Our second Hooves ride in Brazil was an even bigger success than the first. Once again, Felipe and his team welcomed us with open arms, invited us into their world, and made us feel at home in the hills of southern Brazil.
It was my second time riding in Brazil, and I still found myself amazed every time we climbed another mountain. The views never seemed to get old. One moment we were riding across open hills, the next we were looking out over enormous canyons, following narrow trails, or crossing rivers and waterfalls. The landscape has a way of leaving you breathless, no matter how many times you have seen it before.
But as spectacular as the scenery is, it is only one part of what makes this ride special. It is the team looking after you, the horses working hard beneath you, the evenings spent together, and the opportunity to experience a part of Brazil that you might never discover on your own.
Written by Stine
More information: Hooves Around Brazil
Seven girls joined me on this ride, five of whom I had already hosted on previous Hooves trips, I had a feeling we were in for a week full of laughter. I was right.
From the moment we said hello to the final goodbye at the airport, the conversation never really stopped. Everyone was open, welcoming, and ready to get to know one another. Before long, we were sharing stories, laughing over the smallest things, and, of course, already discussing where we should travel together next. (Mexico in May 2027 and Colombia 2028)
There is something special about bringing together a group of people who share a love for horses, nature, and travelling. You don't need to know each other beforehand. Give everyone a horse, a beautiful landscape, and a few days away from their everyday lives, and friendships tend to form naturally.
By the end of the week, it felt less like a group of travellers who had met for a horseback ride and more like a group of friends who had been on an adventure together.
If there is one thing Felipe and his team have mastered, it is making their guests feel welcome.
After our first trip, we already knew we were in good hands. Somehow, they managed to make the second experience even better. There was more chocolate, more wine, more lasso lessons, and even more attention to the little things that make a week memorable.
The team is incredibly attentive. They know the group, notice when someone needs a hand, and often step in before you even have to ask. Whether it is helping someone feel more comfortable on their horse, making sure everyone has what they need, or keeping the atmosphere lively after a long day in the saddle, they are always looking out for us.
And then there are the little traditions. Making sure we get our morning beer and a shot of cachaça, sharing a glass of wine in the evening, or taking the time to teach us how to throw a lasso. These might seem like small details, but they become part of the stories you take home with you.
The accommodation is part of the experience, too. We stay in local fazendas and rural properties, where the team does its very best to make everyone comfortable. This isn't about luxury hotels or five-star service. It is about being welcomed into a place, sharing meals, spending time together, and experiencing rural life in southern Brazil. And honestly, that is what makes it so special.
Before our arrival, it had been raining for 20 days straight. Felipe and the team had warned us to prepare for cold weather, so we arrived ready for a rather different kind of adventure. Instead, we were greeted with six beautiful days.
Our first day of riding was foggy, giving the mountains a mysterious atmosphere. We couldn't see the spectacular canyons we had been looking forward to, but the girls loved the experience regardless. The fog rolled over the hills, creating a completely different landscape from the one we had imagined.
The team even extended our ride so we could explore the other side of the mountain and catch a glimpse of the canyons. It was a good reminder that a horseback adventure is not always about following a fixed plan.
The following days brought sunshine, and plenty of it. We would leave our accommodation wearing three layers of clothing, only to start stripping them off as soon as we headed out. Each day revealed more of the landscape: enormous canyons, green valleys, flowing rivers, waterfalls, and seemingly endless open fields.
Our final day of riding had other plans for us. A thunderstorm came through during the night, and we had to change our plans.
Instead of heading straight out on horseback, we enjoyed a slower morning with coffee in bed followed by card games that gradually turned into drinking games.
That evening, Felipe gave a heartfelt speech about how grateful he was that we had joined him and his team on this ride. He shared how much it means to him and his family to be able to do what they have always dreamed of: welcoming people into their world and sharing the place, culture, and traditions they grew up with.
