Horse Riding Holiday in Spain

Are you dreaming of endless beaches, Andalusian horses, sun, the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, and Spanish white villages with a young and open spirit where it is easy to make contact with other travelers or locals? Then do not hesitate to stay at Aventura Ecuestre in Tarifa. Their horses and multilingual team look forward to your visit.

Key information

Rider weight limit: 187 pounds / 85 kilograms
Tack type: English tack (they also have Spanish and Western tacks)
Horse breed: Andalusian horses

Highlights

5 days of riding
4.5 - 6 hours of riding per day
Practice the Spanish riding style
Beach ride to Playa de los Lances
Mountain ride to the Sanctuary of Light
Ride into the cork tree national park
7 nights accommodation
Lunch included

Skill level

Advanced

Styles

Trail Riding

5 days with instruction

Group size: 2-8 participants

Accommodation

Facilities

Swimming pool (outdoor)
Tennis court

Hotel Dos Mares is a magnificent hotel right on the Atlantic beach of Los Lances. This hotel is for sure the right choice, if you would like to stay close to Aventura Ecuestre's stables. The hotel offers a swimming pool, tennis and paddle courts, as well as a gymnasium. It is famous for its breakfast buffet and restaurant.

Program

Aventura Ecuestre's team and their horses look forward to welcoming you in Tarifa. This is a short outline of their program. Enjoy your weekly program together with your horse!

Day 1: Sunday - Arrival day

Please do not hesitate to see the team at the stables before or after your check-in. They are happy to help you whenever you need them.

Please note: Riding times might change during the season.

Day 2: Monday - First contact and beach ride

At 10:30 a.m., you will meet at the stables where you will get to know your guide and your horse for the week. The team will give you an introduction to the natural way of Spanish riding. Their goal is to show you a different way of riding than what you are maybe used to.

They try to ride most of the horses bitless with fine aids, with weight and voice, as well as neck reining. The Spanish horses are amazing teachers. Practice the Spanish riding style on your first ride through the pine woods and along the endless golden beach of Playa de los Lances.

After the ride, you all sit together for a small snack to discuss the weekly program. In the evening, there will be another beach ride during which you can practice your new skills.

Day 3: Tuesday - Mountain ride to the Sanctuary of Light, a historical site of Tarifa

From 10:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., you ride inland, towards the hills, to discover the real Andalusian countryside. This is freedom. You ride through fields and along narrow pathways, through the common grazing land where cows and horses, Iberian pigs, sheep, and goats roam freely. At the historical site called the Sanctuary of Light, you will have a rest. This is a monastery where the patron saint of Tarifa can be seen.

The colorful patio, as well as the church, is worth the visit. Once a year, at the cabalgata, around 500 horses with their traditionally dressed riders, accompany the saint of Tarifa where she takes the place of honor above the altar of the main Saint Matthew church. At the Sanctuary, you will have a picnic under the pine trees, relax, and explore the monastery.

Day 4: Wednesday - Ride to El Rancho, a local traditional restaurant

From 10:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., you will enjoy a great ride along the beach towards Tarifa, with lots of possibilities to canter or gallop. If you are lucky, you will see migrating birds on the Rio Jara River, resting before their crossover to Africa. Through pine wood forests, you ride into the countryside, passing a private Spanish horse and bull farm.

A typical local Spanish lunch will be served at the El Rancho Restaurant. This restaurant owned by a horse loving family is hardly known to the non-locals.

Day 5: Thursday - Free day

Today, you will have a free day to relax or discover the surroundings of Tarifa. Visit the beautiful bay of Bolonia and the historic ruins or book a tickets with Aventura Ecuestre: Tanger, whale watching, dancing Andalusian horses show in Jerez. Or, just relax and enjoy a beach or Tarifa town day.

Day 6: Friday - Sand dunes and Punta Paloma ride

From 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., ride along the hillside to the amazing sand dunes of Punta Paloma. You will climb the dunes of this world famous windsurf beach of Tarifa. Enjoy the views and have fun sliding down the dunes on horseback. After this special adventure, you will enjoy a picnic in the romantic pine wood.

Day 7: Saturday - Ride into the cork tree national park

From 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., ride into the hills of Tarifa, with stunning views over the valley, beaches, and over to Africa. You will reach the southernmost part of the cork oak forest, called Los Alcornocales. Mules are still used to transport the cork, which is cut every seven years.

This is a beautiful ride into the remote back lands of Tarifa, passing by herds of free roaming farm animals. You will enjoy a picnic in the middle of the cork oak wood before riding back through a beautiful valley.

Day 8: Sunday - Departure day

Enjoy your last view over to Africa before you say goodbye to the horses.

Location

Tarifa, the pueblo blanco (white village), is the southernmost town of the European continent. Europe and Africa are only 14 kilometers apart and are separated by the Gibraltar Straight.

Tarifa has one of the last wild, undeveloped, and beautiful coastlines. It is a real nature treasure, with the straights natural park and the cork oak natural park, guaranteeing that it will stay undeveloped in the future. There are endless white sandy beaches, and it is, fortunately, not overrun by tourism.

Tarifa is a must for birdwatchers and ornithologists. As a result of the short sea crossing, Tarifa is one of the major migration routes between Africa and Europe. The Playa de los Lances, a 10 kilometers stretch of finest golden sand, with its Rio Jara River and fresh water lagoon, is the main stopover for thousands of migrating birds.

As the windsurf and kite capital of Europe, Tarifa offers all year round attractive nightlife, with countless restaurants, cafés, and tapa bars. The huge variety of sporting activities and cultural destinations in the area add to Tarifa's attraction as a holiday destination.

Many people have succumbed to the charming, young spirited, and international touch of this small town and return regularly or even make Tarifa their new home.

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Food

During your stay, you will be provided with lunch.

The following meals are included:

Lunch

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

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