Ajusco Volcanoes & Wilderness

Introduction
Central Mexico Mexico
This extended program includes six riding days, from half-day rides to full days in the saddle. We will take you to some of the most amazing volcanoes near Ajusco Natural Park and other long trails to small, unknown, towns and villages, where you can grab a cold beverage and interact with the locals. You will see breathtaking views from the highest points of Ajusco– all this riding a well-trained horse.  We recommend this for intermediate to advanced riders; we will be going through narrow paths and steep hills, mixed with open fields with fast canters.  The longest rides you will be participating can take up to 12 hours! (Chalma or Tepoztlán upon request for expert riders)

Accomodation


Accommodations
On this stationary ride, all nights are spent at the same location.

Description
There are limited number of rooms at the ranch so we can guarantee quality of service, privacy and a relaxing stay. All rooms are decorated Mexican style with unique paintings, antique furniture and beautiful details in each one of them. All rooms and suites have a private bathroom with hairdryer, shampoo, body wash, conditioner and bathrobe. Each room is also equipped with a heater, safety-deposit box, and extra blankets for your convenience.



We have a heated swimming pool, steam room, Jacuzzi, squash, mini basketball court, riding paddock, bar area and lots more for you to have an unforgettable stay!
Laundry facilities (extra charge) and Wi-Fi are available at the ranch.

Room Occupancy
For solo travelers willing to share, no single supplement fee is charged, even if we don’t find you any roommate.



Meals
All meals are included in this trip.
Usually, breakfasts and dinners are at the ranch and then lunch is on the trail.

Meals are often buffet style, mixing Mexican and international cuisine, with ingredients from the region.

This trip includes some wine with dinner.

Dietary Restrictions
We can cater to all dietary restrictions with prior notice.

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

Riding


Riding Experience
This trip has been designed for intermediate to experienced riders. Some of the horses are less energetic than others but mainly they are not for people who have never gotten on a horse. At times, we can cater to beginners but they pay for a private wrangler who is there at all times to attend and help them with the horse. We have rides of varied length (from 1 hour to 12 hours) and of different difficulty levels (from beginners to experienced).

Pace
Because the terrain of our riders is mostly in mountainous areas, we mostly go at a fast walk pace. However, we do also go at a trot and canter when the terrain allows. There are open fields and flat areas suitable for canters on the trails. On our rides, guests do not have to stay in line, following each other.
This trip includes 6 riding days with an average of 4 to 6 hours spent in the saddle each day. We will cover about 130km in total.

Horses
We have many breeds at the Ranch: Warmbloods, Quarter Horses, Haflinger and Friesians mostly.
The Friesian horses can be used in the paddock and on short trails (less than 2 hours) but, because they are very heavy horses, they get tired easily and are not made for cantering in the fields.
The warmbloods, quarter horses and other breeds are more suitable for long trails in the mountainous areas.

All of the horses are very experienced in the fields and they do not get scared easily. However, you should always keep in mind that they are animals with their own thoughts and can be unpredictable.

The horses are fed twice a day and each one of them gets their very own portion of oat and alfalfa with abundant hay.

After a very long trail (7 hours or more), we usually let the horses rest the next day and we give them a nice bath and their mane and tail are braided. We like to keep our horses pretty and in a good shape because they are the one who makes all these amazing horse-riding experiences possible.

Itinerary


Sample itinerary - subject to changes

Day 1: Arrival
Our drivers will be waiting for you at the airport to help you with your luggage and then drive you directly to the Ranch where our staff will be receiving you with a margarita. We will give you a tour around the installations at the Ranch and help you get comfortable. If your flight lands early, you will have the possibility to meet and maybe even ride the horses. The dinner will be served later on and you can choose from many of our Chef’s specialties.
Meals included: Dinner
Overnight at the Ranch

Day 2: Ajusco Surroundings
On your first riding day at the Ranch, we will take you up the hills surrounding the Ranch from where you can see the small town of Ajusco. This ride is the perfect opportunity to get to know your horse better. After a delicious lunch at the Ranch we will take you inside the crater of the nearest volcano called “El Arenal”. During this ride in the evening you will have an open view to the enormous Mexico City during sunset. Enjoy and relax at the Ranch at night and prepare for the next day’s ride!
Riding approx. 4-5 hours
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight at the Ranch

