Welcome to Rome, globetrotters! Hopefully you’ll have flown in a day or two early and had a good look around this most famous of cities. The transfer departs Rome Fiumicino Airport at 11am sharp, so make sure you’re at the meeting point nice and early. It’s about a 2-hour drive to the hilltop village of Santo Stefano di Sessanio, nestled in the breathtaking surrounds of Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park. This mountainous region is a treasure trove of Italian heritage and natural beauty – one of the few habitats in Europe where bears still roam wild.

In the early afternoon, you’ll arrive at your accommodation, Dimora Sessanio, a beautifully restored 19th-century residence oozing old-world nobility. Here, you’ll be greeted by your guide Emiliano and his friendly team, who will brief you on the week ahead. You’ll then be shown to your rooms and have a chance to freshen up before heading to the nearby stables. Emiliano and his team will ensure everyone is matched to a responsive, reliable mount, perfectly suited for the journey ahead. A short ride through the hills surrounding the village allows you and your horse to get to know one another.

Dinner tonight is a short stroll away at a cosy trattoria in the heart of the village. Raise a glass to the adventure ahead as you dine beneath stone archways and frescoes, with the Apennines rising dark and proud beyond the terraced rooftops. Italians eat quite late (dinner is served between 8-10pm), so prepare for late nights and sleep-ins!

After a decadent breakfast featuring such delights as pastries, slices, yoghurt, ricotta and honey, you’ll pack your bags and don your riding gear, mounting up at 9:30am. Today’s ride is a seven-hour loop through the Campo Imperatore plain – a vast, high-altitude plateau often called Little Tibet for its sense of expansive, otherworldly solitude. You’ll cover 35 kilometres (21 miles) of mountain trails through meadows and ridgelines dotted with free-roaming herds of sheep, cattle and horses. Lunch will be served at a remote mountain refuge, where you can rest and refuel while taking in the spectacular views. With an elevation gain of around 700 metres, there will be plenty of opportunities to marvel at the splendour of the Gran Sasso massif.

As evening draws in, you’ll return to Dimora Sessanio, where your comfortable room and a hot shower await. Dinner is once again in the village.

After breakfast at B&B Il Parco, you’ll ride out from Assergi and begin the steady climb up the Gran Sasso mountain chain. The high point of today’s 35-kilometre (21 mile) route is the Capannelle Pass, a remote and rugged stretch where semi-wild herds of horses graze on the sweet mountain grass. You’ll stop for a saddlebag-packed lunch beside a small church dedicated to Saint Vincent. This is transhumance country, where livestock migrations have worn winding paths over many centuries. Even now, when the seasons change, herds are mustered along these tracks.

In the afternoon, you’ll begin a gentle descent towards the village of Capitignano, where you’ll spend the night at Agriturismo La Canestra, a farmstay known for its warm, family hospitality. Dinner is a celebration of Abruzzo’s produce and traditions, showcasing local ingredients, homemade pastas, and perhaps even a glass of plum-red Montepulciano d’Abruzzo to toast another unforgettable day.

Today you’ll ride for around five hours, covering 24 kilometres (15 miles) as you leave Capitignano and head towards the town of Amatrice, nestled in the Monti della Laga mountains in the region of Lazio. The route offers sweeping views of Lake Campotosto, a striking manmade lake surrounded by forested slopes and, on a clear day, views back towards the Gran Sasso massif. Lunch will be provided en route by the marvellous team from last night’s farmstay, Agriturismo La Canestra, with regional soups and fresh produce sourced straight from the farm.

In the afternoon, you’ll reach the town of Amatrice. Despite being devastated by the 2016 earthquake of central Italy, Amatrice is considered one of the most beautiful villages in Italy. The horses will stay at a local riding centre while you settle into B&B Santa Giusta. While the accommodation is basic, the real treat tonight is the food: Amatrice is the birthplace of the legendary pasta all’Amatriciana, and this world-famous dish will be served up with all the warmth and pride this resilient town is known for.

Today you’ll cross from Lazio to Umbria, entering Monti Sibillini National Park and completing your remarkable journey through three national parks and three Italian regions in six days! You’ll ride for 35 kilometres (21 miles) along an ancient transhumance track linking central and southern Italy that has been trodden by sheep, horses, cattle and people for hundreds of years. passing through the magnificent valleys of the Pantani di Accumoli – a series of serene mountain ponds carved by glaciers. A packed lunch will be served overlooking the herds of cattle and horses drinking and grazing by the Pantani.

In the afternoon, you’ll descend onto Piano Piccolo (‘Small Plain’), one of the three famed Plains of Castelluccio. Finally, the beautiful Valle della Dogana leads you to your guide Emiliano’s ranch, where the horses will be reunited with their herd.

Your base for the last two nights of the ride is the hilltop village of Castelluccio di Norcia. You’ll be accommodated at Agriturismo Locanda dei Senari, a cosy hilltop farmstay with magnificent views across the Pian Grande (‘Big Plain’) and the Sibillini Mountains beyond. Evening brings another lovingly prepared dinner with local specialties such as the famous Castelluccio di Norcia lentils, prosciutto ham and prized Norcia black truffles.