Turismo Bierzo Rural

Turismo Bierzo Rural is an agency in El Bierzo that sells rural accommodation and activities in the region. According to its own website, it is made up of a team of local people, was founded in 2023 and is still in the consolidation phase. Its catalogue runs from horse rides through Las Médulas to wine, beer and cheese tastings, karting, kayaking on the Sil, canyoning and guided tours in Ponferrada and Villafranca del Bierzo, as well as country houses sleeping 2 to 14.

Where they work

Their territory is El Bierzo: Ponferrada, Las Médulas and Lake Carucedo, Villafranca del Bierzo, the river Sil and valleys such as the Valle del Silencio or Los Ancares. The horse rides leave from a ranch in Salas de la Ribera, inside the Las Médulas Natural Monument, between the Sil and the old Roman gold-washing sites. The two-hour route passes the La Palombeira cave and the El Valgón spillway; the half-day or full-day ones climb up the spoil heaps towards the mines, with La Palombeira, Lake Somido and the abandoned village of La Balouta.

What the horse rides are like

They are done by appointment, in groups of up to six riders with a professional guide; if a horse needs rest, the group is smaller. They include a helmet and insurance. The minimum age is 9 and the maximum weight is 95 kg, because of the type of horses. The one-hour ride and the two-hour route do not require experience; the long outings are not for beginners. You need to wear long trousers, to avoid chafing, and high-ankle footwear.

Booking and cancellation

Activities are booked on their website, on the listing for each one, or with the contact form; also by email at [email protected]. The website does not publish a phone number and says it answers queries within 24 hours. Free cancellation depends on the deadline each activity states. You can change the date, time or number of people from 24 hours after booking and up to 72 hours before departure, if there is space. If the company cancels because of bad weather, it refunds the full amount. The website is only in Spanish.