Pacho is a lucky man, because Pacho has got everything: a lovable personality, patience, a knack for horses, and a lot of knowledge about nature and culture. In spite of our guide allergy we couldnt resist Pacho when he offered us a horse ride into the surrounding mountains and to other archaeological finds. The price of 50,000 Peso (27.50 $) seems to be reasonable, and finally we are four and a half hours on the way. The tour brings us to some minor important, nonetheless worth seeing excavations that are only accessible by horse: La Pelota and El Purutal where at the most beautiful statues still remaining colours in red, yellow, black and white can be seen. In the grove above there are trees producing yellow and red resin that might have served as paint. More likely is the theory that minerals were used for tinting. La Chaquira and El Tablon are other interesting spots.
The horses that Pacho gives us are excellently educated. They follow even the possibly not perfect commands of complete greenhorns. Pacho lets us ride in front and determine the speed. Trotting and galloping are no problem as long as the horses go along with it and terrain allows. Pacho speaks only Spanish (slow and clear), but everybody seems to understand him, even without language knowledge. He can be contacted via Finca El Maco. We highly recommend him, but everybody has to cope with consequences for his bottom on his own.