Oaxaca Valley Craft and Culture Riding Tour
Traditional adobe and tile roof homes with organ cactus fences.
Mary Jane Gagnier is delighted to offer these special Crafts and Culture Riding Tours. She can think of nothing finer than exploring the traditional crafts and folk culture of Oaxaca on horseback.
Mary Jane and Bobby personally guide
Mary Jane founded, and directed La Mano Magica, an arts & crafts gallery in the city of Oaxaca, from 1987- 2005. During those eighteen years she curated over eighty exhibits and wrote numerous texts on the subject.
This is an insider’s ride, the culmination of over twenty years of exploring and searching out and returning for the experience. The destination on each day’s ride is a different craft village, not the standard crafts offered on the run-of-the-mill tours but honest-to-goodness, by-the-people-for-the-people crafts; split cane baskets, volcanic stone mortar and pestles, burnished pottery, adorned beeswax candles and ceremonial costumes.
Lively fiesta processions
The dates for these rides have been chosen to include the experience of attending a traditional village patron saint fiesta with ceremonial dances, colorful processions, brass bands and rodeos. Rides may be shorter to accommodate visits to artisans and fiesta time in the villages.
Most day’s rides are point to point with transport waiting to take horses and riders back to the ranch.
2012: June 23-28 Fiesta en San Juan Teitipac, July 1-7 Fiesta en Teotitlan del Valle , August 12-18 Fiesta en Santa Maria del Tule, September 23-29 Fiesta de San Miguel del Valle, *October 28-November 3 Dia de Muertos *Holiday supplement add $300, *December 30 – January 5 Tlalixtac de Cabrera *Holiday supplement add $300
7 days / 6 nights / 5 days of riding & craft and culture tours
Visit local artisans and see how they make their crafts
Rates
4-6 riders $1,690
1-3 riders $1,950
$300 single occupancy supplement
- DISCOUNTS: Returning riders pay $100 less
Includes:
- Riding: Approx. 20 hours of riding. Pace can be adjusted somewhat but riders must be comfortable with relaxed canter or extended trot.
- Guides: Mary Jane and Bobby personally guide.
- Lodging: 7 nights accommodation at Rancho Pitaya- double occupancy at comfortable country guesthouse
Ride through "carrizo" trails then see how baskets are woven from this wild cane.
- Food: All meals and drinks. Breakfast and dinner served at the ranch. Lunches will be at the homes of artisans or picnics along the way.
- Transfers: Round trip transport to/from airport or city hotel.
- Horses: Arabian, Criollo & Quarter horse
- Tack: Mostly comfortable endurance saddles and some English
- Weight Limit: 210 lbs./ 100 kilos. $200 surcharge for riders up to 250 lbs.
Not included:
- Massages, taxis for additional excursions