“Explore nature, wild-life and culture by horse”
6 Day Comfort Andes Explore Horse Riding Tour in Peru
Wooden Cabins, Compone Community, Anta, Cusco Region, Peru
Peru Horse Riding Tour
Hacienda del Chalán is a family horseback riding business with 38 years of experience with horses and tourism. We are located in the heart of the Sacred Valley of the Cusco region of Peru. We consider it very important that our horses are well cared and well fed. We have Peruvian Paso horses and Trotter horses for beginners till fully experienced riders and also pony's in different sizes for kids of different ages.
We invite you to join our horse riding holidays along the Peruvian Andes. In each tour we have a variaty of beautiful nature with valley's, rivers, snow-mountains, and wild-life, you will also see (pre)Inka culture and archeological complexes and you will experience Andean folkore with their tradional clothing and ways to live.
Key Information:
- Rider Weight Limit: 200 pounds / 90 kg
- Horse Height Range: 14 hands
- Horse Breed: Peruvian Paso
- Official riding helmet and rain poncho for use
- First aid kit, and oxygen bottle for use
- Service of English-speaking tour guide / experienced rider
Meet the instructors
Yojan
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Highlights
- 6 days of horse riding with well-groomed Peruvian Paso horse
- Ride along the Sacred Valley (2800m) and along the river with cormorant birds
- Feel the nature when horse-riding and resting in domes along the Huaypo Lake
- Visit of the beautiful Salt-flats from the pre-Inka times in the mountains
- Climb up to beautiful mountains where you can see herds of sheep and cows
- Interact with friendly local people who still use traditional clothes and ways of living
- Daily breakfast, lunch, and dinner
- 5 nights accommodation
Skill level
- Intermediate
- Advanced
Styles
6 days with instruction in English
The organizer also speaks: Spanish
Group size: 2-8 participants
Airport transfer available:
Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport (US$ 50 per person)
Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport (US$ 50 per person)
Accommodation
Check-in Time:
10:00
Check-out Time:
17:00
The overnights are one in a local community where you can see the Andean traditions, one in an ancient hacienda, two in little wooden cabins, and one night in a dome on the lake-site. There is a hot shower for every night, but mainly in a shared separate place near the rooms.
Program
Daily itinerary
Day 1: Paucarbamba - Flat Valley path - Salinas - Maras - Misminay Community (2800 - 3734 meters above sea level)
This ride begins in Paucarbamba where the Hacienda is located. At 10:00 a.m., just after crossing the Vilcanota river in Paucarbamba, you take a forest path along the river, where you will see some tombs from the time of the Inka times located at the side of the path. Yanahuara used to be a farming area, but lately, it is becoming one of the most important areas for tourist accommodation.
At the moment, forty new hotels are being constructed. Just after Yanahuara, a quiet and narrow path along the Vilcanota River will bring you to the suspension bridge of Tarabamba; this is the checkpoint for Salinas. During the next part of the ride, you will climb up to the mountain towards Salinas, the salt mines that date back to pre-Inka times.
- 12:30 Arrival time to Salinas and hiking tour there
More than three thousand pans of salt are waiting to be visited by you, and after enjoying a nice meal while overlooking the salt terraces, you continue climbing the mountain until you arrive at the village of Maras, which is famous for its stone doorways with the carved date of construction and heraldic family crests, an inheritance of the Spanish culture. At Maras, the big fields of barley, green beans, white corn, hay, oats, quinoa, and so on are waiting for you because the horse trail crosses through them to get to the Misminay Community where you will spend the first night at a local home.
- 14:00 Lunch
- 15:00 An extraordinary Andean trail will guide you to the Misminay viewpoint which is located at 3734 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.
- 16:30 Arrival time to Misminay and welcome reception
- 17:00 Hiking to the mountain since this viewpoint will be possible to observe Moray the last botany laboratory from the Inkas
Here, the Andeans acclimated to many different plants that they brought from the Amazon and from the coast because they needed to adapt them to grow at high altitudes (cold areas), to be able to use them for food or medicine.
- 19:00 Dinner and overnight stay
Day 2: Misminay Community - Mahuaypampa - Huarocondo (3359 meters above sea level)
- 08:30 Breakfast
- 09:30 The view that 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.
- 13:00 Lunch in the middle of an Ucaliptus forest area
- 15:00 Climb the last mountains before riding down to the town of Huarocondo (3345 meters above sea level)
Here will be possible to observe a nice catholic church that was built in the XVI century. This is the first town in the flat area of the Anta District.
