Hearty meals served while sitting around a farmer's wood stove will give you a peak at the rare Patagonian way of life. Here life is similar to the frontier days of the American west over 200 years ago. The cultural and natural experience cannot be matched anywhere. This vacation is the REAL DEAL. It is an insider's look at Patagonia and its people. This is a very unique horseback riding vacation.

Day by Day:

Day 1 Friday: Depart your home town
Fly to Miami and connect on an over night flight to Buenos Aires Argentina. Welcome to the warmth of the southern Hemisphere in summer.



Day 2 Saturday: Travel to Trevelin, Patagonia Argentina
Early morning arrival in Buenos Aires. Change airports and catch another flight to Bariloche, or Esquel Argentina. From Bariloche, a luxury bus will take you on a beautiful drive along the Patagonian lakes and mountains to Esquel. IF you fly direct to Esquel you can arrive in Trevelin with some time to enjoy the area. Trevelin, Argentina is a charming mountain village gateway just 45 minutes from Futaleufu River in Chile. Trevelin is serviced by ground transport (Bus or private taxi) from the Jet ports in Bariloche (4 hrs) or Esquel (40 min). Check into a hotel in this charming village and walk to one of several superb restaurants. Unwind, relax, and get a good nights sleep before the start of you trip 9:00 am the next morning.  

Day 3 Sunday: Village of Futaleufu to Remote Lago Las Rosas
After a relaxing night's sleep at a hotel in the quaint Welch town of Trevelin deep in Patagnia Argentina, we begin this exciting trip with a quick shuttle across the Chilean/Argentinean border and into the Futaleufu Valley. Upon arrival in Futaleufu, we will walk to our local ranch for an introduction to the art of horseback riding in Patagonia and the Chilean Corralero horse. We will also introduce you to the Chilean saddles and tack make sure all fits well and that your mount is suitable, then we load the horses and hit the trail. We will head out of the village along the Rio Espolon, soon a tributary comes in the Noreste. Here we start up the Noreste valley as we climb up a steep incline to a high valley with a series of pristine turquoise lakes. You wil experience incredible views with the peak Cerra Teta in the background. We arrive at a small off the grid ranch on Lago las Rosas. You will be spending a night in a rustic Patagonia ranch house on the lake. It is off the grid and it is a cultural opportunity that could well be a highlight of your trip to Patagonia. Enjoy the Patagonian culture as few ever do.

Day 4 Monday: Lago Las Rosas to the Upper Espolon river
We will depart early in the morning for our horseback ride near from the ranch and cross a pure crystal clear creek coming from the high Andes that defines the border with Argentina. After the stream we ride uphill through a old growth forrest up to a pass that gives us a stunning view of the mountains and lakes. We descend in to the upper Espolon valley and stop at our host Irma's ranch house where we spend the next two nights. Behind the ranch house is the upper Espolon river which destination wilderness fishing.   

Day 5 Tuesday: Ride towards the volcano and the Ocean return to Irmas
After gearing up in the morning we are heading up into remote territory on a trail that continues for 5 more days to the ocean and towards the recently exploded volcano Chaiten. We will enjoy a half day ride up the volcano. You will be able to still see some evidence of the white ash in bare spots. This day trip you can make as long as you want. The trail gets smaller and more rugged the further we travel into this seldom seen area. We return for dinner at Irma's ranch. 

Day 6 Wednesday: Ride the forest along the shore of Lago Espolon
Today we ride pass the small settlement of Espolon visiting an the off the grid school and a small church surrounded by remote ranches. We soon arrive at the Espolon lake which we will see through the woods occasionally as we ride. At the end of the day we stop at a beautiful homestead half way down the lake. Here we will stay in our cushest accommodations of the trip, lake side log cabins with easy access to a beautiful gravel beach. The view across the lake is to the high snow capped mountains in a complete wilderness area that is rarely accessed by humans.



Day 7 Thursday: Ride from the cabins to the end of the Lake and the waterfall.
From Nestors we have a five hour ride to the end of the lake. Where we can visit the powerfall waterfalls that define the exit of the lake. The Espolon river as it depart the lake rips down the mountain to a lower valley. 

Day 8 Friday: Ride to Futaleufu/transport to Trevelin, Argentina
After a full breakfast, say goodbye to your Chilean hosts as we ride downstream along the Espolon river till we come to the town of Futaleufu. There should be enough time to spend an hour a two walking around Futaleufu and shopping for gifts.
Around 6 pm our vehicles will be waiting to take you to the border and where you will meet your taxi for a ride to Trevelin. Check into your hotel, take a shower and change clothes before enjoying your last night in Patagonia. There are a handful of outstanding and reasonably priced restaurants in Trevelin that we can recommend. Relax, recover and look back on the exciting week of horseback riding.

Day 9 Saturday: Return to Capital City
Depending on your connections you are now are in Argentina ready for an early departure in a cab from you hotel to the bus station in Esquel for the trip to Bariloche and your flight back to Beunos Aires. A private transfer can be arranged direct from your hotel to the airport in Bariloche. If you have a flight from Esquel you have the morning to enjoy and buy gifts in Trevelin before your 2 pm flight to Buenos Aires and the connection back to your home country.

Day 10 Sunday: Return home

Accomodations:

Remote Ranches

Eco Camp Campo Tres Monjas

Wilderness Camping

Price per Person: $2295.00 USD

   

Special Flexibilities: Exchile will be flexible to make your trip a total success. The actual program for your custom trip will vary according to the desires and skill level of your group, weather, or other factors. Patagonia has constantly changing weather patterns that might affect what day is best for a certain activity. If a certain part of your trip is not possible due to danger risks and weather extremes, our experienced guide staff will work with you to figure out the best possible option to substitute for the weather complications. If you have any concerns, please feel free to ask us more about the situations and what is guaranteed on the trip.

Included: Your described trip, guiding, instruction, activity equipment, local transportation, shuttles, all meals, wine with dinner, accommodations at our eco-camps, cabins, ranches or lodges, while on your trip. We offer a free pick up on Sunday mornings at 9 am in Trevelin at your hotel, and drop off to your hotel in Trevelin, Argentina on Fridays at 9 pm.  See the packing list of your activity, for the specific clothing that is required.

Not Included: En-route transportation, lodging, and food from your home town to the border with Chile and Argentina or other trip pick-up point. Laundry services, massage, additional alcohol are available but not included. You can reserve on our web page a pre-trip and post-trip hotel in Trevelin that includes the shared transfer to and from the border.

You can also ask our travel agent to prepay private ground transports between airport and from the airport to Trevelin, for an additional charge. Expediciones Chile is not financially responsible for your travel complications getting to your trip pick up point and from the drop off point, HOWEVER, we will be relentless allies in offering our services to help solve any issues that you may encounter.

	Season: October to May Experience Needed: Familiarity with horses is helpful Physical Challenge: Moderate Cultural Experience: Maximum Nature Experience: Maximum Comfort Rating: Moderate Max Trip Size: 6 Min Trip Size: 2 Region Visited: Remote Patagonia Chile and Argentina Lakes, Rivers, Sites Visited: Futaleufu river, Rio Azul, Rio Espolon, Lago Lonconao, Lago Esplon, Secret Lagoon, Campo Tres Monjas, Futaleufu Chile, Trevelin Argentina. Direct Line, USA: +1.208.629.5032 (7am/5 pm mst) Toll Free, USA: +1.888.488.9082 (7am/5 pm mst) Travel Consultant 1 Travel Consultant 2

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 Chile FAQs

Downloadable pdf: Chile Horseback Riding