MOUNTAIN ESCAPE
OVERVIEW
For hundreds of years when temperatures rose in Madrid, the great and the good made their pilgrimage to the beautiful Sierra de Gredos mountains for the cooler temperatures, beautiful landscapes, and in those days, excellent hunting.
This short break, riding in the mountains and the valleys of Gredos, is a great introduction to this part of Spain in the heart of Castile. Great views, very diverse landscapes, great changes in the vegetation and the terrain, a varied pace depending on the terrain. Hours in the saddle and pace of the ride can be adapted to suit private groups needs and abilities.
LET’S RIDE
TRIP HIGHLIGHTS
Dreamy mountain escape
Four nights in an iconic historical hotel
Well trained Spanish horses
Guided by the serene Selma
Old-school feeling riding from village to village
Dreamy pop up gourmet aperitivo on rides
Restaurant dinners with wine included
OVERVIEW
RIDE GUIDE
Duration: 5 days / 4 nights / 3 days riding
Cost: €1,450 per person sharing + a single supplement of €150 for your own room for all four nights.
Operator: Equiberia
Languages: You must speak fluent english to join our rides
Max Riders: 10
Min Riders: 6
Departing: Madrid Airport
Riding Level: Experienced. Many years riding with a natural seat. Comfortable riding at speed over uneven ground in open spaces.
Weight Limit: Maximum of 90kg / 198 pounds in your riding clothes and boots.
Time in the saddle: 4 - 7 hours a day
HORSES
The horses are mostly Anglo-Hispanos (Andalusian & Thoroughbred cross), ranging in height from 15-16hh, and selected for their good nature and endurance.
You’ll ride in english saddle and bridles. Small saddle bags are provided.
This is a great ride for everyone from advanced riders to those just getting back into riding after a long break. It’s social, with safe horses, varying landscapes, comfortable accommodation and wonderful food.
ACCOMMODATION
All four 4 nights are spent at the National Parador of Gredos ***, an ancient hunting lodge built for the king Alfonso 13th. The Parador are famous heritage hotels in Spain and destinations themselves.
This hotel is special as it’s the first Parador opened in Spain.
Single accommodations can be arranged at an additional charge.
WHAT'S INCLUDED
All meals, shared accommodation, horses, guides, road transfers from Madrid at the set times, wine with meals and a very good hotel breakfasts.
WHAT’S EXCLUDED
The price does not include international or domestic flights, mandatory travel insurance, or staff tips (which are optional but appreciated).
Subject to availability you may have your own room at the hotel for a cost of €150.
TRANSFERS
Riders will be met at the Madrid Adolfo Suárez International Airport – Terminal 4 – arrivals at 3pm the day of arrival.
If you stay in Madrid the night before you will need to make your way to the airport for 3pm or we can arrange pick up from your hotel for an additional cost.
On the final day you will be dropped at Terminal 1, usually around 12pm. If you are staying on in Madrid you can take the metro into town or catch an Uber.
RIDING
Comfortable riding through beautiful mountain landscapes, villages and forests. There are some opportunities to canter and the horses are forward and easy to ride.
MEALS
You’ll enjoy a very good hotel buffet breakfast in your historical hotel.
A support vehicle will follow the riders during the trip, meeting for aperitifs and lunches. All the meals are included while on the trek. The local cuisine is excellent and much consideration is taken when planning the meals to provide visitors with a sampling of the many different dishes produced in the area. Lunch is usually a picnic in the countryside with set tables, chairs and small feast every day!
Dinner at the Parador features a varied selection of the typical cuisine. Vegetarians can be accommodated with advance notice.
The usual schedule for meals: Breakfast 8.30. Aperitif at 12.30pm.
Lunch at around 2.00pm, followed by a siesta. Dinner is usually served at 8.30- 9.00pm.
Drinks outside meals - at the hotel bars - are not included. The hotel has a full bar upstairs and many interesting nooks and crannies to explore.
