8 Days Beginner Horse Riding Holiday in Northern Portugal

Facilities

Day 1: Saturday

You will be transferred from the airport to the village of Castro Laboreiro and have dinner in Ecotura Country House.

Day 2: Sunday

First approach to the horses. You will have security rules, horse behavior, and first ride for learning the basic. Typical lunch will be at a local restaurant. You will visit the reception center of the national park for better knowledge of the region and the biodiversity of this natural area and have dinner at the house.

Day 3: Monday

You will have the first ride in the mountain on a walk, picnic near the river, a small walk on the mountain for relaxation, and dinner at the house.

Day 4: Tuesday

You will learn how to put the halter and how to lead the horse on foot. Then, ride to learn the trot technique and have a lunch at a local restaurant. After that, you will visit the old part of the historical Melgaço Village with the castle and the old churches. Stop in Alvarinho presentation center to try out the wonderful fresh local white wine. Alvarinho wine is a richness of extreme rarity. A typical Portuguese wine, the Alvarinho cast, is both one of the most important varieties of the Tart Wine Region and one of the internationally prized, a true top-quality wine. Dinner will be at the house.

Day 5: Wednesday

This is your first full day ride on the mountain. You will practice the trot, picnic on the mountain, and have dinner at the house.

Day 6: Thursday

Morning visit to Castro Laboreiro medieval castle and to Peneda pilgrimage sanctuary and village. This huge and beautiful sanctuary in the middle of the mountain was built in the 18th century. Lunch will be in Laboreiro river near a natural pool with an extraordinary roman bright. Swimming in the natural pool is possible. You will ride for learning the Canter technique. Today you will have your yoga and relaxation class.

Day 7: Friday

You will ride in the mountain to practice the trot and Canter and have a lunch in the mountain. Then, walking in the mountain for relaxation and look for wild Garrano herds. Dinner will be at the house.

Day 8: Saturday

Transfer to the airport.

• Visit the old part of the historical Melgaço Village with the castle and the old churches.
• Stop in Alvarinho presentation center to try out the wonderful fresh local white wine.
• Morning visit to Castro Laboreiro medieval castle and to Peneda pilgrimage sanctuary and village.

Peneda Gerês National Park in Portugal is a beautiful region in the top north of the country at the border with Galicia in Spain. World's leading destination in 2017, Portugal offers an outstanding country to travel, offering a tourism of excellence. The national park is the “jewel of the crown” when you speak about nature or wild or stunning landscape. %Due to its unique characteristics and the value that nature conservation contains, this region has won from UNESCO the higher award that a green area can receive biosphere reserve.

In this mountain territory, you can travel from the old oak forests in the valleys, full of creeks and old Roman bridges, to the high pics where the mountain landscape reveals the wild horse herds grazing peacefully in the natural pastures. In this tour, you will connect this two areas of the mountain, from the valley to the summit, traveling by ancient paths used for centuries by smugglers and shepherds, when they move the cattle between the winter and the summer pastures.

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Daily meals are included in the price. Vegetarian, vegan, lactose and gluten free diets are always available at dinners and picnic lunches. The diets information should come in the booking form.

You will have available in the house, in a trust system, different kind of snacks and drinks (including wine).

• 6 riding days
• One yoga and meditation class
• Transfer from and to the airport
• 7 nights' accommodation
• 7 breakfast, 6 lunches, and 7 dinners

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• 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 on arrival.