Ecuador and Peru once belonged to the greatest Empire of American history, the Empire of the Incas. Today they boast America’s most impressive historical monuments and numerous records in bio-diversity. The Ecuadorian and Peruvian governments are adding more and more territorial areas to national protection plans to preserve their natural wealth and enable sustainable development.

Both countries, and part of northern Argentina, are also bonded by an unique equine breed, the velvet-gaited Peruvian Paso horse.

Two of South America’s finest breeding and riding centers for Peruvian Paso horses, the Ilalo Ranch in Ecuador and the Misterios Peru Travel, have joined together to offer you one of the most exclusive riding vacations in the world.

This unique 14-day riding vacation includes wonderful trail rides in the Ecuadorian and Peruvian Andes on steeds descended from the finest horses of the Spanish Conquest. The itinerary also includes a cruise to the Galapagos Islands, a visit to Machu Picchu - the lost city of the Incas, tours of the historic centres of Quito and Cusco, accommodation at the hotel of your choice and exquisite meals at a South America’s restaurant. This, and many other unforgettable highlights, will provide you with nothing but an amazing experience.

Itinerary:

Day 1
Arrive in Quito (usually one of the evening flights, landing between 10 – 11:30 pm). One of our representatives will be waiting for you at the airport to drive you to the Hotel of your choice. After assisting you with the hotel registration, our representative will brief you on all the details for the following day, and answer any questions you may have.

Day 2
The day begins at 9 am. We will pick you up after breakfast for a 20-minute drive to the ranch Criadero Ilalo, located just 13 miles from the city in the beautiful valley of Tumbaco, situated in the foothills of Ilalo Volcano, a nature preserve.

We start with a short tour of the premises. We will show you our breeding studs and working horses. An explanation of the history and the mechanics of the Peruvian Paso horse will be accompanied by a demonstration of our horses to show you the characteristics of our breed. The demonstration is followed by an introduction to the classic Peruvian equitation. You will have time to become comfortable with our tack and style of riding, and to become acquainted with your mount, before we head out for a wonderful ride in the foothills surrounding the Ilalo Volcano.

We will stop at several lookout points from where the entire Quito valley, including the active Pinchincha and Cayambe volcanoes, will be lain out before us. Picnic lunch en route. During the ride we will climb approximately 400 meters (1,300 feet), from 2500 to 2900 m (8,200 – 9,500 feet).

We will return to the ranch at approximately 3 pm. After a drink, we will drive back to Quito to visit the old town, a world heritage site and one of the best examples of colonial South America. The tour of the city will include a visit to the heart of colonial Quito, including several churches: San Francisco, Cathedral Metropolitana, La Compania and La Merced. We will also take in the Metropolitan Museum and the famous Panecillo, a lookout point from where most of the old town, with its steep and narrow streets, is visible.

Following the visit to the old town we will drive you back to the Hotel late in the afternoon. Dinner will be at the restaurant El Nispero, one of the best restaurants for traditional Ecuadorian cuisine.

Riding time: approx. 4 hours. Altitude: 2700 - 3700 m/8,860 - 12,140 ft.

Day 3 , Day 4, Day 5
After a very early breakfast, we leave the Hotel to match the flight to the Galápagos Islands.The flight will take you one and a half hour. The Galápagos tour is of your selection, we can offer you several options, with the same prices and services.

Day 6
Back from the Galápagos Islands to Quito, where the ILALO EXPEDITIONS Team Hill be waiting for you to transfer you to the Hotel. The afternoon is free.

Day 7
Today begins at 8 am, when we pick you up from your Hotel for the 1.5 hour drive to the Hacienda Antisana, named after the fourth highest mountain in the Ecuadorian Andes (5704 m/18,700 feet).

Antisana is one of the most spectacular reserves in the Ecuadorian Andes. Although it is located only 50 miles from Quito, it has remained isolated for centuries. Antisana is a remote area seldom seen even from afar, and is only accessible through a private paved road. Here are excellent trails on which to ride our Peruvian Paso horses and observe the representative fauna of the high Andes. Cara cars, black-faced ibis, condors, llamas, fox, and deer can be seen in the area.

After arriving at the Hacienda (located at 4000 m/13,100 feet) in the foothills of Antisana and enjoying a welcome drink at the main house, we will mount our horses for today’s ride. Heading south we will ride gently downhill to a nearby valley, before climbing approximately 200 m (670 feet) to a lookout point from where La Mica lagoon is visible. From here we will turn northeast and continue uphill, climbing another couple of hundred meters with Antisana in front of us. The view is spectacular. On a clear day the rock walls of Antisana seem to be within arm’s reach, while the snow-capped peaks of Sincholagua and Cotopaxi are seen in the distance. Picnic lunch en route.

Halfway through the ride we make our closest approach to Antisana. From here we will begin the gentle descent along the main valley back to the hacienda. We are sure to see wildlife along the way. We return to the Hacienda around 3 pm, and are welcomed with a refreshing drink. We will be back in Quito at around 5 pm. Dinner at the restaurant La Ronda and accommodation at the Hilton Colon.

