Along with another couple, my wife and I arranged for an 8-mile horseback ride along the Quindio River and then to Las Acacias coffee plantation. Nobody in our group had any significant riding experience, and one had never been horseback before. Of the group, only my wife was fluent in Spanish. Accompanying us was a guide who spoke only Spanish and four dogs that marauded every livestock animal we passed along the entire trip.
The ride itself was at a walk for its entirety, which, when considering the lack of riding experience in our group, was the absolutely correct pace. After crossing through town, we headed out on the dirt road that led along the edge of the valley overlooking the river and offering spectacular views of the countryside.
After 2 miles, we reached the path leading down to the river. As mentioned in an earlier review, the path down was very steep, muddy, and strewn with large rocks that made for a nerve wracking descent. Another tour from a different company had gone down the same path a few minutes earlier, so that made me feel a little better about the trail down. The whole of the path was a mix of small, hazardous portions mingled with less steep bits. My wife was passing along instructions from the guide on directions and saddle posture, but if she hadn’t been along, we’d have been riding blind.
After completing the 150 meter descent, we reached the river. The 1.25 mile ride along the river took us through a mix of sand, boulders, mud and lush tropical growth. The horses seemed to know the way, and the several river crossings went without problem, although with all the rocks and boulders hidden in the river, a problem was certainly a possibility.
The ride back up the hill to the coffee plantation was simple in comparison to the ride down, although the views and surrounding forest were equally fantastic. At the plantation there were snacks and drinks available for purchase. We skipped the 1 hour tour having done Ocaso the previous day, but there were many colorful birds to watch, so the hour passed quickly.
The return to the start was uneventful, except for the dogs who did their best to frighten and chase every other animal, cyclist, and motor vehicle along the route.
Overall, the ride was a great adventure and we enjoyed it very much, but a better experience would have been had if the guide had been able to communicate with us, speak to us about what we were seeing along the way, as well as to offer us direction during the dangerous (that’s the best word to describe them) portions of the descent to the river. Also, the dogs were a very real nuisance to other people and animals along the way. They needed to be leashed as to not startle the horses or cause a problem to others. The lead dog was from the corral—not a street dog.