What a great time we had! Our hostess, Cheryl Aldrich, saw to our every need. With her years of experience guiding Peruvian Paso buyers, she knows Peru and delights in showing it off. I highly recommend Cheryl's TOURS ON HORSEBACK http://www.toursonhorseback.com/, whether for buying a Paso, just enjoying an unbeatable riding experience, or for a behind-the-scenes look into the horse lover's Peru. And I promise you an eating experience you will never forget. If you want to combine all that with painting or photography, give me a call.

CLICK HERE for some of my photographs from Peru.

CELEBRADA / PHOTO: JOHN FARNSWORTH

Join painter/photographer John Farnsworth for a trip back in time, on Peruvian Pasos, supplied by Peru’s leading breeders of the world’s smoothest riding horse. (Not your usual rental horse!)

• Explore ancient Inca Ruins

• Sprawling Indian markets

• Historic haciendas

• Incredible ranchos

• Museums of art and archaeology

• Enjoy exceptional and distinctive Peruvian cuisine.

• Ride on sandy beaches, through desert and mountain terrain, along the main streets of timeless villages, and through farmlands and country side where tourists seldom venture. Our days will begin with a lecture and a demonstration of either watercolor sketching or photography, followed by time for your own artistic endeavors with John’s assistance and encouragement. After lunch, we will ride for two to four hours, followed by free time for relaxing, painting, photographing, shopping, and surprise special events. There will also be many exciting photographic opportunities while we are riding.

Both riding and art/photo instruction are designed for all experience levels, from beginner to advanced. Even those who have never ridden are said to experience none of the aches and pains of riding on other horse breeds. The Peruvian Paso is a sturdy horse, and its natural, four-beat, lateral gait is, without question, the most comfortable ride in the world. Many people who have had to give up riding due to a bad back find that they can go on thirty mile trail rides on these wonderful, beautiful animals with no problems as a result. Pasos are also among the most beautiful horses, and make great models for the painter as well as for the photographer.

While film photographers are welcome, those using digital will have the advantage of seeing and discussing our work at each day’s end. You must be familiar with your camera. We will focus on the artistic, seeing side of photography, rather than on the technical. John will be available at all times to help with framing, composition, lighting, planning, correcting for conditions, and finding the heart of your subject.

We will be traveling with a staff whose purpose is to make our trip as enjoyable and as carefree as possible. We will be treated royally, with our horses brought to us saddled and ready to go. At the end of the ride, we trade our trusty steeds for a cool drink. For those who don’t care to ride on any given day, a myriad of other adventures await. When traveling other than by horseback, we use the Mother Ship (an air conditioned Mercedes Benz bus complete with reclining seats, video and cool drinks). There is NO camping involved. We will stay in the finest hotels available, all with showers and sometimes spas, swimming pools, and even massages available. We enjoy memorable meals found only in Peru, a country known for some of the world’s best dining.

In CHINCHA, our base will be the lovely 16th Century Hacienda San Jose, with its hundred year old farming and building equipment still in use, where the lovely gardens, the picturesque old capilla, and the catacombs will inspire us, and the food will delight us. We will also visit the beautiful working hacienda, San Fernandito, owned for generations by the Pescheria family to photograph and sketch natives and horses at work. We will take our cameras and sketchbooks to the Museum and Caves at Paracas National Reserve, an unspoiled natural paradise where desert sands reveal the treasures of ancient civilizations, and to the Island of Ballestas, breeding and birthing place of Sea Lions, Humboldt Penquins and Peruvian Boobies, as well as to see Flamingos, Sea Wolves and thousands of other marine mammals and birds.

ITINERARY:

11th

Travel to Peru

Stay in the 4 star MIRAFLORES HOTEL with all of the amenities.

12th

Visit National show ground for the Peruvian Horse

Art show & lunch at show grounds

2 hours of art

21/2 hours riding through the Valle of Lurin and Pachacamac Ruins

13th

Tour Lima

Presidents Palace

Old churches

Lunch in China town

Visit Larco Herra art museum & art galleries

14th

Ride from show grounds along Pacific Ocean to the hacienda of well know Peruvian artist Carmen Navarro

Lunch and viewing art at the artist's hacienda

2 hours of art & photo instruction

Shopping in Indian Mercado

15th

Take bus to Southern Peru

Stay in 17th century HACIENDA SAN JOSE, a converted colonial hacienda dating back to 1688, to get the feel of Peru's Spanish Colonial period.

San Jose, a historical monument of Peru, is located outside of a small Agriculture town called Chincha. This small town is 120 miles south of Lima on the Pan-American Highway. Like so many other towns on the barren Peruvian Coast, Chincha is located in a rich valley producing fruit and vegetables. It is noted for being the birth spot of a very prominent Negro culture and folklore, brought from Africa by slaves who years ago worked on the "haciendas". Beneath the Hacienda are 70 miles of catacombs used to bring slaves in from the coast as well as the old slave cells. San Jose also has it's own 17th century chapel, with a fantastic baroque style altar imported from Europe.

Although you will be surrounded with the aura of Peru's past, San Jose’s amenities give you the comforts of today with a bar, restaurant, TV room, game room, tennis courts and pool.

Visit the Museo de Sitio of Paracas and the breeding farm of Sea Lions at the National Reserve of Paracas.

Take boat to the island where wildlife abounds.

Dinner at the HOTEL HACIENDA SAN JOSE with typical Chinchano show, visit the Capilla and Catacombs.

2 hours of art & photo instruction

16th

Ride out from hotel to HACIENDA SAN RAMON, owned for 3 generations of the same family. Breeders of famous Peruvian horses.

Lunch at the Hacienda

2 hours of art & photo instruction

17th

Visit Tambo Colorado ruins and museum

Fly to Nazca Lines in groups of 4

Relax by pool

2 hours of art & photo instruction

18th

Explore the ruins of Huaca de La Centinela

Ride on the beach

2 hours of art & photo instruction

19th

Return to Lima by bus

Visit Gold Museum

Shopping in Mercado

2 hours of art & photo instruction

20th

Visit HACIENDA TRES MOLINAS

Have lunch while viewing horses

Art show

2 hours of art & photo instruction

Return to US in late evening

•An optional flight over the Nazca Lines can be arranged within the time of our tour. $200

•A trip to Cusco and Machu Picchu is available as a four day, three night optional tour. $660

ART YOU CAN LIVE WITH