Giara di Gesturi

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There’s a place in Sardinia which has kept isolated and untouched an environment of extraordinary natural strength: Giara di Gesturi, a plateau of volcanic origin with a surface of 45 km² , rising up 500 metres from the surrounding ground. Actually on the island there are many of these basalt plateaus, called Giare, mostly concentrated in the south-central area. But that of Gesturi stands out for its wild beauty: the outer ledges are edged with cork-tree oaks, continuously swept by the wind; a rich Mediterranean vegetation, ponds and prairies are the ideal habitat for an amazing variety of birds and wild animals, but most of all, for the last herd of wild horses in Europe: the famous horses of Giara. They are small, similar to ponies, with a long mane and wide almond- shaped eyes. In Giara live about 700 horses, but the need to protect them in a proper way makes more and more necessary the foundation of the Regional Park of Giara di Gesturi, which so far represents only an unofficial institution. An itinerary starting from the parking area of Scala Corte Brocci, 4 km from Gesturi, covers in approximately 10 hours the inner ring of Giara (if you want to walk through the full path, be sure to wear good hiking shoes and to bring enough water with you). The path passes by the paùli, which are natural ponds generated with winter rain, where at sunset the ponies go drinking.

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The most amazing thing is to hear their whinnying from a distance, while you wait in silence that they approach to drink. In Gesturi and in the surrounding villages it is possible to hire a local guide to enjoy a guided tour in search for precious natural jewels kept by Giara, as well as the numerous rests of nuraghi or the more recent shapes of human settlements: the stone huts of the shepherds.