Gaucho horseback rider

Horseback riding was one of the many activities you can do in this beautiful part of Patagonia. I went on a 4 hr tour through the valley of the Rio de Las Vueltas in the Los Glaciares national park. El Relincho is a family-owned horseback riding company in the area. Our guide came to pick me up at the hotel in El Chalten on a sunny afternoon. Eme was his name and drove us to a small ranch where I was introduced to my horse for the afternoon. From here we rode gently through the valley surrounded by mountains. We passed through a small forest with the trail sometimes going up hill and down. The ride was pleasant and relaxing. Not too windy today and the sun was shining out.

We stopped for a short break at a cabin to have some tea and admire the beautiful scenery. The resident cat was happy to keep us company. In the distance you could see Fitz Roy. Eme talked a bit about the history of the area, his family and the gaucho history (the South American version of a cowboy, which Eme was very proud to be from). Due to the horse riding I was unable to take photos. Below are some photos of the ranch and the surrounding area from the cabin where we took a break.

I throughly recommend having a go at horse riding. It will give you a different experience in viewing the patagoina area. The horse was healthy and well trained so there was no problems with the horse at any time on the trail. You also can an interesting insight into how the Gauchos used to live in this region.

For more information visit El Relincho.