Estancia Alta Vista

Introduction
Southern Patagonia Argentina

Los Glaciares National Park is your destination for the best viewing of wildlife, birds and glaciers in Patagonia, as well as stunning views of Argentina's Pilar Mountains 
The very comfortable Patagonia Estancia Alta Vista is a great base for excursions into the surrounding tundra, mountains, and glaciers.
Explore the interior of a glacier, or get an up-close view of the towering ice walls of Perito Moreno. Birdwatchers can lookout for glimpses of the Andean condor, Magellanic woodpecker, red backed hawk Austral parakeets, the rare choique or lesser rhea.
Located 20 miles west of Calafate in the Argentine Patagonia, and on the road to the Perito Moreno glacier, Alta Vista is part of a 60,000 hectare sheep ranch. Built at the turn of the century, the single storey house is surrounded by poplar trees.
Lodgings are in six beautifully decorated double rooms and one suite - all with private bathrooms. There is a dining room and large sitting room and bar area. The gardens are lovely, despite the unforgiving nature of the surrounding steppe. 
One of the main activities is of course horseback riding. Join the ranch hands or go on leisurely trail rides. The Estancia Anita is part of the ranch property and rides over to see the day to day ranch activities on horseback is always a great adventure.
During your stay you can also enjoy a range of other activities - including  walking, fishing, relaxation and visits to the Los Glaciares National Park, home of the famous Perito Moreno, Upsala and Onelli glaciers.

Accomodation

The lodge was built in the 1930s by Yugoslavian pioneers - the Stipcic family - who are now owners of the Estancia Anita. The facade, large windows and old doors maintain the original design. The interior was refurbished in the 1980s to offer a better service to our guests. The decoration combines warmth and good taste. 

Rooms
The inn has 7 rooms (with a total capacity for 15 guests): 6 standard twin bedrooms and one suite with king size bed(s). All of the rooms are decorated in a cozy and comfortable style, with bedspreads, curtains and sheets made from beautiful materials. The sheets and some of the draperies are made of fine linen. All the rooms have a large window that faces the hill on the west, which is covered by poplars, willows and firs that protect the inn. There are bathtubs in all the rooms.

Rooms are not numbered, adding to the homely feel. Each room is named according to its colour (yellow, green, salmon, pink, sky bly and beige),  and guests will find they learn the location of their rooms very quickly because of the inns compact size. The suite is blue.

Rooms are furnished in the Provencal Style (a chest of drawers, a wooden and wicker easy chair, and a coffee table). The suite consists of two rooms: the queen size bedroom and a sitting area complete with a cushioned sofa (which can be used as an extra bed). This sitting area has two large windows that face north to the evergreen garden. The main entrance to the suite is close to the terrace.

Other Spaces
The dining room is a cozy room, with wooden furniture and silver ornaments. It has a glass door with fine linen drapery that separates the dining room from the main entrance. The restaurant can serve up to 20 people at the same time.

The reception counter is also the lounge bar - furnished with comfy arm chairs, wooden easy chairs and cushions around the bay window.

There is a music and video set available for the guests, as well as a games table, complete wirh leather chairs, overlooking the beautiful garden.

This trip includes and can accommodate special dietary requests.

Riding

There is a great herd of free roaming horses at the lodge - the perfect companions for your stay. You can choose from short rides around the lodge, or extensive all day rides across the mountains to the glacier or neighboring ranch - all in breathtaking scenery. 

HORSEBACK RIDING
Our rides are always within the territories of the stay and accompanied by a local baqueano guide. Possibilities to discover the region by horse are multiple:  from brief strolls on the land bordering the Hostería, to full day routes through steps and old  cattle trails. Some rides pass through dense forests of lengas. All our rides are  backdropped by the Andes Patagónicos and Brown Skillful Glacier. 

Itinerary

Sample Itinerary

Day 1: El Calafate
After arrival in Calafate on a morning flight, you will be transfered to Estancia Alta Vista. In the afternoon, enjoy a short ride at the estancia to get to know the horses, try the saddles, and get the feeling of things. In the evening enjoy dinner and your first nights stay.

Day 2: Estancia Alta Vista – Perito Moreno Glacier
In the morning we will try our first long ride, returning to the main house for a late lunch. In the afternoon we will visit the Perito Moreno Glacier, a UNESCO World Heritage site and main attraction of the area. This is a must-see visit while in Argentina. We will arrive at the glacier in the late afternoon, once the major part of the tourists have gone, allowing us to feel the real immensity of this impressive glacier. We return to the estancia just in time for dinner, and our second overnight.

Day 3: Estancia Alta Vista
Today we embark on an all-day ride in the steep Andean mountains, following old cattle paths and thick forests trails - always with the breathtaking mountain range and Perito Moreno Glacier as a background.

Day 4: Departure
Transfer back to El Calafate for departure.

For non riders there are excellent fishing opportunities on some of the best fishing lakes in the area: Roca, Brazo Sur and Brazo Rico Lake.

Rates and Dates for Estancia Alta Vista

Dates Note: arrival can be any day of the week

Other Info
Meeting: Alta Vista
Airport: El Calafate
Transfer: El Calafate Airport

Climate:

The Patagonian climate is famously unpredictable and weather changes in an instant.  Temperatures vary between 10 and 20 degrees celsius during the day but at night it can drop to zero.  The wind can be very strong, so windproof clothing is especially important.

The best way to dress is in layers - a t-shirt, shirt, pullover (or fleece which is light and dries quickly), and a jacket to give protection against wind and rain.

If you do not intend wearing a hard hat, we recommend a hat with a wide brim (also good if it happens to rain).