What to bring for horseback rides in the Chilean Andes
near Santiago
Day Rides
It is best to wear:
a long sleeved cotton shirt,
jeans or equivalent,
trainers or boots,
sun block and hat.
We can lend some hats.
Gloves are sometimes good, so are chaps, but not essential. We provide you with water in summer but you may wish to bring your own as well.
Please, no large bags of kit. We provide you with a saddle bag which will take water and camera and sun block. If the weather is cool bring a fleece or jersey and we will decide before leaving what you need. The weather is usually very settled and we know in advance if it will be cold or wet.
Long rides with camping
The main thing is don't bring too much. Non- ride clothes can be left safe keeping below. For the ride itself, it is easy to wash clothes and they dry in half an hour. So Travel Wash rather than items of clothing. Try and organise that one brings shampoo and one Travel wash etc. Don't all bring everything. It all has to be carried on mules and an extra mule is expensive!
Having said that, it is good to have 1 full change, including trousers.
For riding:
Hat with wide brim and chin strap – it is windy. We can lend a few, but those who have them, please bring.
Wrap around sunglasses
Penknife is useful if you have one, but not essential
Long sleeved shirt over tshirt for riding
Jodhpurs are the most comfortable but jeans will do. Second pair of trousers/skirt for evenings (not to dress up! Just to get out of sweaty clothes)
Chaps, not essential but add to comfort
Gloves. Your hands get dry and cracked otherwise
Scarf for neck and dust
Water bottle
Highest block factor suncream that you can buy. Also lip stuff
Footwear: trainers or walking boots
Lightweight waterproof jacket or cape if you have one. Not usually necessary but there are occasional freak storms.
We will provide saddle bags for water bottle, camera and jersey or fleece
For the evening and night - suggest
TORCH – the head torches are excellent
Thermal underwear including longjohns
A good jersey
A thick fleece and/or a down-type jacket
A woolly hat and scarf
(I feel the cold a lot and usually wear at night a vest and longjohns, a thick shirt, a cashmere jersey, a fleece and a down jacket, hat and scarf. But in fact it often isn't that cold. I think it is best to be prepared)
A top grade sleeping bag and even a liner if you can borrow one. We can rent sleeping bags to you and one or 2 liners for those who feel the cold, also a spare blanket to each
A thermarest type mattress.
It is ok to bring a hot water bottle
A towel – camping style if poss
Usual washing things/toiletries, but please not too much. Washing is in a little stream.
General
*The bathing is magnificent but icy. Bring bathing togs and flipflops or jelly shoes.
We will provide beer, wine but it's fine to bring some whiskey or whatever you fancy, to boost the alchohol levels.
Soft bag for loading on mules if poss – not a hardbacked wheelie or anything. 2 small bags better than one large, but either is ok. Doesn't matter if the sleeping bags / thermarests are separate