MOBILE RIDES THROUGH THE ANDES IN PATAGONIA
The vast wilderness of Patagonia has held a magical allure for travellers ever since this Magellan recounted tales of his epic voyage of the fourteenth century. The landscape remains wild, desolate and stunningly beautiful, and to ride amongst its mountains, steppes and lakes is an exhilarating experience. Following several research visits to Patagonia, we offer two unique mobile rides that start in Argentina, and cross the Andes mountains into Chile using remote passes far from civilization. The only other people that guests are likely to encounter during these rides are a few subsistence livestock farmers that eek a living from the rugged terrain, completely cut off from the outside world. These rides traverse some of the most spectacular scenery in South America, an area of lakes, mountains, and seldom visited hidden valleys that lie between the alpine settlement of Bariloche and the Pacific Ocean in Chile.
The cost of these itineraries depends upon the size of your group - these are unique adventures, and there are no set departure dates other than the annual ride through the Andes organised by Wild and Exotic in February each year. Please contact us to arrange your personalised ride through the Patagonian Andes, which can include a combination of both itineraries described in detail below. Wild and Exotic also offer mobile rides through the Patagonian steppes, and exciting estancia based riding adventures at Estancia Huechahue.
Read what our clients have to say about their Wild and Exotic experiences in Argentina
Fact sheet for mobile rides in Patagonia
Accommodation: Both itineraries feature hotel and inn accommodation at the start and finish of each ride, but the remote and inaccessible wilderness of the Andes Mountains necessitates some nights in tents (dome mountain-type 2 or 3 man tents with fly windows to accommodate two guests per tent), which are transported by packhorses that accompany the ride. Some nights are also spent in rustic shelters or remote farmhouses along the way, and guests are sometimes entertained to dinner and breakfast by the owners.
Children: We may accept children on mobile rides at our discretion, however they must be competent riders. There are no discounts for children.
Clothing List: A separate clothing list will be sent on request, and with all booking forms. As a general guideline you should include thermal underwear, and a polar fleece pullover or jacket. Trousers should be comfortable for walking and riding, and gaiters or half-chaps are recommended. Footwear should be comfortable for walking and riding, and leather soled jodhpurs are not really suitable - muckers or similar are ideal. A wide brimmed hat that offers protection from both sun and rain is especially useful.
Equipment: All necessary camping gear is provided for mobile rides in Patagonia, including tents, sleeping bags and mats, cutlery, and waterproof saddle bags, ponchos and leggings. As everything required for the journey is carried by packhorses, there is limited packing space. Guests carry personal possessions required for the duration of the ride in waterproof saddlebags, approximately 12” x 9” x 4”in size. There is enough room for a change of clothing, toilet articles, a small towel, spare shoes, water bottle, torch, camera and book etc. Jackets and raincoats can also be tied to the back of the saddle.
Getting there: All international flights to Argentina arrive at Ezeiza (EZE) airport, in Buenos Aires. Connecting domestic flights to Bariloche in Patagonia depart up to three times daily from the Jorge Newbery airport in Buenos Aires. At least two and a half hours should be allowed for transfers between domestic and international airports in Buenos Aires, which are normally arranged on guest's behalf by Wild and Exotic.
Health: There are no poisonous snakes or disease carrying insects in the area. No inoculations are required for a trip to Patagonia. Wasps can represent an occasional hazard, and guests are encouraged to pack anti histamine cream.
Insurance: Adequate travel insurance for all our riding adventures in Patagonia is compulsory.
Language: Spanish is the national language of Argentina. Many people speak English, but not fluently. The head guide on Patagonian mobile riding holidays always speaks English.
Location: Patagonia is the name given to the southern region of Argentina and Chile and extends from the Rio Negro province in the northern Argentina, down to the barren lands of Tierro del Fuego in the South. This vast wilderness spans the snow-capped Andes Mountains between the rugged Pacific coastline in the west, and the South Atlantic in the East. Our mobile rides through the Andes mountains take place in the stunning lake and mountain scenery to the west of Bariloche, an alpine town in the province of Rio Negro. This region features immense mountain forests, powerful rivers, and sparkling lakes - a spectacularly remote and wild landscape that is completely untouched by the hand of man.
Meals: The inns and hotels featured provide three course dinners in the evening, using local produce with an emphasis on beef, for which Argentina is justly famous. Breakfasts are usually continental and consist of coffee or tea, orange juice, pastries (local croissants), cereal and yoghurt. Food at campsite is prepared over an open fire, typically a delicious stew in the evening, or an asado barbeques - the gaucho's traditional way of cooking succulent lamb. Breakfast at camp includes piping hot porridge and cream. Lunches are picnics with cheese, ham, fruit, confectionaries etc. We carry copious quantities of red and white wine on all rides, as well as local whiskey and vodka. In most mountain areas the stream and lake water is clean, pure, and safe to drink, however guests should first check with their guide. Buenos Aires is a gourmet paradise, with numerous excellent restaurants offering diverse and interesting menus.
