Cotopaxi Horse Round Up in Ecuador

Ride through volcanoes, valleys, forests, and pre-Inca sites with comfortable overnights in highland "haciendas".
This extraordinary ride will reveal a magnificent, unique area that few Ecuadorians, let alone visitors, have ever seen. You will participate in a “round-up" of wild horses in remote farmlands on the eastern mountain range of the Andes. This is a time-honoured annual event in the calendar of a working ranch. Ride with real “chagras” (Andean cowboys) whose lives and work has changed little for generations. To participate in the spectacle of “chagras” at work in their traditional ponchos, llama or goat hair chaps, and intricately carved wooden bucket stirrups will leave you with life-long memories of the "real” Ecuador.

Sample Itinerary

Day 1 
HACIENDA LA CARRIONA
Transfer from airport to the Sangolqui valley in the southern outskirts of Quito. Your stop is in the first highland hacienda of the circuit: Hacienda La Carriona. A forty minute drive, from the busy city to a vast green valley surrounded by mountain peaks from the Andean ranges, will take you to this luxury hotel and home of its host Fernando Becdach. Your suite, decorated comfortably to savour a family environment of the historical haciendas in the highlands also offers a modern bathroom with all necessary utilities. Immaculate garden lined with Jacaranda trees invite the guest to wonder around and discover peace and harmony away from the hustle and bustle of Quito. Its location, on the outskirts of Quito, is ideal for quick access to Quito’s historical centre, birth place of the first and most important colonial art school in South America. You are perfectly well situated at La Carriona to begin your ride in the central highlands through which you will be riding for the remainder of the circuit. Upon your arrival, you will be offered a guided tour in the colonial heart of Quito, or you may choose to spend the rest of the day relaxing by the heated pool, in the sauna, or simply enjoying the beauty of the hacienda and its history.
Day 2:
HACIENDA LA ALEGRIA AND VIUDITA MOUNTAIN
Difficulty level 2 Riding time 4hrs
Early in the morning you will be transferred from Hacienda La Carriona (or your hotel) to Hacienda La Alegria. Gabriel Espinosa, Algeria’s “ patron” will acquaint visitors with his hacienda and then take them to the arena to try out the horses and make sure each rider feels comfortable on his saddle and horse. A 4 hour ride to the Viudita mountain is scheduled in the morning or in the afternoon, depending on the weather. Lunch time will vary.
From its top you will be able to enjoy a spectacular sunset view of the volcano avenue, your riding area for the following days. Native moorland vegetation enriched with the humidity that rises from the coast provides the most unbelievable landscape and view of Quito and its surrounding valleys of Machachi, Pifo, and Puembo. This mountain is a perfect fit for a first day ride on Ecuador’s highlands. In the evening, riders will return to Hacienda La Alegria for dinner served in a cozy environment with a warm fireplace. You may later enjoy our bar and listen to the old farm tales.
Day 3:
PASOCHOA MOUNTAIN AND FARMS
Difficulty level 2 Riding time 5+hrs
Early wake up, take a comforting hot shower followed by a nutritious breakfast in order to get ready for our 5+ hour journey to the Pasochoa mountain which is the mountain you will be able to see from the front garden of Hacienda La Alegria. Riding up to the borders of this volcano allows riders to appreciate all native forest species in the valley of Machachi such as wax palm, podocarpus, Aliso, as well as the Pasochoa Natural Park and peaks up to 4200 mts. Snack at Pasochoa, option to have one hour trekking at the natural reserve and back to Hacienda La Alegria for dinner and over night. Opportunity for canter.
Day 4:
CLOUD FOREST
Difficulty level 3 Riding time 5+hrs
After breakfast you will take a ride at the arena to get sure you feel comfortable with the horse you will be riding. Then we will start our ride to “Monte Oscuro” west side of the hacienda, where you will witness a completely different environment in the Reserve, also be able to observe an exciting change of vegetation in just a short time. After 2 ½ hours of riding up to 3.500 mts on a native tundra vegetation landscape, we will start to descend towards the coast and experience an incredible sub-tropical vegetation from the western mountain chain. We will have a typical Ecuadorian meal at a farm located in the cloud forest; appreciate the exotic ecosystem. We will see a great variety of orchids while we are riding through the primary forest, also giant guneras, natural ferns (the oldest specie of the world), moss and bromeliads covering trees and high altitude bamboo which offers an amazing scenery. Listen to fascinating tales of farmer’s remote life (more than 25 years in the forest); learn about medicinal plants and trees. In the afternoon we will ride to the “Monte Oscuro” where we will spend the night in a tent at 3200 meters high, and have a warm comforting and relaxing dinner. On clear evenings we can see the mountain chain that ends at the coast and some reflection of the coast villages lights..
Day 5:
Corazon volcano
Difficulty level 3 Riding time 6+hrs
