Patagonia Pack Trips
Ranquilco's pack trips take you even deeper into Patagonia's backcountry. Each journey begins and ends at the lodge — two nights before you ride out, two more on your return. In between: rugged terrain, river crossings, high mountain camps, and days measured by time in the saddle. These trips are within reach of riders of all experience levels, but come fit and ready — the terrain demands it. Led by experienced guides and supported by pack mules, our pack trips are the pinnacle of adventure.
“I cannot name a hospitality operation I would more highly recommend to anyone who wants a world-class adventure and life experience.”
— Recent guest, TripAdvisor
-
Alpine Lake Pack Trip & Lodge Stay
A popular 3 night horse pack trip to our high mountain lake camp. Begins and ends at our lodge.
-
Gaucho Trail Pack Trip & Lodge Stay
This 5 night horse pack trip traverses a loop, following gaucho trails over diverse landscapes and several mountain passes. Begins and ends at our lodge.
-
Women's Pack Trip & Lodge Stay
For the spirited women of the world! Join a small group of women for a powerful journey through Patagonia’s backcountry.
Alpine Lake Pack Trip & Lodge Stay
December 28, 2026 - January 4, 2027
January 23-30, 2027
Three nights in the backcountry, two on either side at the lodge. The ride takes you out of the Trocoman River valley, across a high plateau, and down a steep trail into the glacial valley of Laguna Negra — a remote alpine lake surrounded by peaks, waterfalls, and the summer cattle camps of the local gauchos.
Overview:
Duration: 7 nights / 8 days
Group size: Maximum 10 guests
Price: $4550 per person
What’s Included:
4 nights at Estancia Ranquilco lodge (two before the pack trip, and two after)
3 nights on a fully supported backcountry pack trip
Horse, tack, camping equipment
All ranch-to-table meals featuring homegrown produce and ranch-raised meats
Beer and wine
Exceptional guide and support team throughout the journey
A carefully paced itinerary that balances adventure, comfort, and immersion (see below)
For more information, or to reserve your saddle, email info@ranquilco.com
-
Day 1
Our driver will pick you up in the city of Neuquen to transport you and fellow trip mates the five hours to Ranquilco's cattle outpost. This is the end of the road for most vehicles, and guides will be there with horses at the ready. Saddle up for the three hour ride into the heart of the Estancia where the lodge is located.
Settle into your room then join us on the Casa Grande terrace for drinks, a welcoming dinner, and good company.
Day 2
After breakfast, head out on a guided day ride - an opportunity to practice trail riding and get better acquainted with your horse and tack. Enjoy a picnic lunch on the riverbank before returning to the lodge. Gather up to discuss mountain trip preparation, itinerary, safety and gear. Top it off with a delicious dinner and a restful night's sleep.
Day 3
Enjoy breakfast while guides pack the mules, then mount up and ride out!
Ride approximately six hours - out of the Trocoman River valley, across a high plateau, and down a steep and breathtaking trail, ending at our high mountain puesto camp in the Laguna Negra valley. The valley is home to a gorgeous alpine lake surrounded by jagged peaks, waterfalls, and hanging meadows.
The puesto camp has a few simple huts (where the gauchos live) and other basic backcountry amenities. It makes for a wonderful home base. Here we have a chance to spend time with the local gauchos that tend the herds of cattle, sheep, and goats in these beautiful summer grazing lands.
We'll set up camp and enjoy a meal around the fire. Sleep under the stars or cozy up in one of our tents.
Days 4 and 5
Spend two days exploring the valley by horse and foot, fishing, swimming, and lounging at the lake, and indulging in some reading and/or writing. In the evenings, hang out around the fire at the puesto and share stories with our friends and neighboring gauchos.
Day 6
We’ll make our way back down to Ranquilco, following a different trail that takes us along the edge of the Picunleo Valley, experiencing sweeping views up the Trocoman River to the Copahue Volcano. This evening we’ll be reunited with lodge comforts - cold beers, hot showers, and big beds. Savor a meal featuring fresh garden vegetables, ranch-raised meat, and Argentine wines.
Day 7
A full day to rest, relax, explore and enjoy. Swim and fish in the river, tour the grounds, or sit with a beverage on the terrace and read. An optional ride will be offered. In the evening, we'll invite the entire Ranquilco community for a festive traditional asado.
Day 8
Pack up and ride back to Buta Mallin to meet the drivers. Drive to Neuquen, arriving by 5:00 pm. From there, catch a flight back to Buenos Aires or elsewhere.
Gaucho Trail Pack Trip & Lodge Stay
January 10-19, 2027
A full-length expedition loop on horseback following gaucho routes deep into Patagonia's backcountry. The route crosses rivers, climbs passes, and traverses open steppe before dropping into the glacial valley of Laguna Negra. More distance, more days, more country covered. Our longest and most ambitious offering.
→ Read the trip story: The Gaucho Trail Pack Trip
Overview:
Duration: 9 nights / 10 days
Group size: Maximum 8 guests
Price: $5850 per person
What’s Included:
4 nights at Estancia Ranquilco lodge (two before the pack trip, and two after)
5 nights on a fully supported backcountry pack trip
Horse, tack, and camping equipment
All ranch-to-table meals featuring homegrown produce and ranch-raised meats
Beer and wine
Exceptional guide and support team throughout the journey
A deliberately paced expedition designed for distance, continuity, and immersion (see full day-by-day details below)
For more information, or to book your spot, please write info@ranquilco.com
-
Day 1
Our driver will pick you up in the city of Neuquen to transport you and fellow trip mates the five hours to Ranquilco's cattle outpost - the end of the road for most vehicles. Guides will be there with horses at the ready. Saddle up for the three hour ride into the heart of the Estancia where the lodge is located.
Settle into your room then join us on the Casa Grande terrace for drinks, a welcoming dinner, and good company.
Day 2
After breakfast, head out on a guided day ride - an opportunity to practice trail riding and get better acquainted with your horse and tack. Enjoy a picnic lunch on the river bank before returning to the lodge. Gather up to discuss mountain trip preparation, itinerary, safety and gear. Top it off with a delicious dinner and a restful night's sleep.
Day 3
Enjoy breakfast while guides pack the mules, then mount up and ride out!
The pack trip begins by traveling up the Trocoman River and ascending into high steppe land towards the confluence of the Trocoman and Picunleo rivers. You’ll cross the Picunleo and head upriver, climbing out of the river valley onto a high plateau with amazing views towards the high country ahead. In the afternoon, the trail drops back down by way of a steep, rocky hillside, eventually leading to a lovely riverside camp spot.
Day 4
Most mornings on the pack trip begin with a fairly early rise, breakfast and hot beverages at the fire, and a couple of solid hours of packing up the gear, saddling the horses and loading the mules. Feel free to jump in and help out if you like, or sit back and relax with a book in hand. The riding starts with several river crossings as the Picunleo River valley narrows and steepens. After a few hours, the valley opens up, offering spectacular views of massive rock cliffs towering over open grasslands bordered by the shrub-like trees that grow at these elevations. You’ll follow a stream into a glacially carved bowl tucked up against the border of Chile and make camp at the upper end of the valley - the headwaters of the Picunleo River.
Day 5
The trail leads up out of the valley, across a mountain pass, and then another high ridge and the steep upper bowl of a side valley, and tops out at the highest point on the trip (~7750 feet). From here you can see massive vistas of active Argentine and Chilean volcanoes. Ride down from the summit along a steep and switchbacking trail into the Cerro Negro Valley, home of the beautiful alpine lake, Laguna Negra. Stop at the lake for a dip, then continue another half hour to the “Laguna Puesto” - Ranquilco’s summer cattle outpost. The puesto has a few simple huts (where the gauchos live) and other basic, but welcomed, luxuries, such as benches, a sink, and an outhouse. It makes for a wonderful home base. Here you have a chance to spend time with the local gauchos that tend the herds of cattle, sheep, and goats in these beautiful summer grazing lands.
Days 6 and 7
You’ll have two relaxing layover days at this high country camp. Explore the valley by horse or on foot; fish, swim, and lounge at the lake; indulge in some reading and/or writing. In the evenings, hang out around the fire at the puesto and share stories with the neighboring gauchos.
Day 8
The last day of the pack trip is a full day’s ride back to the lodge, with vast views of the Cordillera Del Viento in the north. Upon returning you’ll be reunited with the wonderful luxuries and hospitality at the lodge – hot showers, cold beers, and comfortable beds. Finish off the long day with an excellent meal, and make your way happily to bed.
Day 9
A day of rest and relaxation. Guests can enjoy a swim in the river, a short ride, or a sauna by the river, with glorious meals throughout. In the evening we'll have a farewell party - a feast featuring a goat asado attended by local gauchos and the Ranquilco community. Traditional gaucho dance late into the night.