Medical and safety: There is a malaria risk from October to May in a tiny strip of Argentina territory bordering Bolivia, but no risk whatsoever in Patagonia. Immunizations are not required for entry into Argentina and Chile, or for re-entry back into North American and European countries.
Money: The currency is the Peso. At present the exchange rate is oscillating wildly. US Dollars are accepted nearly everywhere and are easily exchanged. Exchange rates for other currencies can be very bad. We suggest changing US$200 on arrival and also asking for US$50 worth of pesos in small change.
Non-Riders: We are happy to arrange walking and trekking alternatives along the same remote routes that we use during the riding journeys.
Riding Ability: You should be fit enough to ride between 4 and 6 hours a day, with a maximum of 8 hours in some programmes. At times it may be necessary to ride up and down very steep slopes. Some walking on foot may be necessary over very rough or steep terrain.
Season: We offer rides from November until the end of March. As this is the southern hemisphere, these months represent summer. The very best time to ride across this part of the Andes is from the beginning of February to the middle of March.
Single Supplement: Is only charged for those who are not prepared to share accommodation in the hotels and inns. Because we must travel as light as possible, guests are encouraged to share tents, on the basis of two guests per tent.
Size of the Rides: Maximum of 12 guests, plus English speaking guide, camp assistant, and local gaucho staff to attend to the horses.
Tack: the saddles are normally the “montura de Monte" style, which is similar to old English army saddles with a sheepskin on top. They are wide and comfortable for long journeys.
Terrain: The terrain on the Andes rides is sometimes steep and rugged, however the horses are incredibly sure footed and reliable. We frequently ford mountain streams and rivers, and in some areas may have to negotiate swamps and wet ground.
Type of Horses: “Criollo” horses, part anglo-normando, of about 15.2hh. They are responsive, tough and fit, capable of fording swollen rivers and negotiating the steepest mountain terrain. They are responsive to being neck-reined, and the riding is similar to the western style.
Visas: UK citizens do not require visas in Argentina or Chile.
Weather: Weather in the Patagonian Andes during the summer (November to April) tends to be sunny and dry. During daytime the temperature ranges from 16°C to 30°C. At higher altitudes it always cools down at night, sometimes dropping to below freezing, even in mid summer. As rides penetrate deep into the mountains the weather becomes less predictable. In October and April weather is more changeable.
Itinerary for Wild and Exotic exclusive Trans Andean ride 23 February – 8 March 2009
This riding adventure begins in Argentina and crosses the Chilean border using the remote Vuriloche pass. The landscape we pass through on our way to the Pacific Ocean is one of shimmering blue lakes, glacial rivers, ancient forests, piping hot springs, and remote farmsteads several day's ride from civilisation, with the snow capped Mt Tronador and her 7 hanging glaciers forming a dramatic backdrop to our adventures. The route incorporates the best components of our previous expeditions through the Andes, and promises to be an unforgettable journey through a unique landscape, unblemished by the passage of time.
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| Lake Mascardi (February 25th) | Mount Tronador (February 26th) | Crossing Rio Manso (February 26th) |
Monday February 23: Depart London Heathrow ex British Airways BA247 which departs at 21:10hrs.
Tuesday February 24: On arrival into Buenos Aires at 10:30hrs you will be met and transferred to the Loi Suites hotel, located in the fashionable and exclusive Recoleta area of Buenos Aires, with early check-in guaranteed. Remainder of day at leisure to explore the fascinating and beautiful city of Buenos Aires. Overnight Loi Suites where facilities include a swimming pool and fully equipped gym. There will be a meeting to discuss the ride this evening in the bar of the hotel. Dinner this evening according to your own arrangements.
Wednesday February 25: We will be collected from the hotel after an early breakfast and transferred to the domestic airport for the flight to Bariloche flight AR 2680 departing 07:55 hrs. On arrival at 10:15 hrs we will meet our guide Sebastian de la Cruz, and transfer to Los Baquearnos on the shores of Lago Gutierrez where we will receive out saddlebags, ponchos and other equipment. We will set off on our Argentine horses towards Lake Mascardi, and then head uphill past the remote Llum Lake where we pause for a picnic lunch. After a further three hours riding we reach the vista point overlooking Lake Mascardi, with views to Pampa Linda and the distant snow capped Mt Tronador. We ride down steep paths through bamboo-like coligue cane and native lenga and coihue forest to the north shore of Lake Mascardi where we will find a campsite set up for the night in an idyllic location besides the lake.
