| “
to say the ride was spectacular is an understatement. It
took me days to come down, seriously…”
Judith, March ’09.
ACROSS THE ANDES.
“If this trip was priced
by the number of times we heard "amazing" and
"incredible" from the group, I never could have
afforded to go.
This is one of those, 100 trips
to take before you leave this world.
One word for the trip .......
‘AMAZING’ “. Mark, March ’09.
ACROSS THE
ANDES.
ACROSS
THE ANDES RIDE, CHILE TO ARGENTINA
Through a stunningly beautiful, remote area of northern
Patagonia
along old smugglers routes criss-crossing rivers, skirting
around brilliant blue lakes, riding through ancient forests.
Elaine arranged a private ride for her family & friends:
“We had a wonderful, fantastic
trip! Our group loved every bit of it …The scenery
is incredible, horses so well behaved and surefooted, farmstays
warm friendly and great food!” EW, Nov ’08.
Across the
Andes.
Seven & eight day set date departures and also private
tours of any length available November to March leaving
from Puerto Varas (close to Puerto Montt airport), arriving
in Bariloche. See below for more details & guests comments,
request the full itinerary & please see guests’
comments on the FAQ
page.
An Argentine lady that Sally teamed up with a few years
ago now runs these tours, they are no longer led by Sally.
DATES & DETAILS
See the news page
for details of next tours with spaces, contact us for full
itineraries. |
|
Since leading her first ride in Ecuador
in 1996 the owner of Ride Andes has teamed up with several
like minded ‘horsey folks’ in South America to
offer guests the chance to ride through stunning scenery in
the company of local horsemen. Having led the first groups
across the Andes, for the last few years Sally has now left
these trips in the capable hands of the local operator.
We are pleased to offer you for 2009 the opportunity to ride
across the
Andes via the pioneer trail in the rural Puelo Valley
– a route once used by smugglers. An exclusive journey
into hidden valleys through this rural gaucho culture, from
the Chilean lake district to an Argentine national park. Enjoy
the adventure long after the road has ended and the relaxation
of life in pristine Patagonian wilderness.
This is a stunning ride .The pace has to be steady -there
are very few places for cantering along these windy tracks
and the terrain can be steep. The accommodation is shared
bathrooms and quite ‘communal’, with few options
for a single room.
‘This is just to say how
much we all enjoyed our wonderful time in Chile, [we were]
looked after so well. …fantastic meals… Mary
and I definitely want to come again. Thank you again for
organising everything so well.’ SR, Mar ’08.
‘You gave us all a wonderful ride in Chile that everyone
wants to go back next year! The horse you gave me was a
joy to ride and he saved himself and his rider from going
over the edge due to my faulty steering. The guide was such
a good choice …and his lessons on horse training were
a revelation. … Tito and Deeno [the grooms] were equally
wonderful. …-it was all a very special experience.’
BC, Mar ’08.
ITINERARY, FROM CHILE
TO ARGENTINA
– 8 day tour, we have shorter tours & other tour
options, please contact
us
1st Day:
The trip will start at your hotel (in Puerto Varas, close
to Puerto Montt airport – we can arrange airport transfers
and hotels in Puerto Varas) where you will meet your tour
leader and driver, load the minibus and drive for three
hours, crossing the Valdivian forest along the Reloncavi
estuary. Arriving at Lake Tagua - Tagua there is time for
a picnic lunch before crossing the lake, a ferry crossing
will take us to the other side where will drive for another
half an hour. At this point, we will meet the horses and
‘huasos’ (local horsemen) and ride to the Puelo
River. Cross to the other side of the river in a small motor
boat (the horses will swim alongside) to reach our first
lodgings. Once installed, guests can enjoy a delicious tea.
(B, PL, D.)
Timing: 4 hrs by car and
approximately 2 hrs horseback.
2ndDay:
After breakfast and organizing the pack horses, we will
start our day riding out along the Puelo River. Through
unspoilt, primary ancient Forests on winding trails, a ‘wild’
trail to experience how the first pioneers were travelling
in the area. Picnic lunch on our way and in the afternoon,
arriving at a pioneer’s house where we spend the night,
another very friendly local host will tell us about the
beginning of their life in this remote area. B, PL, D &
overnight.
Timing: 5hrs horseback
riding
3rdDay:
Today a longer day riding, sometimes along difficult terrain
but the horses are sure footed and ideally suited to the
area. This was the only way into this isolated and unique
corner of Patagonia – on horseback or hiking. We see
hardly any farms and very few people as we traverse this
dramatic landscape. In the afternoon we will arrive at the
shores of the Puelo River, the water is a beautiful blue
colour. A motor boat will come and take us up river to a
cosy cottage where we will lodge that day. The views from
the balcony out over the river are spectacular. B, PL, D
& overnight.
Timing: 7hrs horseback
riding.
