Our adventure begins in the border village of Claviere in the beautiful Susa Valley, which is known as Monti Della Luna (Mountains of the Moon). We ride through the French and Italian Alps, enjoying spectacular mountain scenery along the way, and explore ancient mountain villages while travelling how our ancestors used to travel - on a horse. During this exciting and varied week we see rolling hills covered with a multitude of wild flowers, picturesque mountain lakes, and beautiful larch and pine forests. We spend the majority of the week in a locally-owned hotel which has delicious locally-produced food. We take a short excursion to another quiet traditional village, which is for many a truly wonderful experience. The horse-riding centre is involved in many local projects such as organic cultivation, which ensures organic produce is used where possible. Our local guides are also part of a foundation responsible for the preservation of Fort Fenestrelle, a nearby monument.

Itinerary:

Day 1 Start Claviere; afternoon briefing. 2 Full day riding through larch forests, high alpine meadows and past beautiful lakes. 3 Today's ride explores ancient alpine hamlets in neighbouring valleys. 4 Leave Claviere for the French border, reaching a height of about 2500m; descend through meadows to beautiful French hamlet and enjoy a night in a typical French gite. 5 Following old military tracks head over a high pass and descend into the Durance Valley; ride into Nevache Valley, passing some imposing chateaus that surround the Vauban city of Briancon. 6 Return up the Durance Valley and cross the border into Italy; return to Claviere. 7 Train to historic city of Turin for free exploration. Sites worth visiting include the Royal Palace, Piazza San Carlo, Piazza Castello and Egyptian Museum. End Turin.

Mode of travel: Average 4 to 6 hours riding each day. Confident novice riders are fine, who can walk and trot, as we will have 2 guides for most of the trip. We use Spanish or Argentinean horses and either English trekking or western saddles. Each day your horse will be prepared for you but you are welcome to help.
Group size: Min. 4, max. 8, plus leader, equestrian guide and appropriate local staff.
Accommodation: 6 nights comfortable hotel accommodation.
Food: All meals included except one dinner and lunch on the last day.
Trip Reference: ASH
Reverse Itinerary: trips that run in reverse are specified with an 'R' in the dates and prices table below.