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Horseback riding tours
Rides in
Argentina
Intro to Argentina
 Cordoba/MendozaCorrientes Southern Patagonia
Extensions:
Fitzroy Trek
Brazil
Chile
Ecuador
Peru
Uruguay
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Estancia Getaway in Los Galciares
Southern Patagonia
Argentina
This new and exciting ride starts from an authentic estancia in "Los Glaciares" the beautiful and wild national park along the banks of the Southern Arm of Lago (Lake) Argentino. Covering an impressive area of more than 12,000 hectares, it stretches out to the border Argentina shares with Chile. The estancia was formerly devoted to sheep production and currently still maintains a small herd, but its chief output has become the breeding of Hereford cattle, of which they boast a most prestigious herd. Enjoy three days at the estancia with two breathtaking all-day-rides to the surrounding mountain tops before departing on an adventurous 3-day, 2-night exploration of the remote corners of Los Glaciares National Park.
Here, nature is discovered in its maximum expression, ever pristine, an exquisite combination of Andean woodland, crystal blue lakes, impressive mountains, open skies and breath taking glaciers. To be on horseback is a great privilege as we have the opportunity to discover amazing places that no vehicle can reach. Here civilization melts away and we become a part of the immense wilderness. Along the trail we have the chance to see into the lifestyle of the rangers and their livestock, in communion with the countryside. We learn of the pioneers and adventurers who are forever a part of this area’s history, back when there were no roads at all and these tracks and paths were only recently marked in the virgin landscape. The two night trek overnights at a typical ranger outpost that is also used as a refuge for mountain climbers resting en route to their destined peak or glacier. On this ride you will be privy to magnificent views of the Glaciers of Frías, Gorra, Grande and Dickson during the expedition. Certain departures may coincide with cattle or sheep drives and livestock work in the corrals!
Estancia Getaway:
Ranch stay only is available with arrival any day during the season (3 night minimum) and includes spectacular daily star rides into the mountains and valleys surrounding the estancia.
Images provided by:
Luis Franke and Daniel Wagner
This is a great combination option with:
Estancia Alta Vista
or the Lake Viedma Glacier Ride.
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Working Ranch
Short Getaway
Family Vacation
Center-based ride
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Meeting:
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El Calafate
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Airport:
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El Calafate
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Transfer:
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El Calafate Hotel
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Riders:
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Min
1 riders
Max
22 riders
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Trip Brochure (PDF) 
Trip Rating
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Rates and Dates for 2013
Rates include:
Accommodations at the estancia, all meals with non-alcoholic drinks, daily riding or other estancia activities with bilingual guide
| A | 2013 | 4 day Estancia Stay, AP | 4d / 3n | $600 |
| Single supplement | $180 |
| Extra days with activities pp (dbl) | $200 |
| Upgrade to Superior Room pp (dbl) | $60 |
Minimum Deposit:
~$30.00 per person
In: Departure from centre of El Calafate at 8:30 am or 4:30 pm. Arrival at the estancia at 10:15 am/ 6:15 pm.
Out: Departure from the estancia at 2:15 pm. Arrival at El Calafate at 3:30 pm.
The regular transfer service goes round the hotels in the centre of El Calafate. Those hotels that are
outside the urban radius are excluded, as is the airport.
Tour Dates for 2013
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| A |
2013
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01/01
- 04/30
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4d / 3n
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4 day Estancia Stay, AP
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1
/22
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Reserve
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Rates do not include:
Alcoholic drinks, gratuities.
Glaciers Ride Sample Itinerary
Day 1: Arriving at the Estancia
Pick up from your hotel in El Calafate in the afternoon (4.30 pm) and transfer to the estancia, situated on the shores of the Southern Arm of Lake Argentino.
