The Patagonia Glacier Ride

Pre-Arrival: Buenos Aires

Dependent upon your travel plans and budget, we recommend arriving a few days early and spending two nights in Buenos Aires to explore this vibrant city and recover from jet lag.

Day 1: Arrival & Orientation Ride

Today you’ll board your flight from Buenos Aires to Esquel (regional flight at own expense), where you’ll be met at the tiny regional airport and transferred by van to Estancia Los Morros, a working cattle and horse ranch tucked into the Patagonian landscape. The two-hour drive sets the tone immediately: wide valleys, distant peaks, and a sense of space that feels both humbling and grounding.

After settling in, you’ll enjoy a gentle introductory ride to become acquainted with your horses and the rhythm of riding in Patagonia. This first afternoon is about connection rather than distance, learning the quiet communication of the Criollo and easing into the days ahead, while also getting familiar with your traditional Argentine saddle.

As evening settles in, you’ll gather in the quincho for a warm welcome dinner. Expect generous regional fare prepared by the chef: fresh ingredients, homemade dishes, and your first taste of Patagonian hospitality. Red wine is poured, stories are shared, and the buzz of adventure awaits.

Day 2: Baguilt Lake

After breakfast, you’ll ride for approximately three hours through native forest and open terrain toward Baguilt Lake. The trail winds through lenga trees and bamboo undergrowth, with the possibility of spotting Patagonian foxes darting quietly through the landscape.

At the lake’s edge, you’ll dismount for a relaxed picnic lunch, surrounded by snow-capped peaks reflected in the water. On the return journey, the terrain opens and allows for moments of ‘galope’ – long, flowing canters where horse and rider move as one across Patagonia’s open ground.

Dinner back at Los Morros is unhurried and abundant, often featuring homemade empanadas and locally inspired dishes, prepared fresh and shared communally.

Day 3: Deep into the Andes

Today marks your first full immersion into the Andes. You’ll spend the day riding deep into mountainous terrain with four hours ascending through forested trails, river crossings, and high alpine paths.

As you climb, keep an eye on the skies: Andean condors are often seen here, riding thermals high above the valleys. A picnic lunch is enjoyed at a panoramic viewpoint before beginning the descent, with opportunities for cantering along open stretches on the return.

This is a long but deeply satisfying day, rewarded in the evening with a hearty meal and good wine, fuel for both body and conversation.

Day 4: Ride to the Lodge

After breakfast, you’ll head towards the lodge on a 25-mile (40 kilometres) ride. Your luggage will travel safely with the trucks. After approximately five hours in the saddle, you’ll stop for a picnic lunch by the river, followed by a well-earned siesta.

A further three-hour ride separates you from the lodge. After a long day, you’ll arrive at this wonderful property set in the heart of the valley. You’ll settle into en-suite double rooms, and a new chef will prepare dinner for you. A relaxing evening awaits after a full day roaming the transfixing Patagonia wilderness.

Day 5: Laguna Campamento

Today is designed for recovery and enjoyment. You’ll have a late breakfast and a free morning to fully unwind, perfect for a gentle walk, or perhaps a refreshing dip in the river for those who feel inclined.

In the afternoon, you’ll ride out to Laguna Campamento, before returning to the lodge for another cosy evening and dinner.

Day 6: Moving to Hielo Rio Fly Camp

After breakfast, you’ll ride for approximately two hours to reach the fly camp beside the Hielo River. There will be an opportunity to push on and have a couple of winding-track canters this morning.

You’ll fall in love with this picturesque river camp where towering Lenga trees reach to the sky, the constant rush of flowing water and pockets of wild flowers perfectly placed. It’s the ideal campsite – remote and comfortable. You don’t have to assemble tents (that will already be done for you), there’s a flushing toilet and hot shower and your very own chef. Tick!

After lunch, you’ll head further into the mountains for an afternoon ride. You’ll feel as if you’re exploring an enchanted forest that time has forgotten – no fences, no roads, only animal tracks to guide your way. Isolated and pristine are the words that come to mind.

Dinner will be cooked on an open fire and shared around a candlelit table with your ride hosts. Absolute bliss.

Day 7: The Secret Glacier

The most demanding—and most rewarding—day of the journey.

You’ll set out early for a full-day ride of up to twelve hours, winding through ancient lenga forests, dense native bamboo corridors, and open alpine terrain. There will be river crossings, marshland where horses can sink to their bellies, and sections where riders dismount to climb alongside their horses.

In these remote valleys, there is a rare chance of sighting the huemul – Patagonia’s highly endangered native deer – a stark reminder of just how wild, fragile and protected this region remains.

The blow-your-mind moment comes when the landscape opens to reveal the glacial lake surrounding Glacier Hielo. The cloudy blue water, the ice, the silence…it’s a moment that stops everyone in their tracks. For those feeling brave, a cold plunge is welcomed.

After time to absorb the moment and capture photos, you’ll descend back to camp tired, exhilarated, and bonded by shared achievement. Please be aware, today is not for the faint of heart, it’s long and arduous, and just when you think you’re nearly home there will be another two hours of riding left. But we can assure you, its 100% worth it – the sense of personal achievement and deep gratitude that you have for your horse will be all-consuming.

A well-earned dinner awaits, slow-cooked asado over the fire, generous portions, and wine shared beneath the stars.

Day 8: Departure

After breakfast, filled with stories, maté passed hand to hand, and the quiet satisfaction of having ridden deep into Patagonia’s wild heart, you’ll begin your journey home.

You’ll drive by truck back to the lodge, and from there a transfer takes over for the three-hour drive to Esquel airport.