Peneda Geres Horse Riding Holidays

Join us for the ultimate Peneda Geres horse riding experience!The Peneda Geres national park is one of Portugal’s most wild and unspoilt landscapes with habitats ranging from dense oak forest to high granite mountains. One of Europe’s last, great wildernesses the park covers 70,000 hectares and is in the far north of Portugal close to the Spanish border. It is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna including the Garrana wild horses and the rare Iberian wolf. If you love horses and the great outdoors then this is one holiday not to be missed.

The Peneda Geres horse riding holidays and tours are designed to offer you not only fantastic trail rides through wide open countryside but also the opportunity to relax in the tranquility of the mountains and to appreciate and learn a little about the park’s natural and manmade history.

You can expect fit, healthy and happy horses individually matched to each rider’s requirements, guides who are passionate and knowledgable about the local area, small riding groups, magnificent scenery, great homemade food and wine, good quality accommodation and a wonderful, welcoming atmosphere. We currently offer fun and affordable 8 and 5 day Peneda Geres horse riding holidays and 1 and 2 day short riding breaks.

Wolves and Wild Horses Holiday

This holiday is available as an 8 or 5 day holiday and includes accommodation in a comfortable local hotel or guesthouse. Depending on the time you have available your Peneda Geres horse riding holiday can include visits to historical sites, guided rides and hikes along ancient pathways through wolf territory looking out for signs of their presence and exploring the dense oak woods and groves of birch that provide natural shelter for roe deer and wild boar, through patches of chestnut and holly trees inhabited by squirrels, jays and orioles and from the hilltops look out for eagles and herds of wild horses. Relax by taking dips in the natural pools of the Laboreiro river or thermal baths, to relax and indulge yourself on moonlight picnics and meals with delicious, local products. At night listen out for one of nature’s most spectacular sounds – the howl of the wolf!

Here is the itinerary for a typical 8 day holiday:

Day 1 (Sunday): Arrival/Transfer from Porto international airport if required
Day 2 (Monday) 9:00- meet the horses and ride in the mountains until noon
12:30 – lunch
14:00 – visit the Peneda Geres National Park exhibition to learn more about the region
16:30 – short guided walking trail to the medieval Castle of Castro Laboreiro
Day 3 (Tuesday) 9:00 – day ride to the top of the plateau of Castro Laboreiro for a picnic lunch and the chance to observe the herds of wild, mountain horses.
Day 4 (Wednesday) 9:00 – ride in the mountains until noon
12:30 – lunch
14:00 – walking trail along the Laboreiro river to natural pools where we can swim
21:30 – wolf howl night! We will go in search of the rare Iberian wolf and hope to hear its call
Day 5 (Thursday) 9:00 – ride to the south-east of the mountain to visit the biggest megalithic necropolis of Iberian Peninsula and observe the wild horses and birds of prey. We are in wolf territory and will tell you more about this mythical predator.
Day 6 (Friday) 9:00 – ride in the mountains until noon
12:30 – lunch
14:00 – a gentle cycle ride to the village of Ribeiro de Baixo and the chance to swim in the river
Day 7 (Saturday) 9:00 – ride into the high mountains and the Ghost Valley- a very beautiful valley where oak trees and birch trees give protection and shelter to a variety of plants and animals
Day 8 (Sunday) Departure/Transfer to Porto international airport if required

Please or use the form below to contact us for more information, availability and 2015/2016 dates

Peneda Geres Horse Riding Tours

In addition to the Peneda Geres horse riding holidays we also offer the following one or two day riding tours.

The Transiberico Route
The “Rota Transiberico” is a two day trail ride crossing from Portugal to Spain following ancient smuggling pathways! It is two days of wide horizons with the landscape stretching far out of sight and of rich experiences in a country where birds of prey, wild horses and wolves roam free and you can ride for hours through the untamed beauties of nature.

The Garrano and the Wolf
A two day adventure to take you to the heart of Peneda Geres: two day’s riding through its mountains, tiny shepherds’ hamlets, glacial valleys populated with rocks of strange and curious shapes and old bridges over the clear waters of mountain rivers always with a look out for its wild inhabitants! € per person.

A day in the Mountain
If you’re already an experienced rider you can join us for a one day Peneda Geres horse riding tour. The ride leaves in the morning for the Castro Laboreiro plateau, passing the herds of Garrano wild horses, following the traces left by wolves, learning how they live and how we can identify the signs of their presence. With the largest concentration of megalithic monuments in the Iberian Peninsula, the ride to the plateau of Castro Laboreiro is rich with natural and historic interest. Lunch is a picnic of tasty local products. € per person.