In a country blessed by majestic beaches, Paraty has become a very popular tourist destination on the green, lush corridor of Costa Verde, Brazil. A historic town in its own right, we came here not to browse historic ruins or sample the delicious cuisine, but to ride horses.
Looking past the perimeter of the town itself, rising up into the sky as high as 1,300 meters, are the mountains, waterfalls, and tropical forests this particular location hold dear.
We were met at our hotel by a driver who took us immediately to the stables where we secured our ride for the day. We knew that they liked to keep the horseback riding parties small, but we were even more delighted when we found out that there would be just the two of us. The trained staff matched us perfectly with a horse that would suit not only our height but our personalities as well.
The guides were very attentive to us, making sure that we were not too distressed as we ascended up the mountain on a winding road. No being great Spanish speakers did not pose a problem...we communicated our delight with smiles and shrieks of glee.
Our journey took us past some of the local farms that this gave us a feel for the day-to-day lifestyle of rural people in this area. We stopped by a clear mountain stream to refill our water bottles and were taken back by the beauty of the surroundings.
I would recommend Paraty, Brazil for a number of reasons, including the historic buildings and the great food, but surely horseback riding in this beautiful location tops the bill.