Monte Capraro

The highest point of the “Goat Mountain” is at 5.200 feet. The trail takes you around it, through valleys and beautiful forests. Two nights will be spent in Capracotta. The name of this village literally means “cooked goat”.

The forest of Montedimezzo is protected by UNESCO. The hunting lodge which used to belong to the royal family of the Bourbons is a museum nowadays. There are well cared trails, game and a nice welcoming picnic area.

TREK “MONTE CAPRARO”

Saturday
You are expected to arrive on Saturday evening. 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 late, 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. Dinner is in the cosy bistro of the new stable from our hosts 1km far away.

Monday
At about 10 a.m. we leave the house. Today’s destination is Capracotta. This little village (500 inhabitants) is situated at 4,600 feet, which makes it one of the highest municipalities in Italy. Curiously the name literally means “cooked goat”.

Before lunch we ride through endless fields. After 2,5 hours it is time for a delicious picnic. After this we make a lengthy canter through a long valley. At the end Capracotta dooms up, but it will take about two hours of riding to get there. We are staying at a hotel and dinner is at a restaurant.

Tuesday
Today we will make a day-ride and climb “il Monte Campo”. The highest point is at 5,700 feet. From here we get a gorgeous view of “Alto Molise” and the Abruzzo. A small narrow path meanders through the old gnarled forest, past small sinkholes and deeper caves whose entrances are illuminated by the sun. When the forest clears and you spot woodruff and other wild flowers here and there, the picnic is not far away. After this we follow cross-country skiing slopes, which lead through a wood of silver firs. A little later we arrive at Prato Gentile, which literally means “kind meadow”. It’s time for a canter! In the afternoon we descend to Capracotta and ride through an open landscape. The night will be spent at the same hotel, but dinner is at a different restaurant.

Wednesday
After a few canters we follow a gravel road, which gradually goes upwards. The horses enjoy their breathing space while we riders enjoy the view of four different mountain ranges, namely the Colle dell’Orso, the Matese, the Mainarde and the national Park of Abruzzo. On the top we find the remains of a Samnitic temple. The Samnites were the original population of Molise. It took the Romans three centuries of warfare before they finally conquered this region, which then became part of the Roman Empire (79 B.C.).

After picnic the trail leads us into the direction of the little village San Pietro Avellana. Outside the village we care and leave the horses in a field were we have to make a paddock with electric wire.
We dine and spend the night in the village. This town shows parts of its history on signs on the house walls. We can also give a look into an old washing place ( lavatoio) for the women that is on the way to our restaurant which can be reached on foot. Here in Altomolise you can also find truffles or you just take a glas home from our b&b 😉

Thursday
After about half an hour we pass Montedimezzo which used to belong to the royal family of the Bourbons. The hunting lodge nowadays is a museum. The forest is protected by UNESCO. Worldwide this organisation protects 256 forests. Four of them are located in Italy; two of which in Molise. We turn to ride a bit in the vast territory of Feudozzo, a breeding stable of the Carabinieris. Persano’s are bred there, an old Italian horse breed. The trail takes us down the Vandra river to the valley of a small deserted hamlet. Here roughly 2 Tratturo’s (old cattle trails) from North to South almost meet. One of it we follow. After the picnic we have a great view of the untouched nature around Roccasicura where we and the horses settle down for the night.

Friday
After breakfast we follow part of 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. Around midday we reach Pescolanciano. Here we stop for lunch, which will be served at a little restaurant.

In the afternoon we climb the hills that border on the forest of Collemelucio. This is the other forest protected by UNESCO. The project is called Man and Biosphere (MAB). The last few miles on horseback take us over open heath land and dense oak-woods. 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 adapted.

Price 2025   

Euro 1.400

Dates 2025   

17/05 – 24/05    
14/06 – 21/06
11/10 – 18/10   

Including
•       7 nights bed and breakfast (3 at the farm-house, 3 at a hotel and 1 at an agriturismo)
•       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 (4 – 6 hours a day)
•       English-speaking guide
•       Luggage transport
•       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 ( ca. 45€ )

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

(September  2024)