4th Day:
Today we will take just a short boat trip in order to start
our full day horse riding expedition. Some fresh horses
will be with us in this part of our trip. Enjoy this fantastic
landscape and cross the river just as the locals do: on
a public boat while the horses swim alongside. Ride into
the Ventisqueros valley where we will stop on the way for
lunch. In the afternoon, we arrive at a little wooden house
where we spend two nights with a wonderful host family.
The farmhouse is one of the very few houses in this isolated
valley with the Ventisqueros glacier high above us. B, PL,
D & overnight.
Timing: 6 to 7hrs horseback
riding.
5th Day:
After breakfast we embark on a gentle ride, crossing the
river once more to join another valley then approach the
glacier. This little Valley becomes wilder and more remote,
with incredible flora and no houses at all. We will arrive
close to the ‘Alerces’ forest and enjoy riding
alongside the river. Kingfishers are often sighted darting
along above the water. Picnic lunch and ride back to our
farmhouse accommodation. Later there is a chance to go for
a walk around the area or simply relax with a glass of wine.
Another unforgettable day. B, PL, D & overnight. Timing:
4 hrs horseback riding.
6th Day:
Breakfast and then set off on a full-days ride towards "la
Pasarela del Rio Puelo" -an important suspension bridge
crucial for the communication between the local inhabitants
and the outside world that we are going to cross. This area
is particularly spectacular due to its high waterfalls and
rapids on the fast running river. After a picnic lunch near
the bridge – and a chance to swim we ride on crossing
more ancient forest with huge trees before reaching the
shores of Lago Las Rocas where we leave the horses and meet
the motorboat for a 10 minute boat trip to a private island
for a two night stay. A unique experience on this enchanting
island. B, PL, D & overnight.
Timing: 6 to 7hrs horseback
riding.
7th Day:
Breakfast and depart by boat to rejoin the horses. This
morning we’ll enjoy 2 hrs ride visiting the Blue Lake
"Lago Azul" with its crystal clear waters and
great fishing opportunities. The majestic peaks and stunning
landscapes will not escape your attention! Picnic and relax
on the shore of the lake. After lunch our ride follows deep
and narrow paths into the forest along the mountains will
take us to join the south part of this lake. We ride through
the fascinating typical “cold jungle”, Valdivian-type
rainforest with its ancient Alerces trees (Fitzroy Cupresoide)
as well as other local "giants" such as the "Coihue"
and "Arrayanes" (the cold tree). After leaving
the horses we will return by boat to our own island to enjoy
the rest of the afternoon there strolling, relaxing on the
decks or swimming. B, BL, D & overnight.
Timing: 6hrs horseback
riding.
8th Day
In the morning after breakfast we will take the boat back
to where the “Huasos” and the horses will be
waiting. Today we will ride until lunchtime. With passports
at hand we will reach the Chilean Mountain Police Station,
"Retén de Carabineros" on horseback. This
leads to the border crossing, close to the edge of the Puelo
River, from where there are great views of the Inferior
Lake. We go through Chilean customs and immigration by horse
and, once the paperwork is completed, ride between the two
borders – ‘no man’s land’! We will
arrive at the Argentinean post and we will leave horses
and take our last boat trip into the Argentine territory.
We cross Lago Puelo by boat into the National park after
going though the Argentine border formalities and arriving
at the pier, a vehicle will be waiting to take us to El
Bolsón. Lunch at a great local restaurant and time
to buy some souvenirs or explore the town. We then travel
to San Carlos de Bariloche and say goodbye. (we can arrange
flights, hotels and estancia stays with further riding for
guests).
Timing: 4hrs horseback riding. Motorboat, 30 minutes. A
private vehicle transfer to the town of El Bolsón,
20 minutes, and two more hours to the town of San Carlos
de Bariloche. B, L.
DATES: please request dates for
November & December 2009 & also 2010
PRIVATE TRIPS also available.
Please contact
us for the current prices and details regarding the
horses, food and much more.
‘This is just to say how much
we all enjoyed our wonderful time in Chile,
[we were] looked after so well. …fantastic meals…
Mary and I definitely want to come again. Thank you again
for organising everything so well.’ SR, Mar ’08.
‘You gave us all a wonderful
ride in Chile
that everyone wants to go back next year! The horse you
gave me was a joy to ride and he saved himself and his rider
from going over the edge due to my faulty steering. The
guide was such a good choice …and his lessons on horse
training were a revelation. … Tito and Deeno [the
grooms] were equally wonderful. …-it was all a very
special experience.’ BC, Mar ’08.
‘Surely , if at the end of a
holiday you feel you could do it all over again without
a second thought or break, it's because it was just perfect.
Riding through the Puelo Valley in the South
of Chile and into Argentina
was just that, perfection.
Everyday brought new adventures and spectacular scenery
in this magic and remote area. Our horses, ‘baqueanos’
( cowboys) and organizers were there to guide us up and
down mountains and across rivers, lakes and valleys, I don't
think I can exceed the wonders of this ride, but I'm going
to try and match with another adventure with Ride Andes.’
GEM, Mar ’06. |
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