Riding time: 4 to 5 hours.
Altitude: 3900 – 4100 m/12,800 – 13,450 ft.

Day 8
After breakfast, and before the transfer to the Quito airport for your two-hour flight to Lima around noon, we will visit the Equator Monument, marking 0°0’0” latitude.

Arrive in Lima, late in the afternoon, where the Misterios Peru Travel Team will be waiting for you and help you also to sep planning your tour in Peru.

TOUR CUSCO VALLE SAGRADO MACHUPICCHU 7 DAYS / 6 NIGHTS

Day 9: ARRIVE IN CUSCO
At your arrive in Cuzco, you´ll be trabsfered from the airport to the Hotel of your choice, the rest of the afternoon you have off, so you can enjoy Lima.

During the afternoon a CITY TOUR of four hours, a visited guide, Plaza de Armas, Catedral, Templo Qoricancha annd also the archeological complexes near the town, like Sacsayhuaman, Qenqo, Pucapucara y Tambomachay

INCLUDED

• Guide English / Spanish
• Touristic Bus 

DAY 10 VALLE SAGRADO WITH OVERNIGHT
Duration: nearly 10 hours. Breakfast at the Hotel. Picked up from the bus to the guided excursión to the VALLE SAGRADO DE LOS INCAS, youll apreciate the Pisaq as well as the handycrafts market. Lunch buffet at the nice town of Urubamba, after we continue with our tour until we arrive at the touristic center of Ollantaytambo. This day we sleep at a hotel in the middle of Valle Sagrado de los Incas to enjoy the climat, the peace that you breath in this zone.

INCLUDED

• Touristic bus
• Bilingual guide
• Lunch

DAY 11 HORSEBACK RIDING WITH PERUVIAN PASO HORSES AT VALLE SAGRADO.

INCLUDED

• A guide (Chalan) person who is in charge to guide the group during the horseback riding tour
• Horseback riding tour with peruvian paso horses
• Lunch - Buffet

DAY 12 MACHUPICCHU (Over Night)
Duration: nearly two days and one night in Machupicchu
Breakfast to an appropiate time at the hotel. Transfer from the hotel to the train station to go towards the city Aguas Calientes, after that, take a bus, which will drive us to the Incas Citadle in MACHUPICCHU and start a guided visit. For the afernoon, we go back to the Aguas Calientes town, back to the hotel to rest a little bit, during the night you can make free activities. 

INCLUDES

• Touristic train Ollantaytambo / Aguas Calientes (Machupicchu)
• Ofcial tourism guide
• Bus to go to and back to Aguas Calientes /  Machupicchu / Aguas Calientes
• Entrance ticket to Machupicchu.
• 1 night at a 3 stars hotel in Aguas Calientes (Machupicchu)

DAY 13 FULL MACHUPICCHU
Morning free to visit again the MACHUPICCHU sanctuary. During tha afernoon with the train back to Cusco.Transfer from the train station / Hotel in Cusco. Overnight in Cusco.

DAY 14 DAY OFF IN CUSCO
Today you´ll have a free day to do your personal activities in Cusco, for example visit some places you haven´t been during our city tours, museums, Markets,etc.

DAY 15 END OF OUR SERVICES
Breakfast at the hotel to an aprópiate time, transfer from the Hotel to the Airport to match the flight Cusco- Lima

TRIP DETAILS

DEPARTURE DATES
The program is opened all year-round, although the best months are: from the end of June until December. Due to fixed departure dates of the Galapagos cruise, day 1 starts on a Saturday.

MEETING POINT
Clients will be met upon arrival at the Quito International Airport on day 1. You will be taken to the Hotel by private transport.

Due to the transfer back to Cusco and the flight to Lima, do not schedule a departure flight from Lima prior to 3 pm on the final day.

RIDER REQUIREMENTS

Riders must:

• Be comfortable in the saddle for five to six hours
• Be comfortable at the walk, trot and short canters
• Be able to ride up and down steep hills
• Be physically able to hike at high altitudes (9,000 - 13,000 ft)
• Weight limit: 200 pounds/90 kg
• Minimum Age: 16

HORSES AND TACK
The horses are locally bred Peruvian Pasos. This breed dates back to the colonial era of Peru and originates from the Spanish Andalusians. A symbol of their historic and noble past, Peruvian Paso horses are bred for their grace, spirit, and intelligence. These horses like to amble, moving fore and hind limbs on the same side at the same time, unlike other equine races that typically move diagonal limbs at the same time. During the ride you will experience traveling on horseback. The horses are well cared for, strong, and even-tempered.

The tack utilized is very traditional and demonstrates refined Peruvian craftsmanship. The hardwood hex stirrup and the guarnicion, or tailpiece, are unique elements of the Peruvian tack. The saddle is a box saddle and has a deep seat.

