ARGENTINA:  ESTANCIAS 


The best way to become acquainted with the "Argentina Country Life", is staying in an Estancia and enjoy the peace and quietness of the "Pampa" or admire the imposing landscapes. From the Northwest to the South of Argentina, there are many "Estancias"  open to welcome visitors. Renting a car may be the best solution, in most cases, but private transfers to/from the estancias are available. 

ESTANCIAS NEAR BUENOS AIRES

Villa María - Villa María is a luxury Norman Tudor farmhouse built at the beginning of the century. Its large living room, the  dinning room, the lounge and the billiard room are all tastefully furnished. A splendid 110 acres park with varied species and sculptures surrounds the main house.
Location: it is located in Máximo Paz, 47 km. from downtown Buenos Aires.
Accommodation facilities: Main house: 5 en-suite two bedrooms and 1 en-suite one bedroom. Guests' house: 1 en-suite three bedrooms, 2 rooms with private bathroom (en-suite) and 2 rooms with bathroom.
Production: 3700 acres devoted to cattle breeding
Activities in the estancia: walks, horse rides, bicycling, swimming, tennis and croquet.
Meals: Creole meals and international dishes.

La Macarena - They offer a familiar environment and first-class service at the same time. A 40.000 m2 park with old trees and a swimming pool surrounds the house.
Location: this estancia is located in Maximo Paz, 50 km from Buenos Aires
Accommodation facilities: Main house: 4 rooms with private bathroom. Guest's house: 2 rooms with private bathroom.
Production: cows, sheep, chickens and turkeys on a small scale. Jams production.
Activities in the estancia: walks, swimming, volleyball, football, bochas (Argentine bowling), croquet, table tennis, table games, children plays, fishing in a stream and horseback rides (rented by the hour).
Activities in the surroundings: riding and polo club.
Meals: barbecues, "empanadas" (meat stuffed pastries), salads, lamb, chicken seasoned with garlic, curry and side orders of rice or vegetables. There are also pies, stews, pasta and desserts.

El Faisán - The building has the typical architecture of the end of 19th Century and beginning of 20th Century: construction with ground floor with rooms in a row and surrounded by a roofed gallery. It has 2.000 ha.
Location: it's located in Lobos, 120 km away from Buenos Aires
Accommodation facilities: 2 double en-suite rooms, 2 double rooms with bathroom, and 1 room with several beds and bathrooms for women and men.
Production: agriculture and cattle production; the main activity is the milk production, with 5 modern dairies and based on the Holando-Argentino breed.
Activities in the estancia:  horseback rides, rides in carriages, swimming, and tennis.
Activities in the surrounding area: Water sports in Lobos Lagoon.
Meals: international dishes and Creole specialties, asado (Argentine barbecue).

La Concepción - It was founded in the mid -19th. century. The main house was built in French style. The guesthouse, known as the Chalet, has a large sleeping room with changing room and showers. There are more than 200 ha of a superb park and a great neo gothic chapel. La Concepción is famous for its polo tradition. The polo fields, the world class horses and instructors are available for those who like this sport.
Location: it is situated 120 km from Buenos Aires, in Lobos County.
Accommodation facilities:
23 rooms. Main house: 9 rooms with en suite bathroom. Chalet: 2 suites of two rooms, 2 simple rooms and a room with 8 beds. Small House: 4 rooms and 2 bathrooms.
Production: agriculture and cattle production.
Activities in the estancia: walks, horse rides, rides in carriages, swimming, football, tennis, paddle and farm work watching.
Activities in the surrounding area: golf in Lobos (10 km from the estancia) and water sports in Lobos Lagoon.
Hunting possibilities: fishing and hunting excursions can be arranged upon request.
Meals: international dishes and Creole specialties.

La Candelaria - At the end of the 19th Century, Orestes Piñeiro, a visionary who encouraged the development of Lobos region, founded this cattle ranch which he named La Candelaria, in honour to his wife. During the first decades of the 20th Century, La Candelaria enlarged its territory to an extension of about 8000 acres. Later on, La Candelaria was divided among its heirs, to be then sold in 1980.Nowadays, 250 acres are still kept. Its wonderful French style castle surrounded by a huge park, its colonial houses, as well as polo course, tennis court, swimming pool and football fields show us the highest level of the Argentine countryside.
Location: it's located in Lobos, 115 km away from Buenos Aires.
Accommodation facilities: Main House: 10 bedrooms and 8 bathrooms. Bungalows: 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.Orange house: 2 bedrooms and 1 bathroom
Activities in the estancia: 2 tennis courts, swimming pools, horses, carriages, volleyball and football courts and bicycles.
Activities in the surroundings: golf (7 km. from the estancia). Fishing and water sports in Lobos Lagoon.
Meals: asado (Argentine barbecue), empanadas (meat stuffed pastries), Creole and international cuisine, cakes and "pastelitos".

San Agustín -
Location:
it's located in Lobos County, 125 km from Buenos Aires city.
Accommodation facilities: 4 double rooms with two bathrooms. There are 4 beds with one bathroom in the attic.
Production: it is devoted to agriculture and cattle production, most of all to dairy production (very common in the area).
Activities in the estancia: horse rides, rides in carriages, swimming, tennis, water ski, boats rides, fishing on Salado River.
Meals: Creole and international dishes, asado (Argentine barbecue).

Los Patricios - The first owner was Daniel de Spiller, army man of the Desert Campaign. The present owner is his great-granddaughter, Maria Luisa de Bary de Solier de Brane. The skeleton of the house was built by the beginning of the century (1904), with a pampeano-colonial style. The garden has an English style and was designed by the French engineer Luis Goddard.
Location: this estancia is located in San Antonio de Areco (province of Buenos Aires), 110 km away from Capital Federal.
Accommodation facilities: the  estancia has 8 rooms with private bathroom.
Production: it has big extensions dedicated to agriculture, especially devoted to wheat, corn, sunflower and soya cultivation.
Activities in the estancia: it has a sport area, where the tourists can practice paddle, tennis, volleyball, bowls, football, polo, swimming pool, horseback riding. It also has a track for ring races.
Meals: international dishes and Creole specialities.

La Bamba - The traditional colonial style main house of La Bamba, with its belvedere, roofed verandahs and  interior patio complete with well, has remained unchanged since 1830. It was once a posthouse where travellers in transit on the King's Road rested and stagecoaches hitched up fresh horses.
Location: it's located in San Antonio de Areco, 120 kms away from Buenos Aires city.
Accommodation facilities: 6 rooms, 2 with private bathroom and 4 with shared bathroom
Production: it has 250 ha.being exploted.
Activities in the estancia: walks, swimming, horseback rides (not included in the rate), rides in sulkies.
Activities in the surroundings: visit to San Antonio de Areco and Ricardo Guiraldes Museum. Golf (13 kms away from the estancia).
Meals: Creole specialities

El Ombú de Areco - The magnificent Italian style farmhouse, built in 1890 by the general Richieri is surrounded by 300 ha. of fields.
Location: it's located in San Antonio de Areco, 110 km from Buenos Aires city.
Accommodation facilities: it has 6 rooms with private bathroom.
Activities in the estancia: swimming, horseback rides, rides in old carriages, football, room games, farm work watching, visit to San Antonio de Areco and Ricardo Guiraldes Museum.
Activities in the surrounding area: golf and tennis courts in San Antonio de Areco Club.
Meals: international dishes and Creole specialties.

San Pedro - San Pedro is one of the oldest farms in Argentina. The main house was originally built in 1872. In 1928 the present Tudor style residence was constructed. It is surrounded by an aged park of 180 ha., designed by the prestigious landscape gardener Charles Thays. Every third Sunday the residents and neighbours of the village gather at the splendid gothic chapel.
Location: Villa Montero, Entre Ríos Province, 350 km from Buenos Aires.
Accommodation facilities: Main house: 3 rooms with private bathroom and 2 suites. Guest's house: 5 rooms with private bathroom.
Production: rice is the main activity, also breeding and fattening cattle.
Activities in the estancia: walks, swimming, birdwatching, safaris across the woodland to take   pictures, fishing in streams and in the Gualeguaychu river, relaxing, etc.
Activities in the surroundings: Visit to Palacio San Jose, El Palmar National Park, Uruguay River (beaches, etc).
Meals: barbecues, "empanadas" (meat stuffed pastries), salads, lamb, home made pastas, etc. There are also pies, stews, pasta and desserts.


ESTANCIAS in PATAGONIA

Nibepo Aike - The shell is a typical Patagonian building adapted to receive guests.  
Location:
located in Los Glaciares National Park (Reserve zone), on the East and South margins of Roca Lake, 30 kms from Perito Moreno Glacier and 60 km from El Calafate.
Accommodation facilities: 12 people
Production:
bovine and ovine cattle.  
Activities in the estancia:
horse rides, trekking and trout fishing.

Alta Vista: Surrounded by 13.2000 acres of sheep-farming land and overlooking the Perito Moreno Glacier, Alta Vista easily made the transition from a private home to a luxurious 7-room inn of international reputation. An ample lounge and a cozy dining room, both decorated with exquisite taste in the style of the original house, provide guests with an excellent setting for stress-free activities and delicious meals of regional cuisine.  
Location:
in the lands of the legendary Estancia Anita, near Roca Lake (South Arm of Argentino Lake) and 35 km from El Calafate.  
Accommodation facilities:
6 double rooms with private bathroom and 1 suite (total capacity: 15 people).  
Production:
breed and development of the ovine cattle.  
Activities in the estancia:
walks, horse rides, trekking, bicycling, watching farm work, visit to Estancia Anita and its shearing quarters.
Activities in the surrounding area: fishing in Roca Lake, excursion to Fitz Roy, excursions to   Perito Moreno Glacier and Upsala & Onelli Glaciers. Photographic safaris.  
Meals:
home made regional dishes.

Helsingfors : Built on the memories of the ranch founded at the turn of the century by Finnish adventurer Alfred Ramstron, the Helsingfors inn (named after the capital of Finland at that time) is waiting to share this incredible, magic corner of Patagonia with you.  
Location:
located on the South margin of Viedma Lake, 150 kms from El Calafate and 450 km from Rio Gallegos, Santa Cruz province.  
Availability:
November to Holly Week  
Accommodation facilities:
8 double and triple rooms, with private bathroom. The total capacity is 18 people.  
Activities in the estancia:
walks, trekking, horse rides (on request), watching farm work, lake excursions and fauna watching.  
Meals:
typical dishes.

Alma Gaucha: Alma Gaucha is a complex of three estancias (ranches). It consists of two cabins situated in the heart of the Andes' wood and the owner's house, which is used for reception and meals. The     owners of Alma Gaucha, the Reichert Lockhart  family, invite you to share their life and activities. This family comes from pioneer settlers in Patagonia and follows traditional sheep farming, like their ancestors have done it for three generations
Location:
it's located south of Perito Moreno National Park, in Santa Cruz Province.  
Availability:
From November to middle April  
Accommodation facilities:
each cabin has 2 bedrooms with private bathroom.  
Production:
mostly ovine cattle.  
Activities in the estancia:
take part in rural activities, walks, mountain bike excursions on four wheels vehicles, horse rides, bicycling, watching wild animals (mainly birds) and exploring deposits of marine fossiliferous sediments.  
Activities in the surrounding area:
excursion (2 days) to the Narváez Glacier, horse riding or hiking.  
Fishing possibilities:
yes, but not as the main activity.  
Meals:
home made dishes.

La Oriental
Location:
it's located in the Reserve zone of the Perito Moreno National Park Reserve, 1000 Mts. of the Belgrano Lake, in Santa Cruz Province.
Accommodation facilities: 3 triple, 1 double and 2 rooms with a double bed plus one single bed. They all have private bathroom.  
Activities in the estancia:
trekking, horse rides and camp. Visit San Lorenzo Hill.  
Meals:
homemade dishes, Patagonian specialities (including asado).

La Serena: La Serena is a guest ranch on the shore of Buenos Aires Lake, a place of overwhelming nature. The inn is a bunch of bungalows with utter comfort, established for the guests to enjoy the  beauty of the land, the lake, the environment and the silence.  
Location:
on the shores of Buenos Aires Lake, 29 kms west of Perito Moreno, Santa Cruz Province  
Accommodation facilities:
it can accommodate up to 22 people.  
Activities in the estancia:
walks along the shore of the lake, share the harvest of the berries, horse rides, fish trout in Las Chilcas River, archaeological visits to the "Hands Cave".  
Activities in the surrounding area:
excursions into the mountains, woods and colourful desert areas in the region.  
Fishing possibilities:
salmons and trout fishing.  
Meals:
Typical dishes including lamb cooked on the stick, salmon from the lake, barbecue and also European cuisine.Fruits are gathered in their field and vegetables in their farm.

Telken
Location:
it's located 25 kms south of Perito Moreno, in Santa Cruz Province.  
Accommodation facilities:
it can accommodate 11 tourists plus 2 guides. Main house: 2 double rooms with private bathroom (one of them with the only double bed and a baby's cot) and 1 double room that shares the owner's room. Guesthouse: 2 rooms (one double and the another one triple), which share a bathroom and a sitting room. There is also a room for three guides.  
Activities in the estancia:
walks, trekking, horse rides, archaeological expeditions (10 kms away we can find petroglyphs).  
Activities in the surrounding area:
visit Pinturas River and its Cave of the Painted Hands, Buenos Aires Lake, Los Antiguos, Chile-Chico or Zeballos area.  
Meals:
meals are shared with the owners and other guests. They are home cooked and plentiful, and consist of an entrée, a main course, dessert, wine or juice and tea or coffee.

Lagos del Furioso:  Lagos del Furioso is a dream lodging between the lakes. The owners, Ana Bas and Jorge Cramer personally take care of their guests. This, together with the Finnish sauna, the small library about Patagonia and the organic vegetable garden, contribute for a memorable stay.  
Location:
in the narrow peninsula that divides Pueyrredon and Posadas Lakes. 230 kms from    Perito Moreno, in Santa Cruz Province.  
Accommodation facilities:
8 double bungalows and 1 suite with private bathroom. There is also another bungalow for groups up to fourteen people, with 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and 1 living room.  
Activities in the estancia:
walks, horse rides, trekking, mountain bike rides, photographic or bird watching rides, fishing or promenades by foot or using special vehicles.
Meals:
typical meals.

La Maipú: Walking along its hills the visitors are surprised by panoramic views of Fitz Roy and Torre Hill Chains, as well as the Astillado Hill.  
Location:
on the south shore of San Martin Lake, zone of Maipu Peninsula and Doble Island. 240 kms from El Chaltén and 280 kms from El Calafate, Santa Cruz Province.  
Accommodation facilities:
4 double rooms  
Activities in the estancia:
walks, trekking, horse rides, ride on four wheel vehicles, mountain bike, birdwatching, photographic safaris, watching or taking part in the farm work, rising Astillado Hill.
Activities in the surrounding area:
walking, trekking, etc.

Río Baker: Attractive lodge built over piles on the lake, giving it the appearance as being suspended on Bertrand lake.  
Location:
300 Km. aprox. from Perito Moreno, Santa Cruz. Bordering Buenos Aires lake towards Chile Chico -first chilean settlement on the border along the shore of the lake (named General    Carreras in Chile)- up to the begining of Baker River. Also available through Baker-Roballos border pass.  
Accommodation facilities:
4 double rooms with private bathroom and central dinning room.  
Activities in the estancia:
walks, trekking.  
Fishing possibilities:
brown and rainbow trouts.  


ESTANCIAS in THE NORTH WEST

El Manantial: El Manantial, a casttle ranch outside La Silleta.The 150 years old recycled finca (ranch house) is opened to guests, looked after by Alice Lemons, the owner of the estancia.The house has 2 living-dining room and a reading room. Set at the foot of the Andean precordillera, with an  exceptional view of the Lerma Valley, the    stately country home and all the comfort of its cozy suite-style rooms invite you to rest in privacy as if you were at home, and be attended by the owners with great attention to details.
Location:
near the town La Silleta, 23 kms from Salta city, in Salta Province, 15 minutes south of the Salta Airport.  
Accommodation facilities:
1 single, 7 double and 1 triple room, each of them with private bathroom.  
Production:
it has a dairy and pig farm that supply, along with its garden and orchad, all-fresh ingredients for a  varied menu.  
Activities in the estancia:
walks, horse rides, trekking, mountain bike, four-wheel-drive vehicles, tennis court, paddle, swimming, share in the farm activities, visit the "tambo", pork breeding and a stone house called "ermita".  
Activities in the surrounding area:
it's possible to take the Train to the Clouds from Campo Quijano located very near the estancia, and have 1 less hour of train trip.
Meals:
home made meals and regional dishes

Hostal Provincial de Molinos: Hostal Provincial de Molinos looks like something out of the tales of region's first settlers. Full of magic and history, it was first built in 1530. The restored main house dates from 1713. Its atmosphere radiates peace, and it is an ideal place for those who are looking for it and can appreciate this extraordinary combination of nature and tradition in its full dimension. The material side of the experience is the hosts' extremely cordial service and the typical delicacies that make "salteños" famous.  
Location:
Molinos.  
Accommodation facilities:
13 rooms  
Activities:
walks, trekking, swimming, birdwatching, horse rides.  

El Bordo de las Lanzas: El Bordo de las Lanzas is one of the oldest agricultural and cattle raising estancias in the province of Salta. Comprising 2.500 ha (6180 acres) it is also run as a modern business. The estancia abounds with numerous species of indigenous trees and there are many varieties of exotic plants in the extensive garden surrounding the house. El Totoral dam contains numerous yacares ñatos (caiman latirostris), which may be easily observed lazily floating or sunbathing and can be attracted by throwing food. The abundant flora and fauna provide incomparable opportunities for the nature enthusiasts, expert naturalists and lovers of the outdoors.
Location:
it's situated in the Andean foothills on the fertile plain of the Siancas Valley, 60 kms from the city of Salta and 70 kms from the city of San Salvador de Jujuy. It's in Salta Province.  
Accommodation facilities:
6 rooms  
Production:
2.500 ha in production. The estancia produces tobacco, sugar cane, cotton, beans, maize, vegetables, etc. and raises cattle. Pedigree Peruvian Paso horses are bred on the farm together with polo and riding horses. Pigs, sheep, turkeys, chickens, ducks, etc are raised to feed the family, guests and estancia workers. There also is a large vegetable garden and orchad, which produces tropical fruits used to make jams, marmalade, chutneys, preserves and sauces.  
Activities in the estancia:
walks, trekking, horse rides, fishing, birdwatching, visit the ranch's caiman reserve.  
Activities in the surrounding area:
there are rejuvenating thermal springs nearby. Diverse excursions to attractive, historic and tourist locations such as the Quebrada de Humahuaca, "Calilegua" and "El Rey" national parks.  
Meals:
regional, international and vegetarian dishes prepared with homegrown products. Other delicacies made with tropical fruits, preserves, jams, home-made bread, etc