Horse holidays abroad · Argentina
Horse Riding in Argentina: Córdoba, Salta and Tierra del Fuego
Horse riding in Argentina means a week on a working estancia in Córdoba or the north, or a trail through the Salta Andes or Tierra del Fuego, on trips of 7 to 11 nights.
- Best monthsSep to May
- Level
Novice to expert - Typical trip7 to 11 nights
- Price guide
Higher to premium
At a glance
What does a riding holiday in Argentina involve?
- Best monthsSeptember to May on the estancias; November to March in Tierra del Fuego
- Riding level
Beginner on the estancias; confident at walk, trot and canter on the trails - Hours in the saddle4 to 7 hours a day
- Typical trip7 nights on an estancia; 7 to 11 nights on a trail
- Weight limit89kg to 110kg, depending on the ride
- Group sizeUp to 10 riders on the Tierra del Fuego trail; up to 12 guests at Los Potreros
- HorsesCriollos and Criollo crosses, 14hh to 15.3hh, with Peruvian Pasos in Córdoba
- TackGaucho saddles with a sheepskin cover, ridden with long stirrups and neck reining
- AccommodationEstancia houses on the ranch weeks; mountain cabins, gaucho huts and tents on the trails
- Price guide
Higher to premium for this kind of holiday, per person, before flights
The riding
What is horse riding in Argentina like?
Horse riding in Argentina takes two forms: a week based on one estancia, riding out each day, or a trail that moves you on through the mountains or along a coast.
An estancia is a working cattle ranch, and on most of them you can help the gauchos move and sort cattle. You ride out in the morning and again later in the day, and return to the same house each night.
The trails ask more. In Salta you ride through the Andes foothills and the Calchaquí valley at up to 3,000m, and in Tierra del Fuego you ride remote beaches, ford rivers and cross peat bog.
The wildlife changes with the region. Condors are seen over the Salta trails, Tierra del Fuego has guanaco, penguins and sea lions, and the northern wetlands have capybara and over 250 bird species.
Córdoba sierras
The north, near Esquina
Salta and the Andes
Tierra del Fuego
When to go
When is the best time to ride in Argentina?
The best time to ride in Argentina depends on the region, because the country runs from the subtropical north to the far south.
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
The Córdoba sierras estancia opens from September to the end of April. The northern estancia near Esquina opens most of the year, with late March to May and September to November the best months.
The Salta trail runs from March to December. Tierra del Fuego can only be ridden from November to March, in the southern summer.
Your level
What riding level do you need for Argentina?
You can ride in Argentina as a beginner on an estancia, but the mountain and coast trails ask for a rider who is secure at walk, trot and canter.
Novice
Intermediate
Experienced
It suits you if
- You want to work cattle alongside gauchos for a week
- You are happy to learn neck reining in a gaucho saddle
- You are fit enough for long days in wild, wet country
It is not for you if
- You weigh more than 95kg and want a mountain trail
- You need a hot shower and a heated room every night
- You want to ride in a close contact English saddle
The estancias take every level and split riders into groups by ability. The Salta trail asks for an intermediate rider on a good horse, with novices taken only by arrangement.
Tierra del Fuego is the hardest ride here: 6 to 7 hours a day for 8 days, with fast beach canters, river crossings and a tide to beat. The weight limit runs from 89kg at Los Potreros to 95kg on the trails and 110kg near Esquina.
The horses
What are the horses and tack like in Argentina?
Most riding horses in Argentina are Criollos or Criollo crosses, compact and sure-footed, standing from about 14hh to 15.3hh.
The Córdoba sierras estancia keeps about 120 horses, mostly Criollos with Peruvian Pasos and crossbreds, and around 80 of them are ridden by guests.
The saddle is a gaucho saddle, deep, with a high pommel and cantle and a sheepskin laid over the seat. You ride with long stirrups and neck rein, and some estancias keep a few English and Western saddles as well.
In Tierra del Fuego the horses go in curb bits, snaffles or bitless bridles, depending on the horse.
Where you stay
Where do you stay on a riding holiday in Argentina?
On an estancia you stay in the ranch house, with en-suite rooms and full board. Near Esquina there are four meals a day, with dinner at about 9pm.
Los Potreros has seven bedrooms with wood-burning stoves. The northern estancia has two houses of four en-suite rooms each, with a pool and a veranda.
The trails are simpler. In Salta you sleep in mountain cabins with shared rooms of up to six beds and no heating, with two hotel nights in Salta city. In Tierra del Fuego you spend nine nights in gaucho huts with bunk rooms, and bucket showers on three of them.
The cost
How much does a riding holiday in Argentina cost?
A riding holiday in Argentina is a higher price for a week on a northern estancia, rising to a premium price for Córdoba or Tierra del Fuego, before flights.
Esquina gaucho week
Price guide
Higher
Salta Andes trail
Price guide
Higher
Tierra del Fuego trail
Price guide
Premium
Córdoba sierras estancia week
Price guide
Premium
The estancia prices include full board and riding, and Los Potreros includes drinks as well.
Rides we can arrange
Which rides do we recommend in Argentina?
We know horses, and we know the people who run these rides. Tell us how you ride and where you want to go, and we will put you with the right one.
Córdoba sierras estancia week
A family-run cattle estancia in the Sierras Chicas of Córdoba, riding Criollos and Peruvian Pasos for 4 to 6 hours a day, with polo on offer.
Tierra del Fuego trail
Eight riding days on the Mitre Peninsula at the tip of South America, with beach canters, river crossings and nights in gaucho huts.
Salta Andes trail
A mountain trail from Salta through the Lerma and Calchaquí valleys, reaching 3,000m, on horses of 15hh to 15.3hh in Western-style saddles.
Esquina gaucho week
A cattle estancia about 650km north of Buenos Aires, with grassland, marsh and lagoons, around 80 Criollos and riding for up to 6 hours a day.
Common questions
Argentina riding questions
Can beginners go horse riding in Argentina?
Yes, on an estancia week. The estancias near Esquina and in Córdoba both take beginners and group riders by ability.
What is the weight limit for riding in Argentina?
It runs from 89kg on the Córdoba sierras estancia to 95kg on the Salta and Tierra del Fuego trails. The estancia near Esquina takes riders up to 110kg.
What is a Criollo horse?
The Criollo is the Argentine working horse, compact and hardy, and the main horse on the estancias and in Tierra del Fuego. On the Tierra del Fuego trail they stand 14hh to 15.2hh.
What saddle do gauchos use?
A deep gaucho saddle with a high pommel and cantle and a sheepskin over the seat. You ride it with long stirrups and neck rein.
When can you ride in Tierra del Fuego?
Only from November to March, in the southern summer. The trail is 11 nights with 8 riding days.
Can you work cattle on a riding holiday in Argentina?
Yes. The estancias are working cattle ranches, and guests can join the gauchos when they move and sort the herd.
Where to go next
Nearby, and next
Tell us how you ride
Tell us your level, your dates and the country you have in mind, and we will point you to the ride that fits.