Historic Hacienda Inns of Western Mexico is Now Offering Equestrian Tours

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Equestrian tours using historic haciendas and working ranches as lodgings are now available in Western Mexico. The tours are in the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage site of Tequila and its suroundings.

Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico (PRWEB) October 16, 2006 -- Historic Hacienda Inns of Western Mexico is now offering a series of horseback excursions opening up a whole new way of seeing the back roads of Jalisco and Zacatecas.

The beautifully restored haciendas and ranches used as lodgings for the tours are in the heart of the recently named World Heritage Site of the valley of Tequila. The equestrian tours are the latest addition to Historic Hacienda Inns of Western Mexico’s initiative to promote rural tourism.

“The situation of the farmer in rural Mexico is critical,” comments Monica Baeza, president of the Association of Historic Hacienda Inns. “What began six years ago as a way of preserving of historical haciendas has evolved into a full range of tourist experiences to stimulate our local agricultural economy. The horseback excursions are the latest way of being able to show off our homes and countryside.”

The tours have been designed to guide the riders through the remote mountain trails passing through fields of blue agave, cane, and high sierra forests. In addition to the back trails showing off the natural wonders of western Mexico, the well known archaeological sites of Guachimontones are included along with lesser known sites like the petroglyphs of Mascota and the 600+ mysterious boulders of Piedras Bolas.

The ten participating haciendas, mansions, and ranches are the home base for the excursions. Some of the large haciendas have full service spas and offer yoga for the equestrian and spa treatments after a long day in the saddle, not to mention the ever-flowing tequila to unwind. The ranch houses used for lodgings are comfortable but rustic, located far off the beaten track where the main transportation is still on horseback and your morning wake up call is the braying of a donkey.

Each property is paired with another to allow the guest to experience more than one region on horseback. More than one tour can be linked for the rider that has more time and wants to explore all the haciendas. The guides are bi-lingual local cowboys who know the best trails and can give the tourist an authentic view of rural Mexico. “I was nervous at first,” says guide David Soltero from the tiny town of Santo Domingo, “but after the first few tourists, I realized how much we have to show people from other countries and how much they enjoy it. I enjoy it, too, and it makes me proud of my country and my people to hear our guests so pleased about their experiences on our rides.”

The rides are designed to do more than just show the client scenery and historical sites. They include many experiences like cattle round ups on working ranches, riding with the famous Mexican charros in the rodeo arena, learning how to make tortillas over a campfire, and trying out local drinks far beyond the famous tequila.

Tours can be adapted to all levels of riders and group sizes up to 12. The five tours are from 4 to 10 days and begin at $400 all inclusive. For more information check out the website at : http://historichaciendainns.com or call 1-608-651-4053 in the US,333-632-5413 in Mexico or 33-17- 660-7454 in France.

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