Detailed info about this trip

* 3 nights Wilderness Camp; 2 nights hotel in Santa Barbara. 6 days / 5 nights. Itinerary and day ride locations are subject to change at the discretion of your guide due to weather, trail conditions and safety; they are also subject to change within the U.S. Forest Service properties.
* Day 1: Santa Barbara - Rose Valley trailhead - Pack-Trip - Overnight Camp
* Day 2: Sespe Wilderness Pack-Trip - Overnight Camp
* Day 3: Sespe Wilderness Pack-Trip - Overnight Camp
* Day 4: Sespe Wilderness Pack-Trip - trailhead - Santa Barbara - Overnight Hotel
* Day 5: Spring Trip - Santa Ynez Valley Vineyard Ride, Lunch and wine tasting Los Olivos - Overnight Hotel Santa Barbara.
Summer Trip - Santa Ynez Valley Tour: Return To Freedom, American Wild Horse Sanctuary, Monty Robert's Flag Is Up Farms, wine tasting Los Olivos - Overnight Hotel Santa Barbara.
* Day 6: Summerland Coastal ride or Montecito Beach ride, lunch, departure Santa Barbara early afternoon.
* Meeting point: Santa Barbara, California. Airport: Santa Barbara (SBA). Transfer: Shuttle van (included).
* Transfer from Santa Barbara (hotel or airport pick-up) to the Rose Valley trailhead and back is included. Transport for day-tour and coastal ride is included.

For the wilderness pack-trip, a wide variety of tents are available to accommodate guest sleeping preferences. All tents are equipped with cots. Freshly dry-cleaned sleeping bags are provided. Guests should not bring valuables.

The Sespe Wilderness is located in a remote area; there is no phone, cell phone coverage or internet access. You are enjoying a real vacation!

For their over-night stay in Santa Barbara, guests are accommodated at the Franciscan Inn. The Franciscan Inn is a charming Spanish-Mediterranean hideaway just one block from the beach and next door to a quiet residential area. Originally a Spanish-style ranch house from the 1920's, the owners have meticulously transformed the property into a modern and comfortable inn that has retained its historic heritage and charm.

Enjoy Dutch Oven cooking and meals prepared on the open fire. We serve three meals per day: a Cowboy breakfast with a touch of Santa Barbara gourmet and freshly brewed Cowboy coffee, a trail picnic lunch and BBQ dinners offering local organic beef and fish, fresh vegetables and Dutch oven prepared desserts such as "Pineapple Upside Down cake". We can accommodate special dietary requests. Also, please let us know in advance if you are a vegetarian or allergic to certain foods. All meals are planned with our guests preferences in mind. Requests, or dietary needs can be arranged at the time of booking.

Western, Cowboy.

Predominantly Quarter horses and Mules. A quality guest-string of horses provide the most enjoyable ride for you, your family and friends. The horses are suitable for riders of all levels of experience starting at Novice level. Generally Quarter horses outfitted with traditional Western saddles are used for the pack-trip and trail rides. These horses range from ages 6-10 years old, are well conditioned, and hand-picked for their calm temperament with years of exposure and experience.

Your host Graham is dedicated to providing an authentic Western experience with unparalleled hospitality and service. He is exclusively licensed by the Los Padres National Forest to guide his guests on deluxe, customized, wilderness pack-trips and, together with his experienced wranglers, he personally attends to their safety and satisfaction. All trips can be customized.
He owns all his horses and takes great pride in his guest string of well-seasoned, well-conditioned, experienced and calm-tempered quarter horses, all of whom are prepared for riders at all levels of experience. Graham has been guiding and outfitting in the Los Padres for the past eighteen years.
His guides, wranglers and packers are extremely knowledgeable of the rich local history and the flora and wildlife of this area. They work hard to make the trips not only enjoyable but educational as well. Graham and Hannah have a goal which is to see the back country on horseback and make your experience as fun as possible:

"We are dedicated to conduct our trips so others that follow us will find the country unspoiled. Livestock is a natural part of the wilderness, and when properly managed, enhances men and women's enjoyment of our wilderness areas. Today, just as it was when the entire Southwest was mostly wilderness, the horse and the mule remain our companions in wilderness travel."

Mostly at a walk. Some "technical trail riding" - river crossings. 2-6 hours of riding per day. The company reserves the right to limit the weight of riders for safety reasons to a maximum weight of 240 lbs.

21 years of age and older.

Minimum 5 guests, max 10 guests. A $200 additional fee per person is applied to groups three guests and less.

Guests arrive with their personal gear packed in a duffle bag with a dunnage limit of 30 to 40lbs. per person.
Saddle bags for your personal essentials are provided for your wilderness pack-trip; you may want to bring a day-pack for a nature hike. Wear comfortable shoes, boots or hiking shoes and bring footwear for the camp. If you plan to fish, you must bring your fishing gear together with a California Fresh Water License. Alcoholic beverages are not included in the pack-trip. You may want to bring your own bottles of wine and canned beer. Ice and coolers are provided on the pack-trip for alcoholic beverages. All camping equipment including tents, cots, freshly dry-cleaned sleeping bags, foam pads, chairs, sun-showers and latrines are provided on the pack-trip. The back-country kitchen serves three full meals per day. Our most deluxe fully-catered service combines all amenities of mountain travel by horseback with wilderness vacation.

