2 Day Extraordinary Horse Riding Holiday in Cusco Region

This ride will begin in Paucarbamba District (2,828 meters above sea level), where Hacienda del Chalán's ranch is located. To arrive at Moray, it is necessary to climb the mountains. Part of the way, you will ride along a wide path, and part of it is a narrow trail. After three hours, you will arrive at Moray, where you will prepare your lunch. After lunch, you will expect to pay a short visit to the Moray complex to observe this interesting agricultural experiment from the time of the Incas.

An extraordinary Andean trail will guide you to the Misminay viewpoint, which is located at 3,734 meters above sea level. The local people from this village are really friendly and curious and like to share their traditional way of life with visitors. Here, you will spend the night. The view that Mullakas Misminay offers you early in the morning is truly phenomenal. You can see most of the snow-covered mountains of the Sacred Valley, all the farmland of Maras, and eagles and falcons soaring against an amazing background.

After breakfast, you will start the second-day ride, which is longer than the one on the first day. During the first part, you will ride down until you arrive at the village of Mawaypampa. Along the trail, you can see many young shepherds going to the grasslands with their lambs and cows, which is the way of life in the Andes.

After riding for two to three hours, you will arrive at the archaeological complex of “C'hecoq”, where you will be able to see an interesting system used for drying and storing the different seeds of cereal that the Andean culture uses. After a 20 minute ride, you will arrive at Maras at 3,377 meters above sea level. Maras is a traditional Andean village where the people used to make their doorways out of stone with some heraldic drawings and the year in which the house was constructed.

Just behind the biggest church in Maras starts a narrow trail that goes to Salinas, an old salt mine that was built by a pre-Inca civilization and was expanded during the Inca period. The last part of the downhill ride will be rocky and steep until you reach the flat valley path, cross the Tarabamba bridge, and arrive at the best touristic restaurant of the Sacred Valley. There, you will eat your lunch and after that, a wide path through the flat valley will guide you back to Paucarbamba District.

Peruvian Paso Horses

Webster's Dictionary defines “luxury” as, “the use and enjoyment of the best, most precious things offer the most physical comfort and satisfaction.” Luxury may be the single best word in the English language to describe the Peruvian Paso Horses. There is something for everyone in this elegant animal: smooth riding comfort, high energy, straight, stamina, intelligence, a tractable disposition, animated, flashy presence, and 100% natural action which sets the Peruvian apart from others.

The Peruvian Paso Horses transmit its unique smooth gait to its purebred foals. No artificial devices or special training aids are necessary to enable the horse to perform its specialty - a natural four - beat footfall of medium speed that provides a ride of incomparable smoothness and harmony of movement along with the utmost ground covering ability within on sequence of footfalls. This signature gait is called “Paso Llano” and it is 100% unique.

In addition to an easy gait, the Peruvian Paso Horses have brilliant front action movement. It is typified the upward lifting of the front legs combined with “término”, an outward movement of the front legs similar to the loose rolling of a swimmer’s arms doing the crawl. The lift and término are 100% natural. They are fluid, effortless, and well-integrated within the gait sequence.

Of all of the traits that distinguish the Peruvian horse, the tremendous “brío” is perhaps the most prized by both expert and novice horse people alike. Brío is an inherent quality of a noble and willing spirit that enables these tractable horses to perform tirelessly for many hours in the service of his rider.

The Peruvian horses are the world’s greatest riding horses. They are smooth to ride, beautiful to behold, and have incredible brío - all traits that enable transportation. Peruvian horses excel in many aspects of pleasure riding: trail, competitive trail competition, team penning, sidesaddle, drill teams, musical exercise, and showing.

Physically, the Peruvian horses are horses of medium size and with a refinement. The ideal height is between 14 and 14 hands tall, with good balance and almost even rations of girth, leg, and back. It may be in any color. The coat and skin are refined and the mane is long and abundant with fine, lustrous hair. The bone is refined but dense in all aspects, overall refinement, grace, and elegance.

The stallions exhibit the powerful arched neck and crest of their Iberian ancestors. Peruvian horse breeders pay scrupulous attention to genetics, with the three primary qualities being gait, soundness, and disposition.

Tack

The traditional tack of the Peruvian horse has remained true to his heritage, but they may be ridden in any type of tack that fits properly. The headgear, saddle, stirrups and “guarniciones” (trailgear) used today in shows are the traditional equipment imported from Peru, where it has evolved over hundreds of years. Although many people choose to show their horses in traditional tack, any style may be used. And of course, on the trail, anything goes!

Itinerary

Day 1: Paucarbamba District - Moray - Mullakas Misminay

• 09:00 Hacienda del Chalán's staff will be waiting for you at their ranch to make introductions before you begin your adventure. An experimented Peruvian Paso trainer will show you the right technique to ride these horses, and at the same time, you will be given several other recommendations that you will put into practice during the ride
• 10:00 You will ride your horses through the Sacred Valley, along the Vilcanota River, and between the high mountains. After that, you will climb the first mountains to get to Moray, which used to be a place for agricultural experiments during the time of the Incas.
• 12:30 Visit the terraces of Moray
• 13:30 Lunch
• 14:30 You will continue riding your horses to climb the highest mountain today until you arrive at the Misminay viewpoint. Along the way, you will be able to see most of the snow-covered mountains from the Sacred Valley and the Vilcanota River far below you
• 17:00 After a difficult uphill ride, you will arrive at the indigenous village of Misminay
• 18:00 Dinner and overnight stay

Day 2 Mullakas Misminay - Maras - Salinas - Paucarbamba District

• 08:00 Breakfast
• 09:00 Ride down to the town of Maras and Salinas while crossing big farmlands with different Andean products like barley and with an incomparable panoramic view of the snow-covered mountains and the Sacred Valley.
• 11:30 Arrival and visit of the salt pans complex of Salinas
• 12:30 You will ride your horses downhill until you get to the flat valley path and cross the Tarabamba bridge.
• 13:30 Lunch
• 16:30 Arrival at the hacienda in Paucarbamba

Notes: Hacienda del Chalán is sorry, but their horses are not for rent.

This horse riding holiday will take place in Cusco Region, Peru.

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During this holiday, you will be served two lunches, one dinner, and one breakfast. You will also be served snacks (water, chocolate, and fruit). Additionally, plenty of drinking water will also be served during the rides only. Moreover, vegetarian food is available upon request.

• 2 days of horse riding
• Use of well-groomed Peruvian Paso Horse
• Service of professional English-speaking tour guide / experienced rider
• Use of first aid kit and oxygen bottle for participants and the camp staff
• Service of an experienced cook
• Use of vehicle
• Use of helmet
• Entrance tickets for Salinas and Moray
• 2 lunches, 1 dinner, and 1 breakfast
• Water, chocolate, and fruit
• 1 night's accommodation

• Private transfer to the ranch (round trip)
• Alcoholic drinks
• Hotel
• Breakfast on the first day
• Tips for guide and camp staff

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• A reservation requires a deposit of 40% of the total price.
• The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
• The rest of the payment should be paid 30 days before arrival.