ESTANCIAS AND BEACHES - URUGUAY
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Uruguay is classic gaucho country and also has some of the world's finest unspoiled beaches. This itinerary explores not only working estancias but also tropical palm groves, protected wetlands, beaches, shipwrecks and marine life such as dolphins, whales and seals. Horseback riding is an integral part of the culture as raising cattle is big business and the gauchos still depend heavily on horses to handle the cow. The Criollo horses are reliable and responsive mounts and the traditional saddles very comfortable. The food is excellent, varying from tender organic local beef to fresh sea food. The riding is excellent and Uruguay still offers an authentic South American experience with large unpopulated stretches ideal for riding.
SAMPLE ITINERARY - ESTANCIAS AND BEACHES
Day 1
Montevideo
Guests are met at the Montevideo International Airport by a bilingual guide and driven to NH Hotel in Montevideo. Welcome dinner at restaurant in Montevideo to meet all participants and guide.
Day 2
Montevideo - San Pedro de Timote
Estancia San Pedro de Timote, considered to be the first estancia founded in Uruguay (estancias: colonial farms). The original colonial main building has been declared a National Historical Monument and guests can still see features that are a reminder of the age of the estancia: the church, towers and wonderful terraces decorated with Spanish majolica. This handsome period house has been totally refurbished to represent the most elegant colonial era in the country. The delicious meals are based on the traditional Uruguayan cuisine. As an introductory ride in order to get comfortable with the horses and tack, we will ride around the parklands of this historic estancia founded in 1854. Later, guests can get acquainted with one of Uruguay’s best kept secrets: the excellent wines. Overnight at the estancia – swimming pools, sauna & Jacuzzi.
Day 3
San Pedro de Timote – the ‘prairies’ of the oldest estancia
In the morning we will set out across the estancia fields, through eucalyptus forests and onto the typical ‘prairies’ of central Uruguay for some faster pace riding. The estancia once covered an area of 30 000 hectares (66 000acres) but is now 2600 hectares (5750 acres) – still enough for us to ride across without a fence in sight! There is a small chance of seeing some of the typical wildlife but we are more likely to see the capybara (largest rodent in the world and very cute!), armadillos and the rare marsh deer and other wildlife if we join the nocturnal outing from the estancia. At San Pedro, guests can seep up the history and spirit of the settlers of this country while taking an after lunch siesta under the wide eaves...
After a long ride visiting some neighbor working estancias fields plenty of cattle and sheep, we will enjoy other excellent dinner. Overnight at San Pedro.
Day 4
El Sauce estancia – ‘mate’ tea & the gaucho life
After breakfast we will be driven east along a panoramic road through the province of ‘33’ and into Rocha, arguably the most beautiful province in Uruguay with its pristine beaches, emerald shores and network of lagoons. We start our experience this surprising province at stancia El Sauce (Sauce means willow). El Sauce is a working estancia run by its owners where we will enjoy riding around the crops and very varied vegetation on the property.
The estancia, built in 1920, is very comfortable –it is not a hotel but the family house that we have been invited to stay as guests of the owners, offering us an incredible experience and a very special insight into the life in the country. For example, guests can sample the ‘mate’ sipped hot out of a dry gourd. The gauchos and their mate are inseparable and a ceremony has developed around drinking mate.
Day 5
El Sauce - Marshlands, rice crops & cattle drive
In addition to the cattle grasslands this estancia has a large area of marshlands and also rice crops both of which are teeming with bird life (more than 400 species in this area) making another very varied ride and giving us the chance to see the graceful black-necked swan (largest populations in the world found here), the rare white goose and many ducks and other birds such as the largest bird in South America- the ‘ostrich-like’ “ñandú” (rhea). Otters, coypus and capybaras inhabit the marshlands and streams. At several points on the trip we will see the pink flamingo – a species of flamingo with very bright pink pigment and quite common in Uruguay. On this full day ride at the estancia, riders have the chance of drive some cattle and see the gauchos and their “lazos” catching the cows. Overnight at this authentic working estancia.
