June 2012 Newsletter

by Ryan Schmidt [Hidden Trails] 06/19/2012
Summer - here we come !  
-- Enjoy on & with Hidden Trails
  June 2012 Newsletter  


Spring in the Pacific North West had all time record low temperatures - I don't know about you, but I am ready for Summer ! We will be checking out some trips in Europe in July and then again in September and I am personally very tempted to go back to Mexico this fall ... I just can't get enough of it Mexico's landscapes, weather, people and the horses.
The upcoming rides in Chiaps, Mexico, are extraordinary riding adventures that should not be missed. Both trips on July 15 and July 29 are confirmed and have space for a few more riders !  It has everything .... Culture, Breathtaking Landscapes, Great Horses and wonderful guides !

Of course we are also working on our Facebook Fan Page (almost 15.000 Fans) and our website. Have you seen the latest improvements?  We have installed a "Favorite" feature that lets you save trips in a "basket" that you can view any time you like, send to your friends or print as a PDF brochure.

  on horseback in Central Spain with Hidden Trails  
 
on horseback in soutehr Mexico - Chiapas.
-- a few spaces are still available for our July 15 and July 29 riding tours in Chiapas !


Special Offers:
Check our pages for trips with reduced rates

Examples:
Yukon Wilderness Horseback Expedition
Yukon, Canada
20% OFF for Sept 7 departure - limited time offer !
10 days / 9 nights, regular rate $3,290

Land of the Giants - Tuli Riding Safari
Mashatu, Botswana
$500 OFF for June or July trips.
8 days / 7 nights, regular rate $3,700

Medicine Lodge Horse Drive
Idaho, USA
$260 Discount pp - limited time offer
7 days / 6 nights, regular rate $1,300


Banff - Wilderness Tenting Ride
AB, Canada
20% Discount for July 4 to 9, 2012 - limited time offer
6 days / 5 nights, regular rate $1,370

Appalachian Gourmet Ride
PQ, Canada
10% OFF for reservations with 2+ riders
7 days / 6 nights, regular rate $1,095



Added New Rides:
As always we strive to offer the widest selection of trips all over the world at the most competitive rates. We continuously work on making the search for your perfect trip as easy as possible and improve the reservation process for you. 

Here are some great New Trips that we added in 2012:

Caribbean Border Trail Adventure
Caribbean Coast, Costa Rica
6 days / 5 nights, regular rate $1,095
-- also Coast to Coast 16 day option available


Highlands Cattle & Horse Round Up in Ecuador
Highlands, Ecuador
9 days / 8 nights,
regular rate $1,695

Ile-de-France Ride to Versailles
Il-de-France, France
8 days / 7 nights,
regular rate $2,030

Colonial Villages and Haciendas Trail
Central Mexico, Mexico
8 days / 7 nights, regular rate $1,865


If you are looking for the best deal
- we created a specail "BEST DEALS" page for you.

We collect trip reports from our clients, so you can have a look at the best rides on the "Best Top Trips" page.

For all of you that are on Facebook - an easy way to follow us with new Special Offers, new Slide Shows or Videos ... become a fan of our "Facebook Page" - we already have almost 15.000 followers!

 
Order your free   196  page print Brochure
--
for 2012 rates and dates, please refer to our website


Favorites

Look for this sign and use it to keep track of all the trips you like on our website. Check your list any time, send the links to your friends or print them to a digital PDF brochure.


 

Featured Rides

 Canada-Yukon-Yukon Wilderness Horseback Expedition

Yukon Wilderness Ride
Discover the treasure of the northern Canada landscapes on horseback as you climb majestic mountain ridges, splash across creeks and ride through the peaceful valleys. Witness the transformation of seasons in the colorful autumn landscapes of the Yukon Wilderness as the wildlife prepares for another long winter.


Canada-Yukon-Yukon Wilderness Horseback Expedition


Extraordinary Ride in Mexico
Mexico-Sierra Occidental-La Sierra Classic Cavalcade

Classic Cavalcade
- Mexico

One of the best rides anywhere will be discontinued. Only 1 trip date left - 2 spaces ONLY !
Ride with Pepe and Lucia around the beautiful landscapes of Valle de Bravo..
Only 2 spaces for Dec 2 to 9 .....


