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Horse Rides
Our daily trips allow you to explore pristine areas of the large
estancia and enjoy the comfort of the lodge. The terrain largely
dictates the pace and the distance we need to travel on a certain day
but where possible there is a lot of trotting and cantering specially
during the longer rides. The terrain at the Estancia is varied with
two mayor mountain ranges to the North and South of the lodge allowing
day trips in to remote valleys and lakes, some above timberline. The
use of horses is one of the main means of transportation in
the area, thus there are trails to most areas of interest within
the ranch. We will plan our daily rides the day before and they are
tailored to the experience of the rider. Riders are accompanied
by an experienced guide. In the event that other guests would like
to ride we will pair the riding parties according to experience and
interests. Experienced riders will be able to go at a faster pace always
escorted by our guide. As to the lengths of the rides, these can be
from one or two hours to daily rides of up to 6 hours with additional
one or two hours rest and several stops.
(back to top)
6 days Sample itinerary
:
Saturday:
After a 2 1/2 hrs. Flight from Santiago, to Balmaceda airport were you'll
be met by Estancia de los Ríos staff. Short transfer to Coyhaique
airport ( 45min. Drive ) From here we fly in a twin engine charter to
the Estancia ( 35 min. Flight to Estancia airstrip ) where you´ll
meet your host. Short drive to the lodge ( 30 min. ) At the lodge after
getting organized and having a light lunch, your guide will provide
you with the necessary equipment and a brief description of the ride,
the “Chilean ” horses and their handling. We start our ride
to "El cañon de las aguilas" Eagle's canyon. For the
first 45 minutes we will ride to the east of the ranch, through vast
planes where your eye can see as far as 30 Km. Then we´ll get
to the "sheep hanging bridge", where we will cross the Cisnes
river and head south east towards the Canyon. After 15min. We will arrive
to the Cañon the las Aguilas, where we stop and observe a family
of Black-chestted Buzzard-Eagle. From here we´ll descent and ride
back to the lodge, on a different route for 45min, along the Cisnes
river towards the magestic Andes. The chef back at the lodge is going
to be waiting with cocktails and an exquisite dinner.(back
to top)
Dificulty: Easy
Duration: 4 hours
Riding time: 3hours
Equipment: Riding or comfortable
pants, gloves, polar fleece, wind
breaker or similar, sun glasses.
wide-brim hat and neck scarf for sun
protection
Equipment supplied: Saddle, reigns,
helmet, and chaps.
Maximum: 10 riders plus 2 guides.
Minimum: 2 riders plus guide. (back
to top)
Sunday: Lago Sarta
Early breakfast and prepare for the full day ride. Today we ride up,
towards de south of the ranch. For the first 30 min. we ride up hill
until we get to “Pampa Alta” a high plane that we´ll
ride across for 30min. to get to the foot hills of the Andes, where
we ride along “La buitrera Creek” under the Lenga trees
( Nothofagus pumilio ). Gauchos use this pass to take the cattle to
Valle del Galvez, grazing land that has been used for 70 years by the
Gauchos of the ranch. After 30min. We´ll get to La piedra del
Condor. From this rock some times we can see the magestic Andean Condor
flying over El “Valle Galvez“ Here we usually dismount and
relax for 20 min. Then we follow a narrow pass in between Valle Galvez
and Sarta lake valley for 35min. until we get to the Sarta Lake, where
we have a Picnic lunch under the Lengas. After a short nap we head back
to the lodge on a different gaucho pass call El Frio. This is a lower
pass throgh the Lenga forest that the gauchos use when the snow is too
deep. This pass takes us to the far east of Winchester sur plane. The
pampas are safe for cantering so if the rider wants to canter across
the Patagonia pampas this will be the time to do it. (aprox. 15 min.)
We then slowdown to a walk to relax the horses and cross the Winchester
creek to start our descent to the Lodge, where cocktails and dinner
will be waiting .(back to top)
Dificulty:
Medium - difficult
Duration:
Full day
Riding time: 7 hours
Equipment: Riding on comfortable
pants, gloves, polar fleece, wind breaker or similar, sun glasses,
wide-brim hat and neck scarf for sun protection.
