Our Destinations

Why travelling with Randocheval ?

CHILE - PATAGONIA : HORSE RIDING TRAIL IN TORRES DEL PAINE NATIONAL PARK, BIVOUAC ACCOMMODATION...

This ride continues to be one of the most spectacular wilderness rides available. The combination of fast, exciting riding and the scenery of Torres del Paine make it one of the world’s ultimate riding destinations. Riders will witness two of the most beautiful and immense glaciers in the Park: Dickson and Grey in addition to an optional boat trip to the face of the Glacier at Grey. They will camp in some beautiful wilderness areas and ride among the magnificent granite peaks of the Paine mountain range. For those riders who want to enjoy the camping experience, this is the trip. Fully catered and serviced, the camping is in roomy dome style tents. Riders can relax at the end of their riding day while the guide and cook prepare their pre-dinner snacks and the evening meal. This all comes washed down with ample supplies of Chilean wine. The views from the tents are outstanding and we continue to strive to find the best campsites in the Park – both in terms of their location and their crowd factor. As with the Estancia Ride, the riding is incredible consisting mainly of trails through Torres del Paine’s dramatic scenery: huge granite peaks, soft grassy valleys and flower-filled meadows, exciting river crossings, ancient southern beech forests, jewel coloured lakes with bobbing icebergs, and towering valley glaciers. Look at our pictures album...

ITINERARY

Day 1
Arrival in Punta Arenas. Taxi from airport to the hotel . You will meet the leader in hotel lobby at 7.30 p.m. to be escorted to restaurant for dinner.

Day 2
Morning collection from the Hotel Don Rey Felipe to start the day's drive towards the penguin colony to see and photograph the cute burrowing Magellanic penguins. Continue in comfortable transfer vehicle across the Patagonia Steppe where you will have your first opportunity to see some of the unusual plant and animal life that exists in this area. After a short lunch stop in Puerto Natales we will continue on to our campsite situated close to a working estancia on the edges of the beautiful Laguna Verde. Chance to stroll down to the lakeside and enjoy the variety of bird life and spectacular views of the horns whilst dinner is prepared. No showers.
Drive approx. 6.5 hours including penguins.

Day 3
Today we will be meeting our horses and the dedicated baqueanos who care for them. After assigning horses to riders, we will have a safety check and short familiarization with western riding before packing our saddle bags with cameras, waterproofs, and our picnic lunch and setting off around the shores of this pretty lake through ancient southern beech forests towards the Sierra del Toro. We will then make a steep descent of the Sierra del Toro to the pampas below. Lunch will be taken in the valley and we will have a chance to visit the Park Headquarters to look at their relief map of the park. We will then continue with some fast riding to the Serrano River where we will camp beside the emerald green waters of this beautiful river with its dramatic mountain views. Showers available. Inside dining in case of inclement weather.
Hours in the saddle: 4 - 4.5.

Day 4
Today we saddle up for the fast ride to Mirador de los Hielos (iceberg lookout). Our view will be dominated
by the huge granite peaks of the massif as we ride out along the Grey River towards the largest Glacier in the
park, Glacier Grey. We will eventually arrive at a lookout with dramatic views of the iceberg choked waters of Grey Lake with the immense Grey Glacier in the distance (the largest glacier in the Park). After plenty of time to rest, take photos and enjoy our incredible lunch perch we will rejoin our rested horses and head back to our pretty campsite at the Serrano River. Showers available. Inside dining in case of inclement weather. Hours in the saddle approx 5 -6.

*For clients who are interested, there is an optional excursion available which includes round trip transfers back to Grey Lake and a boat trip out across this iceberg-choked lake towards the face of this spectacular Glacier. Note the boat trip is weather reliant and the excursion with transfer costs US$180 (potential volume discounts on the transfer element of this excursion depending on final number of clients wishing to join).

Day 5
Today we will be enjoying some beautiful trails which cross the heart of the Park . Known as the 'up and over' our trail cuts through some incredibly diverse scenery from verdant green valleys and beech forests to azure lakes and wide open plains. We will see magnificent condors hovering high above mountain peaks while down on the plains herds of guanaco scatter as we approach. We will be surprised at every turn of our path as we cross over 30 kilometres of this amazing Patagonia riding country dominated by the Paine Horns and Towers after which the park is named. Finally, after a truly memorable ride we take a short vehicle transfer to our beautiful campsite beside the startlingly azure waters of Laguna Azul. This is one of the prettiest campsites in the park with camping lakeside on the sandy beach or further back among the beech tress on the soft grassy ground. Firepits and indoor dining in case of inclement weather. Hot showers, bathrooms, small shop.
Hours in the saddle approx 7-8.

