Wow I was so happy to meet Raul and his horses! Sunrise, amazing mountains and these friendly horses... It wasn't just a ride - I learned a lot and I really felt in love in how he deals with his horses. It's all a symbiosis, natural horsemenship. Everything great and so simple. If I ever come back to Brazil I will definetley stop by at Rauls little farm!
We, my wife and myself, went for a horse riding with Raul in our trip to Paraty. What a nice guy, he made the riding so pleasent. What I enjoyed the most is riding through the village with Raul greeting every single person and going through the matto with Raul making our way through the dense vegetation with a machete...I couldn´t take picture, because I have to hold the horse otherwise I would end over the grass chating with the snakes...there weather wasn´t good and we couldn´t swimm at the waterfalls....I recommend it....nice way to watch the dense and beatifull vegetation...
I done this tour because of the reviews on tripadvisor, and im glad i did! Our guide Raul, was awesome! reallly taught us a lot of things, very humble guy, There are other horse riding tours in Paraty, make sure you ask for Raul (i understnad Paraty Tours, the big shop in the centre of town, doesnt normally deal with him)try to book direct if possible, and book early. He gets busy!We had a private tour, but that was just his way of doing it, no extra charge! The tour itself was great, i have been horse riding a few times, but this was great... up and downhill, through the jungle, crossing the river a few times... try to take the 3 hour tour so you can have some time at the waterfall.well worth it
Great trip, waterfall was refreshing and the Cachaca was delicious. Raul has a great attitude and is very accomodating. Would definitely recommend it!
If you are in Paraty, don't miss the opportunity to book a horse trip with Raul Sampaio. The horses are in good condition and well behaved. Raul knows his horses as well and he is very focused on client needs.We swam in an icy waterfall and had the best Cachaca at a small distillery in the mountains.
After seeing Raul on TripAdvisor we thought we must give it a go, and we weren't disappointed. Even with little or no riding experience we felt totally at ease and safe at all times. There were some adrenalin pumping moments but just enough to make it exciting rather than scary! Raul clearly loves and looks after his horses and it was a real pleasure to be part of this. The views and cachaca tasting were great but you're really in it for the riding experience, which was wonderful. A real highlight of our trip to Brazil.
Day with Raul and his horses was a fascinating experience and truly not to be missed. He's a great guy with a genuinely great heart and is super interesting to be around. The horses were great, the view and the property is amazing. If you're in Paraty for a couple days and enjoy horses, then I can't recommend Raul, his horses and this experience highly enough!!
Meeting Raul and his horses was one of the best things I did on my trip to Brazil. He is such a lovely guy and really treats his horses with love and care. It was such a pleasure to ride on his horses and even though I have 20 years riding experience, I learnt so much more from Raul. The horses temperaments are amazing, so gentle, and they don't just plod along with their heads down following the tail in front. They are smart, intelligent horses. We went on a stunning ride in the mountains about 40 mins from Paraty. Just being in the mountains was incredible, the scenery is lovely. I was on my own, Raul came to pick me up, then we had about 5 hours riding in which I got to ride a couple of different horses. He even took me to the waterfall on our way back into town. Raul was so kind, spoke good English, and he catered it well for me. My only regret is not staying a few more days! All I want to do is go back!
Our ride with Raul was a highlight of our Brazil trip. He was a fantastic guide as well as being a master horseman and picked us up promptly from our cruise ship giving us an insightful tour on the way to his farm. Our horses were mild mannered but certainly not the 'follow the leader' boring horses you can get in these trips. Raul is especially gifted in getting a beginner riding with accomplished ease in a short space of time. My husband, a novice, cantered along and found himself really enjoying the whole experience of the scenery and horse.
We had a great day with our guide Raul, the horse riding was really fun and matched to our skill level (low) over varied terrain at different speeds through a beautiful mountain setting. What really set the day apart was Raul, he's a bit eccentric but a wonderful guy who went out of his way to make it a great day, after the horse riding he took us to his families restaurant for a late lunch and then to various waterfalls and lookouts and tobogganing over slippery rocks. If you are even vaguely interested in it go and do it!