General Informations

Trip length: 12 days

Riding days: 8 days

Riding hours: between 4 and 7 hours per days

Meeting point: Santiago Airport

Number of participants: between 2 and 10 persons

Level: Good control over 3 speeds and a good physical condition. Step is the basis of our journey but we also have some good opportunities for gallops in the open spaces…

Minimum age: 15 years and under  must be with an adult.

Climate: Mountain climate: warm during the day, cold at night with wind

Dates: From December till April

- From 9 January till 20 January 2012 confirmed
- From 16 January till 27 January 2012
- From 31 January till 11 February 2012
- From 21 March till 1 April 2012

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Santiago. You will be picked up in a private vehicle (minibus or 4×4, depending on the size of the group). We leave directly for Talca (2 hrs by car), south of Santiago, in the province of Maule. On the way we enjoy a short break at a vineyard for a wine tasting and to stretch our legs. We follow our road via the “ruta 5” to spend the night in Talca in a quaint little lodge out of the city. Dinner is served in a local restaurant.

Day 2: We leave early in the morning and head by car towards the mountains to a little place called “Puente de Piedra” ( +/- 1,5 hrs).  After lunch we load the mules and you  make acquaintance to your new 4-legged companion. We leave for the Dial-lagoon. After approximately 5 hours on horseback we arrive at some hot springs, providing that the water level of the river permits us. Once arrived, we settled for our first night underneath the stars in a tent.

Day 3:  We follow our trail through the Huanquivilo valley, passing the “Los Bagres” police control post. This is a small post that aims to prevent animal trafficking to Argentina. After a long day on horseback (6 to 7 hours) we arrive at the Dial-lagoon. We settle our camp for the night along side the shores of the lagoon.

Day 4: Today we go high into the mountains; a journey with a lot of ascends and descends! We arrive at a top with a fantastic view of the lagoon and the valley. We resume our trail and cross various little streams of lava….
At a certain point we find ourselves only a few meters from the Argentinean border. We follow our road through the Saca-valley and spend the night on the shores of a river.

Day 5: The trip leads us to the Maule-river, riding through the Baldes canyon. After 5 hours on horseback we arrive at the summer fields of El Toro. On our way we might spot some condors….Night on the summer fields in tents.

Day 6: The trail we follow today leads us through the summer fields, past some remarkable round wholes (probably created by a meteorite) and snowy mountain tops (December-January). Around lunchtime we arrive at “Las Nieblas” to soak in the breathtaking view over the Maule-lagoon and the Campanario mountain. Dinner and night at the shores of the Maule-lagoon.

Day 7: Today we enjoy a relaxing day at the shores of the lake with plenty of opportunities of hiking, kayaking or swimming. Dinner and night at the shores of the Maule-lagoon.

Day 8: We descend through the Sin Puerta-lagoon and we find ourselves surrounded by magnificent lava streams. We make our way through the high mountain tops towards the San Pedro-berg. We settle our camp for the night on the high summer fields and share a grill meal with the Arrieros (local cowboys). These Arrieros spend all summer in the mountains to keep a close eye on the cattle. Night in tent.

Day 9: We reach the summer fields of “Los Valles”, at the foot of the San Pedro and San Pablo volcanoes. We can take in a beautiful view on the Rio Blanco waterfall. Our trip is almost at its end and we make our way back to our departure point “Puente Piedra”. Dinner en night in the lodge in Talca.

Day 10: Return to Santiago. Free afternoon to discover the city and to pick a restaurant. Overnight stay in cozy hotel in the center of Santiago.

Day 11: On this last day we visit Valparaiso. It is a little less than a 2 hours drive in order to admire this quaint little village, declared world heritage by Unesco. Discover this magical city by foot and through its antique elevators. Lunch in Valparaiso. Return for the night to Santiago, free choice for dinner.

Day 12: Breakfast in Hotel. Transfer to Santiago airport, end of program.

Important: we go to very isolated places on this tour and we only have emergency communication means (Spot) at our disposal. Rescues in case of problems can take longer. The program can be changed due to climate changes or other influences outside of our powers.

Price: 1400 euros

The price includes:

• All transfers in private vehicle from Santiago according to program.
  Full pension during expedition on horseback.
  Half pension on day 10 and 11 (breakfast & lunch).
  Specialized bilingual guide, horse & equipment, mules.
  Camping material except sleeping bags on the basis of tents for 2 people.
  Nights according to the program, on the basis of double rooms.
  Caps en minichaps if necessary.

The price do not include:

• Health and medical repatriation insurance.
  Alcoholic drinks at restaurants.
  Dinners on days 10 and 11 in Santiago.