We GUARANTEE you won't find the same horse riding holiday at a lower price through any other source... and if you do, we promise to refund the difference!
from £2,385 or €2,765
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Rates are quoted per person sharing.
We can offer this program with a minimum of 2 riders, please ask for dates in 2023
2-8 January
10-16 February
8-14 March & 20-26 March
9-15 September & 23-29 September
6-12 October & 20-26 October
20-26 November
28 November – 5 December, 3-9 December & 10-16 December
Note: Rates are subject to daily exchange rate fluctuations, please refer to our ‘Terms & Conditions’ for full details.
Included – All the riding, accommodation, meals, drinks including alcohol, gaucho activities (cattle moving, calves roping and vaccination, dehorning, branding, the cattle. Trail riding with spare horses, with 2 gauchos assigned to look after each guest. All activities as per itinerary.
Excluded – Flights, transfers, tips.
Getting There – International flight to Buenos Aires.
Transfer – By coach from Buenos Aires, it’s 8 hours on a luxury coach with seat which reclines fully flat, you will also be served a meal and wine, this is a good option to do overnight & highly recommended as part of the adventure. We arrange for a chaperone to book everything and check you in on the coach. It takes you right into Esquina, the nearest town from where you’ll receive a complimentary transfer to the ranch. By Air, it’s 2 hours to Goya Airport from Buenos Aires, plus a 2 hour transfer by car to the Estancia.
Over the 7 days you will enjoy Angie, the estancia’s owner’s hospitality, whilst exploring the vast plains and wetlands by horse. Every day you will discover the abundant wildlife within the heart of the Corrientes pampas, rivers and wetlands.
Sitting on top of the ‘Guarani Aquifer’, one of the world’s largest aquifer systems, there are over 4000 animal and plant species living here. Much of the land is untouched and uninhabited by humans. The region Corrientes is all about water and we will ride through and between the beautiful lagoons and all the species to which they give life.
For 5 nights you will stay at the Solunet’s family-run estancia, set in 800 hectares of pampas, where our horses and cattle graze together. During these days at the Estancia, you will channel your ‘inner gaucho’ and be fully immersed into the gaucho lifestyle. The other 3 days/ 2 nights will be spent at 2 different estancias along our trail route. Each estancia is unique and will add to the magic of this programme.
During the Gaucho Experience back at Estancia Don Joaquin, you will assist the gauchos with the cattle duties. The gauchos are skilled horsemen and together with them on horseback you will help and work with the cattle in the fields, watch and learn lassoing, participate in the exhilarating cattle drive and assist with the branding and tagging of young cattle.
Your hosts Angie, Diego and often their daughter Josefina opened the doors of their stunning and unique estancia to guests a decade ago and it is truly a privilege to experience traditional country life on this estancia… the riding, wildlife, the food and Gaucho culture.
What we find unique about this holiday is your hosts Angie and Diego who truly welcome you and you’ll leave feeling like old friends.
Every day is different and guests receive a tailor made programme to suit which may include exploring the countryside on horseback, bird watching, fishing in the River Corrientes, learning some Argentinean gaucho skills or cooking with Angie. On occasion there may be a rodeo locally your hosts would bring you to or even a trip to the local town is a delight with beautiful artisan local shopping.
For those who simply want to chill out and enjoy the countryside there are plenty of places to relax including a lovely pool and of course you can indulge in the delicious home-made food and fine Argentinean wines.
They warmly welcome guests as part of the family and enjoy sharing their country life and all its traditions.
They say:
We learned to love the Correntinean countryside with its customs, traditions and the extraordinary force of its nature, thanks to our grandparents and our parents who passed this passion onto us from our childhood. We have the privilege of living in it with our children, following the trail our ancestors traced. Today we open its fence to share it with you. If you want to ride, take part in the varied rural activities or simply relax and enjoy the charming nature of the Correntinean countryside, we invite you personally to share some days with us.
Angie & Diego Solanet
Horses – They have over 70 horses, Criollos, Mestizos and Quarter Horses
Level of Riding & Pace – Intermediate to Advanced.
Tack – Western style riding with recado or montura correntina saddles, which are very comfortable and leather covered in sheep skin.
Weight Restriction – 120kg / 266lbs / 19stone.
Group Size – Maximum 8.
This original horseshoe estancia where you will stay for 4 nights has been beautifully renovated and stylishly designed by Angie and Diego to include modern comforts in keeping with the traditional elegance can take up to about 24 guests at one time. They have a mix of 12 rooms (3 standard rooms, 8 deluxe rooms and 1 suite) all with ensuite and individually decorated and each named after an Argentine bird. They also have large windows that take in the beautiful views out to the fields and wetlands.
In addition, there is lots of communal space, two living rooms, three dining rooms, a playroom for children, a pool house for barbeques, a bar and a swimming pool.
The other estancias belong to Angie’s friends and are unique and a privilege to visit. You will also enjoy a night at the beautiful fishing lodge owned by the Solanets.
Food – The food is delicious, all homemade using organic produce from local farmers.
A typical breakfast includes freshly baked bread, cereals and toasts, homemade jams and butter, scrambled eggs, cakes, coffee, tea, orange juice and fresh fruit.
Mid-morning after riding, there are appetizers such as olives, cheese, salami washed down with the offer of a beer or a glass of Malbec wine. At lunch time, the BBQ is fired up there is lots of different meat cooked along with grilled vegetables and salads.
