ESTANCIA RIDE PATAGONIA - CHILE

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This trip suits experienced riders wishing to combine some local flavour and comfy accommodations with their outdoor riding adventure. It is designed for those who prefer not to camp. Riders will experience a first hand view of Patagonia estancia life and the joys, threats and difficulties posed by farming cattle and sheep in this area. The majority of the ride takes place within the park itself and offers plenty of diversity with rides across open pampas, rides to wild glaciers and iceberg-filled lakes and peaceful rides through valleys and ancient southern beech forests. Throughout these long, exciting days in the saddle, the snow capped  mountains are never far away. Accommodation is comfortable, authentic, cozy and welcoming - all of it having been chosen for its beautiful location, great view and cultural appeal.

Trip length 12 days/ 11 nights Ride only price 2009: 2 clients: £1,995 per person Horse drives: £1,565 per person Departure dates 2008 - 23 Nov; 6, 22 Dec 2009 - 29 Jan; 24 Feb; 29 March (special horse drive); 23 Nov, 6 & 22 Dec Approximate riding time per day 4 to 6 hours Riding ability required Intermediate – advanced Group size 4 to 12 Meeting point (getting there) Punta Arenas, Chile Transfer Included from hotel in Punta Arenas Flight guide London - Punta Arenas return £700 - £900 Single supplement None if willing to share, otherwise Estancia ride: £275, Horse Drive: £199

SAMPLE ITINERARY - ESTANCIA RIDE PATAGONIA

Day 1
Clients should aim to arrive into Punta Arenas at 1530 hours. We will collect clients from the airport and drive them to a lovely Hosteria (about 40 minutes from the airport) via the Magellanic Penguin Colony (if time allows).  Wander amongst these cute burrowing animals before continuing onto this lovely authentic estancia, a fitting start to our Patagonia Estancia horse riding holiday. The Hosteria and estancia is owned and run by a charming family who have converted some of their historic estancia buildings into confortable guest accommodations. Much of the renovation uses imaginatively recycled or locally produced materials and the rooms are all beautifully decorated and distinctive. Food and service are excellent and clients can wander around the small villa to see the buildings making up this working farm. Dinner included (excluding drinks). Trip briefing over dinner. NB: Clients arriving early (or spending extra time in Punta Arenas) will be collected from a pre-arranged meeting point in town at 3 p.m. Clients arriving late will need to cover their transfer cost to the estancia: $60 per vehicle which can be arranged in advance. Transfer time with penguins: approx. 3 hours.

Day 2
Today we are going to be starting our drive across the wide open pampas and land belonging to some of the huge estancias in this area towards the Torres del Paine National Park. After a short lunch stop in Puerto Natales, where clients can choose from a variety of restaurants and cafes, we will continue on along the easterly edges of the Park and into some quite different scenery bordered by the huge Baguales and La Cumbre mountain ranges. This area is very close to the border with Argentina and offers a wild and remote beauty not soon forgotten. Our base for the night is the lovely converted Casa Patronal (estancia house) of Estancia Las Chinas. Lunch not included. Dinner included (excluding wine/drinks). Driving time: 5 – 5.5 hours.

Day 3
Today after a homely breakfast, we will be meeting our horses and the baqueanos who care for them. Horses will be selected and assigned and there will be a short safety briefing and introduction to western riding. We will then load up our saddle bags and set off on our day’s journey. We will take it easy this morning giving us a chance to adjust to the local riding style and horses. Our ride takes us through some gorgeous canyons and glacial valleys as we ride in the shadow of the granite and often snow capped mountains. This area is home to a number of estancias and puestos and it is not unusual for our riders to be invited in for a traditional mate session (pronounced matay, the herbal tea drunk in this area). After lunch, we will enjoy some nice long canters as we head south entering the land belonging to Estancia Tercera Barranca. Our base for the night will be the converted casa patronal belonging to this estancia. Time to settle into the comfy accommodation and enjoy a pisco sour round the fire. Dinner included (excluding wine, drinks). Hours in the saddle: 5-6.

Day 4
After a wholesome breakfast of home made bread and cake, we will be setting off on our ride across wide open pampas and river crossings heading towards the mountains of the Paine Massif. Hopefully we will be able to enjoy some ripe Calafate berries on our journey as this area is home to large bushes containing this sweet purple fruit similar to the blueberry. There will be lots of opportunities for long canters and the scenery gets ever more dramatic as we ride towards the famous Torres and the south western sector of the Park. Today’s ride is a long one and to give us and the horses a breather, we will meet our vehicle at a small puesto situated on the shores of the beautiful Sarmiento Lake. From here we will continue in a vehicle along this stunning drive skirting the rocky shores of this turquoise lake with the fabulous peaks standing watch behind. As we drive the final section through an ancient southern beech forest, we will see the traditional red roofs of estancia Lazo come into view. Our base for 2 nights, this very comfortable converted Estancia situated beside Laguna Verde offers splendid views, great food and comfortable accommodation. The lake shore is a great place to stroll spotting the wild geese and ducks bobbing in the water. Dinner will be in the restaurant offering an excellent variety of local foods and wine. Dinner included (excluding wine/drinks). Hours in the saddle: 6-7.

Day 5
After breakfast, we will pack our saddle bags with cameras, waterproofs and our picnic lunch and set off around the shores of this pretty lake through ancient southern beech forests towards the Sierra del Toro. We will then make a steep ascent through forests to climb right up on top of this mountain. The last section of the ride will often be through snow as we stop to marvel at the views of the entire Park below us. We will then wind down to a pretty authentic puesto manned by one of the cattle ranchers from Estancia Lazo to take our lunch. Afternoon return to our comfortable accommodation at the Lazo Ranch. Dinner in the restaurant (wine/drinks not included). Hours in the saddle 3-4.

