Horseback Riding Trip in SPAIN : THE SPANISH PYRENEES BANDIT TRAIL

THE SPANISH PYRENNEES BANDIT TRAIL RIDE
INDICATIVE ITINERARY *

Day 1: Meeting at Barcelona airport at 5:30 p.m. or at Girona airport at 6:30 p.m. A shared transfer takes you to your first accommodation: a beautifully situated riverside mill. South American atmosphere ! Your host's garden is a wonderful paradise for you to relax ! During the dinner, you meet your guide and discuss your ride.

Day 2: Besalu - A pearl of the Middle Ages.
In the morning, meeting with the horses, your week companions. The horses are saddled and off you go ! The trail winds through enchanted forests. Holm oaks and pines are the dominant trees. The forest thins out and you reach the Fluvià river. Here, the horses can quench their thirst and you enjoy a delicious picnic. After a siesta, you set off again at high speed to the medieval city of Besalú. Your accommodation for the night is a hotel next to the magnificent Romanesque bridge overlooking the Fluvià river and the city. Dinner in a local restaurant in the Plaza Mayor.

Day 3: Garrotxa, land of volcanoes.
You leave the enchanted forests and dive into the land of volcanoes. A gently cultivated landscape, but which also seduces with its wild side. Extinct volcanoes seem to rest until the end of time. The most recent eruption dates back a few thousand years. Only the black lava and a few craters are reminiscent of past eruptions. In the river at the edge of a hidden village, you cool off before your picnic. Then it's nap time! In the afternoon you set off at a trot and a canter towards a medieval village. Your comfortable accommodation is in the Market Square.Jour 3 : Garrotxa, terre de volcans.

Day 4: Serrallonga.
On horseback you continue your ride through a history of millions of years. The earth now becomes ocher, brown and black. The dark lava rock contrasts with the light green hardwood forests of this area. Break at a bar for lunch in a typical Catalan village. The village fountain gargoyles and the trees provide pleasant shade. Brilliantly, your Spanish horse climbs in the afternoon in a superb landscape. In spring and summer, gray rocky mountain trails meander through deep green beech forest. In autumn, the forest shines with its golden colors: "Indian summer", the atmosphere is reminiscent of Canada. The open cattle pastures offer great views of the valleys and mountains. A majestic monastery rises highest at the tip of the mesa. You discover one of the most beautiful viewpoints in Catalonia. You spend the night here and will be woken up the next morning with the sun rising over the sea !

Day 5:Canyons and plateaus.
You ride through lush pastures, descend into valleys between mighty table mountains: canyons like in Arizona ! and waterfalls that plunge steeply into deep gorges. You can hear the cries of large birds of prey soaring above towering rock formations. The rainforest you pass through was once the haunt of outlaws. It contrasts with the red, brown and silver of the rocks of the Table Mountains. At the heart of this fascinating mountain environment, you will discover an isolated chapel, where a delicious lunch awaits you. After the break, the ride takes you to the very end of the Table Mountains: A spectacular view as you skirt the steep cliffs ! Above you hover the vultures. A small eagle's nest village stands majestically on the edge of the mountain. Below, Canyon Lake glows dark green. You spend two nights in this idyllic place.

Day 6: Table Mountain Panorama.
Today you walk through an ancient beech forest like thieves. The horses move from their foot to before a break where they are enjoying pasture next to a herd of cattle. You then discover a breathtaking panoramic view of the entire Table Mountains. Here you enjoy a picnic from the panniers. Well rested, you then begin the descent. Spectacular rock formations accompany you on the way back to the remote village. From the terrace of your accommodation, you can observe the pasture where the horses rest.

Day 7: High plateau.
Today you ascend to a high plateau with spectacular views. Here, north and south, the Mediterranean and the high mountains, merge in a very special way. Lush meadows and dense beech forests cover the territory. The ferns spread out, the virgin forest proliferates and seems impenetrable. The temperatures are pleasantly cool, many springs and streams refresh riders and horses. In the heart of the high plateau is Jordi's solitary and cozy horse farm. All you can hear is the wind in the trees, the chirping of the cicadas, and the babbling of the stream. In the evening, a "thief" menu is served on an old wooden table, and stories of Catalan bandits are told over a glass of wine.

Day 8: End of your trek after breakfast and transfer to Girona or Barcelona airport.

* The itinerary is indicative, it can be modified in case of meteorological imperative or other imponderable. On certain dates: the ride can be done in the opposite direction.