| |
|
 |
| Chile |
|
|
|
| |
 |
|
| South America: Chile: Great Adventure Riding Tours. |
| What: |
Two fantastic journeys of 8 days/7nights with camping nights that takes you into the heart of the Andes and immerses you in culture and beauty of the area. The Great Adventure ride is suitable for beginners and at levels of riders. The Condor Trail Ride is only for experienced riders and adventurers and is available upon request from November to April. Transfers for longer rides are from La Serena. We are also a four day/three night escape but please note this opportunity involves transfers from from Vicuña or Ovalle |
| Dates and Rates: |
Great Adventure ride dates:Oct. 15–22, Nov, 05–12, Nov. 18- 25,
Dec. 20–27, Feb.15–22, March 15- 22, March 27- April 03.
Rates are: Tour dates as given about p. p. in double room / tent
$ 1784 US/933 GBP/1388
Private tour (special dates) p. p. in double room/tent
$ 1970/1030 GBP /1533 E.Minimum 2: Maximum 8
Minimum 2: Maximum 8
Condor Trail: From December to April upon request only.
Rates: Single or private tour minimum of 2 persons, price per person in double room / tent: $ 3126 US/1532 GBP/2175 E.
Booking for set dates, no private tour, price per person in double room / tent: $ 2464 US/1210 GBP/1712 E.
Horseback Andean Wilderness: Our outdoor adventure for riders or non-riders
4 Days/ 3 Nights.
Standard $ 576 US/282 GBP/400 E per person ,double occupancy.
Suite: $ 732 US/360 GBP/505 E pp.do. |
| Horsesense: |
Criollos are they horses of the area, descendents of Spanish barbs and Arabians. Sturdy and with good temperaments they are a pleasure to ride. Tack will be modified trekking saddle covered by soft deep sheepskins, ridden with loose rein Western style. Since these trips are designed with the rider in mind providing you know how to ride and are reasonably fit. |
|
|
 |
| WHAT TO EXPECT: |
| Riding the paths of the Inca and gold diggers -right through the Andes. This hors trips in seven days. You will explore the wild Sierra, the huge Andes and experience a romantic and pure nature. Hacienda Los Andes, which is under German and Austrian management, guarantees you a hundred percent Nature & Adventure in the sun. |
|
| Getting There* : |
| Santaigo Chile is nearest international airport, 500 kilometers north of riding area and from there you would fly to La Serena’s ‘Las Flores’ Airport, next to the Pacific Ocean. Transfers from La Serena are included in package in both 8 day packages to Rio Hurtado Valley and Hacienda Los Andes, your destination is 99 kilometers from Serena. There are three flights a day into Serena. |
|
| Room and Board* : |
Hacienda uses organic products from the region. Fresh fish and freehold beef are the staples, supplemented by green salads, homemade juice and products from hacienda like vegetables, fruits and nuts. After the evening meal we often sit in front of the fireplace at the Hacienda, where we enjoy a glass of Chilean red wine and camaraderie of the group. Hacienda has six bedrooms all with garden fronts, and en suite bathrooms. There is a Jacuzzi and sauna on property, as well as nature reserve with hiking trails. On overnight camping comfortable quality tents are used with Thermarest air mattresses and warm sleeping bags with hygienic inner covers provided by outfitter. |
|
| Weather: |
|
There are 310 sunny days a year. The ranch is situated in the typical dry Andean climate of South America at heights of 1000 meters. As a rule, temperatures at night are around 50°F (10°C) colder than temperatures by day. Spring: September, October, November: average temperature by day 68°F (20°C) Summer: December, January, February, March: average temperature by day 77°F (25°C), may become even warmer until 86°F (30°C)
Autumn: April, May: average temperature by day 68°F (20°C)
Please note consult us about weather conditions at higher altitudes. |
|
|
ITINERARY 1:
Great Adventure Riding Tour
(Inca and Gold Diggers Trail) |
| Day1: |
Transfer (14:30) from the colonial city La Serena to the Hacienda. Time for Jacuzzi, sauna, a walk across the 1000 acres nature reserve. Dinner. Overnight stay / room with private bath. |
| Day2: |
American breakfast and meeting of the team. Briefing of the tour. You will get to know your horse and the Chilean riding style (similar to Western style). Riding tour through the valley Rio Hurtado finally reaching an idyllic mountain village. Picnic in the garden of the Plaza. Returning to the Hacienda through the Andean landscape. Dinner in front of the fireplace. Overnight stay at the Hacienda. |
