Biking
Viu Manent has bicycles for rent for either independent riding through their vineyards, or guided tours.
Hiking
Montes offers a new botanical trail for hiking, with guided tours leaving at 9am every day, and lasting about 4 hours total. Plan this hike with a tasting upon your return -- you've earned it.
Horseback Riding
The Colchagua Valley isn't just about wine -- it's about rural tradition and huasos, and historically the only way to get around the valley was by horseback. It makes sense, then, to see this beautiful region from atop a saddle. Hacienda Lolol (tel. 72/941077; pradera@cmet.net) offers three rides -- Adventure, Family, and Basic -- that include riding, a Chilean-style lunch at the old-fashioned Hacienda, and a tour of the quaint village of Lolol. Prices per person are: Adventure tour $65 (£43) adults, $55 (£37) kids; Family tour, $50 (£33) adults, $40 (£27) kids; and Basic tour, $38 (£25) adults, $28 (£19) kids.
Viña Viu Manent (tel. 72/379-0439; www.viumanent.cl) boasts a certified equestrian club, and they offer a 45-minute tour through their vineyards for $33 (£22) per person, or a 1-hour ride from their vineyards in Peralillo to a spectacular lookout point for $58 (£39) per person. The rides are led by professional riding guides who are members of the club, and they also offer a 1-hour professional lesson for $23 (£15) per person.
La Punta del Viento (tel. 72/823599 or 9/639-5027; www.colchaguavalley.cl) has a minimum of four guests, but the unique thing about these rides is that not only do you ride high to a sweeping lookout point, but you can also program a wine-and-cheese tasting there, then descend for a typical Chilean barbecue. The cost for the 3-hour ride on stunning Chilean purebred horses alone is $50 (£33) per person, and the 5-hour ride with barbecue is $100 (£67) per person. La Punta can also organize a visit to Macho Overo, the finest saddle maker in the country.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
