild horses, the highlight of this trek, which lives on a huge mountain plateau. You will ride along or even transverse the herds. Another highlight is the magic forest. Rocks completely shelter this piece of woodland with but two ways of access, which makes the visit quite adventurous.
Daily itinerary
Day 1 - Saturday: Arrival
You are expected to arrive on Saturday evening at the farmhouse. After a welcome drink, there will be dinner with your hosts or guides. A three-course Italian dinner, accompanied by local wines, will be served every night.
Day 2 - Sunday: Briefing and test ride
The morning is yours. You may sleep late, take your time over breakfast, or do whatever you like. Before lunch, there is a safety briefing. Then you will groom and saddle up the horses, followed by a short demonstration of western riding. After lunch, you will do a test ride (three hours) to enable you to get acquainted with the horse you are going to ride on the trek. In the evening, you visit the new riding center inclusive bistro from the host which is close by for a drink and later you get served a freshly prepared dinner.
Day 3 - Monday: Alto Molise
At about 10:00 a.m., you will leave the house and ride through Alto Molise with its hills, meadows, and woods. The picnic will be in an idyllic place. After lunch, you will continue your way through the endless hills. At the end of the day, you will arrive at an agriturismo. They await you for dinner, which is based on regional specialties. You will spend the night there, too.
Day 4 - Tuesday: Tratturo
After breakfast, you will continue the trail, following the Tratturo Castel di Sangro-Lucera. Tratturo is a 2,000-year-old track that is still used to move cattle from the far south where the grass is scarce in summer. After the tratturo, you will reach Pescolanciano with its old castle. There, you will stop for lunch, which will be served at a little restaurant.
Next, you will go to the Colle dell’ Orso. The trail gets steeper, climbing about 1,800 feet. The route leads you over narrow paths, through beech woods with carpets of leaves. In the evening, you will reach a mountain lodge where you will dine and spend the night. First of all, you will take care of the horses. You will sleep in dormitories.
Day 5 - Wednesday: Colle dell Orso
Today is dedicated to the magnificent scenery of the plateau of Colle dell'Orso. During your ride, you will enjoy the most splendid views of the Abruzzi and Matese Mountain ranges, with peaks of approximately 6,500 feet. The most impressive scene of all is, however, the herds of cows and semi-wild horses on the plains. You will ride along or even transverse the herds. After this, it is time for the picnic.
In the afternoon, the trail takes you to the so-called magic forest. This piece of woodland is completely sheltered by rocks and there are but two possible ways of access, which makes the visit quite adventurous. Leaving Magic Forest, you will go back to the mountain lodge, which is by the way equipped with a shower. In the evening, you will make a campfire or light the fire in the fireplace.
Day 6 - Thursday: Colle dell Orso
In the morning, you will enjoy the beauty of the Colle dell'Orso, called magic mountain by some, just one more time. The picnic will be in the garden of a little church dating from 1704. In the afternoon, the route descends, leading you back to civilization. In the late afternoon, you will leave the horses in a small riding center. The riders will be taken to a cozy hotel in Duronia (approximately 20 minutes by car). Tonight, you will have pizza.
Day 7 - Friday: Forest of Collemelucio
Today, you ride to the river Trigno. It has been dammed, creating an enormous artificial lake. You follow the Trigno to Pescolanciano, climbing the hills that border the forest of Collemelucio. This is one of the forests protected by UNESCO. The project is called Man and Biosphere (MAB). Worldwide, UNESCO protects 256 forests. Four of them are located in Italy; two of which are in Molise. The last few miles on horseback take you over open heathland and dense oak woods. At about 5:00 p.m., you will be back at the farmhouse, unsaddle the horses for the last time, and enjoy the farewell dinner.
Day 8 - Saturday: Departure
Departure after breakfast.
The horses
The horses have been selected for their character looks and intelligence. They were all born in the mountains, so they are very reliable in this mountainous area. All year long, they live in a herd which makes them a close group. Besides, most of them are related in some way or the other. The horses are willing and easy-going. The tack is Western.
Other information
Due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances, the program may have to be adapted. The arrival time is always 8:00 p.m. on Saturday and the departure is around 9:00 a.m. Due to the small-scale setup, it is unfortunately not possible to welcome you before this hour. For the treks, you need to be in good shape and control of all the gaits. There are two weight limits, 90 kilograms and a BMI (body mass index) of 28.50. In case your data are inaccurate, Altavia Horses has the right to adjust the program or exclude your participation without reimbursing your payment.
