Ecuador

Ecuador provides various horse riding experiences through a range of terrain and ecosystems. These vary from the Andes, with snow-crested volcanoes, to the lower elevations of tropical rainforests and even the Galapagos Islands. Mountaineering, trekking and horseback riding are world class in this small country. Climatic variation means that visitors can experience the tropical climates of the Pacific coastal region as well as the weather in the Andean Highlands, where the climate is temperate and relatively dry. This elevated Andean "Sierra" provides the best riding throughout Ecuador. Cotopaxi National Park is an excellent location for horseback experiences with its wild paramo plains reaching over 16,000 feet. These, along with the park's centrally positioned Cotopaxi volcano, provide a classic Ecuadorian landscape in which to journey. Large numbers of animals, including groups of wild horses, can be seen in the park and the chance to see wild stallions crossing the rough terrain at a gallop is not to be missed. Occasionally there are sightings of extremely rare species, such as pumas and Andean condors, and the grassy undulating hills of the area allow for some faster paced riding.