Breakfast early in the morning, our ride will be climbing towards the east through a high altitude forest up to the rocks of the Corazon mountain, this majestic mountain overlooks the Aloag valley and its beautiful environment. You will have a wonderful ride exploring the landscape of the haciendas, and the tundra paths up to the base of the mountain (4.300 mts). We will pass by a steep sandy path and continue down hill to the Aloag Valley, on the way we will have snack and continue to Hacienda La Alegria, where we will have a late lunch.
Ride back to Hacienda La Alegria feeling overwhelmed by all the beauty and your personal feat. This is your opportunity to canter back to the relaxing warmth of the hacienda.
Day 6:
MACHACHI VALLEY TO RUMINAHUI AND COTOPAXI NATIONAL PARK
Difficulty Level 3 riding time 7hrs
We start our ride from Hacienda La Alegria, towards the south of Machachi. Enter the slopes of Ruminahui upwards to Panzaleo through the sandy hills next to the rock, where the magnificent Cotopaxi presents the most imposing scenery. You will also be surrounded by the Corazon,Ilinizas, Sincholagua mountains, and the different valleys providing a perfect spot to take a break for lunch at 4200 mts.
In the afternoon we continue surrounding the Ruminahui rocks and slopes up to Limpiopungo lake, part of the Cotopaxi valley, late afternoon we arrive to a cozy lodge (Tambopaxi) for dinner, hot shower, spend a warm and resting night (3700mts high). Next day early in the morning you would be able to appreciate the incredible view of the Cotopaxi, one of the highest active volcano in the world just in front of us.
Day 7:
COTOPAXI NATIONAL PARK TO HACIENDA YANAHURCO
Difficulty level 3 Riding time 5+hr
After breakfast we continue the ride on the Cotopaxi valley. This day will be a good opportunity to canter in part of the ride: crossing terrain that resembles the lunar surface, pass the “Pucara” Incas ruins, Santo Domingo Lake; descend to the Vicious Valley, a canyon formed by the Cotopaxi lava flow route; and spot along the ride herds of wild horses, fox, deer and birds of the area. A hardy welcome will be given to the riders by the personnel at Yanahurco Hacienda, the largest hacienda in the Ecuadorian highland with its 72,000 acres. Its spectacular chagra traditions and farm life will enchant you from the moment you reach its premises. After Lunch, we ride towards Sebretana area where the wild horses pasture freely. Then the roundup starts and together with the chagras, we gather the wild horses towards the farm corrals. The wild horses will overnight in the corrals where the next morning the trimming and branding work will begin. Dinner will be served at Hacienda Yanahurco farm house where we will stay overnight.
Day 8:
HORSE RODEO
Difficulty level 3 Riding time 4+hr
The work in the farm corrals starts in the morning after a pleasant breakfast at Hacienda Yanahurco. At the corrals you will witness the spectacular work and skills of the chagras: the lassoing of the horses and trimming of the hoofs. If you have some experience lassoing or trimming hoofs you can venture and help the chagras with their job. If you have never done this before, today will be a good opportunity to learn and practice the basics of the lassoing. After lunch at farmhouse you will have the opportunity to ride around the area or stay at the corrals watching and helping the chagras. In the evening you will savor a delicious barbeque.
Day 9:
HORSE RODEO
Difficulty level 3 Riding time: 4+ hrs
Breakfast at Yanahurco farmhouse. The horses are still in the corrals and adjacent paddocks. Today is your opportunity to get in contact with the horses on a different manner than you did yesterday. We will try to get close to them without lassoing or using force and establish a trusty relation with them. We have experienced that after approaching wild horses in this manner, they have followed us, as if they were broke and not wild horses.
Horses will be released to the wild to Sebretana area. We will have a lunch box lunch at the Sebretana waterfall and go back to Hacienda Yanahurco for dinner. On the ride towards the Sebretana waterfall there is the possibility that you may observe a speckle bear since the Sebretana is next to the beginning of the Amazon jungle.
Dinner and Overnight at Hacienda Yanahurco.
Day 10:
Hacienda Antisana- Hacienda La Carriona
Difficulty level 3 Riding time: 5+hrs
Departure from Yanahurco at 9:00 am after breakfast to Loma Gorda (Fat Hill) in the Antisana Hacienda. This is a 4 hour horseback ride through the spectacular Andean highlands. José Delgado, the owner of the Hacienda Antisana will give you a warm welcome at his centennial house with a highland herbal tea called “sunfo”. Later you will be served in the dinning room a genuine Ecuadorian lunch. Enjoy some leisure time to chat and relax. Before lunch we farewell our horses that have accompanied us for 9 days of wilderness and full of stamina ride. After lunch, guests will go on a short tour to see part of his 8000 head of sheep, birds endemic to the area such a “Bandurria” the Black Faced Ibis and the Ecuadorian Hill Star hummingbird, the Condors and the “chupil” a typical duck found in the Mica Lake. Night at Hacienda La Carriona.
Day 11
Transfer to airport from La Carriona