Thursday February 26: After breakfast we continue the ride, first riding along the edge of the lake, and then following the Rio Manso upstream. This river emerges from the huge glaciers that characterise the Eastern face of Mt Tronador, and we will ford its creamy white waters many times during the three-hour ride to the Pampa Linda Inn. The ride also passes through secluded glades and across sweeping alluvial plains rich with beautiful native flowers such as the orange Chilean lily, blue lupins and clumps of wild fuchsia. This path is part of the old Indian road leading to the Vuriloche pass into Chile, first discovered in the 15th century by Spaniards hunting for Indians for the slave trade. After being closed to foreigners for 200 years the Jesuit missionaries attempted to re-open it, however local inhabitants ensured that the pass remained secret by murdering those who discovered its whereabouts. By the time of colonization in the 17th century, the Jesuits realised that the Indians were using an easy passage across the Andes, because every year before winter they appeared with guanaco skins from the Patagonian windy steppes. We spend tonight Pampa Linda Inn, with magnificent views of Mount Tronador.
Friday February 27: Today fresh horses are ridden up the steep winding path that leads to the rocky slopes of Mt Tronador. As the altitude increases the huge trees become shorter, until they give way to stunted shrubs and eventually no vegetation at all. After a picnic lunch overlooking a glacier and the waterfalls that plunge dramatically off its face, you may leave your horse in the care of a gaucho and walk up beyond the snow line to the tiny Otto Meiling mountain hut that climbers use as a base to tackle Tronador’s 3478 metre peak. Pause here to savour a well deserved cold beer before heading out across the snow for a closer look at the magnificent glacier. After returning to Pampa Linda there may still be time to visit a black glacier, and for the energetic a brisk twenty-minute walk to where the main waterfall crashes violently against ice and rock after a fall of several hundred feet. Overnight Pampa Linda Inn.
Saturday February 28: Today all traces of civilization are left behind during the long ride into Chile through the Vuriloche pass. The trail first crosses the Manso River, and then heads south through local coihue forest and thick canes before picking up the course of the tiny Cauquenes River, whose source lies within the swamps of the Mallin Chileno – the boggy meadow. The path twists steeply further and further uphill, beneath trees festooned with eerie beards of lime green lichen, before crossing the watershed into Chile at an altitude of 1454 metres. Shortly after emerging from the lenga trees riders are faced with a wide expanse of soft ground that comprises the boggy meadow – beyond lies a small wooden hut and customs control. After a picnic lunch, and clearing immigration the ride continues around the shoulder of the mountain into a remote and beautiful valley beneath Glacier Blanco. Tents are pitched amongst the wild strawberries close by Huenchupan’s hut, named after an Indian who once farmed this forgotten land. Dinner is prepared over a campfire as the setting sun illuminates Mt Tronador’s white pinnacle – Tronador means thunder in Spanish, and the noisy rumble of distant avalanches is a feature of this campsite. The horses are driven back to Pampa Linda by our Argentine gaucho and his pack of dogs. At some stage in the evening the Chilean gauchos emerge from the valley below, leading the smaller Chilean horses to be used for the remainder of the journey. Overnight in tents.
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| Lunch break in Chile (February 28th) | Mallin Chileno (February 28th) | End of ride (March 4th) |
Sunday March 1: After breakfast of piping hot porridge the ride heads down the Rio Blanco valley, and a steep and twisty descent to ford the fast flowing Rio Traidor below. Lunch is taken at an enchanting wooden farmhouse, two-day journey on horseback from civilisation. Enjoy delicious home made bread, fresh pasta and local wine, and afterwards relax beneath the shade of the apple trees. Within an hour of leaving this farm, riders must dismount in order to negotiate “La piedra del Buitre”, a treacherous rocky slope, which the clever ponies scramble over like mountain goats. We continue to the junction of Rio Esperanza and Rio Blanco, before arrival at La Junta farmhouse in time to enjoy an asado style barbeque prepared by the farmer and his family. The highlight of a stay here is a visit to the natural thermal baths, where piping hot waters pour out of the cliff face into deep pools besides the Rio Esperanza. Immerse yourself in nature’s hot baths then plunge into the glacial cold waters that flow only feet away. You can choose between spending the night in tents, or in a specially converted barn.