After settling in, meeting with the guide, for a short walk around the main building, the perfect example of a typical Patagonian estancia which was formerly devoted to sheep rearing and nowadays has become the most prestigious Hereford breeding ranch of these latitudes, while still retaining a small herd of sheep. Once at the stables, guests will be given a mount and go out to explore the surroundings, to “La Angostura”, a 1 hour ride approximately. Leaving the Estancia behind, you will set off towards the lake through a small native woodland of ñire and calafate (a thorny bush, Berberis, with edible purple-blue parries, giving its name to the popular tourist town El Calafate, in an area where it is particularly abundant). In this section you will be able to appreciate the establishment’s herd of Polled Hereford breeding cows, product of the most advances techniques in artificial insemination. Then, you will reach an area called “La Angostura” , where the southern arm of Argentino Lake is joined by the waters of Roca Lake. The difference in colours is noticeable, due to the latter’s origins in rain and surface water, in contrast to the milky turquoise colour of the glacial waters of Argentino Lake. The return to the Estancia is through dense woodland that provides a habitat for native speciales of fauna such as eagles, caranchos, falcons, skulks, grey and red foxes, hares, armadillos, as well as Patagonian thrushes, parakeets, woodpeckers and the eye-catchingly scarlet-breasted long-tailed meadowlark (Stumella loyca, not the fliendly Brityish or Australian “Robin redbreast”).
After the horseback ride, at the shearing shed you will have the chance of seeing inside such a shed with all its skilled hands and understand the work of the shearing teams. The process is described from the shearing of the animal to the baling of the fleece, ready for the wool to be stored and transported. Manual shears are used for the shearing as they were on all the estancias until the appearance of the mechanical handle with cutting comb, a much faster and more practical system, although not so kind to the animal and does not give such a good cut. Then a demonstration is given of horse handling skills, or according to the rural activities of the day, working with the herd in the corrals close to the main buildings. At the end of the day, at the Quincho, a whole lamb is being roasted on a vertical stake in traditional Patagonian fashion, emphasis is on the history of the place, retelling anecdotes and stories from the early settlers. Crossing through the vegetable plot where most of the vegetables consumed on the estancia are grown, you will arrive at the Quincho where the person doing the roasting has the meat ready to delight the diners with tasty Patagonian lamb while enjoying the impressive view of the mountain range. Meanwhile the life of the estancia carries on and it is not uncommon to see the gauchos ride past herding the cattle and/or sheep and disappearing over the horizon.
Meeting with the guide, who will explain the riding program and the scheduled activity for the following days. Dinner and Overnight at the estancia.
Day 2: Cachorro Day Ride
Leaving the estancia we follow the track through native woodland of ñire, where examples of other native species are also found: notro, calafate, guindo and parilla. We begin to climb the slopes of the Cordón de los Cristales, and the higher we go the better are the views and different perspectives of the lake and thickets that line the way. Far off we can catch sight of the main body of Lago Argentino, the largest lake in our country, while on the opposite side of the lake stands Cerro Cervantes (2380m), its peak permanently snow-capped. Half way up the mountainside we pass out onto a wooded plain which will lead us gradually to an ever more impressive landscape: the Frías glacier (the 13th largest and southernmost in Los Glaciares national park), Cerro Stokes and Cerro Agudo (on the border with Chile) and Cerro Adriana, El Dedo del Cesar, and Cerro Castillo, all named for their curious shapes, the last two suggestive of Cesar's finger and a castle respectively. The whole is framed by the southern arm of Lago Argentino. After three hours of riding we reach the Río Cachorro, and stop for lunch at midday. By mid-afternoon we set out on our return to the estancia, enjoying the beauty of the scenery all around us. Dinner and Overnight at the estancia.
