$75+ recommended

At the end of the trip it is customary for each client to contribute towards a tip for the baquianos who have traveled with us. The normal amount given by each client is between $50 and $100 for the trip although of course it is up to the client to decide on how much they would like to give. This is presented by one of the group to the head baquiano at the end of the trip.

Transfer and Other Options:

Day 1  Arrival into Punta Arenas.  Please take a taxi to the Hotel Ray Don Felipe in Punta Arenas. The group leader will meet you in the hotel lobby at 7:30 PM and the group will go to a local restaurant for a welcome dinner and tour briefing. Overnight.

Day 2 Today we are going to be starting our drive across the wide open pampas and land belonging to some of the huge estancias in this area as we head towards the Torres del Paine National Park. After a short lunch stop in Puerto Natales, where clients can choose from a variety of restaurants and cafes, we will continue our drive north. The road takes us alongside the waters of Last Hope Sound with the bobbing heads of the black necked swans to our first estancia for the night. Estancia Tres Pasos, now a comfortable hosteria is situated at the head of a magical flower filled valley. A working estancia the wooden, chalet-style property consists of a number of estancia buildings, pretty gardens and lovely views down the valley. There will be a chance to unpack and relax a little before meeting our horses for an afternoon introductory ride in the vicinity of the estancia. Riders will get a chance to adjust to the style of riding and tack as we run through the paces and enjoy a relaxing afternoon’s ride. We will then return to the hotel for dinner in the lovely restaurant. Most of the food in this delightful family run establishment is home produced. Breakfast and dinner included (excluding wine/drinks). Hours in the saddle: 3-4.

Day 3: Today after breakfast, riders will once again be saddling up for a full day’s ride. This time, we will be heading north west to the outpost town of Cerro Castillo. This is a beautiful open ride across grassy meadows and welcoming pampas. Riding towards the dramatic mountain range of Torres del Paine enables us to fully benefit from the incredible mountain and lake views. We will also have some opportunities for our first long canters on our responsive and comfortable horses. During late afternoon after a leisurely picnic lunch and an afternoon’s riding we will see the welcome site of Hosteria el Pionero come into view. Surrounded by the customary layer of trees, the villa has the look and feel of an English country home and was built by European settlers to Tierra del Fuego at the beginning of the century. Once home to one of the most important and influential estancieros in the region it offers comfortable accommodation and an excellent restaurant offering a variety of typical local foods and international cuisine. The fireside bar is an excellent place to enjoy a pisco sour whilst meeting your new friends and discussing the adventures to come. Comfortable en suite accommodation (some rooms with fireplaces). Dinner in the comfortable restaurant. All meals included (excluding wine/drinks). Hours in the saddle: 6-7.

Day 4: After a breakfast of home baked bread and cakes served in the bright dining room, we will be saddling up for the long ride north east towards Estancia Tercera Barranca. Today is also the first day of moving horses where we will enjoy a unique experience of working with the local Chilean horsemen (baqueanos) in moving horses north to a remote estancia close to the border with Argentina. This is a classic Patagonian ride with the soft, inviting pampas stretched out in front of us as we journey north towards the mountains of Torres del Paine and La Cumbre mountain range that makes up the natural barrier between Chile and Argentina. We will be crossing the land belonging to various local farmers making sure our charges do not wander off the trail. With luck we may be invited to join a local for tea or mate. After 5 or 6 hours riding with lunch taken in one of the many picnic spots en route, we will be riding onto the land belonging to Estancia Tercera Barranca. Our destination is the comfortable and cosy ranch house belonging to this working estancia where we will drive the horses into their coral before retiring to the authentic casa patronal with fabulous views of the Towers from its large west facing windows. Fire side living room/bar and traditional quincho (wooden dining room with outside BBQ area). En suite rooms. All meals included (excluding wine/drinks). Hours in the saddle: 5-7.

Day 5 After a filling and wholesome breakfast we will be going out to the coral to prepare for another day's adventure. Once again we will be saddling up and preparing between 40 and 60 horses to be moved to their winter grazing. With the help of the local cowboys (baqueanos), we will be driving them forward over golden pampas and steep walled valleys. Our journey north takes us across some glacial rivers on beautiful and remote mountain trails. Because of the speed of this ride, we should have the opportunity to change horses during the day. To the accompanying chorus of whistles and shouts from the local horsemen, we will be riding towards the beautiful and remote La Cumbre mountain range keeping an eye on the horses and rounding up strays and wanderers. A hard day's ride but what a privilege! Watching loose horses canter across valleys or splash through rivers with the dramatic mountains behind is an incredible and unforgettable experience. After our long day's ride and a job well done we will be returning to our comfortable accommodation at Estancia Tercera. Night Estancia Tercera. Hours in the saddle: 4-5. Breakfast, packed lunch and dinner included (excluding wine/drinks).