- 17:00 Arrive at the antique village of Huarocondo
- 18:30 Dinner and overnight
Day 3: Huarocondo - Andenes - Compone (3331 meters above sea level)
- 08:30 Breakfast
- 09:30 After a short ride, you will visit and old and historic land of “Andenes” (3405 meters above sea level)
Andenes has the province’s longest and biggest Inka terraces used for farming. That is the reason why it hosts the most important investigation complex of the Andean native potatoes where a professional agronomist of the National Institute of Agricultural Innovation will give you a tour during which he will explain the investigation process that aims to rescue some almost extinct native species of potatoes (Oca, Mashua, Potato, and Año).
- 12:00 Lunchtime
- 13:30 Afternoon ride crossing the longest flat area old the province of Anta until arriving at Compone village
- 17:00 Arrival time to Compone
- 19:00 Dinner and overnight stay
Day 4: Compone - Rocky Mountains of Yuraq Qaqa - Compone (4000 meters above sea level)
- 09:00 Breakfast
- 10:00 After breakfast time, you prepare your horses to ride up to one of the highest mountains from all of Anta (4000 meters above sea level)
There on top will be possible to observe many ceramic pieces from a pre-Inka civilization (KILLKE). All this area was the biggest Killke cemetery on top of the APU (sacred mountain). After visiting this funeral space, you ride down to the next marvelous area of the rocky mountain “Yuraq Qaqa” (white rock). There will be possible to observe many rocky formations big like towers of 30 or more floors in the city. These rocky formations have their origins in the vulcanos period. All the stones were magma.
This area has an interaction formation in the circle and this place was used by caw steelers during the colony time to hide these cows and horses because this small area is difficult to localize as it is located in the heart of a native forest area. Sometimes, it is possible to see deers, eagles, falcons, foxes, and many other wild animals because it is a peaceful and quiet area where is not common to see visitors. This forest area has a lot of Inka species like Molle, Tara, Qeuña, Chachacomo, Unka, etc. (Tries), and a lot of native bushes and flowers as well.
- 13:00 Lunch time will be in the middle of this rocky and forest área (picnic lunch)
- 14:00 Hiking tour
- 15:00 The ride down back to the lodge, two hours
- 17:00 Arrival time
- 19:00 Dinner and overnight
Day 5: Compone - Markjo - Huaypo Lake (3713 meters above sea level)
- 08:30 Breakfast
- 09:30 After taking your last breakfast in the lodge, you will cross all the flat area of Anta in a different direction than day four
After crossing the principal river from the Anta area, you need to climb the Andes once again until you arrive at a eucalyptus area where you expect to have lunchtime (3500 meters above sea level).
- 13:00 Lunch time, enjoying a panoramic view of the down-flat area of Anta province
- 14:00 Afternoon ride crossing eucalyptus forest hill and a lot of farming areas until arrive at the second biggest lake from this area (Huaypo lake)
- 17:00 Arrive at the lake's house
- 18:30 Dinner and overnight
Day 6: Huaypo Lake - Mahuaypampa - Paucarbamba (Hacienda)
After enjoying your dreams while listening to a symphony of songs that come from the different birds that live in the forest around the lake, you are ready for the last riding day.
- 08:30 Breakfast
- 09:30 Boat tour on the lake
- 10:30 Morning ride
You continue your ride to get to the village of Maway Pampa. Here, you will have the opportunity to see small farms, people plowing their land, many groups of shepherds, big fields with agaves, and snow-covered mountains like “Chicón” and “Verónica”. On the way, there are three different water reservoirs where is going the water for human consumption and for irrigation for different Andean communities like Cgaquepay, Waylla Qocha, Mahuaypampa, and Maras.
- 14:00 Lunchtime in the middle of nowhere
- 15:00 During the last part of this ride, you will realize how difficult and marvelous it is to live in the Andes, because is not easy to climb and ride downhill, cross rivers, muddy areas, etc.
Following a narrow trail that leads to the Sacred Valley back home, you will stop for a moment at a marvelous viewpoint just before the downhill ride until arrive at the Hacienda located in Paucarbamba.
- 17:30 Arrival time at the Hacienda
About the 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 horse. 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 percent natural action which sets the Peruvian apart from others.
1. A breed apart
The Peruvian Paso horse transmits 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 percent unique to the Peruvian horse.