| Day3: |
Breakfast. Packing saddle bags. Riding along the gold diggers path through the calmness of the Sierra and passing through lonely valleys. It leads us through canyons finally reaching the Andean plateau Oro Blanco, - white gold. In the afternoon, we leave the wilderness behind and stay overnight at a hermitage. We camp and have dinner under fig trees. Overnight stay in comfortable Hilleberg tents with inflatable sleeping-mat and warm sleeping bag. |
| Day4: |
Andean breakfast: home baked bread, goat’s cheese, sausage and fresh eggs. Starting from the oasis which is at a height of 2000 meters( 6,000 feet +), we ride along the historic mule trail of the gold diggers up to the Andes. We are surrounded by a gigantic panorama, tremendous overlook and untouched nature. Lunch break at a spring. In the afternoon it takes us through a canyon to the Rio Hurtado. In the evening we reach the goatherd village Las Breas where we camp beside the river and have a camp fire. |
| Day5: |
Breakfast with a family. After meeting the local people we continue our tour. The track winds through the wide Andean valley passing small, idyllic villages. Picnic in a small village inn. Returning to the Hacienda along shepherds paths. Time for Jacuzzi, a swim in the river or sunbathing under the palm tree. Dinner and overnight stay at the Hacienda. |
| Day6: |
Big breakfast. Today, we are after another adventure with our horses: the Inca-trail. We cross two passes and visit the cave drawings of the Molle Indians who lived with the Inca. You will have a totally different landscape than before: Wide Andean plateaus, small valleys, natural meadows and animals. Picnic lunch. Passing the colorful Sierra and in the evening we are guests at a 120 years old, plain pioneer farm. Overnight stay in tents beside the mountain stream. Camp fire, meeting people, and stories. |
| Day7: |
We experience the romantic and lonely Andes in the saddle.  Along the Inca-trail we cross a pass and come through lonely valleys to the ceremony place Laguna. Glaciers and peaks are the features of this panorama. Picnic. We follow an ancient trading track which still leads to Argentina. Riding across a romantic Western style landscape for hours. Back at the Hacienda it is time for relaxing: sunbathing, swimming in the river, relaxing in the hammock. Dinner and overnight stay at the Hacienda. |
| Day8: |
8.00 am transfer to the airport in La Serena. Certainly, you may stay some more days at the Hacienda and join other adventure activities |
|
| |
|
| CAPACITY: Minimum 2, Maximum 8
DURATION: 8 Days / 7 Nights (4 Hacienda, 3 nights in comfort-tents (Hilleberg)
SERVICES INCLUDED:
Transfer, in and out Hacienda Los Andes from / to La Serena-Airport, Ovalle and Vicuña. 3 overnight stays in comfort tents (Hillerberg), 4 overnight stays at the Hacienda. All meals. Equipment for riding explorations: comfortable Gaucho-saddle with sheep-fur padding, sleeping bag and clean inlet, thermal mat, tent, personal pannier (cup etc.), ice-box, thermo bottle, by request safety helmet, sombrero head and riding gaiters, first aid kit, saddle bags and finally one of our well trained and calm Chilean mountain horses. Any facilities of the Hacienda such as nature trail and river access (Sauna, Jacuzzi not included in price). Explorations accompanied by English, German and Spanish speaking guides. |
|
Itinerary 2:Condor Trail |
For experienced riders and true adventurers I offer this very exclusive tailor-made horseback tour. This is an expedition ride on top of the spectacular Andean mountains, crossing ca. 4000 meter or 12 000 feet, where you will observe condors at their best. For adventure riders who believe they have done everything, here is one extraordinary adventure more: the Condor Trail. This is the best way to observe flying condors below and not above you. An absolutely tailor-made adventure for riders who like to get in touch with the pristine outback of the Andes. You will enter the forgotten world of pure nature, far away from the tourist track. Your base in the wilderness of the Andes will be the lodge Hacienda Los Andes. We ride up to an altitude of 10000 feet (3500 meters) and we will enjoy the most different landscapes which the great Andes offer. This is not a big group tour, I offer this private team-riding excursion into the wilderness only for a maximum of four riders. All services, even packing food and accommodating special wishes, will be personal and have an individual character.