Mexico-Sierra Occidental-La Sierra Classic Cavalcade

 

Buddy FinderBuddy Finder


Looking
to find a Travel Buddy to save on transfers or Single rooms - we just implemented a 'new' Buddy Finder on each trip page. Just enter what you are looking for and others can contact you from there.

Trip Finder at Hidden Trails
To make it easier for you, we have created a "TripFinder" where you can search for your horse vacation of a lifetime by entering the type of ride, the location, time period or riding level.  
Find your trip here !!

What are these riding trips all about?
They are about galloping on endless beaches, forging rivers, cantering through forests, trotting along age-old trails, gazing at beautiful vistas, and encountering foreign cultures. Most of all, these trips are about getting away from the cycle of work and never enough free time. Escape from the rituals, which long ago froze our nights and days into little more then routine, because deep inside we all feel the longing of the nomads, whose lives we lived thousands of years ago.
Leave your stressful life behind and explore a foreign place away from the tourist rush and off the beaten path - on Hidden Trails.
You will see the “real” country, its hinterland and meet the local inhabitants. The love for horses has no boundaries, but possesses a common language we all speak and understand.
 
www.hiddentrails.com
Toll Free 1-888-987-2457
E-mail: info@hiddentrails.comm

Follow us:  Follow us:   Follow us on Facebook   Follow us on Twitter   Follow us on our RSS Feed  Follow us on Our Blog

February 2010 Newsletter

by Hidden Trails 02/23/2010

West Coast Spring in February


Talk about weather for a minute:

While the East Coast was under attack by storms, floods and cold weather - the West Coast of Canada enjoyed warm Spring-like weather .... and this of course during the Olympics. Probably a nightmare for the people in charge of the ski venues, but for the visitors of Vancouver it was "heaven".  I have lived in Vancouver for about 14 years now and I have never seen anything like it. The other day I had lunch at our favourite restaurant - sitting on the outside patio - without any heaters - it was great. I even got a little bit of a sun tan.

Hidden Trails Blog
Hidden Trails is finally entering the "Blog" era. IT is not completed yet, but we are working hard on it and I think it will be a great place to get more general equestrian information. We will have our "Travel Stories" , the "Media Center" with videos and slide shows, the "Buddy Finder" where you can hook up with other travelers to join and save on Single room supplements, transfers etc., a section where you can "Suggest a Trip" - we are always looking for new inspiring rides, you will be able to upload your travel images and share them with your friends and the Hidden Trails followers, etc etc.  All in one place.  So keep looking for it at  blog.hiddentrails.com


Special Offers:
as always we have a special page for "Special Offers" - there are some excellent deals available if you act quickly ... they will not last.
Have a look at: http://www.hiddentrails.com/tripfinder/specials.aspx

Here are some excellent trips we would like to Highlight:

La Sierra Classic Cavalcade   Sierra Occidental, Mexico
Special Rate of $1,975 for May 2 to 9 trip
8 days / 7 nights, regular rate $2,150
Dates : Oct to May
This 'Classic Cavalcade' is one of the best rides Hidden Trails has to offer. Everything is first class, the accommodations, the horses, the trails, the scenery and last but certainly not least your fantastic hosts, Lucia and Pepe Schravesande. Both are enthusiastic riders and love to share their beautiful country with you.

Provence Explorer Ride   Provence, France
Special Offer: 10% OFF for trips in April and May
7 days / 6 nights, regular rate $1,610
Dates : April to Sept
We are happy to offer several new itineraries in Provence this year. Ride along ancient Roman roads, into villages where the horses drink from the fountain and chat with the locals. Then cantered through fields of lavender and gaze at the snow-topped Alps and the ink-blue Mediterranean at the same time.

Coast to Coast Trail in Sicily   Sicily, Italy
Special: 10% discount for bookings made before March 30, 2010
8 days / 7 nights, regular rate $2,310
Dates : May to Oct
As you ride your horse across the beautiful Sicilian landscape and the wind rustles through the forest, you catch sight of winding rivers and perhaps a glimpse of a herd of wild boars that roam undisturbed through these lands. Along the winding paths fruit trees grow, giving riders a chance for a snack along the way.

