The Gaucho Trail Ride

After breakfast, we saddle our horses early and leave around 09:00 direction Fazenda Rodeio Bonito. After the first few minutes, you will notice already how beautiful the region is, we ride through wide and rolling green countryside dotted with Araucaria trees and cross pristine rivers. You will never forget your first canter with your criollo horse. After a ride of 4 hours, we arrive at a typical Fazenda where lunch is waiting for us. After a good meal and a siesta, we mount our horses again around 14h. We continue towards Fazenda Rodeio Bonito through the beautiful landscape of Coxilha Rica.

Here we find the well-preserved colonial Tropeiro Route. This 250 years old tropeiro route was the route of cattle and mules between Rio Grande do Sul and Argentina to Sao Paulo. Gauchos drove herds thousands of km beeing away for months via this route. Goods on livestock traveled along the route, so the tropeiro became also a trade. The route, consisting of an approx 4m wide corridor made of stone was built by slaves. The corridor runs hundreds of kilometers through Coxilha Rica and the State of Santa Catarina. Tropeiro means Trooper. (The route of the troops). We follow a few miles this historic route and arrive around 17:30 at Fazenda Rodeio Bonito. We are welcomed by the owner Lucia. A hearty and delicious dinner is being prepared for us. We spent the night at this traditional Gaucho Fazenda. 

09:00, after a hearty breakfast we mount our criollos and trek through a rugged Coxilha landscape. We climb and descend, trot and canter, crossing rivers and seeing waterfalls. On top of a green mountain, you have a fantastic panoramic view of the landscape, just you and the great outdoors! Coxilha is since colonial times a great cattle region. Most cattle ranches (Fazendas) consisting of thousands of acres are already over 200 years old. We arrive at a little farm where Dona Vera has prepared a fantastic lunch. In the afternoon we ride another 3 and half hours until we arrive back at the Fazenda Rodeio Bonito. After a refreshing shower and a delicious dinner, a soft bed awaits you at this very cozy Fazenda.

We leave on horseback at 09:00 hidding for the high pampas of Coxilha Rica, the views are wonderful. The group of horses, the Gauchos, the landscapes, the atmosphere in the group, the sense of freedom ... nobody wants to travel back home after this trip. After a lunch in the field we continue our ride to the next Fazenda; Fazenda Lua Cheia where owners Dido and Sonia have preparded he best roasted lamb in the world. Dido is a vet and loves to BBQ and preparde meat.  We make it cozy with a drink and some life Gaucho music.

After breakfast, we saddle our horses. Depending on the season sometimes before heading fo we sometimes give the Gauchos a helping hand at the farm rounding-up some cattle or sheep on horseback. We drive the herd to the corral, where they are either vaccinated or receive some treatment. So here on on another farm during our week you will see the Gaúcho perform his daily job. Those who prefer not to participate in the activities can easily watch. Want to learn how to rope? Our Gauchos teach you the tricks of the trade! After lunch, we continue our ride to the Colonial Fazenda Sâo Joâo.
Upon arrival at this Portuguese style Fazenda we pull off our boots, take a shower and are called to the table for a good meal, a cool beer or a warming Pinga (local rum). 

After breakfast we saddle the horses and leave for another great day in the saddle. We regularly ride into other gauchos whom are busy at work. These South American cowboys still live and work the same way as roughly 100 years ago. Gaúchos and horses matching great together, living as we can only dream of .. Climbing and descending, one slope steeper than the other, the ride regularly invites us for a nice canter. The horses are really fun to ride with. We arrive at Fazenda Ferradura and are welcomed by the owner Gaucho Benjamin Krüzen. A hearty and delicious dinner is beeing prepared for us. We spent the night at this traditional Gaucho fazenda. Dinner at the fazenda. 

After breakfast, we depart for the last day in the saddle, a good ride until we arrive at Fazenda da Chapada.Daniel, the owner of the farm welcomes us with Caipirinha & hugs.The ladies of the house makes us a delicious dish while the musical talented gauchos bring their best songs, guitar, and accordion into the barn. The bottle of Pinga is eagerly passed around and sometimes we dare to dance! It's always such a pleasant evening, we enjoy the warm gaucho atmosphere and forge friendship with the locals. Overnight at the Fazenda.

After our last breakfast around 08:00 we say goodbye to Fazenda da Chapada, the guides, gauchos, and horses and drive around 08:00  (depending on the flight) direction Florianopolis. People staying longer can have a drop of downtown Florianópolis, for the others the holiday comes to an end at the airport of Florianopolis. End of the program.