For trips to Ranquilco, coming prepared with the right clothing and equipment is essential for comfort, enjoyment, and safety. In the mountains of Patagonia, the weather can change fast from hot and dry, to cold, windy and wet. Temperatures during the day can range from 50-90 degrees Fahrenheit, and evenings are usually cool and comfortable, but can also be chilly. In general, the weather is quite pleasant but it is good to be prepared!
Suggested packing list:
- Socks & Undergarments
- Bathing suit
- Sarong or pack towel
- 2-3 lightweight long sleeve cotton shirts for sun protection
- Wool or fleece sweater/jacket
- Down or Primaloft type jacket
- 2-3 pairs comfortable, durable riding pants
- 1 pair shorts
- Outfit for dinner-asado-dancing
- Wind/rain proof jacket
- Rain pants
- Light walking shoes
- Riding boots
- Sandals (optional - but can be nice for walking in the river or lounging)
- Wide brim sun hat with a “buckaroo” strap for the wind
- Bandana or buff (for help with the dust while riding)
- Sunglasses
- Headlamp and batteries
- Water bottle
- Toiletries (shampoo/conditioner, toothpaste, sunscreen, moisturizer, chapstick, feminine products, personal medication, etc.)
Optional:
- Fishing gear
- Reading material
- Camera
- Binoculars
- Knife
Notes on footwear: For riding, proper footwear is essential to safety. It is important to wear shoes that will slip easily from the stirrups without getting stuck. Big hiking boots with lug soles are very dangerous on a horse as they can easily get caught. The best choice is a pair of smooth soled leather riding boots with heels. Another option is a pair of light walking or running shoes, with half chaps. These will also double as good walking shoes. We can provide half chaps if needed.
Notes on packing: Since all of your gear will be packed on mules, it is very helpful to pack in a way that can be easily loaded. The best way to do this is to carry one medium duffle bag, or two small soft duffle bags of roughly equal size and weight. You will also have saddlebags for small items, and jackets will be tied on behind the saddle for easy access. Don’t worry too much about limiting size and weight of luggage. We can pack pretty much anything on the mules.
