Estancias of Argentina

One of the best ways to discover and enjoy another country is to spend some time in a private home…estancia style. You get to spend a few days with charming families, whether they be cattle ranchers in the beautiful Cordoba countryside, polo players in the pampas or sheep farmers in southern Patagonia.

• Watch killer whales hunt sea lions in Peninsula Valdes
• Challenge the pro’s at a few chukkas of polo
• Sit back and taste the glorious wines from the finest vineyards
• Assist the gauchos on a day’s cattle drive on the estancia
• Try your luck at some fabulous trout fishing on the Limay River

We have handpicked a few delightful homesteads, which are generally situated far off the beaten track, yet readily accessible by plane. Horse riding, trekking, walking, wildlife viewing and seasonal fishing are just some of the activities on offer for guests as well as being offered a fascinating insight into a very different world by their wonderfully hospitable English-speaking hosts.

Cordoba & the ‘Sierras Chicas’

Owned by an Anglo-Argentine family, Estancia Los Potreros is a beautiful and historical private home in the heart of Cordoba’s cattle farming region. Set up in the Cordoba Hills or ‘Sierras Chicas’, this charming 6500 acre working cattle farm is surrounded by miles of stunning countryside. The land has been farmed by the same family for four generations, and today they delight in welcoming guests to share this rural idyll.

Mendoza

Surrounded by the extraordinary landscapes of the Uco Valley, approximately 60 miles outside of the city of Mendoza, Posada Salentein is a small and exclusive lodge ideally located in the heart of Argentina’s finest wine growing region.  The property has just four traditionally decorated en suite bedrooms and there is also a nearby three bedroom house, which is ideal for family groups.

Buenos Aires – Pampas

Only 60 miles from Buenos Aires, in nearly 200 acres of the country’s famous pampas, is Candelaria del Monte, an intimate 4 bedroom, 2 suite estancia.  The land was bought by the Goni family 30 years ago and the country house was rebuilt by Sebastian Goni who then opened it to guests in 2004.  Many of the furnishings date from the 19th Century and the grounds, first laid out in the 1850s, are dotted with ancient oak and pine trees.

Located in the heart of the pampa, La Bamba de Areco’s origins date back to 1830 when it formed one of the post houses on the “Camino Real” (Royal Road) that linked Buenos Aires to the north of the country. It was transformed into an estancia in the early twentieth century, and was one of the first to open its doors to the public in the 1980s.  The eleven rooms, each one of which is named after a famous polo horse, are decorated with dark wooden floors, antique colonial furniture, art works and local textiles, and look out onto the park, shaded patios, the imposing pampa or the polo fields.

Northern Patagonia – The Lake District

Set in the Andean foothills in the heart of the stunning Patagonian Lake District and just to the east of San Martin de los Andes, Estancia Huechahue is Jane Williams’ beautiful 15,000 acre working farm.  The estancia has just eight comfortable en suite rooms and here you can enjoy delicious local cuisine and traditional Anglophile hospitality, but perhaps the principal attraction is the superb horse riding that varies from gentle rides to fully supported ‘pack trips’ that take you deep into the majestic scenery of Lanin National Park.

Estancia Arroyo Verde is a stunning property in the heart of southern Argentina’s beautiful Lake District. Set in an enchanted valley of sculpted rock spires, lush forests and the white-capped Andes with the scenic Traful River flowing through it, this estancia is one of the country’s real gems with just four en-suite bedrooms in the main house and a separate, romantic guest cabin set in the forest and perched on a cliff overlooking Lake Traful.

Peninsula Valdes

Situated right in the heart of the Peninsula Valdes Reserve with over 10 kms of private Atlantic coastline with wild stretches of beaches upon which hundreds of elephant seals and sea-lions breed each year, Estancia Rincon Chico enjoys a truly privileged location.  This eight-bedroomed estancia belongs to one of the pioneer families of the region who colonized the Valdes Peninsula in 1880 to raise sheep and Augustin Ayuzo and his partner Maria will host you here.