nicoya peninsula eco/beach horse trek

NICOYA PENINSULA
ECO/BEACH HORSE TREK
This is the perfect mix of adventure & luxury! After the horsemanship clinic your journey begins with your Trek
leader, Jorge Sauma, a local Natural Horseman whose extensive knowledge and connections will get you deep
inside the real culture of Costa Rica for a truly authentic experience. Unbelievable meals, well cared for and
reliable horses with exceptionally smooth gaits, incredible scenery and secluded beaches to gallop along are
just a few of the highlights.
The trip will feature a variety of acommodations, including a Mountain Eco Lodge, Beach House, 5-Star
Resorts, and even a night staying in the rustic home of local villagers. Your luggage will be waiting to meet you
at each destination. Ride through jungles, swim in estuaries, see howler monkeys, dive into lagoons &
waterfalls, enjoy fresh pina coladas and soak up the sun & surf at each stop. The Eco/Beach Trek takes you on
a spectacular journey through exclusive parts of Costa Rica not seen by many tourists, and it full of the natural
beauty unique to the Nicoya Peninsula.
The journey begins at a lovely ranch in the valley of the historical La Mansión, in the district of Nicoya -a small
agricultural village settled in 1891 by a group of 100 families led by Antonio Maceo. Before heading out on the
Nicoya Eco/Beach Trek, you will stay in a beatifully restored hacienda, meet your horse, and take part in a 2-day
horsemanship clinic with Meggie Andrews. As well as developing the partnership between you and your horse,
this clinic will prepare you for riding out on trails and handling your horse in the variety of situations you will
encounter over the next six days.
On the first day of the Trek we will head through the mountains to Hojancha (broad-leaf), a village that has been
the leader in the change from farming & cattle to reforestation and land protection, as evidenced by the many
tree farms that we pass along the way. From there we will head down to the coast, through the small town of San
Pedro, towards the southern part of Nandayure. The following days will be spent on the pristine and lonely
beaches of Corozalito, Bejuco, Jabilla & San Miguel before arriving at the intimate boutique resort, Playa Caletas.
Part of the trek have challenging features and the Costa Rican horses will impress you with their surefooted and
calm abilities.
DAY ONE ITINERARY
You’ll be picked up from the Liberia International Airpot in a private shuttle and driven 1hr
to La Grama Farm in the town of La Mansión de Nicoya. Relax in the beatiful restored
Costa Rican Hacienda and meet the horses! Take this day to kick back and relax, get to
know your fellow adventurers and enjoy some unbelievable meals and drinks. This is
where you’ll spend the next 3 days of your adventure!
DAY TWO ITINERARY
You’ll be paired with your Trek horse and equipment today and given plenty of time to
make sure everything is ready for your horsemanship clinic & Trek. Spend the day getting
to know your horse and explore the ranch.
DAY THREE & FOUR ITINERARY
Horsemanship Clinic at the Ranch – Exact times will de defined by the instructor
DAY FIVE ITINERARY
We start our journey to the beach, but first we head deep into the mountains where we will
spend the night. Depart from La Grama Farm and ascend over 800 feet into the lush green
wilderness. You will cross many small rivers and streams along the way. Riding under the
shade of the trees keeps things cool. The smooth gait of Costa Rican horses allow to spend
long days in the saddle with ease. It will take us 3-4 hours to get to our lunch stop at Rancho
Doña Elena, where you’ll enjoy an excellent lunch (see pic above). After lunch we’ll take a
long siesta and then we will ride for 45 minutes to get to Río Nosara, where we will spend the
night. Get a cold drink by the pool, have fun at the waterslide, learn to Merengue dance or
just relax at the bar and enjoy the evening soccer games.
DAY SIX ITINERARY
This is a full day. Riding further into the mountains for another 4 hours, we’ll ascend 550 feet
further up to the Finca Ecoturistica Salto del Calvo , encountering cattle and a sugar cane hut
where you’ll get to taste some fresh samples and give the horses some sweet treats. We’ll
have a quick lunch at Carlos’ house before making a rapid descent towards the river,
following 900` of steep swithcbacks down the mountain that your surefooted horse will
navigate with ease. At the bottom is a beautiful lagoon and waterfalls, where we’ll swim and
relax for an hour (don’t forget your bathing suit and water shoes or sandals). We will then
ride alongside the river for another 3 hours, crossing the river back and forth, to get the little
town of San Pedro. Far from any tourist areas we will experience true Costa Rican hospitality
when we spend the night in the home of a simple local family after an evening of incredible
food, fun & entertainment.
DAY SEVEN ITINERARY
We will depart from San Pedro early and climb to the top of a mountain, where the views of
the approaching coast line are truly stunning. It will take us 3 hours to get to the top of the
hill and then another 3 hours to get down to Punta Islita, one of the most exclusive and
famous hotels in Costa Rica. We have left the mountains, jungle and rainforest behind and
reached the beach portion of the Trek from here. We will arrive for a late lunch at our
luxurious Guest house, which has a full kitchen, hammocks, and a beatiful selection of
rooms that you will share with other Trekkers. Make your way down to the resort pool
where the friendly bartender will fix you up fresh cocktails while you watch yet another
breathtaking sunset. We´ll be spending tow nights here to give your plenty of time to enjoy
this exclusive 5 Star resort.
DAY EIGHT ITINERARY
Today we give a much needed rest to our horses and ourselvesriders, while relaxing on this
gorgeous location. There are a number of extra activities available, including a spa day,
surfing, Macaw tour, kayaking, or bring a book and soak up some rays. Your local cooks will
prepare your meals right at the house.
DAY NINE ITINERARY
Departure times will depend on the tides. We will have a leisurely ride along the beach & play
in the waves with the horses for a few hours before ariving at Playa Corozalito for lunch. The
we will head towards the secluted beaches of Playa Bejuco, whre riders who wish can gallop
in the sand and surf for more great photos. We then have to cross an estuary to reach a
privately owned beach house in Playa San Miguel, where we´ll spend the next two nigths.
Enjoy another beatiful sunset while playing with your horse on the beach, or just relaxing on
a hammock right at the beach.
DAY TEN ITINERARY
Again, our departure time will depend on the tide. After a 2 hour ride down yet another
secluded beach, we find ourselves at Playa Caletas. This beautiful boutique hotel is located
where the Coyote River meets the sea and we will cross another estuary to reach the hotel.
There will be lots of time for swimming in the ocean and the pool. Take time to play with your
horse in the estuaries, which are quite wide but shallow enough to easily swim or wade
across horseback, depending on the tide. This is one of the best places for riding bareback
and getting amazing sunset picture.
DAY ELEVEN ITINERARY
We say goodbye to our horses and head home ourselves. The shuttle departure time will
depend on the flight schedules. It will take 2.5 hours to get to Liberia Airport, where you can