Just Snackin'
Our seven day mountain pack trip combines a luxury horse riding holiday with a unique adventure vacation. Enjoy four nights at the beautiful lodge at Estancia Ranquilco and two nights camping in the foothills of the Andes.
Click here for a printable pdf detailing our 7 Day Pack Trip itinerary.
Day 1
We will meet in the town of Zapala, in the Province of Neuquen at 10:00 a.m. We will then drive 4 hours up into the foothills of the Andes to a place called Buta Mallin. This is a cattle outpost on the estancia and the end of the road for most vehicles. Here we will have a mid-afternoon lunch with the gauchos – either an asado or traditional guiso or stew served with fresh bread. Then you will have your first experience saddling and packing the horses for the 2 1/2 hour ride into the heart of the estancia where the lodge is located.
In the evening, settle in to your cottage or room and then join us on the terrace of Casa Grande for wine, traditional Patagonian food, and good company.
Day 2
Enjoy a hearty breakfast at Casa Grande (breakfasts at the lodge feature homemade yogurt, granola, pastries and fresh eggs cooked to order). We’ll spend this day at Ranquilco getting familiar with the horses, the tack, and the landscape. We’ll talk about trail safety, long distance horse riding, and specific considerations of the local geography, weather, and culture. You will learn to saddle and care for your horse. There will also be time to enjoy the river, the lodge, and the scenery. An optional half day trail ride will be offered in the afternoon. Lunch and dinner will be served family style and will feature traditional Argentine dishes.
Preparing the pack mules
Day 3
After packing up, we will head out into the Cordillera. Today will be an all day ride up to Laguna Negra, a high mountain valley surrounded by jagged peaks, waterfalls, and hanging meadows. This is as pristine a spot as any you could find, deep in the heart of the Andes. We’ll ride about six hours this day, up out of the Trocoman river valley, across a high plateau, and finally dropping down a breathtaking trail into the valley.
We will make camp at the gaucho’s puesto and enjoy our meal around the firepit. Learn to picket and care for your horse out on the range. Sleep on your saddle blankets under the stars like our gauchos, or stretch out in the hut at the puesto.
Views of Cerro Negro and Laguna Negra
Day 4
The puesto at Cerro Negro is a base camp day for exploring and enjoying this amazing place. We’ll ride up to the end of the valley and up to a ridge to see a spectacular view of the cordillera stretching to the north and south of us and the Chilean volcanoes to the west.
On the way back to camp we’ll stop in to visit with the local gauchos who spend their summers in the mountains tending their herds These are the only other people we’ll see on our journey. One of the highlights of a trip out here is to stop at a twig hut and sip mate (tea)with these wonderful people. Riding back along the lake, we may stop to fish or swim the horses. We will spend another stunning evening at the puesto, surrounded by our horses, slow roasting our asado over the fire.
Day 5
We’ll make our way back down to Ranquilco, following a different trail that takes us along the edge of the Picunleo Valley, and presenting sweeping views up the Trocoman River to the Copahue Volcano. This evening we’ll be reunited with the wonderful hospitality of the lodge – hot showers, cold beers and clean sheets, followed by an excellent meal paired with local wines.
A pit stop along the way
Day 6:
We’ll have a full day to rest and relax and enjoy the comforts of Ranquilco. Sauna, swim in the pool or the river, or just relax in a hammock. An optional afternoon ride up the confluence of the Picunleo and Trocoman rivers will be offered.
Day 7
On the last day, we’ll ride back to Buta Mallin, and drive back to Zapala, to arrive by 4:00 pm. From there, catch a bus back to BA or head to Bariloche or San Martin… or even over to Chile.
Contact T.A. Carrithers now to reserve your space on one of his mountain trip adventures.
