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The Jakotango Trail Ride , Patagonia, Argentina

... discovering a breathtaking  wilderness from the saddle ....

P info

Practical information:

Good to know before you go

Riding level:

Suitable for intermediate to experienced riders. You should be confident on a horse at all paces.

Group Size:

Minimum 06 riders

Maximum 08 riders
 

​Weight:

Riders weight limit: 95 Kg

Non-Riders:

We will take non-riders but this should be discussed with us first. Non-riders may have to stay at Base Camp on their own whilst the others camp out.

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  • Horses: Predominantly the Argentine ‘criollo’ horse crossed with Quarter Horse, Thoroughbred and Percheron. Jakotango is operating a breeding program to produce the ideal mountain-safari horse and has imported the first Noriker stallion from Austria into the country to cross with Criollo mares.

  • Saddles: comfortable Gaucho saddles Argentine ‘recado’ saddles with sheepskins and traditional, rawhide bridles. All of our horses are trained to neck-rein.

  • Guides: professional and multilingual guides – Tripleader: Jakob Von Plessen / Jakotango..

  • International Passport: Required for most foreigners (still 6 months valid).

  • Visa:  most European and Latin American citizens do not need a visa to travel to Argentina. Contact the Argentina Embassy in your country.

  • Vaccinations: not mandatory but recommended (consult your physician)

  • Age: We will accept children on riding safaris but they must be competent riders and up for an adventure. There is a half-price discount for children under 12 years old.

  • Gateway: Fly in and out to Bariloche ( BRC ).
    The meeting point for these rides is San Carlos de Bariloche in the Argentine Lake District. You will first need to fly Internationally to Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina and then take a domestic flight to Bariloche.   

Are you alone?

Do not worry, you can individually register/book and join in a group with other riders. Most participants are people who register individually and may just like you, not know the other riders in your group. Since everyone has the same points of interest (horseback riding, nature, travel, culture) there is always a good atmosphere and understanding among the participants. Participants come from all corners of the world, so you can be part of a group with riders from the United Kingdom, Belgium, Spain, France, Sweden, Canada, USA, Australia, Brazil and many others countries. Your friends are suddenly so much more international! :) A standard group consists of 8 riders. In general there are as many female as male participants.

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The riding:

Trailride, 7 days on horseback, riding from one place to the Other. 3 to 8 hours per day in the saddle. In the mountains, we will reach places otherwise inaccessible but for on horseback. The area is totally wild, rugged and unspoiled; you may find it challenging. If you suffer badly from vertigo, we do not recommend you join us on the mountain peaks. There are steep climbs on horseback and sometimes, for your own safety, you may be required to walk yourself. Down in the valleys there are green pastures, beech forests, crystalline rivers and lakes.

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Accommodation:

A week’s safari with Jakotango will see you stay in three different types of accommodation – Base Camp, our mountain fly camps and a gaucho’s farmstead. Jakotango Base Camp is situated on the banks of Río Filo Huahum, set within 12,000 hectares of private land bordering the Nahuel Huapi and Lanin National Parks.

 

The camp is formed of four luxury African safari tents, with en-suite bathrooms, and the ‘quincho’ – a beautiful log cabin that serves as our dining room and bar. The tents are spacious but cozy, with wood-burning stoves lit morning and evening. When up in the mountains we stay in fly camps, and a ride will typically include two nights camping. The fly camps are basic, made up of dome tents each with sleeping bags, cots and mattresses. There are no showers but fresh mountain springs to wash your face and hands in and, the following day, we always return to a hot shower. Any luxuries missing up in the mountains are made up for with good food, good wine and great adventure.

 

Finally, we end the week at Felipe’s House which is only accessible by horse or by boat. In terms of comfort, consider it between fly camping and Base Camp; there are spacious and comfortable safari-style tents and shared bathrooms set within the corrals of Felipe’s farmstead. We are cooked and cared for by Felipe and his family, congregating in an ancient barn that has been converted into a kitchen and dining room.

