Sample Itinerary - Winter ride Subject to changes.

Day 1: Arrival   
Fly to Bucharest airport (please be sure to arrive by 16:15), where you will be picked up and transferred through the spectacular Carpathian mountains to our guesthouse in Sinca Noua (ca. 3 hours). Receive a welcome drink upon arrival, a great dinner and spend the evening with the staff to prepare the week.

Day 2 and 3: Riding in the Snow
For the first two days you ride 2-3 hours in the morning and 2-3 hours in the afternoon. In between, return to the guesthouse for a warm lunch and relax in front of the fireplace. Cantering through the snow is one of the most beautiful experiences on earth. (Although snow cannot be guaranteed, it is still very likely that there will be nice powder snow all throughout January and February)
In the evenings there is time to relax with a home-made liqueur or brandy in front of the open fire, have a drink at our bar, or watch video presentations about the research and conservation projects of your hosts.

Day 4: Rest for the horses and the history of Transylvania
Today is a break from riding for the horses and yourselves so you can experience the history of Transylvania. The group decides as a whole, whether to visit Bran Castle (the so-called Dracula Castle, but you will experience the true history of the place) and the old town of Brasov, or Sibiu (European Cultural Capital in 2007) - or some of the smaller medieval villages of Transylvania.

Day 5, 6, and 7: Winter Rides
Again, head out for a morning and an afternoon ride through the hills, forests, and meadows of the surroundings of Sinca Noua. It is very likely we come across tracks of wolves, lynx or red deer and with some luck, you may also see some of the forest inhabitants of the Carpathians. Evenings are spent in the cozy guesthouse. If you wish, we have the possibility of organizing a trip with a horse-drawn sledge.

Day 8: Time to say good-bye
After breakfast we pack our luggage and are being brought back to Bucharest. Please do not book flights departing before 14:00. 

The above sample itinerary is subject to changes at the tour operator's discretion.

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Sample Itinerary - Subject to changes.

Special Weeks for Novice Riders   Wolves and Bears in Transylvania and the Carpathian Mountains
The Carpathian Mountains represent the largest area of pristine nature in Central and Eastern Europe. More than one third of all wolves, bears, and lynx west of Russia roam these impressive mountains. At the foot of the Carpathians is the village of Sinca Noua, “New Shinca”, a small and picturesque village of some 2,000 inhabitants. Time stands still here, shepherds take their flocks in the mountains as they did for centuries, in the evenings, cows and water buffaloes are brought back from the pastures to the village and there is little noise except the buzzing of insects and the twittering of sparrows and swallows. Hoopoes, bee-eaters, black storks or lesser spotted eagles are commonly sighted and the area has an incredible richness of flowers in all colors.

Day 1: Arrival
We fly to Bucharest airport, where we will be picked up and transferred through the spectacular mountains to our guesthouse in Sinca Noua (ca. 3 hours). You will receive a welcome drink, a local dinner and will spend the evening with the Equus Silvania Team to prepare the week.

Day 2 and 3: Riding lessons
After breakfast you will be shown around the farm and get an introduction into horses. Throughout the next days, we will explain you all about equipment, horse care, saddling and whatever you want to know about horses. For the first two days, you will get two riding lessons each day to learn some basic skills of riding. The rest of the day there is plenty of time for walks through the nature or to hang out on the veranda and read a book.
On Monday evening, you have to possibility to visit a hide in the forest not far from the center, where the chance to see wild brown bears is very high.

Day 4 and 5: Riding lessons and half-day trips
On these two days you will continue to learn with each one riding lesson in the morning, after a lunch you will be taken to some of the interesting spots in the nearby: One day we go by minibus to the famous Dracula Castle, learn about the true history of the place. We continue to the farmer’s castle in Rasnov, which is less famous, but at least as interesting.
The other day we will go for a hike into the Zarnesti canyon in the nearby Piatra Craiului National Park. Stunning rock-walls are along this hike, which will take us for about 2.5 hours through one of the most amazing geological highlights of the Carpathians.

Day 6 and 7: Riding lessons and first trips on horseback into the country side
Again, you will get a riding lesson each morning and in the afternoons you will first time experience a 1.5 hours trip on horseback through the stunning nature.
On one of the days, we will drive into nearby Strîmbisoara Valley and visit the virgin forests there: Here you find huge, hundreds of years old beech, fir, and spruce trees, fallen giants make way for the next generation. An impressing nature!

Day 8: Time to say good-bye
After breakfast we pack our luggage and are being brought back to Bucharest.

The above sample itinerary is subject to changes at the tour operator's discretion.

A HARD HAT IS OBLIGATORY FOR ALL RIDERS! We have a few hats that other guests have left, and that can be used, but we do not know the history/size or fit of these hats and therefore cannot guarantee them.

Operator's Remarks:
-- Due to weather conditions, the order of the programme might change.
-- We reserve to change the program, as long as it doesn’t change the character of the trip.
-- Drinks are included in the price.
-- Guests are kindly asked to contribute with a 40 € donation to our conservation project.
-- The bear hide is a service from the local wildlife management organization and so we cannot guarantee the visit 100%. However, all our guests over the last 3 years have actually seen wild bears. This service costs extra 30 Euro/person.