Horseback riding in Guanajuato with Turismo Alternativo en Guanajuato
As we've been traveling through Mexico with kids, we've been trying to experience as much of the country as we can. Besides the standard Mexico family holidays activities, we've been actively trying to step out of our comfort zone and try things that we've never done before. This week, I had a chance to do something that was new to me: horseback riding in Mexico!
One of my favorite things about travel is having opportunities to try new things. While we've been in Mexico, I've had a chance to participate in a traditional temezcal ceremony (indigenous sweat lodge cleansing ritual), watched a Lucha Libre match, and seen Monarch butterflies in migration.
So when the opportunity to go horseback riding in Mexico with a company called Turismo Alternativo en Guanajuato arose, of course I had to take it! And as a traveler who's committed to sustainable travel, I loved having the opportunity to support a locally owned company.
This post was updated on September 5, 2021.
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Experiencing the outdoors with Turismo Alternativo en Guanajuato
The city of Guanajuato is typically known for its cultural and historical sites. You can check out some ideas for things to do within the city in Moon's San Miguel de Allende: With Guanajuato and Queretaro guide book. But the city also has plenty of outdoor activities to experience. Since Guanajuato is set in a canyon, the surrounding hills are a great place for exploring on foot, bicycle, horse, or even ATVs!
Raul Jaramilla, owner and director of Turismo Alternative en Guanajuato, wants to make Guanajuato more than just a cultural destination. An outdoor enthusiast, he works to actively promote outdoor tourism, both through his company and as a professor of tourism at the University of Guanajuato. Through Turismo Alternativo en Guanajuato, Raul is slowly making Guanajuato an outdoor destination!
Turismo Alternativo en Guanajuato has been offering outdoor activities for Mexican family holidays since 2012. They began with bicycle tours throughout the city of Guanajuato. Now the company offers rappelling and mountain climbing, hot air balloon tours, ATV tours, and horseback riding tours. Since we're here in Mexico with kids, we chose an activity that was more on the kid friendly side. Although taking an ATV tour around Guanajuato City sounded exciting, we decided a more low key activity of horseback riding in Mexico was a better fit for our family.
Read more about our experiences in the city of Guanajuato here.
Horseback riding in Mexico
For our horseback riding in Mexico adventure, Turismo Alternativo en Guanajuato picked us up from our Airbnb, and took us to a hacienda just outside of Guanajuato. Cruz, our guide for the day, owns the beautiful 250 year old hacienda. He also owns the surrounding property where we would be touring. It was a gorgeous setting for the ride!
Our horses were already waiting for us when we arrived. One horse for was ready each member of the family. Other than my husband, this was the first time anyone in my family ever rode a horse on their own. I was a bit nervous about being able to handle a horse by myself. But I knew I was in capable hands.
Aside from being a guide, Cruz also trains horses on his property. Before our ride, Cruz gave us a tutorial on how to ride a horse. We spent about ten minutes slowly trotting around the yard of his hacienda. By the time we left for our tour, I felt confident that I could at least do the basics with my horse: stop, go, turn left, and turn right. For my daughter, he tied a rope to her horse, which he held the whole duration of the tour. And for my son, who was too young to ride his own horse, Cruz had my son ride with him.
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A gorgeous setting to experience horseback riding in Mexico
Our horseback riding tour led us through the hills of Guanajuato, through desert and rocky terrain. We passed by an old mine, and also an open field where sheep were grazing. There were beautiful views of the canyons, which was incredible to see on horseback. I felt so lucky to be able to experience this side of Mexico with kids. Our whole family thoroughly enjoyed the ride, and Cruz was an excellent guide.
Most families who take Mexico family holidays come to the country for the beaches. And if they do come to central Mexico, they come for the history. But there's so much more to Mexico than just beaches and historical places.
We're so glad that we had the opportunity to do horseback riding in Mexico with Turismo Alternativo en Guanajuato. This experience really showed us a side of Mexico that many tourists overlook: the outdoors!
Book your horseback riding tour with Turismo Alternativo en Guanajuato here: Mexican Equestrian Experience
Read more about how to use the outdoors to engage your kids in learning about the world.
Other tour offerings by Turismo Alternativo en Guanajuato
We just loved our experience horseback riding in Mexico! If you're planning to be in Guanajuato, check out the tours that Turismo Alternativo en Guanajuato has to offer. Their horseback riding tours cost 2,000 pesos a person, and last approximately 4 and half hours. If that seems long for your family, you may be able to negotiate a shorter tour. Ours was about an hour and a half, and it was the perfect amount of time for us.
Other tour offerings by Turismo Alternativo en Guanajuato include ATV tours, ranging from 3,100 pesos to 4,700 pesos for two people on a 3-6 hour tour. If your kids are a bit older, their four and a half hour cycling tour is a fun option, and costs 1,400 pesos per person. For families with teens, try their four and a half hour hiking tour, which costs 600 pesos per person.
Book your tours with Turismo Alternativo en Guanajuato here:
ATVs through the mountains and city of Guanajuato
Rappelling in hills of Guanajuato
A horseback riding in Guanajuato experience to remember
We just loved our experience horseback riding in Mexico. It was the perfect way to spend an afternoon in Mexico!
Have you had a chance to go horseback riding in Mexico? Share your experiences in the comments!
Are you visiting Guanajuato as part of a bigger family travel adventure? Use my ebook, Hey Kids, Let’s Go Travel! as a resource for tools, advice, and action steps for planning your trip.
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. I received a discount for my experience with Turismo Alternativo en Guanajuato. However, the opinions in this post are completely my own.
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