Horseback Riding in Argentina

Horseback Riding, Info.

By Christopher Minster

Argentina has a long and rich equestrian tradition. The gauchos, sort of like Argentine cowboys, ruled the vast grassland pampas for hundreds of years, tending enormous herds of cattle, and they have since entered into myth. Argentina is still one of the world’s greatest ranching nations and is world famous for its beef. Much of the cattle ranching is still done with horses, and in some cases it is possible for visitors to visit these huge ranches and ride for a few days.

Argentina is very geographically diverse, and there are several regions suitable for riding. The pampas are vast grasslands not far from Buenos Aires. Patagonia is cold, stark, windswept and gorgeous: on horseback is one of the best ways to see it. In the west there are mountains, lakes and valleys on the border with Chile. Some operators offer rides all the way to Iguazú Falls.

There are even some specialty trips available. Riders can re-trace the historic route taken by José de San Martín and his men in 1817 when they crossed into Chile to reinforce the army of Bernardo O’Higgins and eventually kick the Spanish out of southern South America once and for all. Also, there are some riding routes along ageless paths used by natives before the arrival of the Spanish (although of course they did not have horses at that time).

One famous riding destination is La Estancia ranch in Patagonia: this 15,000 acre cattle ranch is at the foot of the Andes and offers some outstanding horseback riding tours. The cities of Salta, Mendoza and Córdoba are considered good places to set up a horseback tour.

The national horse of Argentina is the Argentine criollo. It is a hardy, sure-footed breed that developed ferally on the pampas in previous centuries. It is primarily used for ranching, but you can find some that have been trained for trail rides.

As with most tour operators of any sort, some are better than others. In general, Argentines take excellent care of their horses, and this is particularly true on the large cattle ranches. With smaller operators, this may not be the case. If you come across any operator that abuses or mistreats their animals for profit, be sure to notify us here at Viva Travel Guides.