Name: 4 Day Horseback Riding to Machu Picchu, Cusco
Brand: Horseback Riding Cusco
Price: 5400 USD
Availability: InStock

Horseback Riding Holiday in Peru

Horseback Riding Cusco invites you to ride a horse through the Andes around Cusco and the Sacred Valley of the Incas. This horseback tour is designed for the horse lover who wants to enjoy the landscape of the Sacred Valley of the Incas and to get to meet the local people working on their farms. If you are looking to do something different than the other travelers, this is the best way to discover every corner between Cusco and the Sacred Valley of the Incas. The sceneries and geographic location of this region will make a very appropriate place to practice horseback riding and camping. The trained staff combined with the greatness of Machu Picchu will make this horse riding tour unforgettable!

Key Information

Horse Breed: Peruvian Paso and Criollo
Rider Weight Limit: 100 kilograms / 221 pounds

Highlights

3 days of horse riding
Approximate daily riding time: 5 - 6 hours
Riding along Cusco to the sacred valley of the Incas
Enjoy the view of many mountain ranges in Urubamba
A guided tour to Machu Picchu archaeological site
Use of provided saddle bags and camping gear
Train tickets from and to Ollantaytambo
3 nights' accommodation

Skill level

Intermediate
Advanced

Styles

3 days with instruction

Program

Peruvian Paso Horse

What is the Peruvian Paso horse?

The Peruvian Paso horse is a horse breed native of Peru, descended from horses introduced during the conquest and early colonial times. This breed is protected under Peruvian law and has been declared Peruvian breed by the National Institute of Culture.

The Peruvian Paso horse is characterized by a lateral gait or "flat step" that is his characteristic. It is typical of the northern regions of Peru, where it was originated. However, the Peruvian Paso horse gets adapted successfully to the Andes of Peru, where it is prized and it is used for general sightseeing tours in the Sacred Valley of the Incas and the surrounding areas of the city of Cusco like Sacsayhuaman, Temple of the Moon, and Maras Moray.

What is the most important feature?

The way of walking of "Peruvian Paso" is the important characteristic about the Peruvian Paso horse. Unlike other breeds of horses in the world, it is his walk, trot, or intermediate speed. The trot is called "flat step" in its most typical rhythm but may have different velocities, which in turn, may be executed by the same specimen. This makes the ride especially nice. Softness is one of the fundamental virtues and more appreciated in this horse breed.

It has an innate harmonic displacement. The Peruvian Paso horse has the characteristic of the most predominant harmonic movements in the arms than in the legs. The march differs markedly from the lateral movements of other breeds. That is why it is one smooth movement horse, very comfortable to ride.

How safe is it the horseback riding tour in Cusco?

The practice of outdoor activities has inherent risks. To reduce them to a minimum, Horseback Riding Cusco works with qualified personnel and qualified guides with experience in the places in which they operate. They are proud of their guides, and muleteers. All have a deep knowledge and great love for the work they do. Thanks to them, their safety record is excellent.

Who will be your guides?

For all Horseback Riding Cusco's programs will be accompanied by muleteers and professional guides who constantly ensure your safety and satisfaction in your adventure. All the guides are graduates of the University of Cusco and technical training institutes, they are accredited with their respective Professional Carnet.

Advice for horse riders

This tour is organized for all travelers and doesn't demand good physical condition because there are not hard activities to do. This package is dedicated to families.

Rating your horseback riding ability

This is a critically important first step in choosing a riding tour. For most of Horseback Riding Cusco's multi-day riding trips, you must have a good knowledge of the basics and some experience in riding cross-country.

The tour guide has full authority to exclude a rider from a trip for inability to ride or behavior that endangers the other riders or the horses. No refunds will be made under these circumstances.

If you wish to participate in a ride that requires experience beyond your current ability, please contact Horseback Riding Cusco to learn about lessons at the ranch. They can teach you the fundamentals of the classic Peruvian equitation. It may be possible to increase your comfort level and skill to a level that will allow you to participate in one of our rides.

Beginner

A rider who has limited experience, is unable to apply basic aids, and does not have a firm and balanced seat.

Novice

A rider who is capable of mounting and dismounting unassisted, capable of applying basic aids, comfortable, and in control at the walk.

Intermediate

A rider who has a firm and balanced seat, is confident and in control at all paces, but does not ride regularly.

Strong Intermediate

An intermediate rider who is currently riding regularly and is comfortable in the saddle for at least six hours per day.