Day 3: Cerro Pelado “Bare Hill” Volcano
After a delicious and complete breakfast, we will take you for a ride to Cerro Pelado, a volcano which you can see in the horizon from the Ranch. From the highest point of this inactive volcano you can see all over Ajusco and the surrounding wilderness, this is where forest rangers keep guard on the nature in case of forest fires. We will be back at the Ranch just in time for lunch – in the evening we can take you to downtown Ajusco for some shopping and sightseeing or you can do some more riding before dinner.
Riding approx. 5 hours
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight at the Ranch

Day 4: El Capulín Hidden Village and Wild Horses
Now that you got a feeling on the horses and got to do some shorter trails, you should be ready for a half-day in the saddle! Today we will take you to a hidden village called Capulín, where you will have the opportunity to purchase locally prepared beverage called “Conejo” or maybe just an ice-cold “cerveza”. This beautiful village has only about 300 habitants and the nearest city is about 2 hour drive away and if we are lucky, there is a possibility to spot a herd of wild horses on our way.
Riding approx. 5 hours
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight at the Ranch

Day 5: Historical volcano “Xitle”
Xitle volcano, which engulfed and covered several Prehispanic settlements, including famous Cuicuilco pyramid in the south of Mexico City, is another interesting sight for a ride from the Ranch. This volcano doesn't seem that big from the outside but climbing up to the edge, you can see the enormous 300 meter deep crater. It takes about 2 hours to ride to this crater from the Ranch, and the path is so narrow to the top that we’ll have to leave the horses behind and walk for about 10 minutes up to the edge and see the beautiful volcano that destroyed prehispanic settlements in Mexico City several years ago. On our way back to the Ranch, we can take a break for some cold beverages in one of the many “tiendas” and support the local community.
Riding approx. 4-5 hours
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight at the Ranch

Day 6: La Marquesa
After some days of “mountain climbing”, today's ride will take us to a beautiful park called “La Marquesa”. During this ride we have a possibility to see some more wild horses, if we are lucky, and enjoy the rapidly changing scenery of the wilderness; open fields, dense forests, small streams and old wooden villages. When arriving to “La Marquesa” there is a perfect place to do a little race galloping to an open spot where we will have a barbeque and ice cold beverages. After a nice evening of eating and resting, we will load the horses on our horse transportation equipment to be taken back to the Ranch.
Riding approx. 7 hours
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight at the Ranch

Day 7: Los Dinamos Waterfalls or Chalma
This last day of riding we want to take you to a special place called Los Dinamos. This is another National Park known for the beautiful scenery with waterfalls, streams and one of the few rivers providing water to Mexico City. Cold beverages, quesadillas and other local snacks and dishes are waiting for us at the end of the trail. You will have the rest of the evening and night to enjoy all the amenities and fine dining at the Ranch. 
In case you are an expert rider and you feel like doing a very intense trail, we have the opportunity to take you for a 12 hour ride to a place called Chalma, a town that is famous amongst pilgrims all around Mexico. This trail is suitable only for advanced and expert riders because of its very long duration; it is almost like a marathon on a horse! But don’t worry; our horses are in very good condition. On our way to Chalma, we will see everything from open landscapes to mountains. The lunch will be taken in a small town called Santa Marta and when we arrive to Chalma you will get to know the famous church of this small town and purchase local handcrafts and sweets. If you are more interested in riding to Chalma instead of Los Dinamos, please let us know.
Riding approx. 6 or 12 hours
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight at the Ranch

Day 8: Departure
If you have an early flight to catch - we will serve you a breakfast before it’s time to go and one of our drivers will drive you to the airport upon request. In case your flight leaves at night, you will have time to do one last trail nearby the Ranch and we will accommodate with lunch and dinner to your schedule.
Meals included: as needed

** subject to changes due to unforeseen circumstances **

Rates and Dates for Ajusco Volcanoes & Wilderness

Dates Note: * minimum 7 nights during Easter, Christmas, and New Year

Other Info
Meeting: Mexico City
Airport: Mexico City
Transfer: Mexico City

Climate:
                                                Mexico City area