Day 6
Brazilian Border beaches – Dolphins & shipwrecks
After breakfast we will drive a short way and meet new horses nearby for a fast-pace ride along the wonderful, isolated ocean beach of ‘Barra Chuy’. Visitors seldom reach this beach so we can enjoy a long, exhilarating canter with no signs of habitation as we ride across the pure white sands alongside the Atlantic ocean. After a special picnic lunch, we will go on riding south, alternating beaches with coastal hills, sand dunes. We pass a shipwreck buried in the sand – one of many along this treacherous coast. Indeed, Polonio, where we ride later is named after a Spanish galleon that went down just off the point. Luckily ‘Beagle’ with Charles Darwin aboard did not succumb to this fate and Darwin spent quite some time in Uruguay collecting species and most likely starting to formulate his theories of evolution. Most days there is the wonderful sight of dolphins feeding in the bays. We finish this day cantering along the water’s edge to the hotel for barbecued fresh fish, Uruguayan wine and a pleasant overnight listening to the waves. Stay at small beachside hotel ‘Parque Oceánico’ – heated swimming pool.
Day 7
Estancia Guardia del Monte - tropical palm groves, wetlands & Ombú forest
The day starts with a short drive to the entrance gate of "Guardia del Monte", another working estancia on the shores of "Laguna de Castillos", where we will met our horses. “Guardia del Monte” has outstanding landscape beauty with important ecosystems like palm groves and wetlands with a great variety of birds (Limpinks, White-necked Heron, Striated Heron, Ringed Kingfisher, Snail Kite and Roadside Hawk. We also visit, the Ombúes Forest looking for Diademed Tanager, Blue and Yellow Tanager, Hepatic Tanager, Chalk-browed Mockingbird, Tropical Parula and Creamy-bellied Thrush) and native scrublands. This area has been declared Natural Animal Reserve since 1996. We will have the opportunity to see the Ombú forest. The Ombú tree curiously rarely grows in groups of more than 2 or 3, the forest that we visit is possibly the only one in the world. Each tree has its own wonderful shape with thick, twisting roots spreading out over the ground; some are over 500 years and have a diameter of 2 meters (6 feet). After a full day ride, short drive for dinner and overnight at nearby estancia El Charabón.
Day 8
El Charabón working estancia – Cattle drives and traditional meals
We continue our Uruguayan ride experience at Estancia El Charabón (Charabón means small rhea). El Charabón is a 1200 ha, beautiful working estancia specialized in calving and lambing. The landscape is absolutely different from the days before, El Charabón combines open prairies with a large Eucalyptus forestry. In addition to very nice rides on the excellent horses bred at the estancia, we will have the chance of helping the gauchos and their working dogs on cattle and sheep drives, relax in the open swimming pool and have a wonderful sunset tea time. Uruguayan wine, lamb barbecue and the homemade specialties are a special complement for beautiful cantering days at this charming estancia.
Day 9
Cabo Polonio – shifting sands & sea lions
After breakfast we wil met again the horses we left resting at Guadia del Monte and ride into the desert! We ride through the area which has been declared a natural animal reserve and a Biosphere Natural Reserve by UNESCO. We will ride to Cabo Polonio, a charming fishing village which can only be reached by horse or four wheeled drive. The fascinating part of the area is the huge area of shifting sand dunes, as we ride through it is possible to imagine that we are right in the middle of the Sahara. After lunch at a typical restaurant on the beach we will see seals and sea lions that populate the small islands and make up one of the largest populations of seals in the world; very occasionally we spot a migrating Wright whale. Riders can swim in one of the most beautiful beaches of the country. After this ride full of surprises and diverse scenery, we will be driven back to Montevideo and spend our last night in a downtown hotel for resting before flying home or extensions. AB.
Day 10
Montevideo
After breakfast, transfer to Airport.
NOTES - ESTANCIAS AND BEACHES
Heavier riders can be accommodated by having an extra horse along to enable more frequent changes. There is a supplement of £169 for this in 2008.
The weight limit for this ride is 14 st/198 lb/90 kg, please enquire if you are an experienced rider exceeding this weight.
WHAT IS INCLUDED
All transfers, accommodation (private bathrooms), meals and mineral water (except Day 1), English speaking guide, horses and grooms services..
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED
Soft and alcoholic drinks, items of a personal nature and gratuities.
FURTHER DETAILS
As we are specialists in our field we have extensive knowledge of all our products from details of accommodation and meals to number/size/type of horses to pace of riding ... and much more.
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