Where to go horseback riding in Argentina, from the estancias outside Buenos Aires to Córdoba, the northwest, Mendoza and Patagonia, and what each region is like from the saddle.
Argentina is one of the easiest countries in the world to see from a horse. Riding was how the country worked for most of its history, and in many places it still is. The hard part is choosing where. The country runs about 3,700 kilometers (2,300 miles) from north to south, and the riding changes completely along the way: flat grassland outside Buenos Aires, rolling hills in Córdoba, dry mountain valleys in the northwest, foothill trails in Mendoza, and forest, rivers and lakes in Patagonia.
This guide goes region by region. We run horseback trips from our lodge in the Cholila valley in Chubut, so Patagonia gets the most detail, but the point is to help you pick the part of the country that fits the ride you want.
Thinking about riding in Patagonia?
Tell us roughly when you would like to come and how many riders, and we will tell you what is still open.
What horseback riding in Argentina is like
Most riding here grows out of the gaucho tradition. Gauchos are the horsemen of the Argentine countryside, and the culture around them is still very much alive. In practice that means riding with local guides, often called baqueanos, who grew up working the land you are riding through. Days usually run at the pace of the group rather than at speed, with a long lunch outdoors and yerba mate passed around along the way.
Horses vary by region. In the north and in the hills of Córdoba you will often ride criollos, the hardy native breed. Around us in Patagonia most outfits ride a mix of breeds, because they handle the climate and the terrain well, and ours are a mix too.
Most trips are built for mixed experience, and many take complete beginners. Weight limits are common, for the riders' safety and the horses', so check before you book.
Buenos Aires province and the pampas
The closest riding to the capital is on the estancias of the pampas, the flat grasslands that spread out from Buenos Aires. San Antonio de Areco, about an hour and a half from the city, is the best known gaucho town in the province, and the estancias around it offer day visits and short stays with riding, an asado and a look at working ranch life.
The country is flat and open, so the riding is easy and suits beginners and families. It is the right choice if you have a day or two at the start or end of a trip. It is not mountain riding.
Córdoba
The hills of Córdoba, in the middle of the country, are a short domestic flight from Buenos Aires and have a long tradition of estancias that take riders. The terrain is rolling sierra with streams and open grassland, and the climate is gentler than in the mountains. Valleys such as Traslasierra are known for rides from family-run estancias, from a few hours to several days.
Salta and Jujuy, the northwest
The northwest is the most dramatic riding in the north of the country: red and ochre mountains, cardón cactus, high valleys and old adobe villages. Altitude matters here. The riding country reaches about 3,000 meters (9,800 feet) in Salta and about 4,000 meters (13,100 feet) in Jujuy, so it suits riders who are comfortable in the saddle and do not mind thin air. This is criollo country, and some longer trips ride from estancia to estancia toward Chile.
Mendoza
Mendoza sits against the highest part of the Andes, near Aconcagua, the highest mountain in the Americas, and it is best known for wine. The riding is in the foothills west of the city, around places like Potrerillos and Uspallata, with dry mountain trails, river valleys and long views toward the high peaks. Many visitors fit a half-day or full-day ride in between winery visits.
Patagonia
Patagonia is where riding turns into a trip in its own right: forest, rivers, lakes and mountain passes, and a season that runs through the southern spring and summer. It splits into three quite different areas.
Bariloche and the lakes district
Bariloche, on Lake Nahuel Huapi, is the most visited part of Andean Patagonia. There is plenty of riding around town and in Nahuel Huapi National Park, mostly half-day and full-day rides, and in high season it shares the country with a lot of other traffic.
El Calafate and El Chaltén
Far to the south in Santa Cruz, the forest gives way to open steppe, and the riding is built around estancias and the edges of Los Glaciares National Park. It is big, dry, windy country that can be cold even in summer, so a windproof layer is a must. Most rides here are day trips from town, often with lunch at an estancia.
