A fascinating adventure that will give you direct experience of the Argentinian and Chilean Patagonia from the virgin steppe up to the rainforests of Chile. A unique eleven days’ ride where Criollo and Chilean horses will take you through “Estancias” (farms) crossing endless pampas, green forests and clear rivers. Come and ride with us and with our local guides to experience the gauchos’ style and the cultural diversity of a wonderful region.
Duration: 14 days and 13 nights, 12 days on horseback.
Difficulty: Intermediate.
Departure/Arrival: From San Carlos de Bariloche in Argentina to Puerto Varas (Chile), on the edge of the Llanquihue lake, crossing the Andes mountain range.
PDF: Download Full Program.
All private transfers, accommodation during the ride, including the comfortable hotels during your stay in Bariloche and Puerto Varas, as well as breakfast, lunch, tea, snacks and typical dinners included in the trip.
You’ll enjoy riding the beautiful, strong, and intelligent Criollo horses of Argentina and Chile!
You will meet the local people of both countries, stay in their homes and experience their day to day life in these remote places, share their culture, making this an unforgettable life experience.
Accommodation in El Sapucai mountain refuge and in the exclusive. Las Bandurrias Island.
You will be surprised by the incredible views of the Andes Mountains, the Argentine steppe, the temperate rainforest of Chile, the mountain glaciers and the turquoise rivers.
You will cross high mountains, ancient forests, deep valleys, wide rivers of pure water, high altitude lagoons, surrounded by the Andes, in autonomy and safety.
DAY 2: Transfer to Pichileufu – meet with your horses and gauchos – Ride to Cerro David. Night at Camp. + More Information...
DAY 3: Full day ride from Cerro David to Foyel Arriba. Night at Mountain refuge. + More Information...
DAY 4: Full day ride from Foyel Arriba to Veranada Miranda. Night at Mountain Refuge. + More Information...
DAY 5: Full day ride from Veranada Miranda to El Sapucai. Night at El Sapucai. + More Information...
DAY 6: Full day ride to Las Lagunas. Night at El Sapucai. + More Information...
DAY 7: Ride from El Sapucai to meeting point with vehicle - transfer towards the Argentinean Customs at Lago Puelo – Jet boat navigation through Puelo and Inferior Lakes – customs procedures in Chile – navigation to Isla Las Bandurrias. Night at private island. + More Information...
Day 8: Full Day ride towards Lake Azul. Night at private island. + More Information...
DAY 9: Full Day ride from Isla Las Bandurrias to Las Rosas. Night at Las Rosas. + More Information...
DAY 10: Full Day Ride from Las Rosas to Valle Ventisqueros. Night at Ventisqueros. + More Information...
DAY 11: Full Day Ride through Ventisqueros Valley. Night at Ventisqueros. + More Information...
DAY 12: Full Day Ride from Ventisquero Valley to Las Rosas. Night at Las Rosas. + More Information.
DAY 13: Ride from Las Rosas to Puerto Urrutia – transfer from Puerto Urrutia to Puerto Varas. Night at Puerto Varas. + More Information.
DAY 14: Transfer from Puerto Varas Hotel to Puerto Montt airport. + More Information.
Day 1 Bariloche Airport – Bariloche.
On your arrival at Bariloche airport, a transfer will take you to your downtown hotel. The city of Bariloche, surrounded by lakes and mountains, is located in the very heart of the Patagonian Andes mountain range.
At 6pm, we will organize a briefing to get to know the team and your guide will provide essential information about the program.
Dinner will be at a traditional restaurant.
Time: 40-minute transfer from Bariloche airport and Puerto Varas
Accommodation: 1 Night at Hotel in Bariloche (shared Double room)
Meals: Dinner at a restaurant in Bariloche.
Day 2 Bariloche / Cerro David.
We will depart towards the Pichileufu river, 35 km away from Bariloche, where we will find several family ranches and meet our guide. Crossing the lands of estancia “El Condor” which activity is the breeding of sheep and cows – we might spot the herds near us. Horses and equipment adjustments will be provided here and we go through safety rules with you.
Our ride will lead us in the heart of the pre-cordillera between steep mountain ranges and its rock formations as well as infinite steppes. After a lunch in one of the estancia ́s outposts, we will carry on our horses and continue our day through the pre-cordillera landscapes. Night in an outpost of that same estancia surrounded by nature and without noises that we know from city life and society.
Time: 45 minutes transfer from Bariloche to Pichileufu; 5 to 6 hours on horseback
Accommodation: 1 Night at Mountain refuge
Meals: breakfast, box lunch, tea, dinner
Day 3 Cerro David / Foyel Arriba.