Flashlight with extra batteries
head-lamps and practical hat
sun glasses
sun protection
camera and batteries
canteen or water bottle (water will be provided)
insect repellent
bee sting kits
prescription medication (if applicable)
bathing suit and towel
boots, flip flops
personal hygiene kit, handy wipes
long pants, shorts, warm jacket (dress in layers)
rain clothes: coat and pants
book or reading material, travel log, maps, sketchbook
binoculars
radio or i-pod with speakers/extra batteries for music in camp if you wish
a California State Fresh Water Fishing License is required for all fishing

* Camp locations and itineraries are subject to weather or trail conditions; they are also subject to change within the U.S. Forest Service properties.
* The outfitting company reserves the right to refuse service at its discretion. The company reserves the right to limit the weight of riders for safety reasons. Guests over 200 lbs., or those who are heavy for their height, need the approval of the outfitter or his wranglers. 240 lbs weight limit per guest.
* A helmet policy applies unless signed off with the Helmet Release Form.
* Insurance is the guest's responsibility
* A California State Fresh Water Fishing License is required for all fishing on our trips.
* No alcoholic beverages are served on the back-country pack-trips, although guests are welcome to supply their own wine or beer.
* Please notify us by the time of booking if you have any health issues, allergies or physical disabilities.
* $ 196 per person single occupancy supplement (for 2 nights hotel accommodation in Santa Barbara).
* Rates include: Three nights Wilderness camp, two nights hotel Santa Barbara, breakfast,trail lunch, campfire dinner, dry-cleaned sleeping bags for pack-trip, airport/hotel pick-up day one, transport Santa Barbara to Rose Valley trailhead and back, transfer hotel to Montecito/Summerland beach- or coastal ride and back. Santa Ynez Valley vineyard ride, lunch and wine tasting Los Olivos, 6 riding days (March, April). Day-tour to Return To Freedom, American Wild Horse Sanctuary and Monty Robert's Flag Is Up Farms, $75 donation to Return To Freedom, picnic lunch, $15 donation to Flag Is Up Farms, wine-tasting Los Olivos, 5 riding days (May, June). 7.75% service tax, 3% U.S. Forest tax.
* Not included: Alcoholic beverages, hotel- and restaurant beverages, breakfast on day 1, dinner on day 5, 15% gratuity for staff and guides, insurance $200 per person additional fee for groups three and less.

Santa Barbara (SBA)

Locations

Santa Barbara

Sourced from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Barbara,_California

Our meeting point and start of your adventure, a premier resort in the Western U.S. on the shores of the Pacific Ocean - American Riviera - a romantic Spanish-style city - endless beaches - steeply-rising mountains - pristine vineyards and ranches in the adjacent Santa Ynez Valley - untouched back-country wilderness in the Los Padres National Forest beyond. Santa Barbara is located about 90 miles (140 km) WNW of Los Angeles, along the Pacific coast. This stretch of coast along southern Santa Barbara County is often referred to as the "American Riviera" because its geography and Mediterranean climate are reminiscent of the French and Italian Riviera coastline along the Mediterranean.
The Santa Ynez Mountains, an east-west trending range, rise dramatically behind the city, with several peaks exceeding 4,000 feet (1,200 m). Covered with chaparral and with sandstone outcrops, they make a famously scenic backdrop to the town.
Sometimes, perhaps once every three years, snow falls on the mountains, but it rarely stays for more than a few days. Nearer to town, and directly east and adjacent to Mission Santa Barbara, is a hill known locally as the "Riviera," traversed by "Alameda Padre Serra" (shortened APS), "Father Serra's pathway." The hillside, made accessible by the advent of the automobile early in the 20th century, is now built with relatively expensive homes.

A spectacularly beautiful area looking south toward the Pacific and the Channel Islands and having sunrise to sunset views, Santa Barbara became the winter destination for the titans of post-Civil War America. Private railroad cars clustered on the sidings at Santa Barbara. The Potter Hotel overlooking Santa Barbara's West Beach was a world renowned resort.
Owners of industry visited Santa Barbara and chose Santa Barbara hillside locations for their grand estates. Others preferred the beach and built palatially there, from Sandyland Cove, Padaro Lane, the city beaches, and west to what is now Goleta.

Located 60 miles south east of Santa Barbara - above the scenic Ojai Valley on a picturesque, remote mountain plateau more than 3,000 feet above sea-level - the starting point for the deluxe serviced back-country pack-trips into the Sespe Wilderness in the Los Padres National Forest.

Renowned communities adjacent to the city of Santa Barbara - beach rides along the spectacular Pacific Ocean coastline and/or trail rides enjoying breath-taking views of the American Riviera and the Channel Islands.

The American Wild Horse Sanctuary - a scenic drive north of Santa Barbara along the magnificent Pacific coast line or through the Santa Ynez Mountains to the Santa Ynez Valley - observe Mustangs in their natural herd group.

Visit Flag Is Up Farms - Breeding and training facility of legendary author and trainer Monty Roberts.

Charming, small Western town in the heart of the beautiful Santa Ynez Valley surrounded by ranches and vineyards.

Arrive in Santa Barbara, California by air, Santa Barbara Airbus from Los Angeles airport (LAX) or car.
Fly directly into Santa Barbara Municipal Airport (SBA)
On-Airport Car Rentals:- Budget 1-800-527-0700; Enterprise 1-800-261-7331; Hertz 1-800-654-3131; National 1-800-227-7368; Door-to-Door Shuttle Service Central Coast Shuttle 805 928-1977.
From Los Angeles airport (LAX) to Santa Barbara by bus:- Santa Barbara Air Bus 805 964-7759.

Arrive by car from Los Angeles or from San Francisco:-
Los Angeles - U.S. Route 101 North to Santa Barbara ( estimated 95 miles) or alternative route State Route 1 Pacific Coast Highway into U.S. Route 101 N to Santa Barbara.

San Francisco - U.S. Route 101 South to Santa Barbara (estimated 340 miles).