ACCOMMODATIONS AND MEALS
 Vegetarian or other dietary requirements will be accommodated with advanced notice. Please contact us with requests.

EXPENSES
Etrance fees to the ruins, train, bus and entrance fee to Machu Picchu and all accommodations.

Not included are: entrance fee to the Galapagos National Park (US 100 per person), flight tickets from Quito/ Galápagos/ Quito, Quito/ Lima, Lima/ Cusco, alcoholic beverages, gratuities, optional activities, personal expenditures and travel insurance.

CLIMATE
Quito's climate can be described as eternal spring, with temperatures ranging from 8-25ºC, with warm direct sunlight cooled by light steady breezes, occasional afternoon showers, and cool –but not cold- nights. Dry season in the capital usually lasts from June until early January. Antisana is located approximately 60 kilometers southeast of Quito, and the temperature there ranges from 4-20ºC.

The climate in the Galapagos depends entirely by sea currents reaching the archipelago. These currents create two seasons, the hot or rainy season from January to April, when the water warms up to 26ºC. Average temperatures can climb to the 30s throughout this season. The dry or cool season lasts from June until November. The colder waters from the Peruvian Current drop to 20ºC, with average temperatures dropping to less than 27ºC.
Peru's climate varies widely, ranging from tropical in the montaña to arctic in the highest mountains of the Andes. In the Sierra area of Cusco and Machu Picchu the temperature ranges seasonally from about 4 to 21ºC (40 to 70ºF). Rainfall is usually scanty, but in the mountains and in the jungle heavy rains last from December to April. In Cusco, in the south-eastern Sierra, annual rainfall averages about 81.5 mm (32 in.).

RESPONSIBILITIES
Guests are responsible for having an adequate, valid insurance policy including cover for all the sporting activities that they are likely to participate in. Appropriate medical insurance is obligatory.

It is understood by Misterios Peru Travel and ILALO Expeditions that guests are in suitable condition to partake in a riding tour, are not riding against any medical advice and that guests know of no reason why they should not be participating in such a tour. Guests will be required to sign a waiver of liability at the start of the tour.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The outfitter extends a warm, friendly atmosphere and riders are welcomed as part of the family. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn about the Ecuadorian and Peruvian culture, but may not be right for those needing a great deal of privacy and time alone.

Please note that many parts of South America are not smoke free.
Laundry services are available in Quito, Cusco and Lima.
A four-wheel-drive jeep will act as a back up vehicle to the tour.

ECUADOR
Most travelers entering Ecuador are given a T3 tourist card upon entry, meaning that you do not have to get a visa in your home country before leaving. These cards are good for up to 90 days in any 365-day period; the length is written in by hand on the stamp.

Recommended vaccinations are: yellow fever, viral hepatitis A, malaria, typhoid fever, and routine immunizations. However, we recommend that all clients consult their physicians for their own personal needs.

PERU
Currently, only a passport and round-trip ticket are required for entry into Peru if the stay is for 90 days or less. Immunizations are also not currently required for entry. However, we recommend that clients consult a physician for their own personal needs.

For the outfitter to be able to make the hotel and internal flight reservations, we will need your passport number, your name as it appears on the passport, and your nationality.

CURRENCY
Ecuador's currency is the US dollar.

The currency used most often in Peru is the Nuevo Sol (plural soles). The easiest currency to exchange is US dollars. Other currencies are only exchangeable in major cities and at a high commission.

Money can be changed in banks, casas de cambio, first-class hotels or with street changers. Casas de cambio are usually the easiest places to change money. Street changers, who hang out near banks, never offer better rates than the best bank rate and have been known to cheat travelers so are best avoided. Rates vary from place to place but not significantly, unless you try to change money at a hotel which charges high commission.

Travelers' checks are changed at a slightly lower rate than cash. Visa is the most widely accepted credit card, but credit cards attract an 8% commission unless you are using it for a cash withdrawal (in Peruvian currency) from a bank. ATMs (Visa and Plus system are most widely recognized) are now the best way to extract money in Peru. Either dollars or soles can be withdrawn from most ATMs, and your bank will often offer the best possible exchange rate on soles withdrawn on a US dollar account.

SUGGESTED PACKING LIST
Since you will be riding at elevations between 2600 and 4350 meters (8,530 and 14,275 feet), lightweight, warm clothing worn in layers is highly recommended. Dinners are very casual; there is no need to bring special attire.

Riding pants/breeches
Riding/Paddock boots (with a heel)
Riding gloves
Riding helmet (recommended)
Long sleeved shirts
Heavy wool sweater
Windbreaker
Warm Jacket
Rain gear (lightweight)
Warm gloves
Comfortable boots for walking and light shoes for wearing at the end of the day
Hat (sun/rain)
Sunglasses
Lip balm
Sunscreen (15-35 SPF)
Insect repellent
Toiletries
Waist pouch
Camera
Film
Swimsuit
Sleeping Bag
Towel
Additional passport photos
Photocopy of passport
Flashlight

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