Guestbook

This trail far exceeded my expectations! I cannot imagine a better holiday: adventure, experiencing nature, relaxation, team work and many hours in the saddle, made this trail ride a unique experience for me! Rudi’s horses are fantastic! They use their power, skill and endurance in an intelligent way to manage the challenging route through the Pyrenees. I could trust my horse Calderín right from the beginning. He knew his task very well, was clearly experienced and he was fully motivated – just like the other horses. Without hesitation, he climbed the steep and stony paths and crossed streams, always paying attention to where he would put his hooves. Between the sweaty ascents, again and again, there was always time for a fast trot or canter, which we enjoyed. While descending we would lead the horses to give them a bit of a break on the steep slopes. This was also a welcome change for us!

Rudi guided us safely through the beautiful mountain world of the Pyrenees. He knows the area like the back of his hand, and thanks to his long-time experience he was always very relaxed. He showed us patiently how to tack and “load” up the horses correctly. The equipment that the horses carried for us has been developed by him especially for these trail rides. All of it is meticulously thought through and designed with care so that nothing can go wrong. Whenever we needed assistance, Nacho and Dani were there to help. Their service is a huge asset to the tour. They master the material logistics with a smile on their faces, and they are responsible for the perfect put up and pack away of the camps on a daily basis, as well as the kitchen! We were culinarily spoiled with wonderful food and no one could escape the charm of the rustic Catalan accommodation.

I would like to thank the whole Panorama-Trails team for their efforts. With enthusiasm, I can recommend the Andorra Trail to all experienced, fit and adventurous riders.

Mirjam

This year, I have already been on four trails with Rudi and his team. Again, this one was an exciting adventure in the mountains. We were a great group, and our guide Niki had everything under control. Just like last year, Dinámico carried me across the mountains. He really is an amazing horse, one you can always rely on. July is a great month for the Paths of Herdsmen Trail. The temperatures up in the mountains were perfect to enjoy our ride through green meadows sprinkled with numerous wild flowers. For those who would like to book a perfectly organised trail ride in Catalonia, I can warmly recommend Panorama-Trails. Thank you again to Niki and the whole team for the fantastic week with you! I will be back next year!

Best regards,

Simona

I want to thank the whole team for organizing this trail. It was great, one of the best I have done. The scenery is superb, the horses very good and the guide Nacho very professional. Thank you and certainly to next time!

Bernard Moreaux

A big thank you to the Panorama-Trails Team! This was my second ride with Panorama-Trails, and it was just as wonderful – a unique tour, superb organization, despite difficult terrains and magnificent experiences with the horses. I was especially impressed with how much thought and care went into the trails (beautiful flowers at lunch/dinner and candles for a cosy atmosphere in the evening). In the beginning when planning the trip, Daniela replied perfectly to all of my questions. The trail assistants Dani and Nacho were always there when help was needed, and they were happy to fulfil special requests (such as a hot tea pot in the evening ;-)).

Our guide Rudi took excellent care of all of us, and he always had a good hint or some advice if something would not work for us straight away. Due to the weather, we had to change a day of the trail, but this was not a problem (neither for the horses, nor for the riders). In my opinion, the horses were handled very well: everything is relaxed, with tranquillity and understanding. You can also see this when it comes to the temper and character of the horses. I fell in love with Oriol in a short time. Maybe not next year – but I will definitely return soon!

Marlena

Thank you for the experience on the Fresh and Saltwater Trail in hot June 2018. The organisation was great. It started with Daniela, who reserved a space for me on this ride at short notice. She sent me all the information and details as well as good directions to arrive by motorbike so that I did not have any issues finding the peacefully situated hostel in Crespià. This is where I met my nice group of fellow riders and my roommate, who was also a lucky choice! Each time, the accommodations were something special, never bog-standard, always beautifully situated, clean, cosy and charming. The hosts were friendly and there were often possibilities to go swimming in a pool or a nearby river. En-route, we never missed out on a bathing opportunity – fantastic in 30°C. A special highlight was swimming with the horses in a lake. I would like to say thank you again to my amazing Dinamico, a great horse. The food was a real treat every time, no matter if it was in the accommodation in the evening, from the saddle bags during the ride or a picnic served by Manel. Always local dishes, freshly prepared, tasty, varied and plentiful. In addition, water, red wine, cold sparkling wine, coffee – there was everything we could have wanted.

Manel, our trail assistant, was a piece of gold. Always in a good mood, always there, constantly helpful and reliable, no matter what we asked of him. For him there are never any problems, only solutions; he is a real treasure. I often admired Niki, our guide, for her patience and calmness, even when she explained something for the fifth time because someone just did not get it. She was always there to help us getting on the horses, and she continuously helped some people tacking up their horses to make sure nothing went wrong. It certainly required some skills to keep our group together. Moreover, she always made sure that the horses were alright, no matter if it was during the ride or in the evening in the paddocks. The horses were simply great! Friendly, enduring, sure-footed and well-behaved. I would have loved to take my PRE Dinamico home with me! What a wonderful horse, well-trained with good gaits and a dynamic forward thrust (he lives up to his name!), but easy to handle and a comfortable ride. A truly reliable horse, self-confident, friendly, attentive, and he was careful with placing his hooves in difficult terrain. Fearlessly he mastered anything without any problems. My all-terrain horse at home in the Black Forest, Germany, would have surely showed me the red card more than once on this route.

The route was exciting, and the terrain was a challenge leading us through diverse beautiful landscapes. The last day was quite long, after 8 hours in the saddle we could not wait to reach the sea…the only issue was that some riders had not read the trail description and the physical requirements well, or they had simply overestimated their abilities and some members of the group struggled. Even the best organisation or tour description is powerless against this. Some riders lacked the necessary knowledge of responsibly handling their horses as well as tacking them up. Thanks to the friendly horses theses riders did not get lost in canter. At least two people would happily let themselves be carried by their horses, which led to unsatisfying situations and a lack of control. My conclusion: all in all, I have collected wonderful impressions and experiences at Panorama Trails. I drove home happy and full of beautiful memories. On the way back, I would have liked to exchange the saddle of my motorbike for Dinamico’s several times.

Ulla