Monday March 2: Today is a non-moving day given over to relaxation and leisure. Depending on weather conditions you may choose between relaxing amidst the glorious scenery of La Junta, enjoying the hot spring baths or alternatively an exploratory ride of La Esperanza valley. We may ride in a southeasterly direction to search for the forgotten pass into the Cochamo valley, through a landscape of magnificent Alerces forests, and break for a picnic lunch in wild and remote surroundings. After returning to base, you can choose between spending the night in your tent, or the specially converted barn.
Tuesday March 3: Today we begin with a traditional Chilean breakfast inside the family farmhouse before setting off for Cayuthue Lake. We will either ford the Esperanza River and ride down the north bank of Rio Blanco valley, in which case we will have to re-cross a deep gorge further downstream using a narrow bridge that straddles a steep and rocky canyon, or alternatively follow the sunlit route down the south bank. Later we descend to the Rio Bandurrias and enter a landscape of wild Valdivian cold rain forest, characterised by gigantic ferns and dense green foliage. Lunch at Bandurrias, home to senor Velasquez and his family. The ride passes through deep cuttings as it meanders down a precipitous trail hundreds of years old towards the Rio Blanco, but before reaching this river we turn eastwards up a side valley. The trail here provides challenging riding - both horses and their riders will have to proceed carefully and slowly to negotiate the various obstacles in their path. Afterwards we arrive at the Cayuthue valley and set up campsite besides the beautiful Cayuthhue Lake.
Wednesday March 4:
After breakfast we set off for the last leg of our riding adventure, riding down
the valley towards Lake Cayuthue, which lies in the crater of an extinct volcano
and is reached by climbing a steep pass through dense cold rainforest. We will
enjoy a picnic on the shoes of the lake before riding northwards for a further
hour to the Todos los Santos Lake where we will celebrate the end of our epic
journey through the mountains, and bid goodbye to the horses that have carried
us so well. We then travel by boat down the Cayuthue fjord, which affords
stunning views of the Osorno Volcano, before arriving at Hotel Petrohue, which
les at the foot of this volcano and besides the Petrohue River, which flows into
the Pacific Ocean at the northern end of the Reloncavi Fjord. Overnight Petrohue
hotel.
Thursday March 5: Today we start early for the journey to Villa Angostura, visiting Puerto Varas besides Llanquihue lake en route to Osorno, 70 miles north, then crossing the border and clearing customs back into Argentina. We will have lunch in a typical Chilean restaurant before crossing the border into Argentina. We arrive at Villa La Angostura in time for a late lunch early in the afternoon, and an overnight stay at Hotel Correntoso.
Friday March 6: Morning to relax after which we will be transferred to Bariloche airport in time to check in for afternoon flight to Buenos Aires, AR1697 departing at 14:33hrs and arriving in Buenos Aires at 16:36 hrs. On arrival we will be met and transferred to the Lois Suites hotel in Recoleta for an overnight stay.
Saturday March 7: Transfer to airport for flight back to UK ex British Airways flight BA246 which departs at 14:15hrs.
Sunday March 8: Arrival into London Heathrow at 07:15hrs in the morning. End of Wild and Exotic services.
Notes:
The price this holiday is £2250 per person based on a minimum of 8 participants joining the ride.
The single supplement for anyone not able to share a room is £295.
The price includes all land and boat transfers, accommodation and full board as per the itinerary except in Buenos Aires where the accommodation is bed and breakfast only. Local wine and spirits are included whenever nights are spent under canvas, and reasonable quantities of wine will be provided for dinner each night we stay at hotels or inns. Guests must run a bar tab for other drinks, and settle with the hotel or inn on departure. The price does not include international and charter flights, items of a personal nature, gratuities, and visa fees. UK visitors to Argentina and Chile currently do not require a visa for stays of up to 90 days.
Please note that normal hotel check in is usually around 12 noon. In the unlikely event of an expected arrival to your Buenos Aires hotel in the early morning prior to this check in time, an early check in can be arranged on request for an additional charge.
For passengers flying the international legs with Aerolineas Argentinas the baggage weight allowance on both international and domestic flights is 32kgs for economy passengers and 40kgs for business class passengers. For passengers flying the international legs with any other airline the baggage weight allowance on all Aerolineas Argentinas domestic flights is 15kgs in economy and 30kg in business.
Tented accommodation is based on two guests per tent. Guest’s tents will be numbered and you will have the same tent throughout the ride. A camp assistant will be on hand to put up tents and wash up cutlery etc after meals. Locked suitcases containing belongings not needed for the ride can be left at Pampa Linda on 3rd February and collected at Hotel Correntoso at the end of the ride on 10th February.
Guests will be provided with sleeping bags, ponchos and waterproof trousers at the start of the ride.