Instructors
Carmine Di Perna
1 Certificate
Show
Carmine is a native of Molise. In his early years, he ran his own highly successful bar / restaurant in Isernia. Besides being an excellent cook, he became a horseman at heart. Carmine organizes four different treks plus a home-based ride at Altavia Horses. He speaks English and Italian and he is a certified guide of FISE (Federazione Italiana Sport Equestre).
Location
The tour will take place in Italy. Molise is situated southeast of the region Lazio (Rome) in the north of Campania (Naples). Nature is still so unspoiled that UNESCO protects two primeval forests. Wildflowers abound, some species of which are very rare or even becoming extinct. The landscape is sloping to mountainous and varied. Vast fields alternate with large forests of beech and oak.
Food
You will have meals on a full board basis with wine, beer, and soft drinks at lunches and dinners, starting with dinner on the first day and up to breakfast on the day of departure, included in the price.
The following meals are included:
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Drinks
The following drinks are included:
- Soda
- Alcoholic beverages
The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:
- Regular (typically includes meat and fish)
If you have special dietary requirements it's a good idea to communicate it to the organiser when making a reservation
What's included
- 5 - 6 hours of horse riding per day
- 7 nights accommodation
- Daily breakfast, lunch, and dinner
- Wine, beer, and soft drinks at lunches and dinners
- English and German-speaking guide(s) or staff
- Luggage transport by car during the treks
- Transfers to and from Isernia railway station
What's not included
- Airfare
- Airport transfers
- Single supplement fee (35 EUR per night to be paid in cash)
- Mutual funds (for drinks or snacks other than at meals, like at bars and happy hour - 35 to 45 EUR)
How to get there
Recommended Airports
FCO
Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport
172 km
Transfer not provided
Driving directions from Rome
- Follow the motorway (A1) in the direction of Naples as far as the exit S. Vittore.
- Drive towards Isernia.
- Past Isernia and drive onto the SS 650 (keep to the right) direction of San Salvo.
- Take the exit to Pescolanciano / Capracotta, having driven through three tunnels.
- Follow SS 651 and drive past Pescolanciano (on your left).
- Drive past both exits for Carovilli.
- After the second exit, the road bends to the right.
- Slow down after this bend. There is a road sign indicating a crossroads.
- You turn off the road to the right onto a B-road just after the sign. There is a yellow sign saying “C.da Castiglione - ColleArso”.
- Follow this narrow forest road for about 1 mile and there is Carmine and Astrid’s house at your right.
Driving directions from Naples
- Follow the motorway (A1) in the direction of Rome as far as the exit Caianello.
- Drive towards Isernia (SS 85).
- Past Isernia and drive onto the SS 650 (keep to the right) direction of San Salvo.
- Take the exit to Pescolanciano / Capracotta, having driven through three tunnels.
- Follow SS 651 and drive past Pescolanciano (on your left).
- Drive past both exits for Carovilli.
- After the second exit, the road bends to the right.
- Slow down after this bend. There is a road sign indicating a crossroads.
- You turn off the road to the right onto a B-road just after the sign. There is a yellow sign saying “C.da Castiglione - ColleArso”.
- Follow this narrow forest road for about 1 mile and there is Carmine and Astrid’s house at your right.
Driving directions along the Adriatic coast
- Follow the motorway (A4), Bologna, to Bari as far as the exit of Montenero di Bisaccia / Vasto Sud.
- Drive towards Isernia.
- Take the exit Pescolanciano, which is immediately after a short tunnel.
- Drive past Pescolanciano and Carovilli.
- After the second exit, the road bends to the right.
- Slow down after this bend. There is a road sign indicating a crossroads.
- You turn off the road to the right onto a B-road just after the sign. There is a yellow sign saying “C.da Castiglione - ColleArso”.
- Follow this narrow forest road for about 1 mile and there is Carmine and Astrid’s house at your right.
Arrival by bus
There are busses to the Central Station. You can buy a ticket with the driver. A one-way ticket costs approximately 3 EUR. The journey lasts about half an hour. A one-way train ticket to Isernia costs approximately 6 EUR. The train's destination is Campobasso. Please note that in Italy, train tickets are only valid when stamped in one of the machines which you find on the platforms.
Arrival by train
The transfer from and to the railway station in Isernia is included in the price. On the day of arrival, the transfer is at 7:45 p.m., and on departure day is at 08:50 a.m.
Cancellation Policy
- A reservation requires a deposit of 14% of the total price.
- The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
- The rest of the payment should be paid 21 days before arrival.
For this organizer you can guarantee your booking through BookHorseRidingHolidays.com. All major credit cards supported.
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