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URUGUAY : DISCOVER CRIOLLO'S HORSES HISTORY THROUGH AN ORIGINAL CAMPING RIDE...

Itinerary - Extensions - Horses and required riding level
Guiding - Accommodation - Dates and rates - More infos / booking

"Tango, mate and Criollo's horses", this is Uruguay! The word "gaucho" in Latin American Spanish, means friendly and crafty. Doing a "gauchada", means helping somebody. From that it comes out what sort of mentality have these rugged but free men who take care of the vast herds in the pampas of the south of the continent. Be a gaucho is not a profession, it's a state of mind ! You're invited to discover them in Uruguay before they disappear, absorbed by modernism. In this small country where people keep on living quietly, not being bothered with PIB, PNB, and so on, they are nostalgic for the traditions of the gauchos and not one Uruguayan can speak about the "Criollas" feasts without having tears in his eyes. Horseback riding is the only way to work cattle here and the gauchos are very proud of their horses. Criollo horses are well trained, steady and are ready to move out at a good gallop on command. The mares, their foals, their parents, and sometimes their owner are always the main subjet when chatting while having maté (South american traditonal drink). You're invited to share the activities of the gauchos for the time of one horse riding trip, in two regions that we choose for you, with beautiful sceneries, green pastures with rolling hills, Eucalyptus forests, garrigues, bushes and ancient trees. From one estancia to the next one, the gauchos show you their job and introduce you to lassoing, gathering herds, sorting animals, etc... Every night we share their meal, with uruguayan wine, listening to stories of the countryside, songs and poetry raised by their simple way of life. Some estancias are specialised in "Criollo" breeding, those that you mount during the trips. Our saddles are "recado" type, the one that the gauchos use everyday.

ITINERARY

These rides are welcomed by the Sociedad Criolla, active gauchos and all those who participate to gaucho tradition and spirit band together to defend it.


CABALGATA CRIOLLA

Lavalleja is a rural department, with the "Cuchilla Grande", a small mountain range running throughout its territory. The riders are welcomed by the Sociedad Criolla, an association formed by working gauchos and all those who love the gaucho's spirit and tradition.
Horseback riding is the only way to work cattle here and the gauchos are very proud of their horses. Criollo horses are well trained, steady and are ready to move out at a good gallop on command. The mares, their foals, their parents, and sometimes their owner are always the main subjet when chatting while having maté (South american traditional drink).
Every day you go to a different estancia (South American farm) where people are proud to show you their traditions, their ability in working cattle, etc...
Eucalyptus plantations, pathes bordered with bushes in blossom, large areas of sweet smelling garrigue, steep cliffs with pine trees, lovely quiet rivers, uruguayan nature invites you to riding.
In all our trips, we try to make riders meeting local gauchos and people of the countryside. We also draw the attention on old traditions and very simple way of life of the inhabitants, very close to nature. Some very old estancias have gathered instruments of the old times and registers showing their activities since more than hundred years.

Day 1 - Arrival in Uruguay (night in hotel - Montevideo)
Welcome at the airport of Carasco (Montevideo) . Rest in the morning. After lunch visit of Montevideo city and the Gaucho Museum (working days only).
Free evening, or even dancing Tango !

Day 2 to Day 9 - 8 days trip in Minas region
In the morning of day 2 transfer to the trip starting area (2 hours).
Route take you from an estancia to another one through the Cuchilla Grande.
Daily stages are 4 to 6 hours, without difficulties. Horses are criollo breed, strong horses with good character.
Our saddles are "recado" type, the one that the gauchos use everyday. Leading guide is a french horse professional, speaking english and spanish. The rest of the team are real gauchos, even the cook.

Every night a vehicle meets the riders at the stopping place, with the cook, food and riders' luggage. For lunch we bring a picnic in the saddle bags ; for dinner, the cook prepares a good gaucho meal, with fine local wine.
The riders participate to the different tasks of the gaucho : gathering and counting cattle, veterinary treatments, health baths, lassoing, leather work and harnesses maintenance.

Nights are under tents, near the estancias, except for nights 4, 7 and 8 when you sleep at the estancia, in bedrooms.
Day 3, in the evening, you are invited at the "Sociedad Nativista Criolla" in Minas, for a party with local barbecue, mate, music and dance.
Days 7 and 8, you're welcomed by the old estancia "Cascada". Through the generations, the owners are breeding pure Criollo breed horses. They are members of the "Uruguyan Association of Criollo breed".

On day 9, last stroke to the horses and back to Montevideo at the end of the day.
Evening at the Carnival of Montevideo (Trail from March 8th to 17th) or evening at the feast Criolla del Prado de Montevideo (Trail from April 4th to 13th). Night in hotel.

Day 10 - back to your country
Relaxed morning, last souvenirs purchase and transfer to Carasco airport.

NB :The activities of working with cattle will not take place necessarily the exact day as stated in this programme. They depend on unpredicable factors as meteorology, other particular job to do at the estancia, etc....

