The Jakotango Patagonia Trail

You will fly into San Martín de los Andes where you are met and transferred through the mountains to the shores of Lake Falkner. Your luggage is taken directly to camp while you cross the lake by boat and meet your horses, gauchos and guides on the far shore. From here, you will ride into base camp, giving you your first opportunity to settle into the rhythm of Patagonian riding and get to know your horse and traditional gaucho saddle. 

Once at camp, there is time to relax before enjoying drinks and dinner in the cosy quincho – the log cabin that serves as the heart of camp. Overnight at Jakotango Base Camp.

Your first full day is spent riding out from base camp and exploring the beautiful Filo Hua Hum valley. After breakfast, you head out on horseback for a morning ride through forests, rivers and open pastureland, before returning to camp for a long and relaxed lunch followed by a siesta. 

In the afternoon, tea and cake are served before heading out again on a second ride, often climbing into the surrounding hills to give you a taste of the terrain you will be covering in the days ahead. Overnight at Jakotango Base Camp.

Today you ride the legendary Pass of Tears, one of the most spectacular rides in the world. With sweeping views across the Andes and into Chile, you ride high along mountain ridges, traversing terrain that feels truly wild and remote. After breakfast you pack your saddlebags for the night ahead and begin your ascent, stopping for a picnic lunch and siesta near the tree line. 

In the afternoon you continue climbing to the summit before riding into your mountain fly camp in the early evening, where a roaring fire and a delicious supper prepared by the gauchos awaits. Overnight at El Buque Fly Camp.

After breakfast cooked over the fire, you ride back down into the valley and return to base camp in time for a well-deserved lunch. The afternoon is yours to enjoy at your own pace. You may choose to relax by the river, go for a swim, take a walk, try your hand at fishing or head out for another gentle ride through the surrounding countryside. Overnight at Jakotango Base Camp.

This morning offers another chance to explore the valley and its lakes. You ride out after breakfast, either stopping for a picnic lunch along the way or returning to base camp, depending on the weather. With two long days in the saddle still to come, the afternoon is a perfect opportunity for some rest and relaxation back at camp. Overnight at Jakotango Base Camp.

Today you leave base camp and pack your saddlebags for two days of riding ahead. You head back into the mountains for another full day in the saddle, riding deeper into remote country and camping high in the hills at your second fly camp. Here you meet Felipe Chandia, a local gaucho whose family has farmed this land for generations and whose homestead you will visit the following night. The sense of history and tradition is woven into every part of this journey. Overnight at Felipe’s Fly Camp.

After breakfast on the fire, you begin the four-hour descent to Felipe’s home on the edge of the forest near the shores of Lake Traful. Set amongst old barns and corrals, the farmstead offers a wonderfully authentic insight into gaucho life. After a delicious lunch prepared by Felipe’s wife, Marta, the afternoon is spent relaxing, exploring and swimming in the crystal clear waters of the lake. The day ends with a traditional asado, with lamb slow cooked over glowing coals. Overnight at Felipe’s Homestead.

After breakfast, you walk down to the lakeshore where a boat takes you across to Villa Traful. Here you meet your luggage and transfer to the airport for your onward journey, leaving Patagonia with memories of big mountains, wild valleys, warm campfires and an unforgettable adventure on horseback.