Day 6
After a wholesome breakfast and packing up we will be starting our ride eastwards towards the heart of the Park. The morning ride is very pretty as we wind our way through valleys passing a number of lakes and stunning lookouts. Plenty of time to take photos before we ascend to a lookout with fabulous views of the pampas and waterways below. After stopping to let the horses rest we will tighten our girths before making a dramatic descent of the Sierra del Toro to the pampas below. Lunch will be taken in the valley and we will have a chance to visit the Park Headquarters to look at their relief map of the Park. We will step up the pace in the afternoon and enjoy an exciting canter across the flat pampas towards the emerald green waters of the Serrano River. Our accommodation will be in one of the hotels built beside this river. Dinner in restaurant included (excluding wine/drinks). Hours in saddle: 3-4.

Day 7
Today we saddle up for the fast pampas ride to Grey Lake. Our view will be dominated by the huge granite peaks of the massif as we ride out along the Grey River to the largest Glacier in the park, Glacier Grey. After crossing the swinging footbridge, we will take a walk down to Grey Beach for a memorable view of the Glacier and huge icebergs floating in the grey waters of this lake. For those who are interested there’s an optional boat ride across this iceberg-choked lake towards the face of this spectacular Glacier (this boat is very weather reliant and costs $70 per person for the three hour boat ride). If the boat isn’t running or for those clients who prefer to stay ashore, there’s plenty of opportunities for hiking, taking pictures or walking the short distance to Hosteria Lago Grey to enjoy some fireside pisco sours. After this exciting day we’ll rejoin our horses for a lovely long canter across the pampas to our hotel at the Serrano River. Hours in the saddle: approx 5.

Day 8
Today we will be setting off on one of the longest rides of the trip initially started as an experiment but now one of our most popular rides which none of our itineraries would be complete without. The Paine Massif will unfold in front of us as we cross widely diverse scenery on our journey across the heart of the park. Mountain peaks dominate the horizon and we pass numerous lakes of startling colours with rivers tumbling through tranquil green valleys. Herds of guanacos will be seen and flocks of birds accompany us on our rides through the forests. Wild flowers and orchids are nestled amongst the trees and line the trails. Truly a fantastic and memorable ride. Finally, our trail will take us eastwards to cross the Rio de las Chinas on our route out to the land belonging to Estancia Tercera Barranca. We will be basing ourselves here for 2 nights and can relax in the lovely living room with splendid views of the Towers while dinner is prepared. Dinner included (except wine/drinks). Hours in the saddle: 7 – 8.

Day 9
After saddling up we will set off on our exciting ride west towards the Torres and Lago Paine. Just before Laguna Azul we head north towards Laguna Stokes where a large natural vega or pasture exists. This area attracts wild criollos from the surrounding hills to graze in the summer. There will be many excellent photo opportunities on this route as we pass through forests, pastures and the lake where Lady Florence Dixie first camped having sighted the Towers. Afternoon return to Estancia Tercera. Dinner included (excluding wine/drinks). Hours in the saddle: 5-6.

Day 10
Today we will ride south to the small outpost town of Cerro Castillo situated 40km from the entrance to the park and 60km from Puerto Natales. A fantastic ride across farmland and pampas with some unique and interesting stops on the way. Rivers will be crossed and there will be plenty of opportunity for long exhilerating canters on this prairie land just made for riding! Our lunch stop will be at one of the many estancias whose land we cross on the way to our destination. Hospitality is legendary in these parts and it is rare for passing riders not to be offered some form of hospitality by the estancieros. During late afternoon we will see a small hotel surrounded by the customary layer of trees offering protection from the wind. This villa was built by settlers to Tierra del Fuego at the beginning of the century and will be our home for the night. Once home to one of the most important and influential estancieros in the region it offers comfortable accommodation and an excellent restaurant offering a variety of typical local foods and international cuisine. The fireside bar is an excellent place to enjoy a pisco sour whilst recounting the previous days adventures. Comfortable ensuite accommodation (some rooms with fireplaces). Dinner in the comfortable restaurant (meal included, except wine/drinks). Hours in the saddle: 6-7.

Day 11
After a leisurely breakfast of coffee and home made cakes/bread we will transfer to Punta Arenas via Puerto Natales. We will have time in Natales to shop for souvenirs or postcards and there is a wide choice of restaurants and cafes in which to enjoy lunch. We will arrive in Punta Arenas about 5 p.m. Night Hotel Terra Sur. Dinner not included. Transfer time: 4 hours.

Day 12
Taxi to airport (not included) or onward travel.

The weight limit for this ride is 15st /210 lb/95 kg, please enquire if you are an experienced rider exceeding this weight.

WHAT IS INCLUDED
Eleven nights accommodation based on twin share throughout (in hotels, hosterias and estancias – see full itinerary for more details on the type of accommodation); eight days riding; all transfers to and from Punta Arenas and whilst in park (see designated flight info above); breakfast and lunch most days; dinner in homestays, hotels and estancias (excluding wine - see full itinerary); Lamb Asado; English speaking and local guides; baqueanos who care for horses; waterproof stuff sacks for trip; use of saddle bags; entrance fees to park and penguin colony.

WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED
Flights, airport taxes, airport transfers and meal in Punta Arenas on last night; lunch on Day 2 and Day 11 in Natales, local gratuities ($50 recommended). Wine, beer and spirits are available to buy at the estancias.

FURTHER DETAILS
As we are specialists in our field we have extensive knowledge of all our products from details of accommodation and meals to number/size/type of horses to pace of riding ... and much more.

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