Day 10
Breakfast, followed by your morning departure. Ride back to the outpost and savor your last moments as a group while eating a picnic lunch. Bid farewell to the guides and the ranch, and load up into the vehicles for the drive back to the town of Zapala or the Neuquen Airport.
Women’s Pack Trip & Lodge Stay
February 12-19, 2027
A week in Patagonia's backcountry, led by women guides for a small group of women. Three nights at the high mountain camp at Laguna Negra, two on either side at the lodge. Back by popular demand.
Overview:
Duration: 7 nights / 8 days
Group size: Maximum 10 guests
Price: $4550 per person
What’s Included:
4 nights at Estancia Ranquilco lodge (two before the pack trip, and two after)
3 nights on a fully supported backcountry pack trip guided by an exceptional all women guide and support team
Horse, tack, camping equipment
All ranch-to-table meals featuring homegrown produce and ranch-raised meats
Beer and wine
A carefully paced itinerary that balances adventure, comfort, and immersion (see below)
For more information, or to reserve your saddle, email info@ranquilco.com
-
Day 1
Our driver will pick you up in the city of Neuquen to transport you and fellow trip mates the five hours to Ranquilco's cattle outpost. This is the end of the road for most vehicles, and guides will be there with horses at the ready. Saddle up for the three hour ride into the heart of the Estancia where the lodge is located.
Settle into your room then join us on the Casa Grande terrace for drinks, a welcoming dinner, and good company.
Day 2
After breakfast, head out on a guided ride - an opportunity to practice trail riding and get better acquainted with your horse and tack. Return to the lodge for lunch followed by siesta.
In the afternoon, join a walking tour of the property, highlighting Ranquilco’s off-grid homestead systems. Regroup on the Casa Grande terrace for a pack trip prep talk, during which participants and guides will have an opportunity to share what inspired them to embark on this unique expedition. Savor a delicious dinner and restful night’s sleep.
Day 3
Enjoy breakfast while guides pack the mules, then mount up and ride out!
Ride approximately six hours - out of the Trocoman River valley, across a high plateau, and down a steep and breathtaking trail, ending at our high mountain puesto camp in the Laguna Negra valley. The valley is home to a gorgeous alpine lake surrounded by jagged peaks, waterfalls, and hanging meadows.
The puesto camp has a few simple huts (where the gauchos live) and other basic backcountry amenities. It makes for a wonderful home base. Here we have a chance to spend time with the local gauchos that tend the herds of cattle, sheep, and goats in these beautiful summer grazing lands.
We'll set up camp and enjoy a meal around the fire. Sleep under the stars or cozy up in one of our tents.
Days 4 and 5
Spend two days exploring the valley by horse and foot, fishing, swimming, and lounging at the lake, and indulging in some reading and/or writing. In the evenings, hang out around the fire at the puesto and share stories with our friends and neighboring gauchos.
Day 6
We’ll make our way back down to Ranquilco, following a different trail that takes us along the edge of the Picunleo Valley, experiencing sweeping views up the Trocoman River to the Copahue Volcano. This evening we’ll be reunited with lodge comforts - cold beers, hot showers, and big beds. Savor a meal featuring fresh garden vegetables, ranch-raised meat, and Argentine wines.
Day 7
A day of rest and relaxation. Sleep in, eat a leisurely breakfast, and head to the river for a sauna and a swim. In the afternoon, following a fine patio lunch, gather together for a closing circle. This is a time to reflect upon some highlights of individual and shared experiences during the expedition. In the evening you’ll have a farewell party – a feast featuring a goat asado – attended by local gauchos and Ranquilco’s community of staff and family.
Day 8
Pack up and ride back to Buta Mallin to meet the drivers. Drive to Neuquen, arriving by 5:00 pm. From there, catch a flight back to Buenos Aires or elsewhere.
FAQ’s
-
No prior riding experience is required. We have horses for every level and guides who provide instruction as needed. More important than riding experience is general fitness, the mental and physical stamina to ride up to six hours a day, and the desire to camp in a remote backcountry setting.
-
Yes — the maximum guest weight is 220 lbs (100 kg). This limit ensures a safe and comfortable experience for both our guests and our horses.
-
Yes, we camp in tents, which we provide. We use saddle pads and foam mats to sleep on. Bring your own warm sleeping bag or rent one from us.
-
On pack trips we eat well — hearty meals cooked over open fires with fresh produce and ranch-raised meat. The same care and quality that define dining at the lodge follow us into the backcountry.
-
Detailed packing lists for both lodge stays and pack trips can be found on our Plan Your Visit page.