Neither Wild and Exotic nor the operators or suppliers can accept any responsibility for changes to itineraries or dates that may arise due to weather or unforeseen circumstances such as changes, disruptions or delays to airline flights for whatever reason. This holiday is subject to Wild and Exotic’s terms and conditions, a copy of which is enclosed with your booking form.
Argentina to Chile ride using the Vuriloche Pass through the Andes mountains
This ride traces the path used for centuries by Chilean Indians to access Argentina’s Patagonian steppes to hunt wild guanaco. It crosses the border by way of the Vuriloche Pass, first discovered in the 15th century by Spaniards hunting Indians for the slave trade. Later the Castro Missionaries followed it in their futile search for Caesar's city behind the Andes, and in the 17th Century Jesuit missionaries who discovered its location were murdered in order to protect its secrecy. This spectacular ride traverses steep slopes, crosses glacial rivers and passes by stunning aquamarine lakes as it meanders through virgin Valdivian rainforest. The 3554 meter high Mt Tronador, an extinct volcano complete with seven magnificent hanging glaciers, dominates the views throughout the ride.
Please click on any of the images below to enlarge
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| Day 1: Past Llum Llum Lake | Day 1: Lake Mascardi | Day 2: Wading the Rio Manso | Day 2: Pampa Linda Inn |
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| Day 3: Above the snowline | Day 3: Mt Tronador glacier | Day 4: The boggy meadow into Chile. | Day 4: Campsite beneath Mt Tronador |
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| Day 5: La Piedra del Buitre | Day 5: Approaching La Junta | Day 6: Through the Valdivian rainforest | Day 6: End of the ride - Lago Todos los Santos |
Day 1: Arrival and reception at the international airport in Buenos Aires and transfer to the Claridge Hotel. Remainder of day at leisure to explore the city. Overnight Claridge Hotel, where facilities include an outside swimming pool and fully equipped gym.
Day 2: After breakfast transfer to to the domestic airport for the early flight down to Bariloche. On arrival you are met and driven to El Retorno hotel for lunch. Before leaving the hotel guests pack their saddlebags (waterproof and spacious bags provided by your guide) with clothes and provisions required for the duration of the ride – all extra clothes and luggage can be left in a locked suitcase in the hotel’s store room.After lunch the ride begins on the shores of Lake Gutierrez, passing through a thickly wooded landscape, to the shores of Lago Mascardi where campsite is set up for the night.
Day 3: After breakfast set off on a full day's ride, passing the hidden Llum Lake, and heading uphill to a stunning view out over Lake Mascardi and a green heart shaped island below – this ridge also provides the first sight of Mt Tronador, whose magnificent snow capped peak will dominate your journey for the next few days. The descent to the shores of Lake Mascardi is steep, and you may have to dismount and lead your horse for part of the way. The narrow path continues along the northern shore of the lake, with tantalising views of the mountains opening up between gaps in the native lenga, ñire and coihue forest, until Hotel Tronador appears on the opposite shore. A boat will be dispatched from the hotel to collect you for an overnight stay.
Day 4: After breakfast you are transferred by boat back to where the horses will be waiting to continue the ride. After a couple of hours you meet the Rio Manso where it flows into Lake Mascardi, and follow its course upstream. This river emerges from the huge glaciers that characterise the Eastern face of Mt Tronador, and you ford its creamy white waters many times during the three-hour ride to the Pampa Linda Inn. The ride also passes through secluded glades and across sweeping alluvial plains rich with beautiful native flowers such as the orange Chilean lily, blue lupins and clumps of wild fuchsia.. The night is spent at the Pampa Linda Inn.
Day 5: Today fresh horses are ridden up the steep winding path that leads to the rocky slopes of Mt Tronador. As the altitude increases the huge trees become shorter, until they give way to stunted shrubs and eventually no vegetation at all. After a picnic lunch overlooking a glacier and the waterfalls that plunge dramatically off its face, you may leave you horse with a gaucho and walk up beyond the snow line to the tiny mountain hut that climbers use as a base from which to tackle Tronador’s 3478 metre peak. Pause here to savour a well deserved cold beer before heading out across the snow for a closer look at the magnificent glacier. After returning to Pampa Linda there may still be time to visit a black glacier, and for the energetic a brisk twenty-minute walk to where the main waterfall crashes violently against ice and rock after a fall of several hundred feet.