Day 3: Cerro Cristal Day Ride
After breakfast, you will ride out from the estancia heading eastwards, where the way leads through native woodlands of ñire and lenga, with some calafate bushes, parrilla (wild currant), guindo (wild cherry), notro (a native shrub with vivid flame-red flowers similar in form to honeysuckle, notable around the viewing platforms at the Perito Moreno glacier), and a wide variety of local native wildflowers like topa-topa, orchids, arvejillas (native wild sweet-pea) and, of course, the ubiquitous common dandelions. Cerro Cristal (1282m), the highest in the mountain range named after it, is so named because of the abundance of quartz crystals found there. At the foot of the mountain you will stop in front of a huge rock covered in rock-paintings, a testimony to the indigenous peoples that inhabited the region. The higher you get the more the track snakes and the more imposing the scenery becomes. When you finally reach a higher poin in the mountainside, you will be able to make out (depending on favourable atmospheric conditions) the Perito Moreno glacier, some 15km away, and the Torres del Paine Mountains over the border in Chile. With a bit of luck you might even see a condor flying majestically overhead. After lunch, (box lunch), return to the estancia following a track through native woodland of lenga and ñire as far as La Angostura, where the waters of Lago Roca flow into Lago Argentino. The horses and equipment will be
prepared tonight so as to be ready to go early the following morning.
Dinner and Overnight at the estancia.
Day 4: Puesto Laguna 3 de Abril
Time to venture further into the wilderness! The morning ride will climb up the mountain range Cordon de los Cristales, which lies behind the estancia. The higher we go, the more clearly the beautiful lakes Brazo Rico and Sur, Lago Roca and Cerro Frías stand out. Once we reach the clearing, the track will plunge into the Patagonian Andean woods. We pass between lenga trees and guindos [Magellan beeches], ride along old tracks where the great sheep drives used to pass through. On coming out of the dense woodland the way opens out into the Valley of the Río Cachorro. The Notros [Chilean firebush] and calafate bushes here are unusually tall. We start descending towards the lower land until we come to the riverbed. Surprise views of the Frías glacier appear at the bottom and also the granite needle called “el Dedo del Cesar” [Caesar’s Thumb]. Riding between rocks and pastureland and avoiding the marshlands, we reach the corrals of the Río Cachorro outpost where the rangers may be working with the livestock. After a picnic lunch we continue on horseback to Laguna 3 de Abril (3 de Abril Lagoon), a special habitat of flamingos and black-necked swans, kaiken [upland goose] and steamer ducks, as well as of numerous salmonidae. When we leave the lake behind, we come to the outpost. After unsaddling, there will be time to enjoy the near surroundings and the coziness of the little refuge. Furnished with a wood-fire stove, a brick and clay oven and the gentle light of the lantern, we will pass the “mate” around as the evening meal is prepared ('mate' is a typical herbal tea of the area). Share some tales of adventure. The outpost has a communal bedroom with 3 bunk beds and also a room that serves as the dining room and kitchen which also has another two benches that turn into beds if needed. Dinner and Overnight at the Puesto Laguna 3 de Abril
Day 5: Puesto Laguna 3 de Abril - horseback and hiking
We depart the outpost after breakfast, riding south to the “Balcony of the Glaciers”. The track runs parallel to the Southern Arm of Lago Argentino. Before arriving to the head of the lake, we will leave the horses grazing and go up on foot to a special viewing point even higher up. From there we will have an amazing panoramic view of the Southern Arm, Laguna Corazón and of the Lago Frías, with glimpses of the Hidden Glaciers of Gorra, Frías, Grande and Dickson in the distance. We will then walk to the beach at the head of the Southern Arm. From there we cross a large pasture with a most unique stone of more than 20 meters in height will be the next goal. It is impressive to stand in front of such a huge rock, marked by the force of the glaciers constant advancing and receding. The footpath will start to run alongside the lower Frías River. Here there are traces of the area’s livestock history and a hanging bridge over 100 years old that was destroyed by the great flooding of Lago Argentino in 1937. The way passes through dense woodland getting as far as Corazón Lagoon, with crystal clear waters where the deepest blue contrasts with the green reflection from the woods. The water is so clear that it is possible to watch the trout swimming between the rocks. We stop here for lunch, a place truly sheltered from the rest of the world. If you want, you may carry on a bit further and clamber over the stones that prove fairly awkward for crossing, in order to get to the southern end of Frías Lake and view the natural border protecting the glaciers hidden in the mountains further south. In the afternoon we return to where the horses were left in order to ride back to the Puesto Laguna 3 de Abril, where the night will be spent again. Dinner and Overnight at the Puesto Laguna 3 de Abril.
