Day one: Pick up from SJO airport and drive for one hour to Santiago de Puriscal nestled in the mountains above the bustling and crowded central valley of San Jose. Arriving at the Barking Horse Farm let freshly made juices and delicious vegetarian cuisine help you rest, relax and recover from your flight. Learn first hand about the principles of sustainability by experiencing a day in the life of our family farm.
For detailed information about the farm visit: http://www.barkinghorsefarm.com/
If you arrive early there are rivers and waterfalls nearby to explore.
On this day you will also meet your horse. We take the time to assure a good match between horse, rider and equipment. You will try them out in the ring to assure a perfect match for the journey. For more information on our horses and facilities visit http://www.establosanrafael.com/
This is also when we can examine detailed maps of the route, discuss the trip and answer any questions that the riders might have.
Day two: Leave the farm and travel through mountainous farm land. Ride through fields of sugar cane and visit a traditional "trapiche" which is where brown sugar is made. This is an age old practice of extracting the juice from the sugarcane with a large press and boiling it for many hours in cauldrons until enough liquid is evaporated to produce a delicious brown sugar.
Traveling through a private farm we climb to 3600 feet where on a clear day you can see the ocean in the far distance. From this vantage point we begin to descend through villages where we have lunch at a local restaurant in the quaint village of Pedrenal at about 2800 feet.
Continuing on after lunch to the settlement of Candelarita where we will spend the night with a local family. Here you will have the opportunity to experience true Costa Rican hospitality. Our bilingual guide will be present to facilitate a rich cultural exchange.
Traveling through a private farm we climb to 3600 feet where on a clear day you can see the ocean in the far distance. From this vantage point we begin to descend through villages where we have lunch at a local restaurant in the quaint village of Pedrenal at about 2800 feet.
Continuing on after lunch to the settlement of Candelarita where we will spend the night with a local family. Here you will have the opportunity to experience true Costa Rican hospitality. Our bilingual guide will be present to facilitate a rich cultural exchange.
Day three: In the morning we head out early to get heading towards the rainforest of Mastatal.
The terrain is rugged, ascending and descending through the steep mountains.
crossing rivers and passing cascades and small waterfalls along the way.
We arrive in the evening at Rancho Mastatal. Rancho Mastatal is an environmental learning and sustainable living center, retreat and lodge located in the last virgin rainforest of Costa Rica’s beautiful Puriscal County. Their lodging is unique, comfortable and gorgeous,blending beautifully with the property's forests . Visit http://www.ranchomastatal.com/ for more details.
crossing rivers and passing cascades and small waterfalls along the way.
We arrive in the evening at Rancho Mastatal. Rancho Mastatal is an environmental learning and sustainable living center, retreat and lodge located in the last virgin rainforest of Costa Rica’s beautiful Puriscal County. Their lodging is unique, comfortable and gorgeous,blending beautifully with the property's forests . Visit http://www.ranchomastatal.com/ for more details.
Day four: Heading out in the morning we follow dirt roads that lead us to Lanas. We travel through the Scarlet Macaw Ecological Corridor framed by the National Parks of Carara to the south and La Cangreja to the north.
We spend the next night at the jungle lodge of VerdEnergia, where you will enjoy rustic luxury, sleep in comfortable, artistic rooms and enjoy great wholesome meals. You may choose to cool off from the tropical heat in the swimming pool. Visit http://www.verdenergia.com/ for more information on thier environmentally friendly projects.
Day five: The ride takes us onward through rolling hills and tropical rain forest. We cross many small rivers where the horses enjoy a refreshing drink. The climate is warmer and more humid. Along the way macaws are spotted and tropical flowers and butterflies are in abundance.
We spend the night in a locally owned guest house in the village of Bijagual. We eat our meals at a restaurant owned and operated by a women's cooperative.
We spend the next night at the jungle lodge of VerdEnergia, where you will enjoy rustic luxury, sleep in comfortable, artistic rooms and enjoy great wholesome meals. You may choose to cool off from the tropical heat in the swimming pool. Visit http://www.verdenergia.com/ for more information on thier environmentally friendly projects.
Day five: The ride takes us onward through rolling hills and tropical rain forest. We cross many small rivers where the horses enjoy a refreshing drink. The climate is warmer and more humid. Along the way macaws are spotted and tropical flowers and butterflies are in abundance.
We spend the night in a locally owned guest house in the village of Bijagual. We eat our meals at a restaurant owned and operated by a women's cooperative.
Day six: We begin the day climbing out of the Bijagual valley to a local restaurant with a 360 degree view. The delicious meals are cooked over a wood stove as many meals made in the countryside still are.
Moving onward after lunch, rounding a corner we see the ocean, our final destination.
We descend from 800 feet to the coastal plain, passing through teak plantations where we see even more scarlet macaws.
We arrive at Hermosa beach in time to watch the sun set into the Pacific Ocean.
Day seven: A day at the beach with time to relax.
From here riders can continue their Costa Rican adventure or take a shuttle to SJO international airport which is about 2 hours away.
Cost for this spectacular ride is $200 per day per person.
