Transfer Option:

Day 1: Afternoon pick up from the airport in Oaxaca and transfer to the finca. Settle into your room. Have a cool drink on the terrace and soak in the vistas of Teotitlan & its spectacular countryside that are yours for the next week. Meet your guides and horses before dinner. Every evening enjoy a cocktail before our dinners that feature fresh regional Oaxacan cuisine. Our local specialties are savory but never fiery although there is always a fresh salsa on the table for those who like it hot.

Day 2: Hearty breakfast of fresh tropical fruit, yogurt, homemade granola, Oaxaca estate coffee or our famous hot chocolate along with a different hot & savory breakfast offered daily.

Meet at the stables just below the guesthouse where we match each guest to their horse. Today we head east to the Cuevita, a sacred ceremonial site to the native people of Teotitlan. These trails are lined with exotic vegetation and a gentle ascent offers excellent views of the southern Sierra Madre Mountains.

Passing ancient terraced hillsides we cross over a saddlepass - gateway to the foothills of the Sierra Juarez. The Pierda Azul Dam is a haven for water fowl, and a menagerie of livestock and birdlife congregate daily on its banks.  Riding parallel to the Rio Grande, this quiet dirt road lined with the yellow flowering Calaverita trees is a nice place to pick up the pace.  A "sit-down" picnic lunch is waiting along the grassy riverbanks of Teotitlan's own Rio Grande.

This afternoon we ride south skirting the western slope of the river, through dramatic volcanic rock groomed with ancient candelabra cacti. Farther along we enter the classic farmland of the valley; alfalfa fields, corn crops and open spaces for grazing.

... from October to May we ride in the morning and return for lunch. The afternoon is free to explore and then we finish the day with a sunset ride.

Every evening enjoy cocktails before dinner which always features fresh Oaxacan cuisine. Our local specialties are savory but never fiery.  A fresh salsa is always on the table for those who like it hot.

Day 3: Today’s ride is new to the itinerary with the destination being Matatlan, an important Mezcal-making village, about a 20 mile ride away. We wind through the valley on excellent footing - a perfect opportunity to trot and canter. We pass through the quiet craft village of Santa Ana del Valle before entering a stand of old-growth cacti. Turning south an area of fascinating rock escarpments is dappled with pre-historic caves dwellings. A narrow trail leads us to the top of Caballito Blanco, a true mesa with panoramic views of the broad valley and grand sierras.  This area is the home to some of the oldest known civilization in the Americas. We ride right through the hamlet of Tanivet, famous for its cacti fences. As we near our destination, the flat valley turns to rolling hills covered in blue agave plantations. Lunch awaits us in Matatlan where you learn how mezcal is made and of course taste the fine artisan varieties produced here.  A short car ride along the famous Pan-American highway leads us back to Teotitlan.  Approx. 5 hours

Day 4:  Today's ride explores the valley to the southwest and its unique geological formations left from extinct volcanos.  Deep russet-colored earth carpets trails lined with native flora that lead to the remnants of the old Camino Nacional.  Worn paving stones still mark this long-abandoned road. Winding westward we’ll find the hidden entrance to an enchanting mountain pass which opens up to sweeping vistas.  A gentle descent into the valley leads to oxen lanes that traverses an ancient lava flow and ascends passing agave plantations to our destination for lunch - a narrow mesa that is an ancient ceremonial site. Weather permitting we will picnic under the shade trees and soak up the views. 

From here the finca is in sight and a pleasant ride though sandy stream-beds and native farmland ends on the cobbled lanes of Teotitlan. We ride by Teotitlan’s recently uncovered pre-Hispanic archeological sites.   Sunset cocktails before dinner.

Day 5:  Ride due south and into the foothills of Teotitlan’s extensive communal lands, look up over its wide rolling hills and you will likely spot eagles and Cara-cara hawks.  We cross a dry gulley and head towards the village of Santa Ana del Valle.  The trail, ideal for a long canter, leads us to a spring-fed oasis and natural bird sanctuary.  The steady ascent ends on a forested slope, gateway to the village’s remote and virtually impenetrable backcountry. From this extreme eastern vantage point the view stretches over hundreds of miles. 