Day 6: Southern Arm of Lago Argentino
The ride today is our return to the estancia and we ride along the pretty shores of the lake until we reach the main buildings, an 18 km journey from the refuge. We will arrive in time for lunch with a typical Patagonian lamb roasted at the stake over charcoal embers, and should be ready just as we arrive. Hopefully we will have some empty rooms available for a quick shower before departing and transfer out to El Calafate -- or optional extension stay at the estancia.
Estancia Getaways
On the getaways, with overnights at the estancia each night, are available any day during the season from October to April. Day 1 to 3 is a good guideline for your itinerary. Each day brings new exciting day rides. Most of the rides described above are also available as day rides with returns to the estancia at night. Or you can opt for shorter rides and maybe some biking or hiking during your stay - the guide will set the program for the next day each evening. There is a minimum of 3 nights, but can be extended to any length as long as we have availability.
Note:
- The program might vary according to climatic conditions and/or to make better use of the livestock work if there is anything interesting going on around the dates of the program.
Images provided by:
Luis Franke and Daniel Wagner
Meeting:
El Calafate
Airport:
El Calafate
Transfer:
El Calafate Hotel
In: Departure from centre of El Calafate at 8:30 am or 4:30 pm. Arrival at the estancia at 10:15 am/ 6:15 pm.
Out: Departure from the estancia at 2:15 pm. Arrival at El Calafate at 3:30 pm.
The regular transfer service goes round the hotels in the centre of El Calafate. Those hotels that are
outside the urban radius are excluded, as is the airport.
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Tack:
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South American
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Horses:
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Criollos
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Pace:
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According to riding level
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Walk |
Trot |
Canter |
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Level:
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(2
to
3
out of 5) All riding levels
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Riders:
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Min
1 riders
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Max
22 riders
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Difficulty Level: Relatively easy - but please note that there is some hiking in addition to the horse riding.
Description: TBA
Passport and Visa Requirements:
Valid passport required by all nationals referred to in chart. The minimum passport validity is equivalent to the time granted by the immigration authorities.VisasNot required by nationals referred to. more
Weather in this part of Patagonia is very changeable. In summer (December, January, February) the maximum temperature varies between 20ºC to 25ºC during the day, although it may well feel a lot colder due to the wind chill factor, and 10ºC to 15ºC at night, or lower. Take into account that this is a very windy area, especially in spring and summer, decreasing in autumn (March-April). The estancia is closed to guests from end April to beginning October due to the adverse conditions in winter.
In order to get the most out of your stay, we recommend you bring:
o small backpack / daypack
o sleeping bag (can be provided on request)
o waterproof/warm windcheater or anorak, preferably with hood
o warm sweater or fleece layers
o riding boots (with heel)
o sturdy walking boots or trainers
o thermal underwear (including long-johns)
o gloves, warm woolly/fleece hat (preferably also covering ears), scarf or neck fleece
o Sun screen cream/protection
o Sunglasses and/or visor
o Binoculars
Please note that only cash will be accepted at the estancia.
Sorry, no video is currently available for this tour.
*Important Notice: The following ratings have been submitted by guests and do not necessarily represent the views of Hidden Trails, its partners or employees.
Every care is taken to ensure accuracy but Hidden Trails is not liable for any errors or omissions.
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You will be staying at the estancia and at a rustic outpost "line-cabin" during your ride.
