TREK THROUGH “COLLE DELL’ORSO” (valley of the bear)

High-light of this trek are the cows and semi-wild horses which live on a huge mountain plateau.

Saturday
You are expected to arrive on Saturday evening at the farm-house. After a welcome drink there will be dinner with your host/guide. A three-course Italian dinner will be served every night, accompanied by local wines.

Sunday
The morning is yours. You may sleep in, take your time over breakfast, do whatever you like. Before lunch there is a safety-briefing. Then we groom and saddle up the horses, followed by a short demonstration in western riding. After lunch we do a test-ride (three hours) to enable you to get acquainted with the horse you are going to ride on the trek. In the evening we visit the new riding centre inclusive Bistro from our host which is close by for a drink and later we get served a fresh prepared dinner.

Monday
At about 10 a.m. we leave the house and ride through Alto Molise with its hills, meadows and woods. Picnic is at an idyllic place. After lunch we continue our way through the endless hills. At the end of the day we reach our destination, we look after the horses, enjoy a drink or a walk in the Piazza of the town. In the evening we meet for dinner close by the b&b.

Tuesday
After breakfast we continue the trail, following the Tratturo Castel di Sangro-Lucera. A Tratturo is a 2.000 years old track that is still used to move cattle from the far south where grass is scarce in summer. After the Tratturo we reach Pescolanciano with its old castle. Here we stop for lunch, which will be served at a little restaurant. Next we go to the Colle dell’Orso. The trail gets steeper, climbing about 1,800 feet. The route leads us over narrow paths, through beech-woods with carpets of leaves. In the evening we reach a mountain lodge where we dine and spend the night. First of all we take care of the horses. We sleep in dormitories in sleeping beds.  

Wednesday
Today is dedicated to the magnificent scenery of the plateau of Colle dell’Orso. During our ride we will enjoy the most splendid views of the Abruzzi and Matese Mountain ranges, with peaks of appr. 6,500 feet. The most impressive scene of all is, however, the herds of cows and semi-wild horses in the plains. We ride along or even transverse the herds. After this it is time for the picnic. In the afternoon the trail takes us to the so-called Magic Forest. This piece of woodland is completely sheltered by rocks and there are but two possible ways of access, which makes the visit quite adventurous. Leaving Magic Forest we go back to our mountain lodge. In the evening we make a camp-fire or light the fire in the fire-place to cook our barbeque.

Thursday
In the morning we enjoy the beauty of the Colle dell’Orso, called Magic Mountain by some, just one more time. The picnic will be in the garden of a little church dating from 1704. In the afternoon the route descends, leading us back to civilization. In the late afternoon we leave the horses in a small riding centre. The riders will be taken to a cosy hotel in Civitanova and we will have pizza in a nearby village.

Friday
Today we ride to the river Trigno. It has been dammed, creating an enormous artificial lake. We follow the Trigno to Pescolanciano, climbing the hills that border on the forest of Collemelucio. This is one of the forests protected by UNESCO. The project is called Man and Biosphere (MAB). Worldwide UNESCO protects 256 forests. Four of them are located in Italy; two of which in Molise. The last few miles on horseback take us over open heath land and dense oak-woods. At about 5 p.m. we are back at the farm-house, unsaddle the horses for the last time and enjoy the farewell dinner.

Saturday
Departure after breakfast.

N.B. Due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances the programme may have to be be adapted.

Price 2023 

Euro 1.300

Dates 2023 
03 to 10 June
15 to 22 July

Including
•   7 nights bed and breakfast (3 at the farm-house, 1 at an agriturismo, 2 at a mountain lodge and 1 at a hotel)
•   Full board with wine and beer at lunch and dinner, starting with dinner on the first day up to and including breakfast on the day of departure
•   5 ½ days of riding (5 – 7 hours a day)
•   English-speaking guide
•   Luggage transport
•   Sleeping-bag and towel (for the stay at the mountain lodge)
•   Transfer from and to the railway station in Isernia. On the day of arrival at 19.45 hours and on the day of departure at 9.00 hours

Excluding
Other drinks / Euro 40

Number of participants
Min. 5 / max. 7 (in exceptional cases 9)

(September 2022)