After having passed some hours riding through sweet hills and large valleys, we will start ascending on a path that is mainly used by local countrymen to move their cattle, until we reach “paso sin nombre” (unnamed Pass), 1.700 meters above sea level (ASL). Leaving this area surrounded by rocks, the view opens towards the immensity and a large valley in the middle of the mountain chain, called the “Alto Chubut”. The journey continues one more hour, to get to an idyllic place surrounded by an ancient native beech forest where we will find a mountain refuge for our night stay.
Time: 6 to 8 hours on horseback
Accommodation: 1 Night at Mountain Refuge
Meals: breakfast, box lunch, tea, dinner
Day 4 Foyel Arriba / Veranada Miranda.
This morning we will descend towards the Alto Chubut valley, following the tributaries of the Chubut River that the day before appeared as a mere stream close to its source in the high peaks and that gradually grows into a more substantial and impressive river. The landscape is wild, sometimes almost violent, but always impressively magnificent. Our camp is set up on the banks of the river and we will spend another night in this natural, pristine environment in its pure state.
Time: 5 to 6 hours on horseback
Accommodation: 1 Night at Camp
Meals: breakfast, box lunch, tea, dinner
Day 5 Veranada Miranda / El Sapucai.
We will leave behind the forests of the rocky mountain range and we will continue descending, leaving the area of Alto Chubut, to first pass through an old and abandoned gold mine and here we will meet the inhabitants of this place, the Miranda family, who will tell us some stories of the past and also of their current life. Now we are only two hours away from our special mountain refuge «el Sapucai» where a delicious meal, a hot shower and time to rest and enjoy the comforts of our small establishment are waiting for us.
Time: 5 to 6 hours on horseback
Accommodation: 1 Night at El Sapucai
Meals: breakfast, box lunch, tea, dinner
Day 6 El Sapucai / Las Lagunas / El Sapucai.
Today we will climb to the top of a plateau. Here we will definitely appreciate the skill of the Criollo horse, crossing marshlands, lenga forests and rocky terrains. From the top, we will be treated to a breathtaking panoramic view of the Andes while we have lunch at 1800 meters above sea level, against a backdrop of the mountain range with eternal snow. After this, we will descend again, passing through an ancient forest until arrive back at our refuge.
Time: 5 to 6 hours on horseback
Accommodation: 1 Night at El Sapucai
Meals: breakfast, box lunch, tea, dinner
Day 7 El Sapucai / Puesto Viejo / Lago Puelo / Isla Las Bandurrias.
This will be our last day with the Argentinean horses. We will follow the Chubut River stream up to Puesto Viejo. Then we will cross small cattle farms in the Alto Chubut area where people live the whole year round. These inhabitants are mostly descendants of the regional native people: the Mapuche, slightly forgotten today in the remote Patagonian lands. An abandoned school will be the meeting point with our transfer. We will leave the horses and share a last picnic with the Argentinian baqueanos (packhorse guides) before saying our farewell to the team.
A two-hour minibus trip and then, we will arrive to the small village of Lago Puelo. The area is surrounded by cypress (Austrocedrus Chilensis) and “maitenes” (Maytenus Boaria) woods with a micro-climate that fosters the production of berries such as raspberries and cherries, as well as hops for craft beer elaboration.
As we leave Argentina for Chile, we will navigate along two lakes and cross the rapids between Argentina and Chile. Then, we will leave the boat for a 15-minute walk until we reach the Chilean border checkpoint. Once customs procedures completed, we will take another motor-boat to Las Bandurrias Island on Las Rocas Lake. You will be surrounded by an outstanding landscape of crystal clear waters and a temperate forest that sits in stark contrast with the steppe. A friendly and warm welcome will wait for us at the private Island Las Bandurrias. Overnight stay at Las Bandurias Island.
Time: 2 to 3 hour on horseback, 2 hours transfer towards Lago Puelo, 50 minutes Lake crossing to Chile, 20 minutes lake crossing towards Isla Las Bandurrias.
Accommodation: 1 Night at Isla Las Bandurrias
Meals: breakfast, lunch, tea, aperitif and dinner
Day 8 Isla Las Bandurrias / Lago Azul / Isla Las Bandurrias.
Today we will enjoy our first experience of Chilean Criollo horses and meet your new baqueanos friends. A boat will take us to the shore of Lago Las Rocas, where we will mount our horses and head towards La Colina Farm, to see Chilean farm life at first hand. The trip continues, traversing a small range with views to the Lago Azul to finally arrive at its shore where we will have lunch. After resting and enjoying the scenery, we will ride through an old rainforest. This temperate humid rainforest, of vegetation with a diverse variety of flora, exists in very few places in Chile and is remarkable for its antiquity and variety. Narrow trails, humid terrains and very old trees (thousand years old) will be our scenario of the day. The majesty of the mountains, forests and landscapes will instill a sense of awe. We then take a short boat ride back to Las Bandurrias Island. Lodging in the cabin.