Late afternoon, there’s time for a sundowner of local wines, gaucho bread (a grilled bread) and chipá (small bread with cheese) and variety of tea or coffee and cakes. And if you can make it to dinner, expect something of a European dish with and Argentinean twist.
What’s lovely here is the kitchen is open to guests all the time and you are invited to watch and learn about the local cuisine, enjoying tastings as the cook prepares dishes!
We have travelled the world testing a huge variety of horse riding holidays to make sure we offer you, our client, the best horse riding holiday experience possible.
Our horse riding holidays are thoroughly researched – we consider all the elements that go towards making our horse riding holidays collection the best in the world. We check the quality of the horses, if they are fit for the job, well produced and looked after. We make sure the riding terrain is good going, the countryside is interesting and, for example, on Classic Dressage horse riding holidays, the arenas are in good condition. We make sure the accommodation, whether it’s a five star hotel, a farmhouse or camping, is clean and comfortable, and offers a great night’s sleep. The food is all important too – we take the time to make sure we tell you if it’s cordon bleu, home cooked, or regional and locally sourced – above all it has to be delicious, plentiful and nourishing. Last but not least, we choose the horse riding holidays that have the best hosts, who are friendly, warm and welcoming.
It’s only when all these elements come together that we add a horse riding holiday into our hand-picked collection of horse riding holidays.
Please Ask About
Example of the ‘Wetlands Estancia Trail’ Itinerary
Day 1
Arrive in the morning at Estancia Don Joaquin. The estancia is owned & farmed by the Solanet family. After breakfast, you will try a number of horses who you will ride on the trail: we can guarantee to find your perfect partner based on your riding ability blended with the horse’s personality and spirit. After an introduction to ‘Argentine Riding Style’ we will set off for a two-hour ride. Lunch will be served at the Estancia after your ride. In the afternoon you will enjoy a second ride and we will make sure you find your perfect match and encourage you to try as many horses as you like until you find “the two horses “which you will ride during the gaucho trail ride experience.
Dinner and overnight at Estancia Don Joaquin.
Riding time: 5 hrs.
Day 2
Today we will start the ride going northeast across the open countryside plains and enjoy nice long canters in sandy tracks. Enjoy the ringing bell as the herd crosses across the grasslands. Lunch will be an Asado (BBQ) in the countryside where the gauchos will cook traditional empanadas and meat (vegetarian options available) for you over an open fire. After lunch, we will siesta under the shade of the trees resting on the sheepskin cover from your saddle for an hour or so before we continue riding and enjoy a change in scenery with a 360°view of the surrounding wetlands. In this area we’ll see capibaras, antelope, caiman and the greater rhea (if you’re lucky!). Ride on towards the broad open plain of the pampa and out of nowhere a stunning colonial estancia will appear, surrounded by beautiful gardens. This is our overnight accommodation.
Riding time: 7 hrs
Day 3
After a delicious breakfast, the morning ride will take you along lagoons and scrublands until you reach the Corriente riverbanks. It is on these riverbanks where we will stop for lunch. This will be one of the most spectacular lunch locations you will ever go to…combined with a spectacular view of the river and a delicious asado, you will think you have arrived in paradise. A well-deserved siesta in the hammocks or chill out while watching the river view whilst your horses will be relaxing and grazing next to us.
After siesta we will continue our ride by cantering along the sandy beaches that border the river and will lead us to the Mediterranean style estancia nestled on the riverbank. You will be welcomed with afternoon tea and sundowners on the terrace overlooking the river followed by dinner.
Riding time: 5 hours
Day 4
Today after breakfast, you will enjoy another full day ride herding the horses back towards our Estancia. We will enjoy landscapes of big pine forests and at lunchtime we stop for lunch at a remote cattle corral. Siesta under the shade of the trees and in the afternoon, we’ll follow the chime of the cow bell as the “godmother mare” leads the horses back home. Dinner and overnight at our Estancia Don Joaquin.
Riding time: 7 hrs
Day 5
A change of pace this morning: we will follow the gauchos in their daily cattle ranch routine and assist where we can. Ever tried your hand with a lasso? Now’s your chance! we will also work at the corral and help the gauchos with the cows. Lunch back at the estancia and then some relaxation time around the swimming pool. In the evening, we will conduct a blind tasting of some outstanding Argentinian wine before dinner.
Riding time: 3 hrs
Day 6
After breakfast, you will ride with the gauchos and explore a new part of the estancia. The grassland in this area is ‘hedged’ with acacia trees and native forests that are the perfect eco system for a great variety of birds and wildlife. Lunch will be served back at the estancia. In the afternoon, we will walk (or drive) to a second lodge on our estancia known as the River Lodge. At the River Lodge we will relax and watch the sunset whilst enjoying sundowners. Overnight at the River Lodge.
Riding time 3½ hrs
Day 7
After breakfast we will return to the home farm and join up with the gauchos for the rest of the morning herding cattle to the corral and lassoing calves for tagging, and whatever else need to be done. After lunch you have the option of a final ride on the estancia or a visit to the town of Esquina and check-out a local tack shop or Swimming with horses. Farewell dinner at the estancia and evening departure.
All our horse riding holidays hold a price guarantee. We believe in your piece of mind on price when you book one of our horse riding holidays and will refund the difference should you find the same horse riding holiday elsewhere at a lower price.
If you are having trouble finding exactly the right horse riding holiday for you from our horse riding holidays collection, please contact us directly using the form below and tell us in your own words what you would like to do and we will use our extensive knowledge to make sure we find that perfect horse riding holiday.
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