This adventure is unique in Europe. Welcome to the ‘transhumance’! You will experience the annual cattle drive, during which the cattle are driven to the northern pastures of Ampurien, the fertile hinterland of the Costa Brava. You will follow the Catalan cowboys up to an altitude of approximately 1,500 metres, where the cattle find lush, green meadows. Along the way, you will encounter a few difficulties such as crossing forests with dense undergrowth, streams (with varying amounts of water), rainy days or cold weather (unpredictable), valleys, deep gorges, high mountains and narrow paths. The herders set off with the herd early in the morning and you will usually catch up with them around midday. You will enjoy picnics together in the heart of nature. The evenings are spent around the campfire with a steaming cup of coffee and accompanied by guitar music. Guests tend to accompany the cattle drive passively; active help with herding the cattle is rarely possible or necessary. You will follow the same route but ride independently.

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival and transfer to the country house, the starting point for the cattle drive! Before dinner, discuss the week's programme over a glass of local wine. You will also learn about the characteristics of Anglo-Arabian and Andalusian horses. A personal consultation will help us find the ideal horse for each rider. This is followed by a delicious dinner.

Day 2: After breakfast, you will prepare the horses with the help of the guide and leave the country estate along a path lined with thyme and rosemary. Alternating between trot and canter, you will ride over hills and plains, past farms and churches, through the unique landscape of the Empordà. Today you will ride without the herd and use the day to familiarise yourself with the horses. Your destination for today is a charming hotel. At dinner, you will meet the herd owner, who will give you some explanations and instructions on how to handle the cattle.

Day 3: After a hearty breakfast, you will saddle up the horses. The shepherds will have already set off with their dogs and the herd at around 6 a.m. You will start the day at a brisk pace. Along the way, you will see old shepherds' huts and natural stone walls. From the hermitage of St. Quirze, the landscape changes to a Mediterranean forest. You will reach Palau Surroca and the castle of La Roca. From here, it is not far to Terrades. Later, you will climb the Sierra de Serralonga and arrive at the Boadella reservoir. Along the reservoir, you will reach the village of Sant Llorenc de la Muga, where you will have lunch. After a break of about two hours, you will follow the herd at a leisurely pace for the rest of the day. You will spend the night near the village of Albanyà in wooden bungalows on a campsite. The horses and cows rest in a nearby pasture. You move into the wooden bungalows and prepare for a convivial dinner with the shepherds and guitarist Frank. For the next 48 hours, you will encounter virtually no civilisation and will have no mobile phone reception. Your adventure has now truly begun!

Day 4: The Bassegoda Massif: After breakfast and preparing the horses, you will begin today's stage. Around midday, you will catch up with the herd, which set off very early, through a dense pine and oak forest. You will immerse yourself in the Bassegoda Massif (895 m), which dominates the entire valley. To reach the mountain passes of Bassegoda and Principis at 1,172 m, you will climb a few hills and steeper passages on horseback. Later, in a clearing in this southern pine forest, you will meet up with the herd. After lunch and a siesta, you will help the shepherds round up the animals and guide them back to the right path, if necessary. You still have some way to go before you reach your camp. In the evening, you will enjoy a hearty meal cooked over a campfire, accompanied by traditional guitar music.

Day 5: You get up early and fetch the herd, which has spent the night in a nearby pasture. You will slowly zigzag downhill along a river, which you will also cross. You will ride to Morató. In the afternoon, there will be time to relax and take a refreshing dip in the river.

Day 6: After a very early cowboy breakfast, you saddle up the horses and set off with the herd. Shepherds and dogs drive the cattle uphill along a densely wooded path. Care is advised in this terrain so as not to lose any of the cows or calves. To your left is the Hexengipfel (Witches' Peak), where rocks block your path and lead you to the Falguera Pass. Somewhere along this route, you will cross the border into France. You ride on to Rocabruna, where you spend the night in a hotel.

Day 7: Today you set off a little later. You follow the herd along the road to the village of Font-Rubí, which you ride through. The journey continues to Campordon. The village is already waiting for you and looking forward to your arrival! The cattle are left behind at a farm in Moixa. You've made it! Picnic and farewell to the horses. Then you can enjoy a well-deserved rest at your hotel in Campordon.

Day 8: Breakfast and departure.

Accomodation
Selected charming riding stables, country houses, guesthouses and hotels, mostly rooms with shower/toilet, form the accommodation on this tour. You will also spend two nights in a tent.
For the nights in the camp (Wednesday and Thursday) it is necessary to bring a sleeping bag and a mat. The luggage should be reduced to the bare essentials.

Saddle & Tack: Trail riding saddles & English saddles. Western saddles upon request. Saddlebags for personal belongings and the lunch picnic are provided.

Experience: Conidence in all gaits and confident on unfamiliar horses in the field. Riding time approx. 5-6 hours daily. Total distance approx. 160 km.

Horses: Andalusians, Andalusian crosses and Anglo-Arabs.