Day 6: Today all traces of civilization are left behind during the long ride into Chile through the Vuriloche pass. The trail first crosses the Manso River, and then heads south through local coihue forest and thick canes before picking up the course of the tiny Cauquenes River, whose source lies within the swamps of the Mallin Chileno – the boggy meadow. The path twists steeply further and further uphill, beneath trees festooned with eerie beards of lime green lichen, before crossing the watershed into Chile at an altitude of 1454 metres. Shortly after emerging from the lenga trees riders are faced with a wide expanse of soft ground that comprises the boggy meadow – beyond lies a small wooden hut and customs control. After a picnic lunch, and clearing immigration the ride continues around the shoulder of the mountain into a remote and beautiful valley beneath Glacier Blanco. Tents are pitched amongst the wild strawberries close by Huenchupan’s hut, named after an Indian who once farmed this forgotten land. Dinner is prepared over a campfire as the setting sun illuminates Mt Tronador’s white pinnacle – tronador means thunder in Spanish, and the noisy rumble of distant avalanches is a feature of this campsite. The horses are driven all the way back to Pampa Linda by our Argentine gaucho and his pack of dogs. At some stage in the evening the Chilean gauchos emerge from the valley below, leading the smaller Chilean horses to be used for the remainder of the journey.
Day 7: After breakfast of piping hot porridge the ride heads down the Rio Blanco valley, and a steep and twisty descent to ford the fast flowing Rio Traidor below. Lunch is taken at an enchanting wooden farmhouse, whose only access to the outside world is a two-day journey on horseback. Enjoy delicious home made bread, fresh pasta and local wine, and afterwards relax beneath the shade of the apple trees. Within an hour of leaving this farm, riders must dismount in order to negotiate “La piedra del Buitre”, a treacherous rocky slope, which the clever ponies scramble over like mountain goats. Later the ride passes another remote next farm, home to 92-year-old Mr Alvarado, who has not ventured off this property for over ten years. After exchanging greetings you continue to the junction of Rio Esperanza and Rio Blanco, before arrival at La Junta farmhouse in time to enjoy an asado style barbeque prepared by the farmer and his family. The highlight of a stay here is a visit to the natural thermal baths, where piping hot waters pour out of the cliff face into deep pools besides the Rio Esperanza. Immerse yourself in nature’s hot baths then plunge into the glacial cold waters that flow only feet away. You can choose between spending the night in tents, or in a specially converted barn.
Day 8: After a traditional Chilean breakfast inside the family farmhouse you cross the Esperanza River and ride down the Rio Blanco valley, before crossing the gorge by a narrow bridge straddling a steep, rocky canyon below. As you drop down to the Rio Bandurrias the ride enters the wild Valdivian cold rain forest, characterised by enormous ferns and dense green foliage. The ride passes through deep cuttings as it meanders down a precipitous trail hundreds of years old to the edge of the Rio Blanco. You cross this powerful river, before reaching a wide-open valley that ends on the shores of Lago Todos los Santos. Here you bid goodbye to the Chilean gauchos and their horses, and transfer by boat to Hotel Peulla for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 9: This morning choose between relaxing at the hotel, or a kayaking and fishing trip to a nearby river, with a picnic lunch if the weather is kind. After lunch you leave the Hotel Puella by bus for a short journey down the scenic Peulla valley to the Perez Rosales Pass. Immigration into Argentina is cleared en route, before arrival at Frias Lake. During the short boat voyage there are superb views back to the scenery that you have ridden through during the previous week. You are then transferred overland to Puerto Blest on Nahuel Huapi Lake, where a second boat takes you on a ninety-minute journey to Puerto Pañuelo in Blest Fjord. You are met and transferred back to El Retorno for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 10: Transfer to Bariloche Airport for the flight to Buenos Aires. Collected on arrival and transferred to the Claridge Hotel, with the afternoon free to relax or explore the city. We can arrange a private tour of the city for a small extra charge if requested at the time of booking, which includes the sights of the Plaza Mayo, the Casa Rosada, the Cathedral and the extraordinary Recoleta Cemetery, the resting place of Eva Peron.
Day 11: After breakfast an opportunity to explore the magical city of Buenos Aires surrounding the Claridge hotel before departing on your international flight back home.
Notes:
The price for this itinerary depends on the size of your group. Tented accommodation is based on two guests per tent. Locked suitcases can be left at El Retorno for the duration of the ride. The price does not include international or domestic flights, or airport taxes, and may vary according to the exchange rate in force at the time of booking. Wild and Exotic can assist with booking the return international flight to Buenos Aires. The price does include all land and boat transfers, accommodation and full board including local wine and spirits whenever nights are spent under canvas, but not at the hotels. The only meals not included are lunch and dinner in Buenos Aires on days 1 and 10. This itinerary may vary according to weather or other circumstances. Weather conditions in the Andes Mountains are sometime unpredictable, and the decision of your guide must be respected at all times.