Equipment supplied: Saddle, reigns, helmet, chaps and pack horse
Maximum: 10 riders plus
2 guides. Minimum: 2 riders plus guide.(back to top)
Monday: Loma
Chachu
Early breakfast and get ready for the exciting full day ride. We ride
to the west of the rach through fields of wild luppins and natural grass,
passing La guitrera Gaucho post. From here we take a Gaucho trail that
is going to take us all the way to Loma Chachu. Loma chachu is one of
the most spectacular places on the ranch. It´s 360º breath
taking view out in the middle of Patagonia. From here you can see the
pampas to the East, the Andes to the West, Cerro Bayo to the South and
Cordon Carlota to the North. Unforgetable Picnic lunch on top of the
World, rest and back on the
horses to our afternoon adventure. On the ride back we stop at the "Guitrera"
Waterfalls and "Laguna
Amarilla" to observe a variety of ducks (Chiloe Wigeon, Red Shoveler,
Yellow-billed Pintail, etc. ) (back to top)
Dificulty:
Medium - difficult
Duration: Full day
Riding time: 6 hours
Equipment: Riding on comfortable
pants, gloves, polar fleece, wind breaker or similar, sun glasses,
wide-brim hat and neck scarf for sun protection.
Equipment supplied: Saddle, reigns, helmet, chaps and pack horse
Maximum: 10 riders plus
2 guide.
Minimum: 2 riders plus
guide.(back to top)
Tuesday:
Magdalena Valley
Today we ride north across the imposing Carlota mountain range, cobered
by Lenga forest. A variety of landscapes, including Patagonian steep
snowcapped mountains, prairies,mallines, small shallow lakes with pink
Chilean flamingos, the Austral Parakeet, the Magellanic Woodpecker and
the Chilean Flicker are some of the bird species in this area. After
a 2 1/2 hour ride we stop at Carlota Lake for a picnic lunch. Your guide
is going to catch fresh wild silver salmon and grill them for you. After
an unforgetable picnic and rest, we continue riding across meandering
creeks, prairies until the end of Carlota Valley where we follow a Gaucho
trail all the way to the Magdalena cottage. At the end of the ride,
our staff is waiting with cocktails and dinner in a comfortable well
equipped 6 person cottage inmersed in the unequaled tranquility of Patagonia.(back
to top)
Dificulty:
Medium - difficult
Duration: Full day
Riding time: 6 hours
Equipment: Riding on comfortable
pants, gloves, polar fleece, wind breaker or similar, sun glasses,
wide-brim hat and neck scarf for sun protection.
Equipment supplied: Saddle, reigns, helmet, chaps and pack horse
Maximum: 10 riders plus
2 guide.
Minimum: 2 riders plus
guide.(back to top)
Wednesday: Mallin Chileno
Mallin Chileno is one of the most remote valleys in the ranch. Here
we ride at the foot hills of magestic snowcapped Cerro Stefen right
at the Argentinean border. Today we will visit some of the gauchos and
learn about their traditions like "Yerba Mate". Mate is drunk
in a particular social setting, such as family gatherings or with friends.
The gaucho life revolves around farms, mountains, forests and pampas,
of solitary living with marvelous generosity. We are going to learn
their way of living in this vast Patagonia region. After a picnic lunch,
saddle up and head back to the cottage. We usually step up the pace
a little here and canter along the Magdalena creek across the pastures
and rolling soft hills. (back to top)
Dificulty:
Medium - difficult
Duration: Full day
Riding time: 5
hours
Equipment: Riding on comfortable
pants, gloves, polar fleece, wind breaker or similar, sun glasses,
wide-brim hat and neck scarf for sun protection.
Equipment supplied: Saddle, reigns, helmet, chaps and pack horse
Maximum: 10 riders plus
2 guide.
Minimum: 2 riders plus
guide.(back to top)
Thursday:
Cuero Bayo
Today is one of the longest and tecnical rides of the trip. Riders will
encounter about every other cross country terrain imaginable. We head
off on an exciting ride up the Carlota nacional Lenga tree reservation.
We ride a gaucho pass, under the ancient Lengas, where wild Fushia and
orchids are nestled amongst the trees. The trail then takes us to the
shores of a beautiful lake ¨ Lago Arenales ¨ Where we stop for
a picnic lunch and rest. After lunch we start our desend south towards
Cuero Bayo an Old puesto in a beautiful setting on the shore of Cisnes
river. From here we head back to Casa Verde. We ride to the east , along
the Cisnes river, going through wild Luppin fields and canter across
green pastures. After 1 hour we get to the Lodge where our staff is
waiting with coktails and a Chilean asado.(back to top)
Dificulty:
Medium - difficult
Duration: Full day
Riding time: 7 hours
Equipment: Riding on comfortable
pants, gloves, polar fleece, wind breaker or similar, sun glasses,
wide-brim hat and neck scarf for sun protection.
Equipment supplied: Saddle, reigns, helmet, chaps and pack horse
Maximum: 10 riders plus
2 guide.
Minimum: 2 riders plus
guide.(back to top)
Friday :
After breakfast we saddle up and take off on the last 3 hour ride. After
you've enjoyed a morning
ride, we head back to the lodge. Here we will join everybody in a farewell
lunch toasting to Patagonia. After lunch a lodge's vehicle will take
you to the Balmaceda airport.
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