Estancia
The main buildings of the estancia are a relic of the typically Patagonian pioneer vernacular architecture, all being very uniform in style. Guests at the Hostelry, which functions in the former main house, experience the authentic life of Patagonian estancias. The imposing view of the Andes mountain range is ever-present, while the estancia’s everyday life carries on and it is common to see the men riding past herding the cattle and/or sheep and disappearing over the horizon. Behind the house is the vegetable garden which provides most of the fresh produce consumed on the estancia.
There are 10 bedrooms - each with private bathroom. There is a living-dining room with a welcoming wood fireplace. The Quincho (rustic dining room) is set aside for typical Patagonian asados "al palo" -- a traditional charcoal roast on stakes around the flanks ... both lamb and beef
The estancia offers 220 volt electricity 24 hrs a day - generated by the own hydroelectric turbine.
The meals at the estancia are home made with lots of variation.
Breakfast offers home-made bread, cakes, scones, and jams (all made at the estancia), with milk fresh from the cow - accompanied by fresh orange juice.
Lunch and dinner are typical meals of the region - based on lamb, beef, chicken and vegetables (mostly from the garden).
Outpost Cabin
The outpost has a room with 3 bunk beds and a room that serves as dining room and kitchen where there are another two benches that turn into beds.
A wood-fired stove and a brick and clay oven, with the gentle light of
the lantern, passing the mate round, the evening meal will be prepared
while tales of adventures are shared. There is no shower available, but you can always heat up water to wash up. The toilet/bathroom is separated from the refuge.
Meals: The guide is also your cook for barbecue and regular meals - all supplies are brought to the Outpost by vehicle.
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Tack:
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South American
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Horses:
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Criollos
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Pace:
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According to riding level
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Walk |
Trot |
Canter |
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Level:
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(2
to
3
out of 5) All riding levels
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Riders:
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Min
1 riders
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Max
22 riders
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Difficulty Level: Relatively easy - but please note that there is some hiking in addition to the horse riding.
Description: TBA
Passports
Valid passport required by all nationals referred to in chart. The minimum passport validity is equivalent to the time granted by the immigration authorities.
Visas
Not required by nationals referred to in the chart above for either business or tourism for stays of up to 90 days (extensions for a further 90 days are possible for some nationals; contact the consulate for details). \
Note: Nationals not referred to in the chart are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements.
Visa Note
Argentine minors traveling to or from Argentina, if unaccompanied by their parents or traveling with a single parent, must carry their parents’ or legal guardian’s authorisation to travel, which must be certified by an Argentine Consul if issued abroad. Fines will be levied if passengers do not comply with immigration requirements and passengers will be deported.
| Passport Required? |
| British |
Yes |
| Australian |
Yes |
| Canadian |
Yes |
| USA |
Yes |
| Other EU |
Yes |
| Visa Required? |
| British |
No |
| Australian |
No |
| Canadian |
No |
| USA |
No |
| Other EU |
No |
| Return Ticket Required? |
| British |
Yes |
| Australian |
Yes |
| Canadian |
Yes |
| USA |
Yes |
| Other EU |
Yes |
This information is not being updated on a regular basis. Hidden Trails does not
take any responsibility for the accuracy of the above information. Please, consult
the embassy or consulate for updated info.
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Estancia Getaway in Los Galciares
Tour Code:
IT-ARSR03E
4 days /
3 nights
~$600.00
Dates :
October to April
Difficulty :
Riding Level Explained | A | Beginner
 | Beginner A rider who has limited experience, is unable to post the trot and does not canter. | | B | Novice
 | Novice A rider who is capable of mounting and dismounting unassisted, capable of
applying basic aids, comfortable and in control at the walk, moderate length posting
trots, and short canters. | | C | Intermediate
 | Intermediate A rider who has a firm seat, is confident and in control at all paces
(including posting trots, two point canters and gallops), but does not ride regularly. |
| D | Strong Intermediate
 | Strong Intermediate An intermediate rider who is currently riding regularly and is comfortable in the saddle for at least 6 hours per day. | | E | Advanced
 | All of the above, plus an independent seat, soft hands, and capable of handlinga spirited horse in open country. |
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