Torres del Paine - Estancias Ride Patagonia / Torres del Paine Chile This fabulous and exciting ride based mainly in Torres del Paine National Park enjoys exciting riding on great, fit horses and the unforgettable scenery of this magnificent part of Patagonia. We start with a night at the beautiful, authentic estancia Rio Verde. It’s a great place to get to know the rest of the group and be introduced to some authentic Patagonian culture. The bar area is built from recycled wood and various articles washed up on the nearby beach and it’s a great place to enjoy the pre-ride briefing. The estancia owners, Josefina and Sergio extend a wonderful Chilean welcome to their guests at this special Patagonian homestead. After leaving Rio Verde we continue on towards Puerto Natales for a lunch stop and a visit to the office to meet the rest of the team. Then we head northwards to the beautiful estancia Tres Pasos. Situated in a flower filled meadow at the head of a magical valley, the lovely wood built hosteria is a great place to relax and meet the horses. We will enjoy an introductory ride in this pretty valley before returning to the fireside bar for some pre-dinner drinks. The following day, the real adventure begins. As we ride out from Tres Pasos, the scenery gets better and better as we approach the magnificent peaks of Torres del Paine. The following days are spent riding through some of the most magnificent scenery in the world: awesome mountain peaks, fast flowing glacial rivers, turquoise lakes with icebergs floating quietly by, exotic wildlife and the wide open pampas of Patagonia surround you every day. Nights are spent in comfortable estancias or converted lodges. Picnic lunches will be enjoyed in hidden valleys and protected forests. At the end of our long riding days we can enjoy a hot bath or fireside pisco sour while our hosts prepare a tasty meal for us. Meeting: Hosteria Rio Verde Airport:   Puntas Arenas Transfer: Puntas Arenas Airport at 3:30 PM

Packages and Options

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Day 1:  You should aim to arrive into Punta Arenas at 15:30 hours.  We will collect clients from the airport and drive you to the lovely Hosteria Rio Verde (about 40 minutes from the airport) via the Magellanic Penguin Colony.  There will be plenty of time to wander amongst these cute burrowing animals before continuing onto this lovely authentic estancia, a fitting start to our Patagonia Estancia Ride.  The Hosteria and estancia is owned and run by a charming family who have converted some of their historic estancia buildings into comfortable 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 riding 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 (not included) to airport or onward travel.

Torres del Paine has a milder and drier microclimate than the surrounding areas of Patagonia because of some unique geological features. The weather however is famously unpredictable and it is possible to experience four seasons in the course of a few hours! Average daily temperatures vary but in summer one can expect 10 - 20 degrees Celsius with the occasional hot day of 25 degrees. Temperatures can drop to zero at night and high winds are common in this area. Although you can never be sure of how Paine will treat its guests, we ask that clients are prepared (both mentally and physically) for unpredictable and sometimes challenging weather conditions and that you pack accordingly. Good waterproofs (top to toe) are essential.

 

 

Useful items

Note: From our experience, this list will be adequate to cope with the demands of travelling in Patagonia.  The Patagonian climate is famously unpredictable and weather changes in an instant.  Temperatures vary between 10 and 20 degrees during the day but at night it can drop to zero.  The wind can be very strong so windproof clothing is especially important.

On these trips guests are required to bring a sleeping bag. The sleeping bag should be 3 or 4 season and should be carried in an effective stuff sack. We can rent sleeping bags to guests and you should indicate this at the time of booking. Waterproof stuff sacks are supplied to each client for the duration of the trip. This enables their belongings to be packed comfortable, safely and dryly onto the pack horses. The capacity of these bags is 3,200 cubic inches and is sufficient for the demands of the trip. Excess luggage not required for the trip can be stored either at the hotel in Punta Arenas or with us in Puerto Natales.

 

…  this list is only a guideline for you

Travel documents and Voucher

Flight tickets

Passport

Visa (check with your consulate)

RIDING GEAR

2 Pairs of riding trousers (or jeans with chaps)

T-shirts and long sleeved tops (cotton polo necks are good for layering)

Riding boots (well broken in) or ankle-high multi-purpose ride/walk boots which work well when worn with half-chaps and can comfortably be worn for walking too

Riding helmet (riders not wishing to wear a hard hat do so at their own risk)

1 Pair of insulating and quick-drying gloves for riding

Wool cap or other warm hat

Waterproof/windproof (gortex or other suitable fabric) jacket with hood

Waterproof pants

PERSONAL CLOTHING

Wool sweater or fleece

Fleece Jacket or waistcoat

Sun hat or visor

Comfortable T-Shirts/Shirts

Jeans

Shorts

Underwear, Women: Jogbra or other suitable support for women

Set of thermals for cold nights

5 Pairs of socks (including a couple of knee-high socks for riding)

Pyjama

Bag for dirty clothes

Comfortable footwear for general walking and travelling (well broken-in)

Swimsuit

2 Bandannas or scarves

For Camping trips:

Sleeping Bag (four-season) (Provided on Estancia Rides)  You only need sleeping bags for a couple of nights at Refugio Dickson. You are welcome to bring your own (or at least a sleeping sheet if not) or we can provide.

Towel and small bar of soap

ADDITIONAL THINGS TO BRING

Personal Toiletries

Insect protection

Personal medications

Sore cream (for the emergency)

Sewing kit

Camera and enough extra films

Waterproof camera bag (or bring plastic bags to cover when in saddle bags i.e. Ziplocks)

Belt pack

Address book and pen (for pictures postcards!)

Sun glasses with strap

Sun tan lotion and lip balm

Minimum 1 Litre water bottle or two half-litre bottles

Torch with spare batteries (Maglite or similar)

Average ratings from 5 tour feedbacks (see details below) 1 2 3 4 5 Horses: