Frequently Asked Questions
I
want to travel by myself is solo traveling
in Chile safe? For
the past twenty years Expediciones Chile has
been running safe vacations in this region
of the world, without incident. Traveling
in Chile is a very safe experience - especially
for women traveling on their own. The Chilean
economy is the best in South America and the
Chilean people are welcoming and friendly.
Planning ahead and following the normal travel
precautions is all that is needed. If you
closely follow our well planned travel itinerary
you should have a smooth journey with very
few problems.
Will
I feel at home if I come as a single?
We have hosted thousands
of guests, of all ages and abilities, from
around the globe - and many arrive solo. Currently
about 40% of our guests are single people
traveling on their own. We see that they make
friends quickly at the lodge and are integrated
into the group. Singles who come to ride in
Chile often find that they have much in common
with one another and a mutual love of horses
and equestrian culture.
What
breed of horses do you have your guests ride?
We use the Chilean Corallero
horse, a derivative of the Argentine Criollo.
read more
What
kind of tack do you use?
We use the Chilean tack
specifically developed for this area of Patagonia.
All of the tack that we use is the same kind
used everyday by huasos working the land.
read more.
I
weigh over 200 llbs can I go on one of your
trips? Our
horses are capable of carrying riders up to
250 pounds, especially for trips based out
of the lodge. On our pack trips gear is carried
by support mules or horses which keeps our
horses from becoming too burdened with excess
weight. Please contact our office if you are
near the weight limit so we can reserve the
appropriate mount.
Do
your guides speak English?
On our staff we have
a mixture of bilingual guides, Spanish speakers
and English speakers. As a part of the cultural
experience we offer on our trips we like to
have our guests interact as much as possible
with the equestrian and Spanish culture of
the local ranchers. Therefore we like to strive
for a balance of speaking ability in our horseback
riding guides. We also take into account the
needs and desires of our guests and groups
when assigning guides to our trips. All of
our guides are dedicated to providing our
guests the best vacation experience possible.
What
activities are available at your lodge for
non riders?
At Expediciones Chile you can do a wide variety
of different activities, these include: whitewater
rafting on the Futaleufu river, fly fishing,
trekking, mountain biking, canyoning, whitewater
kayaking, sea kayaking, and sit-on-top kayaking.
What
is the elevation of Futaleufu?
We are located in a river valley
at 1,200 feet in the heart of the Andes Mountains.
We are surrounded by glacier ringed mountains
nearing 10,000 feet. The elevation changes
and relief in our area are immense. Our topography
resembles that of Yosemite and Glacier National
Park.
How
much horseback riding will I be able to do?
As much as you like! All of
our guides love to ride with advanced horseback
riders as well as teach beginners how to ride.
Depending on your skill level you can ride
a few hours a day to all day.
If
I am not a very experienced rider, is this
the right place for me?
On our lodge trips we
split our rides into four of five different
groups according to skill so that riders at
any level can be accommodated. Anyone who
likes horses and wants to improve riding skills
is most welcome and should feel at home here.
On our pack trips we are more selective about
who can participate.
Do
we need to stay a full week?
Do we need arrive
and depart on Saturday? No,
we have shorter version trips that run from
Saturday to Thursday. We also can accommodate
custom trip dates throughout our season.
I
have small children and want to bring them
along. How old does my child need to be in
order to go horseback riding in Chile?
We ask that your child be at
least seven years old for rides or lessons
out of the lodge. Children younger than seven
must take a one hour lesson to determine if
they have the skill and maturity to go out
on the regular rides. We do not allow children
to participate in any of our overnight trail
rides. Nannies are available to baby-sit small
children during the day.
Other
Horseback
Riding Vacation options include: Lodge
Based Horseback Riding in Chile , Expedition
Horseback Riding in Patagonia, Chile
Horseback Riding Trail Rides, Patagonia
Horseback Riding - Cowboy Routes. Horseback
Riding Chile - Lakes Route For more information
see our Horseback
Riding Patagonia FAQs
Downloadable pdf: Chile Horseback Riding
