Horseback trail Ride in SPAIN - THE SMUGGLER TRAIL RIDE BETWEEN CATALONIA & SPANISH PYRENEES

INN TO INN TRAIL RIDE IN SPAIN, CATALONIA & PYRENEES
INDICATIVE ITINERARY *

Day 1: Welcome. Meeting at the horse farm at the end of the afternoon, and you will meet the team. Before dinner, the week's program is presented, as well as the peculiarity of endurance horses, Arabs and Anglo-Arabs crossed. You will have the opportunity to have a one-on-one conversation designed to find each rider their perfect horse.

Day 2: On horseback to Besalù. The peaks of Alta Garrotxa surround you. The air is poignant, with the scents of wild herbs and Mediterranean perfumes. After a good canter, enjoying beautiful views of the Fluvia river, you have a picnic in an oak forest. In the distance, you can see the medieval village of Besalú. It is a Romanesque jewel, with its bridge over the two rivers and its Jewish past, with its almost intact old quarter. Strong, well-trained horses are still full of strength. The trots are long and rhythmic along small paths with breathtaking views of the Pyrenees. You then spend the night in Besalú where you discover this medieval town at sunset.

Day 3: On horseback to Oix. Today is a long, beautiful day in the saddle. After changing direction, you descend into the valley of the Fluviá river, the largest river in the Girona region. You cross the ancient village of Algelaguer and, following a stream, you canter across the plains of the Vall de Llierca. This is the start of a historic smugglers' trail between France and Spain. You stop for your picnic at the edge of a large river basin, under an impressive Romanesque bridge. An excellent site for a refreshing activity after lunch. This spectacular landscape is the gateway to the Alta Garrotxa region, one of the most beautiful natural parks in the region. Your accommodation today is a charming hotel, a Catalan farmhouse in the village of Oix. 

Day 4: Beget. After an excellent breakfast, you set off for a more relaxed day to discover the astonishing Hormollier valley. It is certainly the wildest and most preserved place in the region where you can appreciate a great biodiversity of fauna and flora. After a descent into the next valley, you enjoy a delicious picnic by a small river. This is a great place to swim with your horse (depending on the season). You then follow the famous walking path between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic coast. In the afternoon, you arrive in Beget, a beautiful little mountain village, nestled in the middle of a gentle mountain landscape. This village has retained all its original charm, famous for its Romanesque church, its original tower and its Black Madonna, a jewel of Romanesque architecture. Your hotel for the night is El Forn, it was the village bakery and now it is a well known restaurant in the area. Famous for its local Catalan dishes and excellent local mountain wine, even Richard Gere got lost here ...

Day 5: On horseback to the high peaks. After a good breakfast and the preparation of horse window, you continue your journey on horseback through beech forests and meadows covered with wild flowers. Local farms are huge constructions built by the local aristocracy and wealthy Barcelona merchants in the 16th century. Again, Catalan Romanesque architecture is still present in the arches, doors, windows and churches of this area, making for wonderful photographs. Your destination is the village of Espinavell, another small smugglers' village untouched by time, just 5 kilometers from the French border. You stay in a family mountain hotel with the beautiful presence of the “La Costa Bona” mountain in the background. The specialty of this restaurant is its delicious “vadella” with mushrooms, wild boar civet and Ratafia, the house liqueur.

Day 6: Where the Eagles Fly. Today you climb the highest mountains on your trail ride: Costabona Mountain. After an early start, you begin to climb a winding track alongside a river. Soon you leave the track because here there are only rolling mountain meadows and wildflowers where you enjoy some very beautiful gallops. The views are immense and breathtaking, the light is that of the Pyrenees. You come across herds of cows and wild horses that graze here for the summer. It is very common to see eagles, vultures and herds of wild goats and deer. After days of horseback riding in the countryside, it is pleasant to arrive in Camprodon: a lively town once popular with the Catalan aristocracy. The hotel is located right in the center, a great opportunity for shopping and visiting the local bars.

Day 7: Day 7: The Peaks of Puigmal. Today you leave the village of Camprodon, heading towards the La Moixa farm for the narrow Feitus valley. You go up through a beautiful path between forests, with a gentle but sustained climb up to the green part, at 1600 meters. Cantering through its immense meadows, then you gently climb into the mountains. You will enjoy a splendid view of the Catalan province of Girona, with behind you: the Serra Caballera, and in the background Montserrat, cut out on the horizon. To the north, you discover the highest peak in the region, Puigmal, which with its 2,913 meters dominates the horizon. On a steep descent, you will picnic next to the horses, near a watering hole. Your descent through trails and forests takes you back to the Camprodon valley, near Sant Pau de Seguries, where you leave the horses for the return home. Finally, a friendly “goodbye” with the Catalan cava and the team before transfer to the hotel in Camprodon where you spent the night the day before.

Day 8: Departure. Departure after breakfast, airport transfer.

* Indicative itinerary that can be modified if necessary.