2. Flair and elegance
In addition to an easy gait, the Peruvian horse has a brilliant front action movement typified by 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. Lift and término are 100 percent natural. Fluid, effortless, and well-integrated within the gait sequence. Of all of the traits that distinguish the Peruvian horse, his tremendous “Brio” is perhaps the most prized by both expert and novice horse people alike. Brio is an inherent quality of a noble and willing spirit that enables this tractable horse to perform tirelessly for many hours in the service of his rider.
3. A versatile horse
The Peruvian horse is the world’s greatest riding horse. Smooth to ride, beautiful to behold, and incredible brio - 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.
4. Conformation and appearance
Physically, the Peruvian horse is a horse of medium size and with refinement. The ideal height is between 14 and 16 hands tall, with good balance and almost even rations of girth, leg, and back. He may be any color. The coat and skin are refined and the mane is long and abundant with fine, lustrous hair. Bone is refined but dense; in all aspects, overall refinement, grace, and elegance are desired. 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.
5. Tack of the Peruvian horse
The traditional tack of the Peruvian horse has remained true to its heritage, but it may be ridden in any type of tack that fits properly. The headgear, saddle, stirrups, and “guarniciones” (trail gear) 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.
Instructors
Yojan Valenzuela
Yojan is a real Andean descendent, his brown skin and strong temperament are the proof of his Inka origins, Actually, he mixes all the experiences that he took along his life with the Professional Tour Guiding knowledge, comes from one of the traditional horses lover families from Cusco. His riding activities in the Sacred Valley were soon discovered, and “HACIENDA DEL CHALÁN” began to appear in guidebooks and on the lists of highly recommended equestrian tour operators.
Location
The tour will take place in the Cusco Region, Peru. You will see a variety of nature, wild-life and local culture in the Andes mountains.
You will ride along the river in the Sacred Valley, Climb high up the mountains where you can see the Salt Flats, Moray Inka grow crop, ride along the biggest Inka terraces complex, ride above 4000m to see a marvelous rock formation, beautiful views over snow-mountains, valleys and lakes. You will see wild-life like several kinds of birds (eagles, falcons, cormorant, ibis, sea-eagles, etc) and also herds of sheep, goats, donkey's and cows and sometimes you will even see deers.
Food
During this holiday, you will be served five breakfasts, six lunches, and five dinners; all prepared by an official local chef-cook. You will also be served special snacks and fruits. Additionally, plenty of drinking water will be provided for during the rides. Moreover, vegetarian food is available upon request.
The following meals are included:
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Snacks
- Drinks
The following drinks are included:
- Water
- Coffee
- Tea
- Soda
The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:
- Vegetarian
- Regular (typically includes meat and fish)
- Other dietary requirements on request
If you have special dietary requirements it's a good idea to communicate it to the organiser when making a reservation
What's included
- 6 days of horse riding
- Well-groomed Peruvian Paso horse
- 5 nights accommodation
- 6 lunches
- 5 dinners
- 5 breakfasts
- Snacks and fruits
- Plenty of drinking water during the rides
- Professional English-speaking tour guide and experienced rider
- Experienced chef-cook during the entire horseback tour
- Dining tent
- Kitchen tent
- First aid kit and oxygen bottle
- Assistance vehicle
- Entrance tickets for Salinas
- Riding helmet
- Saddlebags
- Rain poncho
- Picking up and dropping off service if your hotel is located in Urubamba, Yanahuara or Ollantaytambo
What's not included
- Airfare
- Picking up and dropping off service if your hotel is not located in Urubamba, Yanahuara or Ollantaytambo
- Alcoholic drinks
- Luxery hotel
- Breakfast on the first day and dinner on the last day
- Tips for guide and camp staff
How to get there
Recommended Airports
CUZ
Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport
30 km
Transfer available for additional US$ 50 per person
Arrival by taxi
You can come with any taxi to the Sacred Valley and sleep a night before in any of the hotels. Picking up and dropping off service is included if your hotel is located in Urubamba, Ollantaytambo, or Yanahuara. The morning of the ride we can provide your taxi to Hacienda del Chalan for additional costs if your hotel is in any other place or you can come with your own taxi. Please ask us for more information.
Airport: Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport
Airport transfer available:
Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport (US$ 50 per person)
Additional charges may apply. You can request this in the next step.
Cancellation Policy
- 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.
For this organizer you can guarantee your booking through BookHorseRidingHolidays.com. All major credit cards supported.
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