TRANSLUSITANIA

From the Spanish border to the Portuguese shores of the Atlantic Ocean . Horseback riding in pristine Portuguese landscapes that are still completely unspoilt by tourism. You will get insights into the traditional way of living and the cordial Portuguese hospitality.

Day 1- Saturday : Departure to Lisbon
Welcome at the airport and transfer by minibus to our horse riding center. Meeting with the other riders, dinner and tour briefing. You will spend the night in a guesthouse in the little Spanish village La Codosera.

Day 2 - Sunday
Breakfast, transfer to the Finca (horse riding center) to meet your horse. Start of the tour in La Codosera. In the morning we will cross pasture land covered by cork-and holm-oaks and will then cross the Spanish/Portuguese border. As we are on Portuguese ground, we will make our way towards the West. We will end up near Portalegre where we will leave the horses for the night. Return to La Codosera by car. You will have dinner and spend the night in a guesthouse.

Day 3 - Monday
We will cross open range grazing land and cork oak forests (always keeping our distance to the "Toros Bravos", the Portuguese fighting bulls). Wide and even paths give us the chance to enjoy some canters. We will have our picnic lunch near Crato in the shadow of a sycamore tree valley. We will then follow an old Roman route, cross a historical bridge and pass by some impressive granite rocks before we reach the little village Aldeia da Mata where we could stop for a while. From there it is just a short way to Cunheira, a romantic country estate where we will stay for the next two nights. Dinner and night in the guesthouse.

Day 4 - Tuesday
After breakfast we leave our hosts to go to see our horses.This day is the longest of the week (about 45 km), that is why it is also the fastest. We will cross vast eucalyptus forests and tobacco fields (depending on the season) as we make our way to Longomel. After the picnic break we will be heading for Bemposta where we will let the horses in a meadow before taking the minibus which will drive us back to the guesthouse near Cunheira, where we will have dinner and spend another night.

Day 5 - Wednesday
We leave after breakfast and notice that landscapes vary between eucalyptus and cork-and holm-oak forests as we are heading for Tramagal. We will enjoy lunch in an idyllic place. The horses will be brought by truck to tomorrow's point of departure. We will then go by car to Torres Novas where we will spend the night. In the afternoon we will go to Golega, the centre of Portuguese horse breeding, where we will have the chance to visit a saddlery (near the Portuguese horses' capital city) and a famous riding school. If we are lucky enough we could see some riders.
We will return to Torres Nova in the end of the day.
Dinner and night in an hotel

Day 6 - Thursday
This morning we will cross the rugged, romantic mountains of the natural preserve "Sierra de Aire e Candeeiros" where our horses will get the chance to demonstrate how sure-footed they are. As the ground is quite difficult we cannot trot and canter a lot. After lunch under the olive trees we will have an excitingly steep descent in front of us that we will make on foot, leading from the heigths of the natural preserve and the "Guardia" radar transmitter, down to the flatter coastal area. You can already smell and taste the salty winds coming in from the Atlantic Ocean. At the end of this eventful day we will reach Juncal where we will leave the horses for the night. We will go by car to Nazaré and spend our first night at the shore of the Atlantic Ocean.
Dinner in a tipical restaurant in the city, night in hotel

Day 7 - Friday
Transfer to Juncal in the morning. We will cross a vast pine forest as we make our way to the unspoilt "Praia do Norte", a sandy beach stretching out across several kilometers, where we will enjoy our final ride. We will reach Nazaré after lunch, a former fishing village, nowadays a bathing resort, situated at the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. Here we will have to say good-bye to our horses. There will be enough time left to go for a swim or do some shopping, before we will meet for dinner and exchange our impressions of the tour. Accommodation in Nazare.

Day 8 - Saturday : Lisbon
Breakfast and transfer to the airport for the departure.

GOLEGA FESTIVAL

The itinerary from the spanish frontier to Golega is about the same as the one of "TRANSLUSITANIA" Thursday and Friday 's afternoons are modified in order to visit the festival.
Friday afternoon we prepare our horses for the visit and move with them to Golega where all the riders are waiting together for the parade, in which we will participate, on the oval place.

Important : during the festioval, you have to be dressed in a correct way ( boots, white shirt, black pants, and if possible sombrero). If you want you could by Portuguese riders clothes but it's very expensive (from 300 euros). For the trail, you can get dress as usual.

EXTEND YOUR TRIP

HORSES AND REQUIRED RIDING LEVEL

Recommended riding level
Even if the main gait is the walk, riders have to feel comfortable at all gaits and to have at least one experience in trailriding. On short distances you may have to set foot on the ground and to walk beside your horse. You have to be able to stay on your horse several consecutive hours (around 7 hours per day) and several days! That is why beeing in a good physical shape is necessary.

Useful information

Wearing a riding hat is advisable. You have to bring yours because they are not provided.

Teenagers are allowed from 16 years old if they are accompanied and corresponding to the required riding level.

Maximum weight: 90 kg
If you make more than 90 kg you will be asked to pay an extra charge of 120 € and a second horse will be brought in order to alternate.

YOUR GUIDES

ACCOMMODATION

Accommodation
The accommodation is planned full board, in double rooms, in a guesthouse or hotel, with hot shower/WC.

Catering
The cooking is typically Portuguese in order to benefit from all the possibilies that are offered by this trail.
At lunch we have picnics brought by the logistic vehicle. For dinners, copious and typical meals are served in the restaurant, table wine is included at lunch and dinner.

DATES AND RATES

Translusitania 2012
March 17 to 24 - 2 riders already booked	1120 €	available
April 14 to 21	1120 €	confirmed
May 12 to 29 - 2 riders already booked	1120 €	available
May 26 to June 02	1120 €	2 seats left
September 01 to 08	1120 €	available
September 29 to October 06	1120 €	fully booked
October 28 to November 04	1120 €	available

Lusitanian Horse Festival in Golega 2012
November 04 to 11 - 1 rider already booked	1240 €	available

Single room supplement :
- Translusitania :150 €
- Golega special departure :175 €,

This single supplement will be applied to each person who registers alone. However, if you agree to share your room and we will find another rider of the same gender, this supplement will be refunded to you at your return.

RATE INCLUDING
- the trail as described above, full-board basis (wine included during the meals)
- transfers from and to airport
- the financial guarantee of the deposits you sent to Randocheval

RATE NOT INCLUDING

- international and national flights,
- beverages except wine,
- tips,
- single supplement,
- any other services or activities,
- insurance : repatriation aid or multiple-risk (cancellation, luggage, repatriation). You can subscribe to these insurances only if you are a European resident. If you live outside European Union, please check with your local insurance company.