Time: 5 to 6 hour on horseback, 30 minutes boat navigation roundtrip
Accommodation: 1 Night at Isla Las Bandurrias
Meals: breakfast, lunch, tea, aperitif and dinner
Day 9 Isla Las Bandurrias / Las Rosas.
Our journey continues, riding through the forests until we reach the source of the Puelo River. We cross the Puelo River by boat, with the horses swimming alongside, and it is surprising to see how well the horses take to the water. Reaching the other side, we continue riding until we arrive at the remote mountain settlement of Segundo Corral.
After further ascending another mountain range, we will have lunch in front of the incredibly blue Las Mellizas lagoons, surrounded by mountains. In the afternoon we will descend to the valley of the Ventisqueros River which we will ford on horseback. At last we will arrive at Las Rosas, the house of a family of settlers, who will offer us a very warm welcome, and there we will spend a very convivial evening and stay the night.
Time: 5 to 6 hour on horseback, 20 minutes boat navigation.
Accommodation: 1 Night at Olivia’s home at Las Rosas
Meals: breakfast, lunch, tea, aperitif and dinner
Day 10 Las Rosas / Ventisqueros.
Today we will continue with our horses on a long journey up the Ventisqueros River Valley. There will be many river crossings on horseback, fabulous landscapes, and there will be a real sense of adventure today through this magical valley, where few people live, subsisting mainly on cattle breeding. We will rest on the bank of the river for lunch and then continue almost to the end of the valley, where we will be welcomed by Bernardita, the owner of the house, who will be our host for the following 2 nights
Time: 6 to 7 hour on horseback
Accommodation: 1 Night at Bernardita’s home at Ventisqueros
Meals: breakfast, lunch, tea, aperitif and dinner
Day 11 Valle Ventisqueros.
Today we will venture even further into the valley and encounter beautiful views of the glacier that gives the valley its name. Our route crosses the «Universo» river and the property of the very first inhabitant of the valley and his family. It is a very sparsely populated area in the middle of completely unspoilt nature, offering impressive views of a natural environment that is still preserved. The trail passes through immense forests and runs along the river. After crossing the river several times, we will cross an incredible forest of Alerce (Fitzroya Cupresoyde). Nobody lives in this virgin and isolated area and we will encounter breath-taking views and an unspoiled natural environment. We will have lunch near the Raquelita River and return to Bernardita’s house in mid-afternoon. We will have the opportunity to swim in the clear blue river and rest.
Time: 5 to 6 hour on horseback
Accommodation: 1 Night at Bernardita’s home at Ventisqueros
Meals: breakfast, lunch, tea, aperitif and dinner
Day 12 Ventisqueros / Las Rosas.
We continue our journey towards the Puelo River. Ancient forests, open pampas, river crossings, a long day ahead surrounded by mountains, waterfalls and solitary landscapes. We will enjoy, as always, a succulent lunch on the banks of the Ventisqueros River. In the afternoon, the ride continues, leaving the valley and passing through different properties where the settlers continue the rural work as their ancestors did. The vegetation becomes dense in certain parts of the trail. We will return to Las Rosas for our last night in the wilderness.
Time: 6 to 7 hour on horseback
Accommodation: 1 Night at Olivia’s home at Las Rosas
Meals: breakfast, lunch, tea, aperitif and dinner
Day 13 Las Rosas / Puerto Varas.
Today we will have an unhurried awakening and will be able to enjoy the morning at Las Rosas. On this last day, our ride will reach Puerto Urrutia, which we will cross by boat while the horses swim alongside. Time to say goodbye to our baqueanos and we will have a last lunch in the valley.
Our transfer will take us to Lake Tagua-Tagua, where we will take the ferry for 45 minutes until we reach the other side of the lake to continue our long but beautiful journey. We will border the Reloncaví Fjörd until we get to see Lake Llanquihue with the Calbuco and Osorno volcanoes, which are part of the Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park. By late afternoon we will arrive at our final destination, Puerto Varas, a town with a distinctly German feel to it, due to the abiding influence of its original German settlers. It is situated at the edge of the Llanquihue lake, one of the largest lakes in South America, a place that offers an impressive view over four volcanoes.
Goodbye dinner at a traditional restaurant.
Time: 1 hour on horseback, 4 hours drive to Puerto Varas; 45 minutes ferry crossing
Accommodation: 1 Night at Puerto Varas (based on a double room)
Meals: breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Day 14 Puerto Varas / Puerto Montt Airport.
After breakfast your transfer will pick you up to take you to Puerto Montt airport for your domestic flight to Santiago.
Time: 40 minutes drive from Puerto Varas to Puerto Montt airport
Meals: breakfast
HORSES IN PATAGONIA
ACCOMMODATION
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