There will be a maximum of four tours per year available from December to April for four persons per ride. That means this great adventure is available for a maximum of only 20 people per year on this planet. There is no fixed itinerary, our customer service for this trip means also we will accept your personal date availability. Clark and Manuela will personally guide this horseback riding tour, and provide you with well trained Chilean mountain horses and my 20 years riding experience in Chile. A professional and safe guided tour is more important than anything else. Welcome to the outback of Chile!
|
| Day1: |
Transfer from La Serena airport to the Hacienda in Río Hurtado. You will stay in comfortable colonial style rooms with private bathroom, dine at candle light and enjoy the crystal-clear sky at night with hundreds of stars. |
| Day2: |
After breakfast we get in touch with the sure-footed Chilean Criollo horses and I will introduce you to the riding style (similar to the Western style). In the late morning we leave the Hacienda and take you out through the spectacular sierras and mountains to the oasis Maiten. Overnight in tents, dinner at the campfire. |
| Day3: |
After breakfast with home-made bread and local goat’s cheese we leave the sierra Maiten and climb on horseback up to 9000 feet into the remoteness of civilization. We continue through the colorful Andes to reach the Valley Sicco and an isolated pioneer style farm, where we will meet the last family before we continue into the outback the next day. While enjoying dinner together with the hospitable goat herd family you will be exposed to a fantastic mountain landscape impression. |
| Day4: |
Early in the morning, because on this day we will have a long lunch break, we are riding into the world of the famous condors. When we reach the pass Laguna, you will see an incredible panorama, sitting 10000 feet high in the saddle, and in front of you countless mountains and no human beings. Here we have a 3 hour lunch break and our sure-footed horses deserve this break, too. This spectacular scenery will continue when we reach the green valley with the crystal-clear river of San Augustin, a view that will exceed your expectations. We ride down to 7500 feet (2500 meters) and camp at the Andean river Río Hurtado. |
| Day5: |
Today riders and horses have a day to rest. Not because the days behind us have been very hard, but it would be a pity to leave this wonderful valley in the middle of the Andes that early. You have time for easy hikes to watch the wildlife and treasure the beautiful mountain scenery; you can take a sun bath or have a swim in the river which is in front of our campsite. |
| Day6: |
This day, if you haven’t experienced it by yourself, is an unbelievable excursion. First we ride through a colorful canyon and then we climb up with our horses to an altitude at 11500 feet (3500 meters). But this is not the end of the story. Here the untouched nature designs for us horseback riders an outstanding situation. The whole day we will continue our ride on top of the tremendous Andean mountain range. To your left and right, hundreds of kilometers of endless mountains and valleys. Most of the time the condors will fly below you. In the evening we camp at a fig tree garden in Maiten, a small sierra oasis with a nature pool. |
| Day7: |
In the morning we leave this outpost Maiten and we ride into the sierra of Cerro Gigante. We pass beautiful planes, great canyons and valleys which are surrounded by the gigantic Andes. After five hours we reach the evergreen valley of Río Hurtado. The Hacienda is our host for a comfortable overnight stay and delicious local food. You can pamper yourself in the sauna or Jacuzzi, have a swim in the river or just relax in the palm tree garden. |
| Day8: |
After breakfast or lunch, whatever suits best your itinerary, we drive you to La Serena airport with our private vehicle. Of course you are welcome to enjoy some additional days in the Hacienda which offers more day tours on horseback, 4x4 excursions into the Andes, 1000 acres nature reserve with hiking trails and the very quiet atmosphere with international hospitality service (English spoken). |
|
|
DATES: From December to April only private tours, dates on inquiry depending on your preference.
RIDING SKILLS: For active travelers who are riders and in normal physical condition. We offer professionally trained horses for each level of riding experience.
CAPACITY: Minimum 2, Maximum 4.
DURATION:8 Days / 7 Nights - 2 Hacienda, 5 nights in comfort-tents (Hillerberg).
SERVICES
Transfer from/to La Serena airport, Ovalle or Vicuña. 5 overnight stays in comfort tents (Hillerberg), 2 overnight stays at the Hacienda including all meals, all equipment provided. |
|
| Itinerary 3: "Horseback Andean Wilderness" |
| An outdoor adventure for riders or non-riders |
This is basically a quick and affordable way to get a taste of the area. Budget minded traveler can be advised by us of how to take public bus transportation to the property or transfer zones.
4 Days/ 3 Nights
p.p. Standard $ 576 US/282 GBP/400 E per person, double occupancy..
p.p. Suite: $ 732 US/360 GBP/505 E pp.do. |
| a. |
Transfer in and out from Vicuña or Ovalle and overnight stay in comfort rooms at the Hacienda. |
| b. |
Relax at the Hacienda (sauna, palm garden). |
| c. |
2 days adventure ride into the Sierra Maiten. |
| d. |
Or alternatively: two one-day-rides from the Hacienda and overnight at the Hacienda. |
| e. |
All necessary gear and English/German speaking guide included. |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
