Trails of Andalusia

SEVILLE – CORTIJO LA CORBERA (UTRERA)
Pick up is at 4 PM from the Santa Justa train station. Transfer to the equestrian center La Corbera, south of Seville, near Utrera, about a 20-30min drive.
The center is part of a beautiful Cortijo, a traditional Andalusian country estate. Introduction to the horses and the stables. The accommodations are at the finca, with 8 charming bedrooms overlooking the fields and the horses. Enjoy a welcome drink at the Cortijo and settle into your room before your welcome dinner.

HACIENDA LA CORBERA – HACIENDA LA INDIANA
Today will be a short ride for riders and horses to get acquainted. Ride through agricultural land and pine woods before enjoying an aperitif in the countryside. Next experience some trots and canters to the beautiful Hacienda La Indiana before enjoying in a picnic lunch in the woods near the hacienda. After lunch, ride back to La Corbera. Dinner and overnight at La Corbera.

HACIENDA TORREQUEMADA – VILLAMANRIQUE DE LA CONDES –ARDEA PURPUREA
The ride will start at Torrequemada, a XVI c. Hacienda of Andalusia. Enjoy a brief visit of Torrequemada, a traditional stop of the pilgrims on their way to El Rocio on the Camino de Triana. After riding through farming land of olive trees you’ll reach the pine forest for an aperitif stop. Continue along the Camino de Triana and stop for a picnic lunch at the Dehesa de Torneros. In the afternoon cross the river Quema, where the pilgrims heading towards El Rocio traditionally are baptized. Continue the ride on to Villamanrique de la Condesa, to the beautiful cortijo Ardea Purpurea. Dinner and overnight at this charming place dedicated to the Purple Heron, due to its great location for birdwatching in the boundaries of Doñana.

VILLAMANRIQUE – PALACIO DEL REY – EL ROCÍO
Ride through pine woods and the Dehesa de Boyal, a forest of holm and cork oaks. Follow the Camino de Pilas and later the Camino de Hinojos, where you’ll stop for your morning break. Then join the Raya Real, an impressive wide sand avenue surrounded by forests of pines, cork oaks, and eucalyptus, where many trails meet for the last part of the pilgrimage. Lunch will be served near the beautiful Palacio del Rey, a royal hunting lodge built for Alfonso XIII. In the afternoon you will reach the destination of the pilgrimage on horseback: El Rocío, the international village of the horse, with the church Ermita de la Virgen del Rocío. It is a unique village; all the houses have stables and all the streets are sand tracks. When the pilgrimage takes place this village hosts a million people and thousands of horses! We will stay at a traditional house of El Rocío, which has been restored with all modern comforts. Dinner at a local restaurant with beautiful views of the marshlands.

EL ROCÍO
Today is a half day ride around El Rocia where it is possible to canter from the church to a bar. Aperitivo near the river Ajoli. Lunch at a restaurant in El Rocio. Overnight at the Hotel Pato Malvasia. This evening enjoy some spontaneous flamenco at a local bar.

CAMINO DE MOGUER – DONANA NATURE RESERVE – CABEZUDOS
Today follow the ‘Camino de Moguer’, along the stream of La Rocina, which runs for 40km and is called ‘La Madre’ as its waters are the source of marisma, the marshlands which are the heart of Donana. Along its banks one can often see many different species of birds and at times, deer and wild boar as well as a variety of plant species. Stop in the countryside surrounded by pine trees where the pilgrims from Huelva rest when making the Rocio pilgrimage. Ride to the lagoon of Rivatehilos through forest of savine and mastic shrub. Lunch near the lagoon. In the afternoon ride to the abandoned village of Cabezudos where the horses will stay. Transfer to the Parador de Mazagon for dinner and overnight.

CABEZUDOS – ATLANTIC COAST – MAZAGON
This day will take you to the most Western part of Donana. This area is very little known and has its unique beauty, combining lagoons with forests of great diversity, wild shrub, rockrose, mastic, rosemary and thyme and spectacular wild flowers blooming in early spring. Aperitivo stop by the Laguna de la Piedras. Gradually abandon the forests to reach the dunes which in this part of the reserve are fossilized. Enjoy a picnic lunch at the top of the dunes overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Afterwards descend towards the beach and ride along the coast for more then 7kms, ending the ride with exhilarating canters on this neverending beach. Farewell dinner and overnight at the Parador de Mazagon.

Day 8. SEVILLA.
Breakfast and transfer to Sevilla, to the airport or the Santa Justa train station.