CABALGATA PATRIA GAUCHA

The "Fiesta de la Patria Gaucha" is held every year in Tacuarembo, in northern Uruguay. It's one of the biggest in South America, with nearly 3000 horses attending. Gauchos in activity, retired gauchos, those who have the soul of a gaucho, those who love the gaucho'spirit, everyone comes to the feast, with "bombachas" (special trousers for horse riding), cotton shirt and scarf held by a decorated silver ring. You can see rodeo shows, dressage competitions (the gauchos'way !), lasso and boladeras competitions, and the parade of the associations Criollas, that specially came all the way riding from all over the country. Then comes the great parade of all the participants, 3000 horses mounted by Uruguyan, Brasilian and Argentin gauchos, the last indians, gaucho women dressed in old time costume, with the children. Every night, enjoy the show of all the singers of gaucho'songs, danse, poetry. And also the "fogon" contest (traditional dwelling of the gauchos, in the old times).

As many people, you come to the feast after a 6 days riding trip, starting from an unspoiled area : you can see there the vegetation that already existed when the first europeans discovered the continent.
For those who love Tango, Carlos Gardel, the famous composer, was born in Tacuarembo.

In all our trips, we try to make riders meeting local gauchos and people of the countryside. We also draw the attention on old traditions and very simple way of life of the inhabitants, very close to nature. Some very old estancias have gathered instruments of the old times and registers showing their activities since more than hundred years.

Day 1 (2nd March) - Arrival in Uruguay (night in hotel - Tacuarembo)
Welcome at the airport of Carasco (Montevideo) then transfer to Tacuarembo (5h30) . Night in hotel.

Day 2 to Day 7 - 6 days trip in TACUAREMBO region.
Day 2 in the morning, transfer to the starting point of the trip, around 20 Km away.
Riding from an estancia to the next one, little by little you penetrate the hard life of the gauchos, proud of their traditions, musicians and poets in the evenings while sharing a nice "mate" (bitter herb tea) around a wood fire. By rivers and waterfalls, round hills in blossom and laurel bordered pathes, your reach Tacuarembo where the "Fiesta de la Patria Gaucha" will be held.

Daily stages are 4 to 6 hours, without difficulties, hilly land with lots of rocks.
Horses are criollo breed, strong horses with good character.
Our saddles are "recado" type, the one that the gauchos use everyday. Leading guide is a french horse professional, speaking english and spanish. The rest of the team are real gauchos, even the cook.

Every night a vehicle meets the riders at the stopping place, with the cook, food and riders' luggage. For lunch we bring a picnic in the saddle bags ; for dinner, the cook prepares a good gaucho meal, with fine local wine.
The riders participate to the different tasks of the gaucho : gathering and counting cattle, veterinary treatments, health baths, lassoing, leather work and harnesses maintenance, etc...
Nights are under tents, near the estancias, except the last day of the horse trip (day 7) where the night is spend at hotel in Tacuarembo.

Day 8 and 9 - "Patria Gaucha" feast (nights in hotel in Tacuarembo)
Every rider is free to watch the activities that he likes as the guide will give everyone the programme translated.

Day 10 - "Patria Gaucha"
Patria Gaucha feast then transfer to Montevideo (5h30) Night in hotel.

Day 11 (12 March) - Back to your country
Transfer to Carasco airport.

NB :The activities of working with cattle will not take place necessarily the exact day as stated in this programme. They depend on unpredicable factors as meteorology, other particular job to do at the estancia, etc..

EXTEND YOUR TRIP

HORSES AND REQUIRED RIDING LEVEL

YOUR GUIDES

ACCOMMODATION

You'll be accomodated 6 nights in camps built in the estancia property.
As we are staying in real working Estancias, mostly dedicated to cattle breeding, these estancias cannot provide accomodation for tourist like hotels. This is the reason why we will camp.
Only 3 night during the Gabalgata Criolla ride, are spent in room inside the estancia.
Three nights are spent in hotel in the beginning and at the end of the ride.

For lunch, picnic are provided by organization that you'll bring in your saddle bags (saddle bags are provided).

Your luggage will be transfer from camps to camps thanks to our vehicule.

We'll ask our a participation for brushing horses, saddle and unsaddle, building and take down your tent.

DATES AND RATES

Flights to Montevideo

Please contact us to check the best available rate from your country.

RATE INCLUDING

- the trail ride as it is described, on full board basis. Except lunches when days in Montevideo and Tacuarembo
- the transfers from and to Montevideo airport together with the other riders.
- the financial guarantee of the deposits you send to Randocheval

RATE NOT INCLUDING

- flight to and from Montevideo
- drinks
- lunches when days in Montevieo and Tacuarembo
- any other service
- tips and personnal expenses
- insurrance : repatriation aid or multiple-risk (cancellation, luggage, repatriation). Please contact us for rates. You can subscribe to these insurrances only if you are an resident of EU or Switzerland. If you live outside European Union, please check with your local insurrance company.

BOOKING - INFORMATION

Contact Claire, the specialist for this destination !

PRATICAL INFORMATIONS

COUNTRY

LENGTH

LANGUAGE

GROUP SIZE

ACCESS

CLIMATE

REFERENCE :

CH120-uruguay