WHAT TO PACK
Refer to our FAQ for what to pack on a horse riding holiday.
Riding boots / Chaps, Sun hat, Riding helmet, Trainers / walking shoes, Shoes you don’t mind getting wet, Swimming costumes, Warm jumper / Jacket (evenings and early mornings will be cold), Light waterproof, Water bottle, Rucksack, Casual wear, Smart casual for evenings at the house though dresses are very welcome too. The beautiful house warrants at least one night in a long dress or dinner jacket, Personal medication, Sunglasses, Mosquito repellent, Sun hat and glasses, Head torch, Portable phone Charger
INTERNET
There is good cell reception on all parts of the ride. Download an e-sim from Airalo and install before you arrive to be connected at all times.
Use our code BLACKS3976 to receive $3 off your e-sim credit.
DEPARTURE DATES
Each ride is €1,450 per person for four nights and three days riding.
The season is open from April to October.
Join an exclusive Black Saddle departure or as a private group with a minimum of six guests.
2025 DATES | €1,450
16 - 20 April 2025 Black Saddle Exclusive
Fill in an obligation-free Rider Profile with your preferred dates and we will get back to you with availability.
SIERRA DE GREDOS
WEATHER + CLIMATE
During the months of June and September you are most likely to experience good weather with pleasant average temperatures that fall between 20°C and 26°C.
Spring (April to June) is a wonderful time to ride in Gredos when all the wildflowers are in bloom.
July has an average maximum temperature of 29°C and is the warmest month of the year.
The coldest month is January with an average maximum temperature of 8°C.
October tops the wettest month list with 114 mm of rainfall.
July is the driest month with 17 mm of precipitation.
ITINERARY
This itinerary is intended as a guide only. Your hosts may change the itinerary to take advantage of weather conditions.
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Pick up at the airport in Madrid and transfer to Navarredonda de Gredos (2 hour drive), a small village in the heart of Castile with a splendid view of the Sierra de Gredos.
This is a region steeped in history, where the Moors and Christians fought, where Romans built roads that have lasted for centuries. Riders will enjoy a welcome dinner and night at the National Parador of Gredos.
No riding today. Two hours driving.
Overnight at National Parador of Gredos. Cell reception and wifi available.
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After a delicious breakfast at your hotel you drive for five minutes to the stable to meet your horses at their stable in Navarredonda.
Today is an easy introductory ride on a circular loop. You will ride in the woods and towards the source of the Tormes River and the mountains of the Sierra de Gredos.
Ride through sylvester pine forests with their red trunks, open fields and trails, towards the mountains with great views of the Sierra de Gredos.
Special paella lunch near the river.
In the afternoon you will ride through the pine woods back to the stables in Navarredonda.
Up to five hours riding
Overnight at National Parador of Gredos. Cell reception and wifi available.
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Morning through the pine woods following the river Tormes until Hoyos del Espino.
Climb up to the village of Hoyos del Collado, where riders will stop for an aperitif. Following an old cattle track, descend towards Navecepeda the Tormes, with a rich vegetation of oaks and poplar trees.
Following the course of the Tormes river, riders will get to the picnic lunch stop, by a fisherman’s hut near the Tormes river.
It is an ideal spot for an invigorating swim in the summer.
Afternoon ride back to Navarredonda, following the course of the Tormes river, with great views of the valley.
Up to five hours riding
Overnight at National Parador of Gredos. Cell reception and wifi available.
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Today's ride is a beautiful one high up on a mountain plateau where you may come across horses grazing on this common land.
You will ride towards the heights of Cañada Lengua, through a yellow ocean of broom in springtime.
Following the ancient cañada, we will get to the heights of los Cervunales, open fields of summer pastures at 1700m altitude.
We will discover the beautiful Laguna (lagoon) of Cañada El Gallo, full of life in springtime. The views of the Sierra de Gredos from these alpine plains are just overwhelming.
You will enjoy a long and lazy gourmet picnic lunch near the lagoon.
