5 night 4 Day Trail
Day 1
You will arrive at Casa "Il Bosco", a charming restored nineteenth century country house, immersed in the wild countryside of the Madonie Park, with breathtaking views of the island's north coast and the Aeolian Islands. You will enjoy a dinner prepared with local produce and spend the night here.
Day 2: Casa "Il Bosco" - Piano Battaglia (hours of riding: 7)
After breakfast you will be assigned your horse for the trail and we will set off from Casa "Il Bosco" at about 8.30 in the morning. The day will begin with a beautiful climb up through wild Mediterranean vegetation and woods, with fantastic views of the Tyrrhenian Sea. We will continue through woods of holm oak, cork and downy oak to the territory of Isnello. After a picnic lunch, we will begin our ascent on the northern slopes of Pizzo Carbonara, Sicily's second highest mountain at 1979 metres, riding through lush forests of oak, holm oak and beech trees to reach Piano Battaglia, a mountain station located at the heart of the Madonie Park, where you will enjoy a dinner prepared using typical local produce and spend the night at Hotel Rifugio Marini.
Day 3: Pizzo Carbonara - Monte Cervi (hours of riding: 6)
After breakfast, we will begin by visiting the Battaglietta, a fascinating high mountain carsic sinkhole, which collects snowmelt, which is then carried to the sea by natural underground tunnels. We will then begin to climb towards Pizzo Carbonara (1979 metres), Sicily’s second highest peak after Mount Etna, where we can often spot wild deer and goats grazing, and when the weather is clear, we can admire breathtaking views of some of Sicily's highest summits, including Etna to the east, Rocca Busambra to the west, Monte Cammarata to the south, and the Aeolian Islands to the north. We will stop for a picnic lunch beneath the imposing Serra della Quacella, an area home to a number of endemic species, before continuing our ride through high mountain pastures and forests on the wild Monte Cervi. We will return for a second night to Hotel Rifugio Marini.
Day 4: Piano Battaglia - Geraci Siculo (hours of riding: 6)
After breakfast, we will set off from Hotel Rifugio Marini at around 8.30 in the morning. We will ride along remote paths through the heart of the Madonie Park, where we often see groups of wild deer, boar and birds of prey. We will stop for a picnic lunch at Portella Mandarini, an important crossroad between ancient transhumance routes through the mountains. We will continue along little frequented ancient pathways on the northern side of Pizzo Catarineci to reach beautiful Geraci Siculo, a majestic medieval village dominated by its castle ruins, once the seat of the Ventimiglia Barons, one of the most important feudal families on the island from the eleventh century onwards. Dinner and overnight at Hotel Donna Vi, equipped with a spa.
Day 5: Geraci Siculo - Casa "Il Bosco" (hours of riding: 7)
We will have breakfast and set off from Hotel Donna Vi at around 8.30 in the morning. We will ride through the village of Geraci Siculo, before beginning our descent through a beautiful cork oak forest. We will ride close to the town of Castelbuono and stop for a picnic lunch at an old abandoned water mill. In the afternoon we will return to Casa "Il Bosco" following panoramic and beautiful pathways through a rich variety of vegetation: olive groves, vines and dense mediterranean brush. Delicious dinner and overnight.
Day 6
Breakfast and transfer to the airport.
7 Night 6 Day Trail
Day 1: Arrival
You will arrive at Casa "Il Bosco", a charming restored nineteenth century country house, immersed in the wild countryside of the Madonie Park, with breathtaking views of the island's north coast and the Aeolian Islands. You will enjoy a dinner prepared with local produce and spend the night here.
Day 2: Casa "Il Bosco" - Rocca di Gonato (hours of riding: 7)
After breakfast you will be assigned your horse for the trail and we will set off from Casa "Il Bosco" at about 8.30 in the morning. The day will begin with a beautiful climb up through wild Mediterranean vegetation and woods, with fantastic views of the Tyrrhenian Sea. We will ride through the medieval town of Castelbuono, where we will stop for a picnic lunch, before riding on in the afternoon to Rocca di Gonato, a beautiful agriturismo with a swimming pool at the foot of the high Madonie Mountains. Dinner prepared with local produce and overnight.
Day 3: Rocca di Gonato - Piano Battaglia (hours of riding: 6)
Breakfast and departure around 8.30. We will begin the day riding through woods to reach Piano Pomo, where we find one of the most important botanical particularities of the Madonie Park: giant holly trees, which for reasons yet to be fully understood, have grown much taller than the average specimens. We will then follow a highly panoramic route to reach the area known as Pomieri, where we will stop for a picnic lunch. In the afternoon, we will continue to climb into the high mountains to reach Piano Battaglia (1600 metres), a mountain station located at the heart of the Madonie Park, where you will enjoy a dinner prepared using typical local produce and spend the night at Hotel Rifugio Marini.
