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Last October I went on a horse trek in Valle de Bravo, a lovely mountainous region two and a half hours West of Mexico City.  I visited during the time when the Monarch butterflies arrive to this part of Mexico.  Every year the Monarch butterflies arrive to the fir tree forests that surround this colonial Mexican town.  They come from Canada and the east coast of the United States.  They spend their hibernation period in Mexico, generally arriving for the Mexican celebration of the Day of the Dead.  Some Mexican legends of the region say that these butterflies are the souls of their lovely dead that return to visit them on this special day.  

The hosts and guides on this trip were Pepe and Lucia Schravesande owners of “Cabalgatas La Sierra”.  I arrived to Mexico City by plane and spent the first night there.  The next morning I joined the other riders of the group and were picked up sharply at eight in the morning to go to Valle de Bravo.  Our riding holiday was just beginning!

During the following seven nights at beautiful “Finca Enyhe”, my fellow riders and I woke up at 6:30 and one hour later an excellent breakfast was waiting for us in the big colonial dining room of the property.  Our first day of riding started leaving the finca mounted on our horses.  The horses would not come back home until the end of the one week ride.  Every day after riding for about six hours the horses were left on route to pass the night while all of us were transported back to Finca Enyhe by van to overnight and enjoy the wonderful facilities of the finca.  Lunch was served on route after riding for 3 hours.  In the afternoons, after having arrived to the finca, we usually enjoyed the Jacuzzi and swimming pool, strategically built in the gardens of this beautiful property.  On some days other riders decided to have a relaxing massage in their rooms and others preferred to visit the colonial town that lies next to the beautiful blue lake of Valle de Bravo.

Over the course of the trip, varied and very different landscapes and sceneries appeared before our eyes.  The rides were amazing.  During the seven days of riding we covered a distance of more than 200 kilometers!  But the most extraordinary thing about this wonderful trip were the horses.  All of them beautiful, well cared, groomed and trained!  It was amazing to see how much work these animals did during the one week ride, taking us up across mountains, meadows, valleys, rivers, big and small ascends and descents….

Some of the memorable experiences from my trip were: the Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary, the beautiful forests and landscapes, galloping across green valleys covered with purple and yellow flowers, the fabulous descent to the lake and the relaxing crossing of the lake by boat while watching a beautiful sunset.

Valle de Bravo is a beautiful place to go riding.  I myself did not expect it was going to be the best ride I have ever been in and believe me, I have been in many! Lucia and Pepe Schravesande were excellent hosts.  The cooking was delicious, the staff could not have been better and the other guests were also fantastic.  At the end of the week everybody felt part of the family and we were sad to realize that the week had practically come to an end!  I had so much fun that I suggested to the group that we should come back to this wonderful place next year, and they all agreed!  So until we see again I am sure everybody will remember this riding holiday as a wonderful experience!

                                                                 Caroline Gorspy.

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