Trip Type: Gastronomical

One of the oldest and proudest cultures in Colombia is the culture of the “Arriero.” The Arriero is the cowboy and trader of the coffee-growing region, a hardworking man passionate about horses. The development of the country’s interior was made possible by the adventurous and industrious spirit of these brave men, who, through pack trains or groups of horses and mules, colonized the most remote corners of Colombia’s complex topography.

This program is designed for riders with an Intermediate to Advanced level who enjoy adventure and horseback riding in open spaces, natural settings of unique beauty such as the Andes mountain range—a horseback journey under the influence of Argentine gaucho culture.

Brazil offers a landscape diverse and beautiful as a backdrop, and the chance to sample the real gaucho world, and make no mistake, this is for real! The hardened gauchos and their agile beloved “Criollo” steeds make a formidable combination in the environment of their work. The “Gaucho do Brasil,” the legendary South American cowboy, refuses to break with tradition which makes for; Dixit UNESCO: the gaucho way of life the liveliest equestrian culture in the world. The Brazilian Gaucho lives in the southern states of Santa Catarina, and Rio Grande do Sul, and all have roots in Europe due to the large numbers of immigrants who arrived in the 18th & 19th centuries, pioneers mostly from Portugal, Spain, Italy, Germany, Austria, Holland, and Belgium.