The Pioneer Path

These 3 days riding give you time to experience the estancia life in Patagonia in the surrounding areas of Torres Del Paine National Park.

Highlights include amazing views of the famous Torres Del Paine, and the opportunity to gallop along the magnificent prairie areas called Pampas.

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Itinerary / Highlights

Day 1 Early morning from Puerto Natales we will follow an unpaved road to Las Chinas Valley all the way to Estancia Cerro Guido. This Estancia is one of the last remaining establishments still retaining many of the typical characteristics of the period when The Sociedad Explotadora of Tierra del Fuego was functioning. The Estancia has 60.000 hectares and about 50.000 sheep. The village has a beautiful view of the Paine Massif and has preserved all the typical buildings including the lodge, main house, administration office, workers' houses, kitchen, bakery, school, carpentry workshop, forge, dairy, stables and sheep-shearing shed. In the stables we meet our baqueano (local cowboy) and we will head south to the River Baguales. This river descends from the Sierra Baguales before winding through the Patagonian steppe and pre-Andean shrubland. The accompanying view is amazing and the prairies provide us with many opportunities for long canters on our criollo horses; a hardy breed of horse that is able to endure the hard winters in Patagonia. After about three hours we will arrive at Estancia Las Flores, where is located the only house in the region built with adobe, a typical mixture of grass and clay used mostly in the northern part of Chile. This is an excellent place to have our lunch and rest our horses. After lunch we will head in the direction of Estancia Las Chinas (a fine example of the architecture of the former estancias) which has an amazing view of Torres Del Paine.
(2 hours by private transfer, 6 hours slow riding, trotting and cantering) (BL-D) (Night spent at Estancia Las Chinas)

Day 2 Today we will ride south from Estancia Las Chinas crossing the valley. The first couple of hours will be across the Patagonian steppe, which is found on flatlands and plateaus with semi-arid, cold climates and an annual precipitation of up to 400 mm. After 3 hours riding will reach a water fall “Salto Las Chinas”, where we have lunch before we start our ride back to our cozy ranch-house. In the evening we will gather in front of the fireplace, with a Pisco sour in hand (Chilean brandy made from Muscatel grapes.
(6 hours slow riding, trotting and cantering) (B-BL-D) (Night at Estancia Las Chinas).

Day 3 Today we ride back to estancia Cerro Guido on a different path, crossing the Sierra Contreras and stopping for lunch at Estancia Segunda Barranca. Once we arrived to the ranch, we take the private transfer back to Puerto Natales.
(5 hours slow riding, trotting and cantering, 2 hours by private transfer) (B-BL).

Other Details

Accommodation Details

Estancia Las Chinas

A simple ranch house recently converted into a cozy guest house as an annex to the Lodge Cerro Guido. Each room has 2-4 bunk beds with warm down comfortors. Shared baths have hot water and modern facilities. Relax next to the fireplace or walk around the ranch taking in the views of Las Chinas Valley, one of the most pristine valleys in the area.