Colombia - Mountain Adventures
Found at the northern tip of South America, Colombia is bordered by Panama, Venezuela, Brazil, Ecuador and Peru. This colourful country is a must-visit destination; after all it is famed for having the friendliest and happiest people in Latin America!
Colombia is one of the most bio-diverse countries in the world. From soaring Andean peaks and unspoiled Amazon jungle, to coffee plantations and pristine coastlines, Colombia is both varied and beautiful.
There are three routes to choose from:
On the Villa de Leyva Ride, you travel on horseback from Sisga Dam to the heritage town of Villa de Leyva – famed for its colonial buildings, cobbled streets and impressive plaza. Cross the mountains and valleys of Cundinamarca and Ubaté, ride through ancient oak forests and make your way across the arid La Candelaria, before arriving at Villa de Leyva.
The Barichara Ride explores the eastern part of the country, from Oiba to Barichara. Along the way you’ll encounter towns, villages, waterfalls and canyons. Follow in the footsteps of Conquistadors, and later the patriots, who proclaimed the country’s Independence. Often you ride along the cobblestone paths of the ‘Camino Real’ (royal roads), which lead to the colonial town of Barichara.
The 12 night Yariguies National Park itinerary is the same as the Barichara Ride, except there are three additional days of riding in the National Park in the middle.
For these trails, you should be confident enough to ride a forward-going horse in a group situation. A balanced seat is also important, so that you can help your horse over difficult terrain.
There are some opportunities to trot and canter, along hard tracks or roads. You will be covering an average of 20-30km and could be riding for up to 8 hours on some days.
You ride on cobblestone royal roads, rural tracks and forest paths. Your guide tries to minimise roadwork, but at certain points it is necessary to ride on the road in order to go from one network of country paths to the next. The back-up crew are on hand to help control the traffic when your riding group negotiates the busiest sections.
The horses are a mixture of Anglo-Arabs, Colombian Criollos and crossbreeds, ranging in height from about 14hh to 15.2hh. The horses respond to neck-reining. Some have English saddles and some have trail saddles. Martingales and cruppers are used on most of the horses.
Both trails involve some long days in the saddle, but the Barichara and Yariguies National Park rides are challenging routes for fit and experienced riders only. The pace is not overly fast, but the horses are forward going and the terrain can be tough. There are river crossings to negotiate, as well as steep ascents and descents.
There is a rider weight limit of 85kg.
Your first and last nights are spent in hotel accommodation in Bogota.
During the trail itself, you stay in a mixture of small hotels, guesthouses and rural haciendas, all with a healthy dose of Colombian charm.
On most nights there are private bathrooms for each room, but on occasion a bathroom is shared between two guest rooms. Showers are available on all nights of the ride, but it is worth noting that cold showers are the norm in Colombia and so you might not get a hot shower every day.
A limited number of single rooms are possible. A single supplement is payable locally for each night you are able to have your own room.
Set departures are listed below. Additional dates for the Villa de Leyva ride are usually possible for groups of 2 or more - please contact us for availability.
| Holiday | Experience LevelExp Lvl | Arrive - DepartArr - Dep | Price | Itinerary | Availability | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barichara Ride | 6 Jun 2025 - 15 Jun 2025 | 9 nights 9 ngts | £2,367.04 |
|
Book | |
| Villa de Leyva | 28 Jun 2025 - 5 Jul 2025 | 7 nights 7 ngts | £1,985.26 |
|
Book | |
| Barichara Ride | 11 Jul 2025 - 20 Jul 2025 | 9 nights 9 ngts | £2,367.04 |
|
Book | |
| Villa de Leyva | 26 Jul 2025 - 2 Aug 2025 | 7 nights 7 ngts | £1,985.26 |
|
Book | |
| Barichara Ride | 8 Aug 2025 - 17 Aug 2025 | 9 nights 9 ngts | £2,367.04 |
|
Book | |
| Yariguies National Park | 1 Sep 2025 - 13 Sep 2025 | 12 nights 12 ngts | £3,436.03 |
|
Book | |
| Barichara Ride | 19 Sep 2025 - 28 Sep 2025 | 9 nights 9 ngts | £2,367.04 |
|
Book | |
| Villa de Leyva | 4 Oct 2025 - 11 Oct 2025 | 7 nights 7 ngts | £1,985.26 |
|
Book | |
| Barichara Ride | 17 Oct 2025 - 26 Oct 2025 | 9 nights 9 ngts | £2,367.04 |
|
Book | |
| Barichara Ride | 7 Nov 2025 - 16 Nov 2025 | 9 nights 9 ngts | £2,367.04 |
|
Book | |
| Barichara Ride | 12 Dec 2025 - 21 Dec 2025 | 9 nights 9 ngts | £2,367.04 |
|
Book | |
| Barichara Ride | 17 Jan 2026 - 26 Jan 2026 | 9 nights 9 ngts | £2,367.04 |
|
Book | |
| Villa de Leyva | 4 Feb 2026 - 11 Feb 2026 | 7 nights 7 ngts | £2,137.98 |
|
Book |
INCLUDES Accommodation; meals (except lunch and dinner in Bogotá); soft drinks and beer; riding; luggage transportation; town tour and return transfers from Bogotá.
SMALL GROUP SUPPLEMENTS apply which depend on the total number of people booked:
Villa de Leyva: 2-3 riders in group: £305.43
Barichara: 2-3 riders in group: £458.14
Yariguies National Park: 2-3 riders in group: £458.14
SINGLE SUPPLEMENT A limited number of single rooms are possible on some nights of the trail. A single supplement of $40 per night is payable locally for each night you are able to have your own room.
PAYABLE LOCALLY Alcoholic drinks (wine and spirits); lunch and dinner in Bogotá; tips.
NEAREST AIRPORT Bogotá.
TRANSFERS Included from Bogotá airport on the first and last days of the ride.
The meeting point is Bogota International airport.
The first and last nights are spent in Bogota and so your flights can arrive and depart at any time.
Explore the mountains and valleys of eastern Colombia. This area is characterised by rugged Andean ranges, rivers, rain forest and colonial towns like Villa de Leyva and Barichara (where the rides end).
The weather in Colombia is almost ideal all year round. Being in the tropics means the weather is not such much defined by seasons, but more by the area you are in.
The areas where the rides take place are some of Colombia's cooler regions, but days can still be hot and often humid. Average daytime temperatures in this area tend to be in the mid to late 20's °C, dropping to the low 20's °C overnight.
You are close to the equator and therefore should be prepared for the chance of rain, regardless of the timing of your visit.
The horses were all very fit and well cared for. The accommodation was very good and was one of the highlights of the ride. The countryside and scenery was great and I really felt we were seeing "authentic" Colombia.
Ken, USA
Overall rating: 5/5
