Camino Rociero

Where better to go horseback riding than in the western village of El Rocío and the Doñana National Park? If you're looking for an authentic experience in Spain, there's little that can surpass this.

El Rocío
The village of El Rocío, just an hour from Seville and only 15 minutes from the beach, is surrounded by the forests and marshes of Doñana National Park. El Rocío is one of those places that is very difficult to describe; you must see and experience it to fully understand. This village seems to be made for horses. There are no paved roads, only sand, and all the houses have beams on the terrace to tie up the horses. All the houses also have a back entrance to enter with your horse and horse-drawn carriage. Even the bars have high tables so people can enjoy a beer while on horseback. People from all over the region love to spend their weekends here, riding their horses, singing, drinking, and dancing. Once a year, cowboys gather all the thousands of wild horses that live in Doñana and bring them to the village where they are blessed by the local priest before continuing on to Almonte, where they will stay for five days. This event is called Saca de las Yeguas. El Rocío is also a pilgrimage site, and every year pilgrims from all over Spain visit the Virgin of El Rocío.

Doñana
Doñana National Park spans three provinces: Huelva, Cádiz, and Seville. This is where the Guadalquivir River flows into the Atlantic Ocean, which is why there are so many marshes and shallow streams. It is one of the most important nature parks in Europe because these marshes serve as a resting place for thousands of migratory birds between Africa and Europe. In addition, the unique ecosystem is home to important endangered species such as the Iberian lynx and the imperial eagle. Other interesting animals you can find here include wild horses, cows, deer, wild boars, and the beautiful pink flamingos. Learn more about this nature park on our National Park Doñana page.

Camino Rociero
We propose a horse and carriage tour that combines all the local traditions with a tour through the village and Doñana. An experience you will never forget. This carriage tour begins in the village of El Rocío, where we have a drink and some sweets before starting. In the horse-drawn carriage, there will be water, and if you choose, the local wine Manzanilla. A local music group, Coro Rociero (guitarists, singers, and dancers), will accompany us to make this an authentic and fun experience. They will be responsible for the entertainment and will ensure a celebration is held in the middle of nature. During our first stop, an aperitif is served in the middle of the Doñana forest, and the music group invites everyone to dance.

As we continue our tour, we arrive at our second stop for lunch. Yes, a lunch in the middle of nature, but with the service of a restaurant or we go straight to El Rocio for the lunch. Of course we visit El Rocío and the church at the end of the tour.