Descend towards the village of Hoyos del Espino and ride back to the stables in Navarredonda de Gredos in time to shower and get ready ready for your final group dinner.
Up to five hours riding
Overnight at National Parador of Gredos. Cell reception and wifi available.
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After breakfast the group will transfer to Madrid together, arriving there about 12 noon.
All riders will be transferred at the same time, so if any rider needs to arrive in Madrid prior to noon, all riders will depart earlier - or we will arrange an alternative transfer (at an extra cost).
No riding today. Two hours driving.
PRICES & AVAILABILITY
The season is open from April to October.
Join an exclusive Black Saddle departure or as a private group with a minimum of eight guests.
2025 DATES | €1,450
16 - 20 April 2025 Black Saddle Exclusive
Fill in an obligation-free Rider Profile with your preferred dates and we will get back to you with availability.
HOW TO BOOK
As the ride is less than €2,000 the full balance will be due to secure your saddle.
Cancellation Terms
More than 90 days in advance the full deposit is returned net of bank charges and a €250 cancellation fee per rider to cover our time spent organising your holiday.
90 - 61 days in advance the deposit or 20% of the full amount is forfeited.
60 – 0 days in advance 100% of the full amount is forfeited.
YOUR GUIDE
SELMA SALOME
Ethereal Selma is Danish but has made Gredos her home since she was a teenager. Selma arrived to Gredos in 2018 when she was mentored by Maria Elena, who established the rides here in the 90s.
After being forced away from her beloved horses to attend university, Selma returned at the earliest possible moment to take up the reins as the lead guide. An excellent horsewoman with a calm and serene nature, she will have you relaxed and having fun on trail in no time.
Selma spent a season guiding at Jakotango in Patagonia so many of you may recognise her from there.
ACCOMMODATION
PARADOR DE GREDOS
Built in 1928 to house the king's hunting parties, the Parador de Gredos reflects the Network's commitment since its inception to building hotels in unique natural enclaves, beyond the reach of private initiative.
This Parador also figures in the history books as the place where the founding fathers of the Constitution met in early 1978 to draft the Magna Carta. From that time, the Salón del Silencio (Silence Room) has been preserved, renamed the Salón de los Ponentes (Speakers' Room), where they drafted the first text of the Spanish Constitution.
Rooms are furnished with hand carved wooden furniture with stunning views over the mountains and a full bar.
OTHER RIDES IN SPAIN
SEGOVIA ESCAPE
4 Nights / 5 Days / 3 Days Riding
An easy short-break for experienced riders in stunning Segovia in the heart of Spain. The walled city has a roman aqueduct, a medieval heart and renaissance castles. Even Disney was inspired and the Alcazar was a model for the famous Disney castle.
The riding is fast paced and sporty. You’ll canter and gallop in open fields - a joy for experienced and fit riders. The horses are well trained and forward. We love the combination of incredible views, history and fast riding.
Guided by the wonderful, Ana
DISCOVER FAIRYTALE SEGOVIA
A WEEK IN SEGOVIA
7 Nights / 8 Days
If three riding days is just not enough you can extend your stay with Ana in Segovia to a full week.
This is a progressive ride, moving from hotel to hotel as you over more distance exploring the area.
Experience Segovia at a canter with many opportunities option to jump stone walls and fallen trees.
DISCOVER SEGOVIA AT A CANTER
COMBINATION GREDOS + SEGOVIA
7 Nights / 8 Days
Get the best of both worlds with a tasting tour of both the mountains of Gredos and the history and fast riding in Segovia.
You’ll visit the mountains first, staying in the famous original Parador Hotel and riding with the wonderful Selma, before transferring to Segovia, watching for views of Avila and it’s 1000 year old city walls.
You’ll spend three nights in Segovia with a different itinerary to our short stay, so if you’ve already visited and want more, much of this will be new for you.
DISCOVER THE GREDOS + SEGOVIA ITINERARY