ARGENTINA THROUGH CHILE TO THE PACIFIC FJORD OF RELONCAVI
This riding adventure begins in Argentina and crosses the Chilean border through the Andes Mountains of Patagonia, past beautiful lakes, waterfalls and rivers, and through native forests to the shores of a Pacific fjord. The route – sometimes referred to as the Cochamo Road – follows the legendary pioneer trail once used by Indians, missionaries, and the notorious outlaws Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid. Parts of the ride are through a rugged and steep terrain that is nowadays seldom tackled on either horseback or foot.
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| Into the mountains (day 5) | Waterfall at El Arco (day 5) | Picnic lunch (day 6) |
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| Horses at campsite (day 6) | Hazards of the trail (day 4) | Sebastian de la Cruz | Sunlit glade (day 7) |
Day 1: Arrival and reception at the international airport in Buenos Aires and transfer to the Claridge Hotel. Remainder of day at leisure to explore the city. Overnight Claridge Hotel, where facilities include an outside swimming pool and fully equipped gym.
Day 2: After breakfast you will be transferred to the domestic airport for flight to Bariloche. On arrival you are met and driven to El Retorno hotel for lunch. Before leaving the hotel guests pack their saddlebags (waterproof and spacious bags provided by your guide) with clothes and provisions required for the duration of the ride – all extra clothes and luggage can be left in a locked suitcase in the hotel’s store room. You are then driven to El Manso Valley to meet your horses saddled up and waiting near the junction of Rio Foyel and Rio Manso to begin a two-hour ride crossing the Rio Manso into the Nahuel Huapi national park, the older and largest national park in Argentina. On the north side of the valley a dramatic waterfall plunges down the side of Mt. Bastion. That evening campsite is set up on Senor Dario Jon’s property, in whose rustic farmhouse you will enjoy a traditional Argentine dinner.
Day 3: After breakfast with Senor Jon and his family the ride sets off on the first full day, crossing the river at a ford close to the farmhouse, and following it downstream for approx three hours to arrive at the Argentine Gendarmerie, where customs and immigration are cleared out of Argentina. The ride continues west through Coihues and Ñires woodland besides the jade green and white waters of the Rio Manso where it forms the border between Argentina and Chile, and drops over 1,500 feet in 7 miles. After a three-hour ride the valley turns south, and camp is pitched besides a sweeping bend of this beautiful river, beneath a grove of willow trees past which the currents flow in long emerald green glide. Meanwhile the gauchos take the Argentine horses back home, as tomorrow local Chilean horses replace them. Dinner around the campfire is a delicious stew prepared by Mrs Delgado, and Don Heriberto Delgado (whose family have lived here for generations) will guide the ride for its most challenging stretch through the mountains of the Chilean Andes. If there is sufficient time the group will clear Chilean customs this evening, or alternatively the following morning.
Day 4: The ride leaves after an early breakfast on fresh Chilean horses, together with packhorses to transport tents and provisions, and follows the Rio Manso for approx three hours, until reaching the junction with the Rio Correntoso, which is followed for at least another three hours through a wild and untamed landscape to arrive at Mr Francisco Soto’s remote and lovely farmhouse perched on a bluff overlooking the beautiful Lago Vidal. That night a traditional dinner – normally lamb cooked asado style by the gauchos - is enjoyed with the family in their farmhouse.
Day 5: A long day begins after breakfast following a narrow and precipitous path north besides the shores of Lago Vidal surrounded by beautiful mountain scenery, a remote region inhabited by just four families. At the end of the lake the ride passes though a rare stretch of open grassland of the Bahamonde family ranch, and begins to climb into the mountains. Halfway up the steep climb the ride passes close to two beautiful lakes, lago Chico and Grande, which present a perfect location for lunch, and allows the amazingly tough and sure-footed Chilean horses a well earned breather from their exertions. After crossing the highest the pass at 1450 metres the slow descent towards the Pacific begins, the horses negotiating rocks, deep narrow trenches and sheer slopes on their way to El Arco, a volcanic arch resembling a medieval bridge, beneath which plunge the foaming waters of a mountain river. Campsite is far from civilisation, surrounded by pristine nature and ancient Alerces trees, with the waterfall providing a magical swimming spot for those who dare face the icy waters.
Day 6: Today the ride follows a stunning narrow valley wedged between towering granite cliffs that rise to some 600 metres on either side, the floor carpeted in luxuriant vegetation including sweet scented laurel, clumps of pink wild fuchsias, and tall ulmo trees sporting big white flowers from whose pollen bees make a famous honey. Lunch is taken in a sunny glade besides a mountain stream, and after another couple of hours the junction of two valleys is reached, and camp is set up close to the Cochamo River, a stunning setting where condors soar against a backdrop of towering granite mountains and a bright blue sky.
