The Diamond Trail Ride, Practical Information | Brazil

The Diamond Trail Ride, Brazil

Trail Ride in the Chapada Diamantina National Park Situated in the hinterland of the Brazilian state Bahia

P info

Overview

Day by day

Practical information

Practical information:

Good to know before you go

Riding level

Suitable for intermediate to experienced riders. You should be confident on a horse at all paces. The pace is varied to include walk, trot and canter.
* At some points during the trip you will have to get on and off your horse without help or a step. So, make sure you are fit and will not need help.
(on some narrow trails it is difficult to help)

Weight:

Rider’s weight limit: 90 Kg

If your weight is higher than 90 kg, please consult us for the availability of additional horses for you.

Group Size:

Minimum 07 riders

Maximum 10 riders

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Horses: Mangalarga Marchador crossed breed, beautiful and responsive horses, easy to ride. Average height: 1.60m
The Mangalarga Marchador is a horse breed native to Brazil.
The breed is smooth-gaited, with two natural intermediate speed ambling gaits, called marcha; the marcha batida, where the feet move diagonally, in a manner similar to a fox trot, and the marcha picada, a four-beat lateral gait, similar to a stepping pace or singlefoot. The picada, which means "light touch" in Portuguese, is usually the smoother of the two, because the lateral movement creates little vertical momentum, and is similar to the paso llano of the Peruvian Paso. Conversely, batida means "to hit", and that gait is similar to the trocha gait of the Paso Fino.
It is a unique horse breed, energetic, very responsive and because of its gait very comfortable. Whoever rides a gaited horse for the first time is always positively surprised.
Saddles: Brazilian/Australian style saddles.
Guides: professional and multilingual guides – Trip leader: Jacira + Paul, Simón or Chalas.
Sanitary & Accommodation: comfortable authentic Brazilian pousadas & 2 nights glamping. Based shared double/twin rooms.
International Passport: Required
Visa: Most European and Latin American citizens do not need a visa to travel to Brazil. From April, 2025, the Brazilian government will resume entry visa requirements for citizens of the United States, Japan, Australia, and Canada. (But please check before departure, as visa measures may change for those nationalities) https://brazil.vfsevisa.com/ This e-visa apply is an easy and fast process. Other countries; Contact the Brazilian Consulate/Embassy in your country for more info and to check whether you need a visa.
Vaccinations: not mandatory but recommended (consult your physician)
Flying: Fly in and out of Lençóis ( Airport code: LEC )
Connecting flight from Salvador, Belo Horizonte or São Paulo. (which have international airports)

Are you alone?

Do not worry, you can individually register/book and join in a group with other riders. Most participants are people who register individually and may just like you, not know the other riders in your group. Since everyone has the same points of interest (horseback riding, nature, travel, culture) there is always a good atmosphere and understanding among the participants. Participants come from all corners of the world, so you can be part of a group with riders from the United Kingdom, Belgium, Spain, France, Sweden, Canada, USA, Australia, and many others countries. Your friends are suddenly so much more international! :) A standard group consists of 07 to 10 riders. In general, there are as many female as male participants.

The Meals:

Brazil has a rich cuisine. The country is a mixture of European, Indian, African and Asian cultures and is reflected in the way the Brazilians cook. Especially the Italian and African cuisines have great influence on Brazilian cuisine. Not only the population is mixed, also their habits and customs. Already well before Europe spoke about fusion cuisine, Brazil was combining ingredients found from different continents to a new, typical Brazilian cuisine. They also often serve dishes from different countries on one table.

The Brazilian cuisine is very good, varied and serves many naturally made dishes. The main dishes are mostly rice and beans (Feijão) and sauces, with lots of meat or fish and salads. From region to region one has its own traditional dishes. Very popular is the Churrasco = Brazilian BBQ.

Luggage:

The maximum allowable weight of your luggage depends from airline to airline. Check with the airline or travel agent how many kilograms and pieces of luggage you can take. Your personal luggage is transported during the trek to the various stopovers.

Safety:

Brazil has not always the best reputation for safety and crime. This is primarily and almost exclusively in large cities such as São Paulo & Rio de Janeiro. Our ride passes through a quiet region where there is no need to worry at all!

Language:

No worries, your trip leader speaks several languages and will help and translate with pleasure where needed. Trips are always fun as we all speak the same equestrian language.

Health:

There are no vaccinations required/compulsory and there is no malaria in this part of Brazil.
Recommended vaccinations however are Yellow Fever & Hepatitis B.
In case of illness or an accident, we will take you to a good hospital or doctor.

travel gear... Packing List

Valid international passport (+ visa for those who need it)
Travel insurance
Money: you can exchange money on arrival at the international airport or withdraw cash from an ATM in the village Lençóis. Credit and debit cards are very widely used in Brazil, even in the smallest businesses and for the smallest amounts.
A sweater and a waterproof jacket
4 to 5 T-shirts or shirts. long-sleeved shirt is best. (Make sure you take at least 3 shirts with long sleeves!)
Riding pants or jeans
Boots/riding shoes, with mini-chaps or long chaps.
Cotton socks
A second pair of shoes for the evening
Swimsuit/bikini/shorts
Slippers/sandals
Comfortable summer clothing
Hat (hat with chin strap – as it can be windy)
One towel
Toiletries + personal Pharmacy
Sun Cream Protector
Anti-mosquito spray / lotion
A refillable water canteen/bottle

* It is recommended to put your luggage in travel bag instead of a hard suitcase. 10 bags are easier to get in the backup vehicle than 10 suitcases. (thanks!).

TRAVEL insurance MANDATORY:

We request you take a travel Insurance. Ask your local insurance company or travel agent about it. You will not be allowed to participate at the “Entre Orejas” riding holiday program without having a Personal Travel & Medical Insurance. Your insurance details will be requested on arrival.

Trip Cancellation Insurance MANDATORY:

In order to protect yourself against unforeseen circumstances interfering with your “Entre Orejas” vacation, we demand that you purchase trip cancellation insurance. You can use any travel insurance company you are comfortable with.

Release Agreement:

The “Entre Orejas” guests are required to sign a release agreement at the time of check-in. This is mandatory and guests cannot participate in the tour without signing the release agreement (all moneys paid are non-refundable). Please feel free to read the release agreement prior to your arrival: please download the form here. Parents or legal guardians of minor children are required to sign the release agreement on their children’s behalf. Please direct all questions to the office.