"Criolla"
riding trips.
Cabalgata 1 : from to 2008
Cabalgata 3 : from to 2008
Minas region, Department Lavalleja
Lavalleja is a rural department, with the "Cuchilla Grande",
a small mountain range running throughout its territory.The riders
are welcomed by the Sociedad Criolla, an association formed by
working gauchos and all those who love the gaucho's spirit and
tradition.
Every day you go to a different estancia (South American farm)
where people are proud to show you their traditions, their ability
in working cattle, etc...
Eucalyptus plantations, pathes bordered with bushes in blossom,
large areas of sweet smelling garrigue, steep cliffs with pine
trees, lovely quiet rivers, uruguayan nature invite you to riding.
The last evening of the trip, in Montevideo, you can enjoy :
- the "carnival of Montevideo" if you come to "Cabalgata
criolla 1".
- the great "fiesta criolla del Prado de Montevideo"
if you come to "Cabalgata criolla 3".
For details, please ask us at camino-gaucho@adinet.com.uy
"Fiesta
de la patria Gaucha " riding trip.
The "Fiesta de la Patria Gaucha" is held every year
in Tacuarembo, in northern Uruguay. It's one of the biggest in
South America, with nearly 3000 horses attending. Gauchos in activity,
retired gauchos, those who have the soul of a gaucho, those who
love the gaucho'spirit, everyone comes to the feast, with "bombachas"
(special trousers for horse riding), cotton shirt and scarf held
by a decorated silver ring. You can see rodeo shows, dressage
competitions (the gauchos'way !), lasso and boladeras competitions,
and the parade of the associations Criollas, that specially came
all the way riding from all over the country. Then comes the great
parade of all the participants, 3000 horses mounted by Uruguyan,
Brasilian and Argentin gauchos, the last indians, gaucho women
dressed in old time costume, with the children.
Every night, enjoy the show of all the singers of gaucho'songs,
danse, poetry. And also the "fogon" contest (traditional
dwelling of the gauchos, in the old times).
As most of the participants, you come to the feast after a 6
days riding trip, starting from an unspoiled area : you can see
there the vegetation that already existed when the first europeans
discovered the continent.
Riding from an estancia to the next one, little by little you
penetrate the hard life of the gauchos, proud of their traditions,
musicians and poets in the evenings while sharing a nice "mate"
(bitter herb tea) around a wood fire. By rivers and waterfalls,
round hills in blossom and laurel bordered pathes, your reach
Tacuarembo where the "Fiesta de la Patria Gaucha" will
be held.
For those who love Tango, Carlos Gardel, the famous composer,
was born in Tacuarembo!