Day 7: Today the ride slowly leaves behind the remote upper reaches of the Cochamo River, and the terrain gradually becomes easier to negotiate as the route follows the river downstream towards the Pacific Fjord of Reloncaví, which is reached sometime during the afternoon. After riding into the waters of the Pacific fjord, it is time to bid goodbye to the horses that have carried you with such skill through the rugged Andes, together with their Chilean gauchos. You will be collected and transferred by road past the village of Cochamo that nestles besides the Pacific Ocean to Hostería Petrohue, a comfortable hotel located at the foot of Osorno volcano besides Todos Los Santos Lake. Overnight stay at the hotel, and the first chance to luxuriate in a hot bath or shower after your adventures in the mountains.
Day 8: Morning boat transfer across Lago de Todos Los Santos to the Peulla Hotel. After lunch leave the hotel by bus for a short journey down the scenic Peulla valley to the Perez Rosales Pass. Immigration into Argentina is cleared en route, before arrival at Frias Lake. Guests are then transferred overland to Puerto Blest on Nahuel Huapi Lake, where a second boat takes us on a ninety-minute journey to Puerto Pañuelo in Blest Fjord. Met on arrival and transferred to El Retorno for dinner and overnight stay. Alternatively we can arrange to charter a bus for an overland journey of some 6 hours duration.
Day 9: Transfer to Bariloche Airport for the flight to Buenos Aires. Collected on arrival and transferred to the Claridge Hotel, with the afternoon free to relax or explore the city. We can arrange a private tour of the city for a small extra charge if requested at the time of booking, which includes the sights of the Plaza Mayo, the Casa Rosada, the Cathedral and the extraordinary Recoleta Cemetery, the resting place of Eva Peron.
Day 10: After breakfast an opportunity to explore the magical city of Buenos Aires surrounding the Claridge hotel before departing on your international flight back home.
Notes:
The price for this itinerary depends on the size of your group. Tented accommodation is based on two guests per tent. Locked suitcases can be left at El Retorno for the duration of the ride. The price does not include international or domestic flights, or airport taxes, and may vary according to the exchange rate in force at the time of booking. Wild and Exotic can assist with booking the return international flight to Buenos Aires. The price does include all land and boat transfers, accommodation and full board including local wine and spirits whenever nights are spent under canvas, but not at the hotels. The only meals not included are lunch and dinner in Buenos Aires on days 1 and 9. This itinerary may vary according to weather or other circumstances. Weather conditions in the Andes Mountains are sometime unpredictable, and the decision of your guide must be respected at all times.
The following notes apply to the itineraries described above:
All itineraries may vary according to weather or other circumstances. Weather conditions in the Andes Mountains are sometime unpredictable, and the decision of your guide must be respected at all times.
Please ask us for details of extensions to this itinerary, which could include a stay at El Ecuentro fishing lodge besides the Futaleufu River near Esquel, Estancia Huechahue in the Patagonian steppes and the famous Iguaçu falls (see below) on the borders of Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay.
Igazu Falls extension - available before or after all three itineraries
Day 1: Dept from domestic airport with picnic lunch for flight to Iguaçu. Reception in Iguaçu on arrival and transfer to Puesto Tigre, and from there to Bahía La Blanquita port, at the shore of the Iguaçu River. There is a 15-minute journey by jet boat upriver to Port Yacutinga. Upon arrival, jeep transfer through the Yacutinga private wildlife reserve to the Lodge on full board basis.
Day 2: Full day at Yacutinga Lodge on full board basis. Yacutinga is an environmentally friendly lodge and private wildlife nature reserve, located in the heart of the Argentinean rainforest, surrounded by the Iguaçu National Park. You can enjoy diverse out-door activities with a soft adventure and eco-tourism focus, such as canoeing, biking, bird watching or walking which will provide you an insight into the rich bio-diversity of the tropical rainforest.
Day 3: Early breakfast and short hike to the San Francisco River and canoeing through the quiet waters, ideal for photo safari and close up observation of native fauna and wildlife. Return to the lodge and transfer back to Iguazu with picnic lunch. On arrival transfer to five star Sheraton hotel. In the afternoon visit the falls from the Argentinean side, including the spectacular devil's gorge. Overnight Sheraton hotel on bed and breakfast basis.
Day 4: Morning excursion to the Brazilian side of falls, or alternatively relax besides the pool before departing in time to connect with flight from Iguaçu. to Buenos Aires domestic airport.. Transfer to the international airport to depart in time to connect with evening flight home.
