Horse Riding in Tupiza, Bolivia
Ride Past Towering Rock Formations and Visit Bolivian Villages
Aug 9, 2008
At a leisurely pace on horseback it´s not long after leaving the pleasant valley town of Tupiza before encountering spectacularly huge, multi-coloured rock formations and giant cacti typical of the area. Flying high overhead the Andean condor is often seen.
The ride crosses rivers and valleys as well as passing through villages. After a long day in the saddle visitors spend the night in the charming village of Espicaya. At an altitude of nearly 3,600m its outstanding feature is the beautiful church and the giant red rock that overshadows the entire village.
To entice tourists out there Tupiza hostels play most evenings the1969 box office movie hit ´Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid´. In Tupiza, two hours north of the Argentine border, several companies offer horse and jeep tours through the wild red Quebradas (mountain ranges), canyons and pretty Bolivian villages surprisingly similar to those in Greece. Also 4WD tours depart for the famous salt lakes of the Salar de Uyuni.
Meeting the Villagers
Villagers make a living from subsistance farming and live in humble mud brick adobe houses. They welcome the income from tourism. Locals, particularly women, still wear traditional Andean clothing of woven overskirts, hats covering braided pigtails as well as colourful ponchos. It´s a peaceful ride, the traffic consisting of loaded mules and herds of goats. People are hospitable to visitors although you will need to speak Spanish to have a chat with them.
The Horse Riding Tour The route will depend on whether the ride is for a few hours, an afternoon or a few days. Inexperienced riders should keep in mind that exploring on horseback not that comfortable especially combined with heat and dust. Despite the length of the ride the countryside is jaw droppingly beautiful and well worth the effort.
Equipment, Guides and Costs
Bolivia is one of the poorest country in South America so saddles and equipment, although adequate, will not be of the quality or comfort you would get in neighbouring Argentina.
Guides are likely to be young boys of high school age who will speak little if any English. While they will be friendly and enthusiastic to show off their beautiful countryside they will not give an informative tour of the area.
Tours are about USD50 per day depending on whether food is included. Generally lunch, which can be bought in Tupiza, is not included in the tour price. Overnight tours include an evening meal and breakfast.
Accommodation and Food
Overnight riders stay at a hostel in Espicaya with clean dormintory style rooms with a shared bathroom. Meals are in the hostal dining room and are basic but filling and typically pasta and vegetables. The hostal sells beer and wine .Breakfast is usual Bolivian fare of bread, jam and coffee.
As you pass through various villages you will be able to buy bottled or canned drinks and dry goods like biscuits and snack food but there are no restaurants or cafes.
Climate and Weather
The most comfortable, time to visit is during winter (May to October) as the days are dry and sunny. Tupiza is at an altitude of 2,952m with an average temperature of 15C, however during summer the temperature rises to 30C. Nights are cool. The rainy season is from January to March when nightime temperatures fall to zero.
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