Deep in the heart of Patagonia, at the southern tip of Argentina, gaucho guides saddle up to lead horseback adventures through dramatic mountain passes and over the endless rolling pampas.

Photograph by David De Vleeschauwer

Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.

Travel

Photo story: horseback adventures on the gaucho trail through southern Patagonia

Deep in the heart of Patagonia, at the southern tip of Argentina, gaucho guides saddle up to lead horseback adventures through dramatic mountain passes and over the endless rolling pampas.

Story and photographs byDavid De Vleeschauwer

Published September 13, 2023

• 5 min read

This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK).

Outfitter Jakotango offers horseback journeys through Argentine Patagonia, giving travellers a front-row seat to one of the last untamed places in the world. The adventure starts with a short journey from Bariloche, a town in the foothills of the Andes.

Photograph by David De Vleeschauwer

Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.

The Jakotango base camp, located on a reserve bordering Nahuel Huapi and Lanín national parks, is a welcoming refuge; in the timber log cabins, wood-fired heaters and open fires chase away chilly nights. Guests ride out from here on Criollos, the native horses of the Pampas grasslands.

Photograph by David De Vleeschauwer

Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.

Left: The further south riders travel, the more remote and disconnected from the modern world it feels. There are no roads here, and the gaucho lifestyle is both simple and intense.

Right: Jakob von Plessen was born and raised in the Argentine Pampas and acquired his outdoor skills during his formative years, spending time with gauchos and mastering the arts of cattle management and training and understanding wild horses. Here, he drinks wine from a leather pouch after a day in the saddle.

Photographs by David De Vleeschauwer

Close to base camp, the riders pause by a river. All the gauchos are clad in traditional dress. The attire typically consists of a heavy woollen poncho, a facon (large knife), a rebenque (leather whip) and loose trousers known as bombachas. Gauchos were originally nomadic horsemen who roamed the pampas of Argentina and Uruguay in the early 1800s, sharing a profound bond of respect and trust. Horses are still indispensable for many aspects of traditional life in Patagonia, such as shepherding livestock to green pastures in remote valleys where there are no roads.

Photograph by David De Vleeschauwer

Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.

Lunch, served on the porch of base camp, is a well-earned interlude following the morning ride — a chance to refuel with a spread of salads, local delicacies and empanadas, with meals mainly cooked over the fire and accompanied by local Malbec

Photograph by David De Vleeschauwer

Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.

Left: Italian-born gaucho Alberto Rossi takes a break at one of the tented wilderness camps after a day of riding. Alberto doubles as Jakotango’s cook, managing the parilla (grill) where traditional Argentine food is prepared.

Right: Dinners usually involve robust portions of perfectly grilled lamb, always washed down with generous amounts of red
wine.

Photographs by David De Vleeschauwer

Even the Criollo horses take advantage of this downtime, as they prepare for another long ride the following day.

Photograph by David De Vleeschauwer

Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.

Published in the September 2023 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK).

To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only).

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