Day 6: Today we will be resting after our long riding days enjoying the comfort of the estancia. We can choose to relax in the comfortable living room in front of the fire with a good book or take a walk into the surrounding hills close to the estancia. Alternatively just sit and chat with the estancia staff or enjoy the peaceful garden with its magnificent views of the Towers and look out for resident skunks, guanacos, condors, armadillos or even pumas that sometimes pay a visit. Breakfast, lunch, tea and dinner included (excluding wine/drinks). Night Estancia Tercera. No riding today.

Day 7: Today we will be enjoying some beautiful trails which cross the heart of the Park. Known as the 'up and over' our trail cuts through some incredibly diverse scenery from verdant green valleys and beech forests to azure lakes and wide open plains. We will see magnificent condors hovering high above mountain peaks while down on the plains herds of guanaco scatter as we approach. We will be surprised at every turn of our path as we cross over 30 kilometres of this amazing Patagonia riding country dominated by the Paine Horns and Towers after which the park is named. Finally, after a truly memorable ride we will arrive at the emerald green, salmon stocked waters of the Serrano River. Night in comfortable cabins close to the river / Hotel Cabanas del Paine. Hours in the saddle: 7-8. All meals included (wine/drinks available at extra cost). 

Day 8: Today we saddle up for the fast ride to Mirador de los Hielos (iceberg lookout). Our view will be dominated by the huge granite peaks of the massif as we ride out along the Grey River towards the largest Glacier in the park, Glacier Grey. We will eventually arrive at a lookout with dramatic views of the iceberg choked waters of Grey Lake with the immense Grey Glacier in the distance (the largest glacier in the Park). After plenty of time to rest, take photos and enjoy our incredible lunch perch we will rejoin our rested horses and head back to our comfortable hotel Cabanas del Paine at the Serrano River.
*For clients who are interested, there is an optional excursion available which includes round trip transfers back to Grey Lake and a boat trip out across this iceberg-choked lake towards the face of this spectacular Glacier. Note the boat trip is weather reliant and the excursion with transfer costs US$180 (potential volume discounts on the transfer element of this excursion depending on final number of clients wishing to join).
Breakfast, packed lunch and dinner included (excluding wine/drinks). Hours in the saddle: approx 5 -6.

Day 9: Today after breakfast, we will once again be joining our horses and the baqueanos who have now become our friends for another beautiful ride. This time, we will be heading south east to the Mirador del Toro and the beautiful Laguna Verde. The day starts with our final ride across the fabulous wide open pampas before crossing the much photographed Puente Weber and riding towards the Sierra del Toro. After stopping to tighten girths and check our tack, we will make a steep ascent of this mountain climbing high above the national park and surrounding areas. Eventually we will arrive at the dramatic and often very windy lookout (Mirador del Toro) with its incredible far reaching views of the lakes, mountains and glaciers below. After some time photographing and enjoying the beautiful views, we will continue on through southern beech forests passing a myriad of pristine lakes and valleys as we approach the land belonging to Estancia Lazo.  Arriving at around lunchtime, we will meet our transfer vehicle here and head out on the pretty road that skirts Lago Sarmiento towards Puerto Natales and on to Punta Arenas. Tonight we will be staying in the Hotel Rey Don Felipe. Dinner will be at leisure in town. Breakfast, packed lunch included. Hours in the saddle: 4-5. 

Day 10: After breakfast in the hotel, take a taxi to the airport or continue with onward travel. Breakfast only. 

    Subject to changes
 

Torres del Paine has a milder and drier microclimate than the surrounding areas of Patagonia because of some unique geological features. The weather however is famously unpredictable and it is possible to experience four seasons in the course of a few hours! Average daily temperatures vary but in summer one can expect 10 - 20 degrees Celsius with the occasional hot day of 25 degrees. Temperatures can drop to zero at night and high winds are common in this area. Although you can never be sure of how Paine will treat its guests, we ask that clients are prepared (both mentally and physically) for unpredictable and sometimes challenging weather conditions and that you pack accordingly. Good waterproofs (top to toe) are essential.

