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Riding the Tropeiros Trail on the highlands of Southern Brazil

A 4 days horse riding trip to experience the Gaucho culture in remote areas of the highlands of Santa Catarina

River crossings at the Tropeiros trail, Santa Catarina

Riding with gauchos in Santa Catarina Highlands

Price Includes:

Support vehicle during the horse-ride
3 nights accommodation as described
All meals from the evening on day 1 to lunch on day 4
Horses and all riding equipment
Bilingual guide and horse-riding guide(s)
support team

Price does not include flights, insurance.

Additional Info

Please request full briefing for suggested personal list and information on riding style and horses
This itinerary estimates riding from 3 to 8 hours a day, but it can be adapted
We have itineraries from 2 to 7 days for all riding abilities
Please consult

Other Services

This trip takes in remote areas of Southern Brazil and has a mix of beautiful scenery and local culture.

The ride will take you through araucaria forests, vast highland fields and pristine rivers. We will ride the route of the old “tropeiros”, the men that moved cattle and mules from the South to the North in colonial times. Along the way you will experience the southern Gauchos way of life, their warm hospitality, cuisine and old traditions.

Day 1 – Transfer from Florianopolis airport or hotel to Fazenda Barreiros, a traditional rural hotel in the Campos de Cima da Serra, the Highlands of Santa Catarina.

Rest of the day free to relax, try the horses and riding gear around the farm.

Dinner and overnight at the Farm.

Day 2 – Depart the farm after breakfast for the beginning of our 3-day ride through the area known as Coxilha Rica.

Coxilhas, the typical rolling hills from this area, are the land of old, historical cattle ranches. Many Fazendas here are inhabited since colonial times, when they were support bases for the gauchos that moved live troops from Rio Grande do Sul to Sao Paulo. Depending on itinerary, you will ride inside the remains of the stone corridors that run for hundreds of kilometers and were used by the tropeiros to avoid dispersion of the troops. In each place we will be welcomed with the warm hospitality of the region and have the opportunity to try the typical local cuisine.

Ride approximately 3 to 4 hours in the morning and stop for lunch at Fazenda Cascata. After some rest, continue riding, arriving at Fazenda Sao Joao, built in the early 1800’s.

Dinner and overnight at the Farm.

Day 3 – After breakfast, continue on a half-day ride to nearby Fazenda do Limoeiro , one of the most preserved and possibly the most beautiful of the old Fazenda houses. Rest in the afternoon in the tranquility of its surroundings.

Chance to experience the daily routine of a working cattle ranch.

Day 4 - Ride to our final destination, Fazenda Ferradura, close to the agricultural town of Lages. From there, you will be picked up by the support team and taken by road to a guesthouse in Florianopolis.