Experience an authentic celebration of the Andes, with the Mama Negra and immerse yourself in the Chagra or Andean Cowboy lifestyle. You will enjoy some of the most impressive landscapes of the Central Andes of Ecuador on horseback while riding with authentic Chagras who will share their skills and expertise on handling horses. This expedition gives you the opportunity to reconnect with nature and learn some of the basic skills of an Andean cowboy.

Brief Itinerary

  • Day 1: Transfer to Latacunga and opening of the Mama Negra parade
  • Day 2: Mama Negra celebration
  • Day 3: Quilotoa exploration
  • Day 4: Rumiñahui volcano ride and horse handling techniques
  • Day 5: Horseback riding from Cotopaxi National Park to Hacienda El Tambo
  • Day 6: Horseback riding Quilindaña Volcano
  • Day 7: Learning the chagra skills and small cattle drive
  • Day 8: Horse pack expedition towards Hacienda El Porvenir

Level of Difficulty

Technical Level: Beginner
Physical effort: Moderate

NOTE: Horse Riders can’t exceed 220 pounds of weight.

NOTE: Itinerary subject to change due to weather conditions.

NOTE: To participate on this tour you must sing our WAIVER OF LIABILITY. 

NOTE: Horses and saddle provided for tour are Criollo Horses/Western style.

NOTE: It is mandatory to buy a travel health insurance plan

 

Detailed Itinerary

Transfer to Latacunga and opening of the Mama Negra parade

Kick-off is early today, our driver will pick you up from Quito towards Latacunga, where one of Ecuador’s most vibrant festival awaits! La Mama Negra blends indigenous, African, and Spanish traditions in a dazzling parade of music, dance, and color. Immerse yourself in the energy—locals offer fruits and drinks, musicians fill the streets, and the iconic Mama Negra rides through, blessing the crowd. This isn’t just a festival; it’s a once-in-a-lifetime cultural experience! After a day of celebration, the driver will take you to La Cienega for a good night’s sleep. (Lunch/Dinner)

Mama Negra celebration

Today marks the spectacular culmination of La Mama Negra! Experience the energy of traditional dances and vibrant troupes as they take over Latacunga’s most iconic streets in a dazzling celebration of culture and heritage. (Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner).

Quilotoa Exploration

After a delicious breakfast, our driver will pick you up. The first stop will be at Tigua, a small region famous for its art. Colorful landscapes and masks reflect history, legends, and traditions that date back to pre-colonial times. Grab your camera and get ready for an endless series of one-of-a-kind natural beauty. From canyons, mountains, and herds of sheep. This route is one of the most beautiful living paintings in the Andes! 

You will then arrive at Quilotoa Lagoon, considered one of the most beautiful lagoons of volcanic origin worldwide! Its volcanic minerals give the water a beautiful emerald-green tint. It is possible to hike down into the crater to the lakeshore, it is a 3km trail and about a 1-hour walk going down and up again, on the lake you have the option to rent a kayak. After this short excursion, you will have a delicious packed lunch to then continue our way to Hacienda El Porvenir for a good night rest.  (Breakfast/ Packed Lunch/Dinner).

Rumiñahui Volcano horse ride and Horse handling techniques

Grab your chap and ponchos, we will start riding towards the slopes of the extinct volcano of Rumiñahui following exclusive Hacienda paths.  As we travel across majestic Andean panoramas, we will see herds of wild bulls, birds, and other wildlife. We will eventually arrive near the rocky peaks of Rumiñahui where one can see 12 more volcanoes on a clear day. Return to the Hacienda. After Lunch, you will join the chagra to feed the horses and you will learn about the chagra ways of the gear you will be provided (western saddles) and get acquainted with the gear provided (wool ponchos, animal skin chaps). Approximate riding time: 3 hours. Overnight stay at Hacienda El Porvenir. (Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner).

Horseback riding from Cotopaxi National Park to Hacienda El Tambo

We set off from Hacienda El Porvenir towards Hacienda El Tambo on the eastern mountain range. The ride takes 6 to 7 hours and covers roughly 43 km. With the colossal Cotopaxi looming over our trails, we will eventually visit the Pucará del Salitre, an ancient Inca fortress. We will have a packed lunch in the middle of the day. The ride takes us through a wide variety of landscapes such as mountain rivers and small lakes. When we finally reach the farmhouse of El Tambo, we will be rewarded with a traditional dinner and a warm fire. (Breakfast/Packed lunch/Dinner).

Horseback riding Quilindaña Volcano

After breakfast we will ride over the foothills of Quilindaña, an old volcano that has been dormant for millions of years. The trek crosses the plains and slopes of this beautiful peak of 4,878m. (15,999 ft). Here there are still pristine woods of native trees such as the pantza or polylepis (paper tree). We will get off our horses for a while and wander through a gorgeous woods full of moss, lichen and high-altitude bromeliads. Pack lunch is included during the the trip. After strolling in the woods and hearing some local legends, we ride back to the farmhouse at Hacienda El Tambo, where a delicious dinner awaits us. (Breakfast/Packed lunch/Dinner)

Learning the chagra skills and small cattle drive

After breakfast, we start our chagra skill training program. We will learn to handle the lasso, how to handle the cattle, how to tie knots, and the overall skills needed for a small “rodeo” (the local given name to a cattle drive, comes from the verb “rodear” which means surround) that will be held after we learn and practice the skills. Lunch at the hacienda. We will then go trout fishing during the afternoon. The chagras will show us how they catch and prepare trout, a very important part of their diet. Dinner and overnight at Hacienda El Tambo. (Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner).

Horse pack expedition towards Hacienda El Porvenir

Hacienda Breakfast. We ride out early in the morning, heading back to civilization. Following the course of the River Tambo towards the base of Cotopaxi, we take the high route used by the locals and ride though the slopes of Sincholagua Volcano. Packed lunch included. On the way back to Hacienda El Porvenir, we once again cross Cotopaxi National Park, taking a spectacular, panoramic route. We will then reach Hacienda El Porvenir and transfer to our vehicle for the drive back to Quito. (Breakfast/Packed lunch)

Tour Includes

  • Accommodation based on double occupancy (at El Tambo only machai rooms available)
  • Described meals
  • Described activities
  • Licensed English speaking guide
  • Riding gear (riding helmets, wool poncho, water poncho, saddlebags and chaps)
  • Transport from and to Quito and within the tour days
  • Entrance fee to Quilotoa and  Hacienda El Tambo Private Conservation Area
  • Entrance to APU Mountain SPA wet area

Tour does not include

  • Insurance
  • Tips
  • Alcoholic drinks
  • International Airfare to Quito
  • Anything else not described on the tour

Upcoming Departure:             

23 September 2025

Price starts at: $3 079 per person