Check options at Apumayo Expediciones website

Has anyone been horseback riding in the Sacred Valley??

There are many options and you are better off choosing a good company that look after their horses. The best company there is Perol Chico run by a dutch gentleman (you will find great info at their website) Also Hotel Sol y Luna offer horse-riding excursions and Huayoccari. A cheap company is called Peruvian Paso horses but their horses aren't in the best shape.

I didn't know horseback was an option for this! Very cool! Maybe I will consider this too for our trip in October.

Any idea how far Ollanta is from Maras/Moray? And how long should someone expect to be in these areas?

The problem with Perol Chico is that you need to win the lottery to be able to afford their tours.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but Perol Chico only does overnight horseback riding trips.

The prices of Perol Chico may seem high for non-horse persons but one must realise that it is very expensive to feed and take good care of horses in this part of the country. During the dry season (7 months) green pasture is scares and very expensive (Perol Chico buys its alfalfa from Arequipa, about 600 miles away) .To feed a horse well with good pasture, cereals, mineral supplements, etc. it cost around US $1400 per horse per year. Then add salaries of stable hands, medicines (most of them are imported), vet bills and tax (i.e. if you run a formal company) and you will get an idea how much it cost to keep a horse happy in this part of the country. The tourist season in Cusco is only 7 months long followed by 5 months of rainy season, when rides high in the mountains are impossible (slippery trails). So in 7 months an outfitter has to earn enough to survive the other 5 months without income. Any outfitter in Cusco that offers horse rides at cut prices is not able to feed and to take good care of his horses, period.

If you want to ride a happy, healthy and well fed horse, then be willing to pay a fair price.

Eduard van Brunschot, owner of Perol Chico

My husband and I got back from Peru ten days ago. We decided not to do any horseback riding, although people who did seemed happy with their decision.

We took a cab to Moray, and then walked from Moray to the town of Maras, then to the salineras, and down to the main road. Then we hopped on a combi back to Ollanta.

It was a beautiful walk. We saw people on a mountain bike tour on the same trail, so it looks like you have options to horseback ride it, mountain bike it, and walk it. Any way you go about it, you will have a good time in beautiful scenery.

I am glad Perol Chico wrote something to explain their prices. Horses are beautiful creatures and need to be treated as such. If you rent a cheap ride on a horse at Sacsaywaman you will be shocked at how the little boys maltreat their horses. I have heard lots of complaints and the tourists return full of emotion from anger, sadness to helpless.

Please pay more for the horses sake and if you refuse to hire those cheap horses then maybe the boys will change their behavior.