Advanced

All of the above, plus an independent seat, soft hands, and capable of handling a spirited horse in open country.

Itinerary

Day 1: Horseback riding from Cusco to Sacsayhuaman - Piuray Lake - Sinqa Mountain

The tour starts since you will be picked up at 07:00 from your hotel and then be transferred to the ranch where you will meet the horses and the guides. You will talk about how to ride the horses, how to keep the safety, how to check the saddles, and the instructions to ride the horses on the uphill and downhill.

Today, you will ride about four hours beginning in Cusco to Sacsayhuaman, the upper part of Sacsayhuaman, and finally arrive at the camping zone that is located in Sinqa (3,725 meters) and next to this point is the Piuray Lake (3,670 meters). Today ride includes the highlight of the Altiplano of Cusco, the mountain ranges, and a lot of flora and fauna along the way.

Day 2: Horseback riding from Sinqa Mountain - Chincheros - Huaypo Lake - Tiobamba

The second day will be more exciting. You will ride the horses on the Altiplano seeing the local farmers making their daily activities. The second day will be the longest ride including five or six hours of riding and having a picnic to enjoy your lunch on the halfway to the Inca complexes.

Following an easy way and mostly flat, you will pass Chinchero (3,720 meters) as well as Huaypo Lake (3,508 meters) and finally arrive at Tiobamba (3,550 meters) where you will set up the tents to spend the night in this very quiet little village. Tiobamba village is the door to the sacred valley of the Incas. It means you will see a lot of mountain ranges in the other side of the canyon of Urubamba with the peaks over five thousand meters such as Chicon (5,530 meters), Capacsaya (5,044 meters), Pumahuanca (5,318 meters), and Halancoma (5,367 meters). This day's landscape also offers a lot of view of the local people and agricultural activities.

Day 3: Horseback riding from Tiobamba - Moray - Maras - Sacred Valley of the Incas - Aguas Calientes

Today, the horseback riding tour will be more exciting than the last day. After country breakfast with a spectacular view of the mountain, you will begin the guided tour to Moray agricultural laboratory (3,470 meters). Here, you will have a nice introduction how the ancient civilization developed many agriculture tactics on the highlands. Then, you will continue riding following a nice downhill path for a visit to the Maras town (2,980 meters) and then the salt mine. From this point, you will just go downhill to the Sacred Valley of the Incas and continue riding along Urubamba River through lots of agricultural fields till Yanahuara Village (2,890 meters) where the ride ends. You will ride around five hours.

Around 14:00, there will be the last lunch session in Ollantaytambo (Sacred Valley) and then you will be transferred to the train station. After that, around 16:00, you will board the train to Aguas Calientes, the bottom town of Machu Picchu. If time permits, you will have an optional visit to the thermal baths located in the next of town. You will spend an overnight stay at a comfortable hotel with a private bathroom and a hot shower.

Day 4: Aguas Calientes - Machu Picchu - Cusco

At 05:00, you will have breakfast and in a half hour later, you will take the first tourist bus to Machu Picchu main door to be the first visitors inside Machu Picchu archaeological site. You will have a complete guided tour of this spectacular and mystical place. The guided tour will include a walk through the different sections such as the urban, agriculture, and religions zone that was used by the Inca culture. According to the time and your feeling, you can coordinate with the tour guide to climb to Huayna Picchu (Young Mountain).

This climbing takes around an hour to get to the summit from where you can have the best view for photos of all Machu Picchu and of the deep green canyon surrounding the sacred Inca city. At a mentioned time, you will take the tourist bus to descend to Aguas Calientes Town. Lunch will be in town and then you will take the train to Ollantaytambo (Sacred Valley) and from Ollantaytambo, you will take a private van to drop you to the hotel in Cusco.

Note: If this is your first time going to the Andes or High Mountains, Horseback Riding Cusco recommends getting information about the altitude sickness.

What's included

3-day horse riding
5 - 6 hours of ride per day through the highlands
Official English-speaking guide
Use of horses and saddles
Use of provided saddlebags if you like to put your personal items
Use of camping gear of three people capacity tent for two participants with enough room to save your personal stuff
Entrance to each archaeological site mentioned
Entrance to Machu Picchu
Dine tent (private service only)
Train tickets Ollantaytambo / Aguas Calientes / Ollantaytambo
Bus up and down to Machu Picchu
All food for the camp staff
3 nights' accommodation

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