*Please note it is a condition of travel that you provide Hidden Trails with proof of insurance coverage in advance of your trip. This insurance must adequately cover your intended activity, i.e. riding, kayaking or hiking. It is also essential that you have cover for emergency evacuation and medical treatment. Unfortunately we will not be able to accept uninsured clients on this trip*

Equipment: On our Camping trips clients are required to bring a sleeping bag (on Estancia Ride these are provided for the two nights in refugios but clients might like to bring a sleeping sheet) and for our camping trips they should also bring a mat. The sleeping bag should be 3 or 4 season and should be carried in an effective stuff sack. We can rent sleeping bags and mats to guests and you should indicate this at the time of booking. For those clients renting a sleeping bag, we recommend you bring a sleeping bag inner (available in silk, cotton and fleece) for your comfort and hygiene.
Waterproof stuff sacks are supplied to each client for the duration of the trip (the size of an average 60 litre backpack/3,200 cubic inches and is sufficient for the demands of the trip). This enables clients’ belongings to be packed comfortable, safely and drily onto the pack horses. Excess luggage not required for the trip can be stored either at the client’s hotel in Punta Arenas or with us in Puerto Natales

Meals will be eaten in the restaurant or with the family.  Food will consist of lamb, beef, chicken or salmon with fresh vegetables or salad accompanied by rice or potatoes.  Wine and beer is available at a reasonable cost throughout the trip.  Lunches will be prepared by clients at breakfast and packed in our saddle bags and will consist of sandwiches (tuna, cheese, salami, ham, peanut butter etc), fresh fruit, nuts and snacks and biscuits/chocolate.  Clients are required to look after their own lunch boxes. The restaurants in the Refugios offer a lively atmosphere and wholesome food.  Vegetarian options are also available.  Breakfast will include toast, coffee, cereal, ham/cheese, bread rolls and juice and occasionally eggs. 

Suitability and Accommodation: This is for experienced riders who like to ride fast and long and those wishing to combine some local flavour and comfy accommodations with their outdoor riding adventure. It is designed for those who prefer not to camp. Riders will experience a first hand view of Patagonia estancia life and the joys, threats and difficulties posed by farming cattle and sheep in this area. The majority of the ride takes place within the park itself and offers plenty of diversity with rides across open pampas, rides to wild glaciers and iceberg-filled lakes and peaceful rides through valleys and ancient southern beech forests. In addition riders will benefit from an exciting horse moving day where they will be involved working with the local horsemen (baqueanos) to move 40+ horses to their winter grazing. Throughout these long, exciting days in the saddle, the snow capped mountains are never far away. Accommodation is comfortable, authentic, cozy and welcoming - all of it having been chosen for its beautiful location, great view and cultural appeal.

This trip includes and can accommodate special dietary requests.

Tack:		Chillean metal framed saddles onto which is layered felt, sheepskin and leather.
Horses:		Criollo-cross 14.0 and 15.2 hands.
Pace:		Moderate to fast, 5 to 7 hours in the saddle per day. Fast paced ride with long riding days. Fitness exeperience essential. | Walk | Trot | Canter | Gallop |
Level:		(3.5 to 4 out of 5)    Good Intermediate
Age:		Min 12	Max 70
Weight:		Max 210 lbs
Riders:		Min 4 riders	Max 12 riders

Insurance Coverage:
For these trips it is mandatory that you have proof of travel insurance that covers you for all activities during the tour and also covers emergency evacuation and medical treatment.

Horses:  The horses are Criollo-cross. Descendants of the Spanish Barb and Arab, the Criollo is a sturdy, sure-footed and willing ride.and vary in size with the majority being between 14.0 and 15.2 hands. They are strong, fit, willing and sure-footed. We are able to provide good horses for both experienced riders and for riders who are more novice or a bit ‘rusty’. The pace of the ride will be adjusted to suit the majority of riders but as we always travel with more than one riding guide, there is great deal of flexibility and riders soon find their own pace for the trip. Riders are not responsible for grooming or tack. 

Tack: The tack is Chilean and comprises of metal framed saddles onto which is layered felt, sheepskin and leather. Rope, rawhide and leather form the bridles, girths, straps etc. The saddles provide adequate comfort for the long days riding and the stirrups consist of a leather cup through which the foot cannot pass. Most of the horses are ridden in simple snaffles. Halters are worn throughout the ride with rope tied around the horse’s neck to tie up at lunch stops/rest stops etc. 
Saddles are western style and very comfortable

Pace: Must be comfortable riding at a fast pace - the horse moving day is fast and long.

Passports
Passport valid for at least six months required by nationals referred to in the chart.
Passport Note
Passports issued to children must contain a photo and state the nationality.

Visas
Not required by all nationals referred to in the chart above for stays of up to 90 days except the following:
(a) 1. nationals of Greece for up to 60 days and nationals of Romania for up to 30 days.
(b) transit passengers continuing their journey on the same or first connecting aircraft provided holding required travel documents for onward destination and not leaving the airport transit lounge.

Note: Nationals not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements (see Contact Addresses).
Visa Note
2. Nationals of Australia, Canada and the USA entering Chile for touristic purposes will be charged a processing fee payable on arrival and in cash only. For nationals of  Australia, the fee is US$56; for nationals of Canada, the fee is US$132; and for nationals of the USA, the fee is US$100 .