These rides are suitable for riders with little experience or even people who have never ridden before.
We assign horses according to each rider’s preference. We have plenty of horses, some are more challenging while others are very easy to handle. They are sure footed as they are all born and raised in the area and used to mountainous terrain. The pace is slow with few trots and canters during most of the trail due to the terrain and allows to enjoy the scenery, the conversation, take pictures, etc.

We have rides which are particularly geared to experienced riders. You will be given a demanding horse and will have the opportunity for plenty of fast riding where the terrain allows it. Travelled distances are longer. We match the horse that best suits each rider’s expectations as we aim at providing unforgettable vacations.  

Yes, of course. All of our holidays with fixed departure dates are absolutely ideal for people travelling on their own. Usually you return home with a whole new group of friends. They are surely like minded people who love nature and horses. 

These rides are suitable for riders with little experience or even people who have never ridden before; thus, they are for anyone. Of course, you will get the most out of your trip if you are reasonably fit. We have hosted travelers ranging 9 to 72 years old. We request those under 12 to be accompanied by their parents or grown ups.

It varies every day. The average riding is 3 hours in the morning and 3-4 in the afternoon with plenty of intermediate stops to take pictures, spend some time at specific points of interest, etc. 

Yes, in most cases this is possible. Check with us before. This is subject to the final decision of the guide who must check it does not hurt the horse.   

The horseback tour in Salta, Corrientes and Córdoba run all year long.
In Patagonia, Mendoza, Calafate and Cordillera de los Andes, where the weather is colder, the season runs November to March (summer and part of the spring).  

Salta:
In this region the weather is mild and activities run all year long. 
SUMMER: Mild, not very warm even though we are far north in Argentina. This is because the Calchaquí Valleys are dry and we stay on average over 6000 feet. At noon the temperature reaches 29ºC (84F) but at night and during the morning it goes down to 10ºC (50F).
It might rain someday but just for a little time. Nevertheless, do not despair! The experience of riding under the rain is very special and provides close contact with nature, something we are looking for. This is why we ask everyone to bring a cloak. We can dry all that gets wet where we spend the night.

Patagonia:
SUMMER: This is the only season this tour runs. The weather is dry and raining is unlikely. We will be riding on an altitude range of 3000 - 7500 feet so expect high mountain weather. This means that it can change abruptly and it might even rain, but justa for a little time. Nevertheless, do not despair! The experience of riding under the rain is very special and provides close contact with nature, something we are looking for. This is why we ask everyone to bring a cloak. Temperature average at noon is 25ºC (77F). At night and during the morning it can go as low as 0ºC (32F). 

Crossing The Andes: 
SUMMER: During the rides season the weather is great, since its dry and it hardly rains. With heights ranging from 2500m. to 3800m., the climate is that of high regions with extremely cold nights. Therefore, sleeping bags (-10ºC) or heavy blankets are highly reccommended. The warmest moment of the day is lunch time (aprox. 25ºC) but jackets and sweaters should be worn early in the morning and late in the evening as temperatures decrease. Summertime rains are seldom. However rain coats are recommended just for caution.

Our rides should be regarded as camping expeditions but we will enjoy a few “upgrades”. Remember we will be riding the backcountry of Argentina almost all the time above 6000- 9000 feet. You will find no infrastructure at all!! This is why we have to wipe out the standard urban life comforts.

In Salta we stop at mountain refuges and a very small town. All the stops have bathrooms with shower except the first stop that has a bathroom without a shower.

In Corrientes: since nights are spent in different Estancias (country houses), showers with hot water will always be available.

Our rides should be regarded as camping expeditions but we will enjoy a few “upgrades”. Remember we will be riding the backcountry of Argentina almost all the time above 6000- 9000 feet. You will find no infrastructure at all!! This is why we have to wipe out the standard urban life comforts.

In Salta, we stop at mountain refuges. In all of them but the first there are beds with no linen. We use sleeping bags. Three of the stops have bathrooms with shower (one with hot water and two with cold water). Only on the first outdoors night there is a bathroom but there is no shower.

In Corrientes: since nights are spent in different Estancias (country houses), comfortable accommodation is provided.

Our meals on the trail are made the old fashioned way on the campfire: simple, home made and abundant, just as people live every day in these places. It is this which makes them unforgettable. We will be happy to handle special requests when asked in advance.

Breakfasts and Tea Time:
Tea, coffee, mate (a tipical infusion) with homemade bread and jam will be served.

Lunch time: finger food, red meat sandwiches, salami & cheese sandwiches and pies will be served. Juice and fresh fruit as dessert also.

Evening meals: More elaborate dishes including asado (barbecues), roasted lamb, empanadas or pasta will be served. Beverages: wine and fruit juice.

During the ride it is much better to keep your clothing and personal items light. Normally, you only use half of what you take along. As these are pack trips we provide saddlebags to carry your personal items. The things you will not be needing can be left behind at the starting point and picked up on the return.

In case you do not have some of the items, we will be happy to help you get them.

Of all the necessary things, there are three which are mandatory.
 

• Sleeping bag: before travelling find out the most appropiate type according to the weather of the place. It should have a good quality because a bad night sleep, due to the cold weather, could ruin part of the trip. The sleeping bag goes tied up to the saddle, reason why it should be as small as posible so it does not make it dificult to get on the horse. We recommend covering it with plastic bags.
• Rain coat: while a windcheater only protects the rider, the rain coat also covers the saddle and saddlebags. If it is a bad quality coat it can get a scratch with a branch or blow away because of the wind. You can buy them in camp shops.
• Hat: it is essencial to protect from the sun. In the past years, the effect of the sun has increased so travelling without protection can ruin the trip due to an insolation. It should have brims, we recommend not bringing a cap.  The hat shoul also have a barbijo, which are the strips used to tie the hat to the neck stopping it from blowing away.