The Chubut cordillera, around Esquel and Cholila
Between those two, in the northwest of Chubut, the country turns to ranch land against the mountains, with native forest, clear rivers and big glacial lakes. Los Alerces National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2017, is the centerpiece, and far fewer people ride here than around Bariloche. This is where we are, at the north entrance to the park. Our post on what riding in Patagonia is like goes deeper on this part of the country.
Our Gaucho Experience in Los Alerces
Our own trip is four nights at the lodge with four days on horseback: a short ride on the afternoon you arrive, then three full days. You ride with baqueanos from the valley, and Iñaki or Toto from our family rides out with the group. We only have five rooms, so there are never more than ten riders.
A typical trip runs like this, though the weather and the river set the order:
Day 1. Arrive by noon, have lunch at the lodge, meet your horse and ride up to La Momia viewpoint, with the whole Carrileufú valley below.
Day 2. Ride south through native forest to a beach inside Los Alerces for lunch by the water, with time for a swim if the day is warm.
Day 3. River day. Cross the Carrileufú on horseback, follow the shore of Lago Rivadavia, stop at a gaucho outpost that belongs to our guide's family and climb to some of the widest views of the trip.
Day 4. The guides choose the route that morning: a hidden waterfall inside the park, a valley you have not ridden yet, or a kayak float down the Carrileufú if you would rather.
Every evening ends back at the lodge by the fire, with dinner from Iñaki and Toto and Argentine wine.
No riding experience is needed. Our horses are calm and know the mountain, and the guides set the pace for the group. For your safety and the horses', the weight limit is 100 kg (220 lb) for new riders and 110 kg (240 lb) for regular riders. Partners who would rather not ride are welcome, and if one of you fishes, the other can ride while they are on the water. The full trip is on our Gaucho Experience page.
When to ride
Seasons differ by region. In Patagonia the riding follows the southern spring and summer, and we ride from November to April. November and December are green, with long days. January and February are the warmest months. In March and April the forest turns gold and red. Farther north the best months are different, so check with whoever you ride with.
What to bring
Riding pants without thick seams, boots or sturdy shoes with a heel for the stirrup, a hat and sunglasses, sunscreen even on cloudy days, a warm layer for mornings and evenings, and a rain layer or poncho, because mountain weather changes fast. Bring any medication you need, since in the mountains the nearest pharmacy can be a long drive away, and travel insurance that covers medical evacuation and adventure activities.
Choosing where to ride
If you have a day near Buenos Aires, ride an estancia in the pampas. If you want color and altitude, go to Salta or Jujuy. If you are in Mendoza for the wine, add a ride in the foothills. If you want riding to be the trip itself, with forest, rivers and lakes and a fire at the end of the day, come south to Patagonia.
Ride Los Alerces with us
Send us your dates and the number of riders and we will tell you what is open and how the four days run.
Is Argentina good for horseback riding?+
Yes. Riding is part of everyday life in much of the country, and there is good riding from the pampas outside Buenos Aires to Córdoba, the northwest, Mendoza and Patagonia.
Where is the best horseback riding in Argentina?+
It depends on the ride you want. The pampas around San Antonio de Areco suit a day ride near Buenos Aires, Salta and Jujuy suit riders who want high mountain scenery, Mendoza pairs riding with wine country, and Patagonia suits multi-day riding through forest, rivers and lakes.
What is a gaucho experience in Argentina?+
Riding with local horsemen, called baqueanos, who have worked the land all their lives, usually with a stop at a gaucho outpost or estancia, yerba mate along the way and dinner by the fire at the end of the day.
Do I need riding experience to ride in Patagonia?+
Not with us. Our horses are calm and know the mountain, and the guides set the pace for the whole group. Some longer or higher routes elsewhere in the country expect more experience, so ask before you book.
When is the best time for horseback riding in Patagonia?+
We ride from November to April. November and December are green with long days, January and February are the warmest, and March and April bring autumn color.