It was a lovely reminder that these rides mean just as much to the people hosting us as they do to those of us joining the adventure.
To end the evening, Felipe and a friend surprised us with a musical performance. It was the perfect ending to a week that had already given us so many memories. Sometimes, it is the unexpected moments that stay with you long after the trip is over.
One of my favourite parts of riding with Felipe is listening to his stories.
Felipe and his team grew up in Campo dos Padres and Santa Barbara. This isn't simply a beautiful landscape they guide visitors through; it is their home, their history, and the place where they learned to work with horses and cattle.
As we ride, Felipe will point in one direction and tell us about a farm belonging to his cousin's family, where he spent much of his childhood working cattle. Then he will point somewhere completely different, towards what looks like a tiny corral and an old mountain cabin, and explain how they used to sleep there while herding cattle. Some of these places even have their own ghost stories.
Without these conversations, you might simply see another farm in the distance or a small building tucked away in the mountains. With Felipe's stories, those same places become part of a much bigger picture. You begin to understand the people who live here, the work they do, and the traditions that have shaped their lives.
This is what I love most about travelling on horseback with local gauchos. You aren't just passing through a beautiful landscape. You are discovering it through the eyes of the people who know it best.
And that is an experience you cannot recreate by simply driving to a viewpoint, taking a photograph, and moving on to the next stop.
Our second ride in Brazil reminded me why I wanted to bring these experiences to more travellers in the first place. The scenery is incredible, the horses take us to places we would never reach otherwise, and the people we meet make the experience what it is.
If you are looking for an adventure that combines horseback riding, rural culture, beautiful landscapes, and good company, we would love to welcome you on one of our upcoming rides.
We offer two different adventures, each offering its own way of discovering southern Brazil.
This ride is a journey across two states, beginning in Rio Grande do Sul and finishing in Santa Catarina.
We will meet at Florianópolis Airport before travelling together to our starting point, where we will meet Felipe and the team. From there, we begin our Fazenda-to-Fazenda adventure, riding from one rural property to the next through some of the region's most impressive landscapes.
Expect dramatic canyons, waterfalls, rivers, rolling hills, and wide-open fields. Along the way, we will experience the hospitality of local fazendas and enjoy the rhythm of travelling on horseback through the Brazilian countryside.
At the end of the ride, we will return to Florianópolis Airport together.
This is a trip for those who want to explore southern Brazil from the saddle, experience the local culture, and spend a week surrounded by horses, nature, and good company.
This ride offers something a little different. Alongside the beautiful Fazenda-to-Fazenda journey, we will spend time experiencing the cattle work that remains an important part of rural life here.
After meeting at Florianópolis Airport, we will travel together to the first fazenda and meet the team. The following morning, we will ride for approximately four hours to the family's mountain corral and cabin.
After lunch, we will head out to find the cattle, count them, and bring them back to the corral. The next day, we will help with the cattle work inside the corral, including vaccination and parasite control, as the team carries out part of the regular health checks that help keep the herd in good condition.
This is an opportunity to experience a different side of gaucho life. Cattle work isn't a performance put on for visitors; it is part of the family's everyday life and responsibilities.
After lunch, we will leave the mountain cabin behind and begin our Fazenda-to-Fazenda ride. Over the following days, we will travel through the canyons, cross rivers, pass waterfalls, and ride over the rolling hills and open fields that make this region so remarkable.
It is a combination of hands-on rural culture and a multi-day horseback adventure, offering a closer look at the traditions and work that are part of life in these mountains.
Whether you join us for the journey between Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina, or to combine cattle work with riding through the canyons, you can expect more than just beautiful views.
You will meet the people who call these mountains home, learn about their way of life, spend long days in the saddle, and share the experience with a group of fellow travellers who love horses and adventure as much as you do.
And if our last two trips are anything to go by, there will probably be plenty of laughter, chocolate, wine, and stories to take home, too.
We hope to see you in Brazil!
.jpeg)
