Valley of the Bear Ride in Molise, Italy

The morning is yours to enjoy as you wish. You may sleep in, take your time over breakfast, or do whatever you like. 

Before lunch, there will be a safety briefing. After that, we'll groom and saddle up the horses, followed by a short demonstration of western riding. 

After lunch, we'll take a three-hour test ride to help you get acquainted with the horse you'll be riding on the trek. 

In the evening, we'll visit our host's new riding center, which includes a bistro, for a drink. Later, we'll be served a freshly prepared dinner.

Around 10 a.m., we depart from the house and ride through Alto Molise, traversing its hills, meadows, and woods. 

We'll have a picnic at a picturesque spot. 

After lunch, we'll continue our journey through the endless hills. At the end of the day, we reach our destination, tend to the horses, and enjoy a drink or a walk in the town's piazza. 

In the evening, we'll meet for dinner near the bed and breakfast.

After breakfast, we continue our journey along the Tratturo Castel di Sangro-Lucera. This 2,000-year-old track is still used to move cattle from the far south where grass is scarce in summer. Following the Tratturo, we reach Pescolanciano with its historic castle. Here, we'll stop for lunch at a cozy restaurant.

After lunch, we head towards the Colle dell’Orso. The trail becomes steeper as we ascend about 1,800 feet. The path leads us through narrow trails and beech woods covered in a carpet of leaves. In the evening, we arrive at a mountain lodge where we'll dine and spend the night. We'll first take care of the horses before settling in. We will sleep in dormitories with sleeping bags.

Today is dedicated to the magnificent scenery of the Colle dell’Orso plateau. During our ride, we will enjoy splendid views of the Abruzzi and Matese mountain ranges, with peaks around 6,500 feet. The most impressive sight, however, is the herds of cows and semi-wild horses in the plains. We will ride alongside or even traverse the herds. Afterward, it will be time for a picnic.

In the afternoon, the trail leads us to the so-called Magic Forest. This woodland is completely enclosed by rocks, with only two possible access points, making the visit quite adventurous. After leaving the Magic Forest, we return to our mountain lodge. 

In the evening, we will make a campfire or light the fireplace to cook our barbecue.

In the morning, we will once again enjoy the beauty of the Colle dell’Orso, known by some as the Magic Mountain. We will have a picnic in the garden of a small church dating back to 1704.

In the afternoon, the route descends, leading us back to civilization. Later we will leave the horses at a small riding center. The riders will then be taken to a cozy hotel in Civitanova, and we will have pizza in a nearby village.

Today, our journey takes us to the Trigno River, which has been dammed to create an enormous artificial lake. We will follow the Trigno to Pescolanciano, ascending the hills that border the Collemelucio Forest, a UNESCO-protected area under the Man and Biosphere (MAB) program. UNESCO protects 256 forests worldwide, with four located in Italy, including two in Molise.

The final stretch of our ride covers open heathlands and dense oak woods. 

Around 5 p.m., we return to the farmhouse, where we unsaddle the horses for the last time and enjoy a farewell dinner.

Departure after breakfast.