Cowboy Adventure in Colorado   CO, USA
Special 15% OFF for these weeks: July 18, Aug 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29
7 days / 6 nights, regular rate $1,899
Dates : May to Oct
Head on out to Colorado and the wild, wild west and experience life on a real Colorado cattle ranch. Fulfill your cowboy dream, live the life and experience the magic! At this ranch you have the opportunity to become a cowboy in a true western adventure. We don't just recreate life on a ranch, we live it! Saddle up and ride with us for the cowboy adventure of a lifetime.

Exciting new trips in 2010 - just recently added:
We recently added a few more new exciting trips to our program - a full list can be found on our website at:
http://www.hiddentrails.com/TripFinder/newrides.aspx

Here are some that I would like to introduce to you:
Thompson-Nicola Guest Ranch   BC, Canada  
7 days /
6 nights, regular rate $1,190
   Dates : May to Oct
This adult oriented horse riding vacation destination guest ranch brings together people from all over the world who share a love of horses and adventure in the great outdoors in the interior of British Columbia. Horseback riding is of course the main activity  and the wide variety of rides and trails available in the area allows us to cater to all levels of riding experience.

Bighorn Mountain Ranch Hideout   WY, USA  
7 days /
6 nights, regular rate $1,906   Dates : Available all Year
Hidden Trails is proud to offer this wonderful authentic 100-year old working cattle and horse ranch with generations of ranching experience - about an hour from Cody. On the way in you drive through wild horse country to reach the ranch. You will appreciate the vastness of the ranch, which spreads across approx. 300,000 acres of private, Big Horn National forest and BLM land.

Cumbria Lake District Trails   Cumbria, England  
8 days /
7 nights, regular rate $1,970
   Dates : May to Oct
With mountains, lakes, wide open beaches and a wealth of flora and fauna, Cumbria is rich and unique. This new point to point horseback riding vacation through the lake district will inspire you - from dramatic fells to sleepy shores, this nature is at its most inventive. Unexpected pleasures lie hidden, like a treasure waiting to be discovered.

Patagonia Estancias and Endurance Race   Patagonia, Chile
8 days / 7 nights, regular rate $3,250   Dates : May
Experience the unique thrill of endurance riding in Torres del Paine! Join the fabulous Patagonia Endurance Race and compete against the local gauchos in races of 27km or 57km. Canter across the wide-open pampas with the most incredible mountain views. Feast on succulent lamb, roasted gaucho-style and on the local salmon as you enjoy the post race party and celebration!

 

2010 Brochure

We have decided to go ahead and print another full brochure in 2010. It should be available by late March 2010. It will again feature most of our equestrian trips, but will not have exact rates and dates anymore ... these are always available on our website.  It will be more of an "Equestrian Vacation Book"  with close to 200 pages. There will be a charge of $5.95 (fully refundable with a reservation with us) + shipping cost. We will set up pre-registration by mid February.

Online Brochure

Check it out - it pretty cool. While you are looking at one of the tours - just click on "Add to Brochure".  It will save the trip to a "printing cart".  Once you have all the trips you want to include in your brochure, just click on "Click here to print brochure".  This will bring you to the final stage. At this time you can still add more trips if you like by selecting them from a list of trips - just click on "Add more Tours"  -- or just go ahead and finish by clicking on "Generate Brochure". You can include images, or just plain text (faster) and it will give you all the details with rates and dates for 2010. The brochure will be in a PDF format that you can safe to your computer for printing and viewing.

 

Getting ready for your trip:

To ensure that you are in the best possible shape for your vacation, Hidden Trails has partnered with Fit for Trips to offer fitness programs crafted specifically for your itinerary. Regardless of your fitness level, ‘Fit for Trips’ easy to use step-by-step fitness programs will help you make the most out of the trip that you have booked or just to get in shape anyways. Have a look – there are some really good options and as a Hidden Trails customer you will get an automatic 8% off when you mention this Newsletter from Hidden Trails:  http://www.hiddentrails.com/article/trip_preparation.aspx

 

Media Center:
Our new Media Center is a great place to brose though our trips with an emphasis on
--> Slide Shows, Online Videos, Trip Ratings and Travel Stories ... have a look at the visually exciting section of our website at:
http://www.hiddentrails.com/media/index.aspx

 

Social Networks:
Your can now follow us on Facebook and Twitter .. or stay in touch with the latest updates and subscribe to our RSS Feed.