Ride Overview
Argentina: a land of horses, born and built on horseback. Come and enjoy the uniqueness of this country. The Argentine Pampas are the heartland of this bucolic country. Located in easy proximity to Buenos Aires, they are the perfect destination for someone with a few days or a week to spare. Estancia Santa MarÌa is a true working ranch at the core of the Argentine Pampas. It is a 3,000 acre Estancia, located 150 miles outside Buenos Aires. The Estancia is dedicated to Argentine horse breeding and livestock.
The horses ridden each day are from the best bloodlines in Argentina and they have the ribbons and the trophies to prove it! Rides each day consist of exploring the expansive estancia with an option to help the gauchos in their everyday work. Join them in a cattle drive and give picture yourself hooting and hollering like Roy Rogers and Dale Evans. Enjoy the excellent local cuisine, comfortable accommodations and tasteful decoration. Each evening you will relax at the manor house over a glass of wonderful Argentine wine while your traditional Argentine barbecue dinner is prepared. It is a perfect end to a fun day of riding.
2024-2025 Start Dates: the schedule is flexible, so check with us and we can either create dates for you or add you to an existing group
Rate: $2,490.00 – $2,770.00 USD per person in a shared room (Single Supplement: $390.00 USD)
*Rates are based on the size of the group: 6 Riders or more = $2,49.00 USD / person, 4-5 Riders = $2,610.00 USD / person, 2-3 Riders = $2,770.00 USD / person.
Non-Rider: 15% discount of riding rate, based on sharing a room with a rider.
*We can also run this program on a per day basis with a minimum of a 3 night stay.
Included
- 4 nights hotel at La Martineta Lodge or similar
- 1 night hotel Tribeca or similar in Buenos Aires
- 1 night at the Estancia
- 5 days of riding
- All meals as outlined
- Horse and all tack
- Airport transfers at pre set time
- All local taxes
Not Included
- Airfare
- Travel and medical Insurance
- Drinks outside of meals or as specified on the itinerary
- Gratuities for the staff at the end of the stay
Day 1
Arrive Buenos Aires where you will be picked up at International Airport at a preset time. You will then be driven approx. 2 hours to the Capilla del Senor Lodge in the Pampas. Lunch will be served and give you a chance to stretch your legs before your first ride in the afternoon.
With the help of your guide you will be introduced to the Criollo, the Argentine native horse breed and meet your horse for the rest of the stay. You will ride the surrounding countryside of the lodge to get acquainted to your horse and learn about the daily activities in the Pampas.
A hearty Argentine welcome dinner awaits you in the evening. Argentina is known worldwide for its wine production and each night during your stay you will be enjoying a different wine from its terroirs. Your hosts have prepared a special selection which includes some of the world renowned Argentine Malbecs.
Day 2
Polo Day! Your visit to Argentina would not be complete without experiencing polo. Polo is a sport intimately linked to Argentina, its countryside and its people.
Today we will focus on the sport in a fun, easy going way and at your own pace. If you have the riding skills and enthusiasm, this is the perfect opportunity to get into a sport from which there is no way out - you’ll be hooked!
Lessons are available for all levels - introductory as well as for experienced players looking to hone their skills. It’s a great way to learn the well kept secrets of these great players!
Lunch is taken at the polo club. Dinner and overnight at the lodge.
Day 3
Today you will head out and ride along the Parana River. The ride takes you through a privately owned wildlife reserve that sits by the huge river. The Parana is 2,500 miles long and its name means “as big as the sea” in thelocal Indian language.
It is the second largest river in South America (second to the Amazon) and the water flowing into the Atlantic roughly equals the Mississippi River.
You’ll enjoy a picnic on the river banks and then return to the lodge for dinner.
Day 4
After breakfast, we head out into the farmlands, this time following the old road to San Antonio de Areco. In the old days, this was the road the gauchos used to ride their horses to town. Now, a new road has been built for cars, so this road is exclusively ours and our road has been fairly forgotten in the modern time - simply perfect!
Along the way we will stop at the small rural school and the old church at El Tatu (The Armadillo) where we will have a nice picnic before heading back to the estancia.
Dinner and overnight at the lodge.
Day 5
After breakfast, we move to the beautiful 19th century estancia for riding and cattle work before spending the night. We experience typical Argentine activities in a quintessential estancia - regular riding in the countryside, or the chance to do some carriage driving, learn "Doma India" (Argentinian horse whispering) as well as hiking, cycling or bird watching.
The estancia splits its resources between farming and cattle breeding, so there is always something interesting to watch.
Lunch and dinner onsite.
Day 6
After breakfast we will visit the town of San Antonio de Areco with its very proud gaucho spirit - right in the heart of the Pampas. We will meet silversmiths whose techniques are still the same as those from colonial times.
The gaucho museum is also on the itinerary to really experience the history of not just this profession but this way of life.
Lunch is at an old time gaucho restaurant after which, we leave and head to Buenos Aires. We will check in to our hotel and then have free time to explore the city, shop, visit museums, etc.
Optional: Tango show with dinner and a tango lesson in the evening (+/- $150.00 USD)
Day 7
Today we have a city tour - put on your walking shoes! We will learn all about its icons - Plaza de Mayo, Casa Rosada’s balcony, Eva Peron, etc. We will try to finish in the early afternoon so you can have time to continue to explore until you transfer to the airport for your flight home (please book an evening flight).
Cathi & Bill
Let us brag as much as possible about our trip. We were met at the airport in Buenos Aires by Tatiana, one of the most interesting and congenial young women we have ever encountered. She was with us throughout our stay at the estancia, and we thoroughly enjoyed her company.
Everybody at the estancia was great. They made us feel instantly at home on the beautiful grounds, and by the end of our stay, we felt like we were saying goodbye to family members. The gauchos tolerated us well, and one of them saved me from potential harm in true gaucho style. I should also report that I cannot rope a cow yet, but if I keep going back, there is hope. And I hope to go back!
Our time in the city was also great fun, thanks to the plans that had been well made and were well executed all the way around. We loved the Hotel D’Artiste.
Thank you for all you did to make this a wonderful vacation for us both.