Madonie Mountains

Sicily on horseback, Madonie trail rides: a choice of 6, 4, 3 & 2 day trails

Madonie on horseback, fascinating rides through the Madonie Natural Park, home to more than 70% of Sicily’s wildlife. A fantastic adventure! These trails offers unparalleled immersion in Sicily’s complex history and agricultural heritage, its legends and magic. Read below for details of the 6 Day trail, details of other trails on request.

Madonie Mountains 6 Day Trail (For 4, 3 & 2 day trail rides detailed itineraries on request)

Day 1: Arrival

Arrival at Casa ‘Il Bosco’, a 19th century restored country house in the wilds of the Madonie Park. Enjoy the views of the island’s north coast and the Aeolian Islands while your dinner is prepared using fresh home produced ingredients and then rest overnight at the agriturismo.

Day 2: Casa “Il Bosco” – Al Convento (hours of riding: 6)

After having breakfast, you will meet your horse for the trail and leave at approx. 8.30 am. You will begin the day riding through dense mediterranean vegetation with beautiful views of the Tyrrhenian Sea, passing close to the town of Castelbuono and stopping for a picnic lunch, before riding up the valley of the River Pollina. You will then climb towards San Mauro Castelverde, a medieval mountain village at an altitude of1000m, riding along enchanting and forgotten pathways, to reach Al Convento, a former monastery dating from the 16th century and transformed into a quality hotel. You will spend the night here and enjoy a delicious dinner prepared with local produce.

Day 3:  Al Convento – Casalvecchio (hours of riding: 6)

Set off at around 8.30 am after a delicious breakfast. Descending from the town into the River Pollina Valley, and then continuing along the valley through a wild area of rare natural beauty. You will stop for a picnic lunch at an ancient abandoned farmstead and continue along enchanting and forgotten pathways to reach Agriturismo Casalvecchio, on the boundary between the wild territory of the Madonie Park and the endless cultivated fields of Sicily’s interior, where you will spend the night and enjoy a delicious dinner prepared with produce straight from the farm.  

Day 4: Casalvecchio – Rifugio Marini (hours of riding: 7)

Set off at around 9 am, after a delicious breakfast, riding along an ancient “trazzera” which follows the valley of the river Rainò, tributary of the River Pollina, on the eastern boundary of the Madonie Park. You will then ride through an unspoilt wilderness arriving below Geraci Siculo, one of the highest a medieval hilltop towns in Palermo province, from where you can admire spectacular views of the surrounding countryside. After a picnic lunch in the woods, you will continue to climb higher into the Madonie Mountains, reaching Portela Mandarini, an important crossroad between ancient transhumance routes through the mountains. You will ride along paths and lanes through the park to arrive in the afternoon at Piano Battaglia. There you will enjoy a rich dinner prepared with local produce and spend the night at Rifugio Marini.

Day 5: Pizzo Carbonara – Vallone Madonna degli Angeli (hours of riding: 6)

After breakfast, the ascent towards Pizzo Carbonara, Sicily’s second highest peak after Mount Etna (at 1979 metres), where you can often spot wild deer and goats grazing, and, weather permitting, admiring the 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. After a picnic lunch beneath the imposing Serra della Quacella, an area home to a number of indigenous species, the ride continues in the heart of the Madonie Park, through the valley of Madonna degli Angeli, home to some of the most beautiful examples the Nebrodi fir (abies nebrodensis), the symbol of the park. You will return for a second night to Rifugio Marini. 

Day 6: Rifugio Marini – Casale Drinz (hours of riding: 6)

Setting off around 8.30 am, after breakfast, from Rifugio Marini and riding to the valley of Battaglietta, where all of the meltwater gathers and travels along underground tunnels to Cefalù. You will then ride across the second highest peak of the Madonie Mountains, Monte Cervi (1794 metres), rich in biodiversity, before beginning to descend towards the medieval Madonie village of Collesano. Dinner and overnight at Casale Drinzi. 

Day 7:  Casale Drinzi – Casa “Il Bosco”: 6)

Leaving Casale Drinzi, after breakfast, at around 9.00 am, you will spend the morning riding on the northern slopes of Pizzo Dipilo, with breathtaking views of the Tyrrhenian Coast towards Palermo. Riding on through the San Giorgio woods, consisting mainly of cork and green oak trees, and passing the San Giorgio Abbey, founded by monks in the 12th century and coming to the picturesque medieval village of Gratteri. Upon reaching the Sanctuary of Gibilmanna, you will stop for the final picnic lunch. In the afternoon you will return to Casa “Il Bosco” following a panoramic pathway. There you will enjoy a delicious dinner and spend the night.

Day 8: Departure

Breakfast and transfer to the airport.

Madonie 6 day trail

Level: Intermediate/Advanced Comfortable at all three paces (walk, trot and canter), with experience of hacking out in the open.
Max 10 persons. Languages Spoken: English, French, Italian & Sicilian.

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.

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 a 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.

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.

Tack: Comfortable English saddles, with a sheepskin cover, or Western saddles on request. Guests are not required to groom or tack up the horses.

Airport: Arrive – Palermo, Depart – Palermo