The other things you should bring are:

• Two changes of clothes: we recommend loose trousers. Shirts are better than T-shirts, as they protect the neck from the sun. It is better to bring along many thin sweaters instead of a thick one. Polar jackets are very useful not only in winter but also in summer.
• Neckerchief, scarf and gloves: even when a hot climate is expected in the place we are visiting, it is very convinient to bring them because they barely take up space and can be really useful should the temperature go down unexpectedly.
• Beanie: once in the camp they are ideal to replace the hat. Comfortable to wear for sleeping.
• Jacket and/or poncho: they will not take up space in the saddlebags as they go tied up together with the sleeping bag.
• Shoes: some saddles have narrow stirrups and if the shoe is too big it could get stuck. In general you can wear ordinary trainers, those who are used to can wear riding boots. Never buy new shoes for the trip. We recommend also bringing canvas sandals to be worn while in the camp. If the trip includes rafting, you should bring a pair of trainers which can get  wet.
• Swim suit and short: in some of the excursions we go through lakes or rivers where you can go for a swim.
• Personal medicine: we always carry a complete first aid kit, but still wee suggest that every traveller has its own personal medicine as well as the most common mediactions such as aspirine, band-aids, etc.
• Personal hygiene elements: soap, comb, small towel, etc. In some places you can not always have access to water that is when wet towels come in handy. It is also useful to bring a needle, thread, nail scissors.
• Sun screan: bring the protection according to the characteristics of your skin.
• Small torch: essencial for the excursions where we camp. The batteries sholud be new and also bring a spare pair.
• Camera: in general it is not possible to recharge the batteries, so you should bring spare batteries. We recommend carrying several films (3 of 36) and if it is a digital camera make sure to have enough memory.

Besides these things, there are many others that may be useful, even though they are not mandatory:

It is very easy to sign up. Please send us an e-mail once you have decided wich tour you would like to go on. We will confirm availability within 24hs. To confirm a reservation, a deposit of 30% of the trip cost is required. The balance of the trip cost is due one month before departure. This period could be longer if additional hotel and air tickets are included in the package. If final payment is not received when due, we reserve the right to treat the reservation as canceled.

Our rides are designed to include most costs in order to simplify the trip arrangements and reservations process to the most. Our horseback tours include transfers to/from meeting place, accommodation, meals and beverages and, on special dates, English speaking guides. Air tickets, travel insurance, gratuities are not included. We are very flexible, so we can quote any special arrangement you may desire. Bring along pocket money for small personal needs like cigarettes, candies, etc.

None of our rates include transportation tickets to the meeting place. We will be happy to make a special quotation which includes those.   

Yes, we will be happy to tailor make your tour according to your needs and preferences. These may include: specific departure dates, length of ride, guide or translator in the language of your choice, etc. We can also arrange a door to door vacation plan for you, which includes airline tickets, transfers, car rental, additional activities to follow on your trip, pre and post horseback riding hotels, etc.  

Salta

The meeting and ending place is in Salta City. In some rides we can fetch you at your hotel or the airport. You can get there by bus or plane (flight via Buenos Aires - Argentina).

Patagonia

The pick up place is San Martín de los Andes city. From there we leave to the “estancia”, starting point of the horseback ride. You can get there by bus or plane (flight via Buenos Aires- Argentina). 

The Andes

El punto de encuentro es en el Barreal, San Juan en un hotel específico donde los buscaremos para llevarlos al lugar donde comenzará la excursión. Al Barreal se llega desde la Ciudad de San Juan. 

Córdoba
The meeting point is Capilla del Monte City. You will then be taken to the Estancia (country house) where the program begins. There are several means of transport from Cordoba City to Capilla del Monte City.

Specific schedules (meeting, departure, etc) will be provided when programs are hired. Should you need this in advance, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Our programs do not include airport greetings. A small aditional fee is charged should you require this service.

Safety is our primary concern. We assign horses according to each rider’s preference. Some are more challenging while others are very easy to handle. They are sure footed as they are all born and raised in the area and used to mountainous terrain. The trails are well known by our guides. In those places we believe risky, we step down the horse and walk. In case of need, our guides are trained and know what to do: there are predetermined evacuation points, we carry radio equipment in case of emergency (although reception is sometimes a problem). We consider a must that all our guests follow our guide’s instructions.

To enter Argentina most travellers need a passport, although there are exceptions to this rule. Depending on which country you are citizen of you may need immigration visa. Please check with your local embassy to find out current requirements. Should you encounter any problems figuring this out, we will be happy to help you.  

Whilst we always endeavor to avoid changes and cancellations, we must reserve the right to do so due to unusual or unforeseeable circumstances.

There is no obligation at all for tipping, but a small amount is always welcome. 

• Chosen as one of the world’s “Exemplary Practices in Ecotourism - 2003” by the World Tourism Organization (WTO) and the only one focused on horse riding.
• We are solely focused on riding tours.
• We have gone a long way operating horse rides in several locations in Argentina (Salta, Mendoza, Patagonia, Córdoba).
• We have grown because we are passionate about what we do.
• Our rides have been rated as “among the best landscapes in the world” by our clients from Europe and USA.
• In Salta you spend the night in mountain refuges run by local herdsmen and ranchers, heirs of a pre-hispanic tradition, and have a glimpse of a way of life so different from your own. It is an experience without comparison. In Patagonia we camp.
• Our rides are designed to include most costs in order to simplify the trip arrangements and reservations process to the most.
• In Salta, due to the mild weather, we have fixed dates all year round. In Patagonia the season stretches from December to March.
• Our perfectly trained guides are fluent English speakers (other languages also available).
• Standard and tailor-made rides.