Day 4: Pizzo Carbonara - Monte Cervi (hours of riding: 6)
After breakfast, we will begin by visiting the Battaglietta, a fascinating high mountain carsic sinkhole, which collects snowmelt, which is then carried to the sea by natural underground tunnels. We will then begin to climb towards Pizzo Carbonara (1979 metres), Sicily’s second highest peak after Mount Etna, where we can often spot wild deer and goats grazing, and when the weather is clear, we can admire breathtaking views of some of Sicily's highest summits, including Etna to the east, Rocca Busambra to the west, Monte Cammarata to the south, and the Aeolian Islands to the north. We will stop for a picnic lunch beneath the imposing Serra della Quacella, an area home to a number of endemic species, before continuing our ride through high mountain pastures and forests on the wild Monte Cervi. We will return for a second night to Hotel Rifugio Marini.
Day 5: Piano Battaglia - Casalvecchio (hours of riding: 6)
After breakfast, we will set off from Hotel Rifugio Marini at around 8.30 in the morning. We will ride along remote paths through the heart of the Madonie Park, where we often see groups of wild deer, boar and birds of prey. We will stop for a picnic lunch at Portella Mandarini, an important crossroad between ancient transhumance routes through the mountains. We will continue along little frequented ancient pathways on the northern side of Pizzo Catarineci, with breathtaking views towards the centre of Sicily and the medieval towns of Petralia Soprana and Gangi. We will continue through endless fields of wheat and hay to reach Agriturismo Casalvecchio, hidden in the middle of the countryside, where we will enjoy a dinner prepared using products directly from the farm and spend the night.
Day 6: Casalvecchio - Geraci Siculo (hours of riding: 6)
Breakfast and departure around 8.30. We will begin the day riding along the valley of the River Pollina, a wild area of rare natural beauty, and very little known to tourists. We will stop for a picnic lunch in a tiny, forgotten village, before climbing towards beautiful Geraci Siculo, a majestic medieval village dominated by its castle ruins, once the seat of the Ventimiglia Barons, one of the most important feudal families on the island from the eleventh century onwards. Dinner and overnight at Hotel Donna Vi, equipped with a spa.
Day 7: Geraci Siculo - Casa "Il Bosco" (hours of riding: 7)
We will have breakfast and set off from Hotel Donna Vi at around 8.30 in the morning. We will ride through the village of Geraci Siculo, before beginning our descent through a beautiful cork oak forest. We will ride close to the town of Castelbuono and stop for a picnic lunch at an old abandoned water mill. In the afternoon we will return to Casa "Il Bosco" following panoramic and beautiful pathways through a rich variety of vegetation: olive groves, vines and dense mediterranean brush. Delicious dinner and overnight.
Day 8
Breakfast and transfer to the airport.
Prices
5 nights Double room price: £1155
7 nights Double room price: £1655
5 nights Single room price: £1355
7 nights Single room price: £1875
2026 Dates
The 4 day trail is available at any time on request from April to December for groups of two or more, but the dates need to avoid our week long tour dates.
6 Day Trail
06 - 13 June 2026
Level: Comfortable at all three paces (walk, trot and canter), with experience of hacking out in the open.
Group size: Ten people maximum.
Key information/requirements: Between six and eight hours in the saddle per day. You must be comfortable at all three paces (walk, trot and canter) and physically fit. This programme is aimed at intermediate and advanced riders and it is not suitable for beginners or riders with only limited experience. The terrain is varied and there may be long trots and gallops along the way.
Equipment: It is possible to hire riding hats and chaps on site. The following items are essential: waterproofs, layers (it can be cold at altitude), boots and chaps, and sun cream.
Accommodation: Agriturismi, B&B or good quality hotels.
Meals: Evening meals consist of authentic Sicilian cuisine prepared with local produce. A typical evening meal will include: a variety of starters, a pasta course, a meat/main course, dessert, wine, water and a digestif. Picnic lunches are provided by support vehicle (together with tables, chairs and cutlery) and include: fresh bread, salads, cheeses, olives, charcuterie, Sicilian specialities, wine or other drinks on request, coffee or tea.
Tack: Comfortable English saddles, with a sheepskin cover, or Western saddles on request. Guests are not required to groom or tack up the horses.
Languages spoken: English, French, Italian, Sicilian.
Airport: Arrive Catania - Depart Catania
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