Horseback Riding in Mexico

Valle de Bravo is a 400 year old town and municipality located in Mexico State, Mexico.  It is located on the shore of Lake Avándaro, approximately 145 km (95 miles) southwest of Mexico City.  It takes about 2 hours to drive from Mexico City to Valle de Bravo, making it a popular weekend getaway for affluent wealthy upper class people of the metropolis capital.  The town and the surrounding area are well-known in Mexico as a tourist destination, principally because it is natural area only 2 hours away from Mexico City.

One of the famed tourist attractions is a horseback ride that circles the beautiful lake of Valle de Bravo.  The Quarter Horses and Thoroughbreds are excellent horses one would expect to find in Europe or the U.S., rather than the smaller horses usually found in Mexico and Central America. The ride is run with European competency without losing the charming flavor of Mexico.  The route takes tourists high into the surrounding mountains through the forests of Montezuma where they can look at the blue lake below.  If you are visiting the area you will be able to stay in a lovely villa with wonderful hosts.

Horseback rides is not the only tourist attraction in the area.  The town’s principal economic activities center around tourism. It is a very popular location for weekend visits, especially from residents of Mexico City and Toluca.  The largest annual celebration is the cultural festival known as the Festival de las Almas (Festival of the Souls) which has occurred each of the last five years in late September or early October.

If you will be in the area enjoying a horseback ride you should also consider the following attractions:

Temple of Santa María Ahuacatlán was originally a chapel when it was started in 1864 but has been converted into a church which is still under construction. The church’s fire-blackened Black Christ (Cristo Negro) sculpture is said to perform miracles and attracts thousands of Mexican pilgrims each year. Inside the church are extremely large canvases by Phillippa, an English artist who was recently commissioned. These canvases depict the relationship between Mazahua legend and the Black Christ.

The Parish of Saint Francis of Asisi used to have two very large naves constructed by the Franciscans, one nave for the Spanish and one for the indigenous people. All that is preserved from the 17th century are the baptismal font, the holy water font and a carving of Saint Francis which is located in a vaulted niche in the present-day main nave. Other, more recent features of the church include murals and Italian oil paintings. The main bell was cast during the Mexican Revolution. The third and main nave was constructed in the 1950s in which all residents of the town participated; however, this project was not terminated until 1994.

The Casa de la Cultura (House of Culture) is located in front of the municipal dock on Lake Avandaro. Classes are given there in activities such as aerobics, music and painting to children and adults. It also hosts conferences and workshops on natural medicine as well as art expositions. The complex includes a library, a ballroom, a cafe, exhibition rooms and an auditorium. Also, the workshop of painter Ismael Ramos is found here.

The Joaquín Arcadio Pagaza Museum is dedicated to the conservation, research and spread of the region’s cultural history. It features objects that were the property of Don Joaquín Arcadio Pagaza, a notable person here. It displays paintings and sculpture from local, national and international artists. It also supports literature by sponsoring conferences, films, theatre and other events. It also offers courses and workshops in fine arts, music and literature as well as a library.

The Municipal Boardwalk and Dock, on the edge of Lake Avandaro, is the main attraction in the town. There are a number of restaurants on the boardwalk and some that float alongside the dock. On weekends, artists display and sell their work here. Boats for excursions on the lake can be rented here as well as horses. It’s an artificial lake where you can practice water sports and enjoy trips on a yacht or on a boat. On the banks of this river there are more than 42 nautical clubs. It is great for navigation, sailing, and water-skiing.

The Jardín Central (Central Garden) is located on the side of the Parish of San Francisco. There is live music at the bandstand on Sunday afternoons and street food such as corn, campechanas, tacos, pambazos and traditional ice cream for sale. A bust of Nicolás Bravo, for whom the town was named also stands in this location.

One major activity here is paragliding. The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale has designated Valle the host for the 2009 Championship, which expects 150 participants from 46 countries. In addition to paragliding, ultralight flying is popular. Age is not a factor in who can participate; however, first-time fliers do so in tandem.

Valle de Bravo’s weather is mild- humid. It rains during summer: it starts in June and ends in September. The warmest months are: May, June, July and August. The average temperature is 17.5 °C (63.50 °F). The minimum temperature is 1.3°C (34.34°F) and the maximum is 32°C (89.60°F).

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