The earthen trail that divides the lands belonging to Teotitlan and Santa Ana is a perfect place to pick up the pace before turning north on the ancient road to Tlacolula. Massive stone mojoneras dot today’s ride, monuments to the ancient Oaxacan tradition of marking village borders.
Lunch is back on the terrace of the finca.   4 hours of riding

Optional afternoon excursion:
Explore the far points of the valley of Tlacolula. Visit the ancient archeological site of Mitla, famous for its intricate carved stone facades and the 2,000 year old cypress tree in El Tule – the widest tree on earth! Stop to see the early colonial church in Tlacochahuaya, decorated in a delightful native Mexican style.

Choose between a hired taxi at $12 per hour or English speaking guide & driver at $25. Allow 3-4 hours

Day 6: The ride begins due south, passing Teotitlan’s colorful cemetery on the edge of town.  Cobbled lanes soon give way to natural tracks that lead to a spring-fed wetland - a hotspot for native birdlife. The distinct of Dain Zaa, Zapotec for "the Cloud Mountain," lies ahead and houses one of the area's best preserved cactus groves. We pass stands of wild cane before turning our gaze to the west. We’ll spend the rest of the day on the communal lands of the villages Santiaguito and Machuilxochitl. Not only will we see traditional farming methods but we can explore these villages on horseback, admiring the wild cane fences, flocks of turkeys and wonderful brick homes. Leaving houses and streets behind the ride along a sandy river bed offers up-close views of the areas fascinating geology.  Weather permitting a sit-down picnic lunch awaits at a scenic spot within the rolling hills.  The journey back to Teotitlan crosses a series of small waterways, the dry open plains contrasting with lush gullies nourished by the rains. Finally the sound of hooves on cobblestone signals horses and riders that Casa Sagrada is not far away.

The afternoon is free to explore, enjoy a massage or traditional native Temascal  (ceremonial herbal sauna)  Sunset cocktails before farewell Mexican grilled dinner.   6 hours of riding

Day 7:  Hearty breakfast. Transfers to airport or hotel in Oaxaca if you are extending your stay to the city of Oaxaca, a UNESCO declared world heritage site where great shopping and beautiful colonial architecture awaits you.

                          Itinerary subject to change!

This trip includes some wine with dinner and can accommodate special dietary requests.

Riding Level: Good Novice to Good Intermediate (special rides for beginners can be arranged with different guide)

Tack: Mexican Vaquero, Australian or English saddles. Helmets are available.
Horses: Quarter and Criollos mix
Min/Max Riders: 2- 6
Min Age: 12
Pace: All paces

Tack:		Endurance, English Wintec, Mexican Vaquero. Helmets are available.
Horses:		Mexican Cavalary Horses, Arabian Endurance Horses, Mexican Criollos
Pace:		All paces. There are horses for all riding levels. | Walk | Trot | Canter |
Level:		(2.5 to 3.5 out of 5)    Good Novice +
Age:		Min 12
Weight:		Max 260 lbs
Riders:		Min 3 riders	Max 6 riders (per riding group)	Max Capacity 14

Riding Level: Good Novice to Good Intermediate (special rides for beginners can be arranged with different guide)

Tack: Mexican Vaquero, Australian or English saddles. Helmets are available.
Horses: Quarter and Criollos mix
Min/Max Riders: 2- 6
Min Age: 12
Pace: All paces

Passports
Passport valid for at least six months after date of entry required by all nationals referred to in the chart .
Passport Note
(a) Applicants for Blue Tourist Cards should have a valid passport, return/onward ticket and proof of financial means. (b) Tourist Cards must be kept by the visitor during the entire length of stay as they will have to be presented and stamped on leaving.

Visas
Not required by nationals referred to in the chart above, who can obtain a Blue Tourist Card for touristic purposes from their airline on direct flights, at port of entry, or from the Mexican Consulate before travelling, for 180 days, except nationals of Australia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Slovak Republic and Slovenia who can stay for up to 90 days.
Visa Note
(a) Nationals seeking to visit Mexico on business are advised to check with the consulate regarding visa requirements as they may need to apply for a Non Immigrant Business Visitor carnet (FM3). (b) Nationals not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements