Estancia Mercedes, Chilean Patagonia, Chile
A one-week lifechanging Gaucho experience at a Patagonian Estancia!
Day by day:
* Description below is an example of the program. The itinerary can be different during your travel week.We will do everything possible to follow the indicated itinerary, although spot changes can occur due to unforeseen circumstances. Rides are subject to change depending on weather, location, accommodation and difficulty of terrain In the unlikely event that this happens on your trip, we ask you flexibility and understanding. This is a sporty and adventurous vacation!
Important Information:
* We highly recommend you to arrive in Puerto Natales the day before. So you can be picked up without problem the morning of day 1 of the program. Puerto Natales is a nice town with various pleasant hotels and hostels. By bus (or private vehicle) you can easily get from Punta Arenas (the city you will normally fly to) to Puerto Natales. The journey is 240 km and takes around 2.1/2 hours. There are several good buses driving between the two cities every day.
* It is also important to know that you better NOT plan your international / domestic flight on day 8 (the last day). To travel from the Estancia back to Punta Arenas you have to take a ferry boat. It happens that the ferry boat cannot cross at the scheduled hour due to the strong winds, so you are never sure at what time you will arrive in back in Punta Arenas.
Day 1 : Puerto Natales – Estancia Mercedes
he Meet & Greet is in Puerto Natales. At agreed place & hour someone of the Garcia-Iglesias family will take you in approximately 2 hours by boat and car to Estancia Mercedes. Introduction to the farm and family members. And if you already want a first activity. (horse riding, fishing, other)
All meals at the farm. Accommodation at the farm.
Day 2 to day 7: Estancia Mercedes
A full day activities of your choice:
Horse riding, trail riding or herding cattle/sheep at horseback
Farm activities
Hiking on foot
Fishing trout, salmon, sea bass…
You decide what you prefer to do. Proposals will also be made according to the activities of the day.
You prefer to have a chill day? Well that’s also possible. Read a book on the porch. Help in the kitchen; making bread, preparing a lamb dish, ...
Remember the back to the 1800’s phrase? That also means there is NO internet on the farm!
All meals (breakfast/lunch/dinner) at the farm.
Accommodation at the farm.
Day 8 : Estancia Mercedes – Puerto Natales
After breakfast you say goodbye to the family, your favorite horse and to the dogs.
Transfer back by car and boat to Puerto Natales.
A Little bit of history
When navigator explorer Magellan in 1520 sailed as the first European along the coast of southern Argentina and Chile and went ashore, he and his crew discovered huge "Patones" or footprints on the beach. Moments later they saw real giants; 2 meter tall Indians! These were indeed giants in comparison with the then small Spaniards (average 1,55m). Patones which means big feet, immediately became the name for the region. Later it was given the name Patagonia or "land of big feet.
