You will ride through the wild and beautiful landscape of Patagonia in Chile, staying in a number of remote estancias along the way. This is an expedition for adventurous riders who are resilient and can handle the changeable weather that this region is famous for. Our guide is a local gaucho and professional guide who likes nothing more than taking guests well off the beaten track and show to his own personal favorite parts of this magical region.
You will gallop across the vast Patagonian Steppe, the famous “Pampa”, covered in the strong native grass named Coirón. Home of the agile and fast South American Guanaco. You will also ride under the protective canopy of “Lenga” trees, near to the Sofía lake. Some of the estancias where you will be staying are very near to archeological and anthropological sites that give interesting incites about the history of this region. When riding out from the estancias you will follow the tracks of the old gauchos and the animals, passing fenced farmland, corrals, old barns and “Puestos”; During the ride, you will visit one of these cabins that has been home to many a solitary Gaucho and will gives you a feeling for their unique way of life and culture.
Departure & Return Location
Fly into and out of Puerto Natales
Date and Rates
January 2023 - please contact us for exact dates and rates
Price Includes
- includes 7 days and 8 nights with 5 1/2 days riding
- All meals and accommodation at the different estancias with limited alcoholic beverages included
- wool protected, saddles
- Bilingual guide (Spanish/English)
- All transportation in destination location
Price Excludes
- all flights
- tips and gratuities
- private expenses
- extra alcoholic drinks
- travel insurance
- extra meals
You will ride mainly Chilean Criollo horses.and Criollo TB and Arab crosses,. Every estancia has its own kind of saddle and almost all of them have sheep skin for cushioning,
All the horses respond with the use of the Western style of riding.
You will ride out from five different estancias. An estancia is a large ranch consisting of thousands of hectares. Some estancias farm sheep, cows or both or just breed horses. You will move between the different estancias by transfer.
Estancia Laguna Sofía / 2 full days riding. (2 routes: one mainly riding fast, toward a Gaucho cabin, “Puesto Vega Señoret”. The other is mixture, going uphill through a peaceful forest with nice viewpoints of Sofia Lake and the mountains.
Serrano sector and Torres del Paine National Park: 1 full day ride. This day will allow for trots, canters and gallops. Hopefully you will have good views on a clear day.
Estancia San Luis / 1 half day ride + 1 half day ride with a lamb bbq for lunch. Steppe landscape allows for trots and canters. Views of Paine Massif and Sierra Baguales. Argentina border is part of the Estancia, Sierra del Cazador hill.
Hacienda 3 R / 1 full day ride with 2 options; going uphill to the high Plateau, over the terraces, with mountains and panoramic views. The other is riding fast over the hills, exploring and looking for the herd of horses.
Estancia Las Cumbres / 1 full day ride + half day ride. Ride toward old Gaucho cabins/ Puestos, fossils location, “Hidden” Lagoon. Steppe and hills, mixture of canter, trot and walking.
- ride high quality mostly local criollo horses full of stamina. Other breeds will also be an option at some estancias
- dive into the Patagonian Wilderness, with its distinctive flora and fauna, lakes, mountains and glaciers
- ride on the steppe as well as through beautiful secluded forests
- learn about the local culture and in particular about the Patagonian gauchos (local cowboys) and their horsemanship traditions
- see some fascinating archaeological sites near the estancias
- ride off the beaten track with a a local gaucho horseman who will take you where few visitors ever venture
Day 1 Arrival Puerto Natales
Pick up and Transfer from Natales Airport.
After leaving the bags in the hotel we will meet to talk about the week ahead (locations, clothes/equipment/weather forecast, etc.) This could be in the hotel or maybe during a nice walk in the shoreline (Costanera), or sharing a tea or coffee. Dinner at a local restaurant and overnight in Hostal Los Pinos
Day 2 Natales to Estancia Laguna Sofia
Transfer of 30 minutes, from Natales to Estancia Laguna Sofia.
Full day ride through the estancia, going uphill where there is a natural forest of Lenga trees and some great viewpoints, including one spot where it is possible to see Condors. Box lunch during the ride and back to the corral. Transfer back to Natales. Dinner at a local restaurant and night in Hostel Los Pinos.
Day 3 Ride towards Puesta Vega Señoret
Full day ride towards the Puesto “Vega Señoret” located in the other side of the “Mocho” hill, where during the summer one gaucho lives who is in charge of trotting and cantering. Box lunch, maybe a little siesta and back to the main houses of the estancia. Transfer back to Natales. Dinner at a local restaurant, and night in Hostel Los Pinos.
Day 4 Natales to Estancia San Luis
Transfer of 1 hour 45 minutes - 2 hours. From Natales to Estancia San Luis.
Half day ride through the estancia and at lunch an “Asado Patagonico”, Lamb bbq or alternative at the “Quincho”, with a great view of the Paine Massif and Sierra Baguales.
After lunch we ride into the Puesto “Vizcacha” and the surrounding steppe and bushland. Sheep, horses, cows and guanacos share this land today. Dinner and Night in Puesto “Vizcacha”. (Historical house used by shepherds and Gauchos in the past). Overnight in Estancia San Luis.
Day 5 Estancia San Luis Puesta Vizacacha
After breakfast transfer to the Sierra Baguales Mountain Range, to “Hacienda 3 R”. This Estancia has only horses that live as a herd on the property, some much like the North American mustang.
Depending on the weather conditions / interests / skills of the riders there are two options to choose from:
A) ride uphill through a very steep track for around one hour to arrive on a plateau with great panoramic views, the ruins of an old Puesto and maybe some .Guanacos. After lunch we continue riding closer to the base of the mountains.
B) Ride through the estancia, where we could do some nice gallops in the steppe and the hills, with the idea to see the Patagonian “Baguales” horses roaming free while we enjoy the beauty of Sierra Baguales with its mysterious peaks. Back to “Hacienda 3 R”, Dinner and overnight in the Estancia familiar house.
Day 6 Hacienda 3R
After breakfast transfer to Estancia “Las Cumbres”.
Full day ride towards some old Puesto´s in the middle of the endless Pampa, perfect to do some gallops, feeling the freedom of this landscape.
“Before the Gaucho culture, this was the territory of the great horse rider people, the Aonikenk or Tehuelche. Lunch, and we continue riding and exploring the Estancia, with a visit to some fossils. Back to the House of Estancia Las Cumbres and Dinner.
Day 7 Estancia Las Cumbres
Estancia “Las Cumbres”. Breakfast and Saddle up and ride getting closer to the mountains with a stop in a “hidden” lagoon (Laguna “Rodas”). Lunch and back to the house of Estancia “Las Cumbres”. Saddles off and put our stuff in our transfer to drive us back to Puerto Natales. (Around 3 hours). Dinner at Restaurant, night in Hostel “Los Pinos
Day 8 Puerto Natales and departure
Breakfast at Los Pinos Hostel and transfer to the airport.