Day 6
After packing up camp and loading up the pack horses we will set off on our exciting ride towards the Torres and Lago Paine. After skirting the lake, we will be heading north towards Laguna Stokes where a large natural vega or pasture exists and which attracts wild criollos from the surrounding hills to graze in the summer. With luck we may get to see these horses but please note the viewing is not guaranteed! There will be many excellent photo opportunities on this route as we pass through forests, pastures and the lake where Lady Florence Dixie first camped having sighted the Towers. Eventually we arrive at our remote campsite with beautiful mountain views. We will be camping riverside at Lago Paine. No showers.
Hours in the saddle: 4-5 - 5.

Day 7
After breakfast, we will be riding out to Lake and Glacier Dickson. Dickson is one of the more remote and rarely visited glaciers in the Park due to its inaccessibility - in our opinion it is also one of the prettiest. Our rides takes us past the northerly peaks of the Paine chain where one of the peaks is topped by a black, craggy rock in the shape of a Tuhuelche Indian Face where the 'headband' is decorated with snowdrifts even in summer. The trail then heads north passing ancient southern beech forests and scattered lakes before reaching our solitary perch and viewpoint above this beautiful lake and glacier. This will be our picnic spot for lunch - a truly memorable destination. In the afternoon we ride back to Lago Paine. No showers.
Hours in the saddle: 6-7.

Day 8
Today we will be riding eastwards towards the La Cumbre mountain range and the land belonging to Estancia Tercera by a different route. This is a beautiful ride through forests and flower filled meadows and southern beech forests. Lots of opportunities for long canters before once again riding onto the wide open pampas that surround the estancia. Our destination is the wooden refugio nestled in a small valley with beautiful views of the Towers and a charming Patagonian feel. Hot showers, accommodation in bunk beds in refugio.
Hours in the saddle: 7-8.

Day 9
After enjoying breakfast in our stunning location we will set off on an exciting and unique adventure into the hills and forests of the Sierra Contreras. Our destination is the pretty waterfall known as Cascada Zamora. After lunch we will ride out to a remote puesto mercardo riding up high over the pampas with views off to the Las Chinas Valley with the Sierra Baguales in the distance. Return to our camp at puesto Tercera for night. Hot showers. Bunk bed accommodation.
Hours in the saddle: 4-5.

Day 10
Pack up camp for our transfer back to Punta Arenas to arrive late afternoon. We will once again make a lunch stop in Puerto Natales and this will give clients an opportunity to purchase any souvenirs/books/postcards etc. Clients will be dropped off at the Hotel Rey Don Felipe in Punta Arenas at around 6p.m.
Transfer time: 5 hours.

Day 11
Departure after breakfast.

EXTEND YOUR TRIP

Travel Extension Santiago - Valparaiso : 4 days / 3 nights

We suggest you a short stop to Santiago del Chile to discover the beautiful capital of Chile located in the heart of the Andes.
Created in 1541 by Pedro de Valdivia, Santiago is crossed by the Rio Mapocho. Santiago is a very touristic city with lot of cultural monuments to visit : Palazio Real Audiencia, Santo Domingo church, palazio Real Casa de la Aduana....
We recommand you to stay 2 nights to Santiago and next drive to Valparaiso with a rental car to visit the famous house of Pablo Neruda or the beautiful precolombian arts museum.

See price details in our "rates & dates" chapter.

HORSES AND REQUIRED RIDING LEVEL

Horses
The horses are Criollo-cross and vary in size with the majority being between 14.0 and 15.2 hands. They are strong, fit, willing and sure-footed. We are able to provide good horses for both experienced riders and for riders who are more 'rusty'. The pace of the ride will be adjusted to suit the majority of riders but as we always travel with more than one riding guide, there is great deal of flexibility and riders soon find their own pace for the trip. Riders are not responsible for grooming or tack. Horses are constantly checked for injury and/or lameness and tiredness. Where necessary horses will be changed. Most clients will experience at least one horse change during the course of their riding days.

Tack
The tack is Chilean and comprises of metal framed saddles onto which is layered felt, sheepskin and leather. Rope, rawhide and leather form the bridles, girths, straps etc. The saddles provide adequate comfort for the long days riding and the stirrups consist of a leather cup through which the foot cannot pass. Most of the horses are ridden in simple snaffles. Halters are worn throughout the ride with rope tied around the horse's neck to tie up at lunch stops/rest stops etc.

Required riding level
Riders on riding trips need to be fairly experienced - able to control a horse on open ground at the canter.We prefer riders to be confident at walk, trot and canter.

Please read carefully our pratical information's page.

Weight limit on riding trips: 210 Pounds.

Age limit: 18 - 70 years unless on a custom or private departure. Younger riders need to be with an experienced/capable adult. They too need to be experienced riders (on riding trips) and have the stamina and attitude to complete a trip of this nature. We will request riders over 70 to complete a medical/suitability questionnaire before their booking is confirmed.

Please read carefully our pratical information.

YOUR GUIDES

The horses are owned by only one person, who doesn't plan himself the horse trekking. This concession systeme is organised by the Parc for all the activites to control the crowds in the parc. Our Partner on site deal with directly with the owner of the horses, since more than 10 years, he is the only specialist on horse trekking in this region ( usually, a lot of horse trekking specialist organise the trekking on the same itineray as the hikers with a rythm less sustained than our horse trekking, and with guide who are not formed for the horse trekking). Set in Puerto Natales, he is directly in the heart of the region, since 10 years now, he knows each path and each horse by heart. Either him or his wife are going with you for the horse trekking, helped by the Baqueanos who are friends for ages. There are staff to take care of the horses but of course if you want to help them you will be very welcome.

If for you "horse trekking" is not synonyme of stroll and you are a demanding person, we promise you, you will never forget this trek!

ACCOMMODATION

Accomodation
We use comfortable 3-man tents which are roomy, comfortable and able to withstand the sometimes high winds in the area. Accommodation is based on twin-share. If clients require single accommodation, we will make an extra charge per person

Some of the camping will be true "wilderness" style camping with the only washing facilities being in a river or lake. Showers are available during four out of the nine nights on the Glacier Ride.

Guests typically set up their own tents.

Food
Meals are varied and wholesome and include fresh salmon and local fish, pasta, chicken, beef, lamb and some local Chilean meals. Fresh salad is served every night. Local wine is served with dinner and all meals are prepared for guests. Packed lunches are prepared by the clients at breakfast and are carried with us. These consist of sandwiches (e.g. tuna, cheese, ham, peanut butter, salami), fresh fruit, trail mix, chocolate, biscuits, snacks etc. Clients are responsible for looking after their lunch boxes.
Breakfast is normally hot and cold cereals, toast, jams, marmalade, coffee, tea and juice. At times a cooked breakfast is served.
Vegetarians can be well catered for and clients should indicate their requirements at the time of booking.
A dining tent is carried for eating meals and cooking although sometimes we choose to eat in a camp 'shelter' or around the campfire (weather obviously permitting)!
Where possible, vehicle support is arranged. Supplies of bread, salad and fresh fruit are replenished.
On arrival at the campsite, wine and canapes are served giving clients ample time to relax while the evening meal is being prepared.
All meals are included. Wine is also included (generous though necessarily limited supplies!). Meals in Punta Arenas and lunches in Natales on transfer days are not included.

Please read carefully our pratical information.

Please see as well our trekking in estancias in the Torres del Paine Park.

DATES AND RATES

*To operate the tour with a minimum of 2 riders we ask a small group supplement that might be refunded partially or totally depending on the final number of riders in the group: +550 € for 2 riders group, +200 € for 3 riders group.

- Single tent/single room supplement : + 240 €
Supplement does not apply if you are prepared for sharing, even if we do not find another rider for sharing your accomodation.


Options (price per person)

Included:
- 2 nights in a 3 or 4 star hotel in Santigao city centre
- 1 night in a 3* hotel to Valparaiso or Vina del MAr
- breaksfasts
- 3 days rental car (cat B), based on 2 people sharing.

To add:
- Personal expenses: meals, drinks, oil...

- The horse trekking as mentionned above in bivouac accomodation and full board basis (chilean wine for diner ) from diner of day 2 to the breakfast of day 12,
- Group equipement (excluding sleeping bags and inflatable mastresses which can be rent on site),
- english and spanish speaker guide,
- assistance of "baqueanos" who take care of horses, pack horses carry the luggage, waterproof bags to protec your luggage,
- Entrance fees to go to the Park, and to see the penguins,

- flights to Punta Arenas. Please contact us to check the best available rate from your country.
- Return transfer Airport hotel in Punta Arenas (15$ for the outward and return and per taxi),
- The lunch of day 1, 2 and 11, the diner of day 1 and 11,
- any other services not mentioned in the program.
- The tips (usually between 50$ and 60 $ for the whole staff),
- Optional insurance: more information .

Please read carefully our pratical information.

BOOKING - INFORMATION

Contact Claire, the specialist for this destination

PRACTICAL INFORMATIONS

We operate our trips with a minimum of 2 (with extra fees) and a maximum of 12 clients.

Punta Arenas, connected with Santiago.

Formalities
Please check with your local ambassy.

Vaccination - health
No specific vaccinations. Don't forget your repatriation insurance.

We recommand to be update of usual vaccination, and especially tetanus..