 

A typical safari sees an itinerary of: 2 nights at Base Camp, 1 night at El Buque Fly Camp, 2 nights back at Base Camp, 1 night at Felipe’s Fly Camp and the final night at Felipe’s House. However, this itinerary is subject to change, depending on the weather.

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Laundry:

Laundry will be available on one day of your safari, typically when you have returned to Base Camp after your first-night camping at El Buque Fly Camp.

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Weather in Patagonia and during the riding:

Spring (until Dec 21) + Summer ( as from Dec 21)

We start the season in November with the arrival of spring, and end our rides in the final week of February when autumn begins. Depending on how harsh the winter has been, early in the season, we can sometimes find ourselves riding in snow. Should there be a lot of snow, we may not be able to fly camp but instead ride between Base Camp and Felipe’s House, opening up the routes in between and pioneering paths through the mountains. The weather in Patagonia can be very variable with temperatures ranging from 30ºC to -2ºC, and strong winds can make it feel even cooler. Please come prepared for all conditions – hot days under a strong sun; cold nights when you will want thermal layers; and it is always best to be prepared for wind and rain. Most of our guests enjoy good weather all week but please be prepared for the possibility of four seasons in one day. Layers are key and will allow you to prepare for all forecasts. We will provide you with saddle bags so you that can always carry extra layers whilst out on rides, as well as ponchos to keep warm.

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Wildlife:

In Patagonia, there are (amongst others) red deer, wild boar, puma and an abundance of bird life. We are fortunate to regularly see condors on our rides; they are usually very curious, swooping down to within only a few metres of our horses to investigate.

Luggage: 

We do not have a luggage limit but, please note, on some domestic flights there is a 15kg (33lb) per person luggage restriction. Should you wish to bring more, please be aware that you may be asked by your airline to pay a fee..

Safety: 

Argentina is one of the safest countries in Latin-America, on the trail ride there is no need to worry at all!

Language:

No worries, local trip leaders are bilingual English-Spanish and will help and translate with pleasure where needed. Trips are always fun as we all speak the same equestrian language.

Health: 

Argentina is in general a safe country in terms of health. You can easily eat and drink anything without being stomach bothered. Eating raw vegetables, salads and ice-creams are generally no problem.A medical kit and a satellite phone for emergencies is on hand in camp and in our saddlebag. We are mainly in remote places in the Andes and may, at times, have limited access to medical support. All of our guides have First Aid training. Please advise us of any allergies or relevant medical history.

travel gear...

  • Warm jacket

  • Riding hard hat 

  • Riding boots and chaps

  • Rain gear / waterproof coat

  • Gloves 

  • Warm hat

  • Jockey goggles (for if it is very windy)

  • Buff / scarf (to cover your face if it is windy, 

  •  sunny or dusty)

  • Fleece

  • Thermal underwear, thermal long johns, 

  •  long-sleeved thermal tops and ski-type socks 

  • Riding trousers

  • Long-sleeved cotton shirts

  • Short-sleeved T-shirts

  • Trainers

  • Flip flops

  • Swimming costume

  • Sun hat

  • Sun glasses

  • Sun block

  • Lip balm with SPF

  • Wet wipes (handy for camping)

  • Head torch

  • Water bottle

  • Camera

  • Power bank (to charge phones and cameras when at Fly Camps or Felipe’s House)

 

* Should you wish to dress like a local for your ride, we are happy to recommend places in BuenosAires to buy ponchos and the traditional gaucho boinas (beret), bombachas (riding trousers) and alpargatas (espadrilles) - all essential items in a gaucho’s wardrobe.

 

travel insurance:

We request you take a travel Insurance. Ask your local insurance company or travel agent about it. You will not be allowed to participate at the “Entre Orejas” riding holiday program without having a Personal Travel & Medical Insurance. Your insurance details will be requested on arrival.


trip cancellation insurance recommended:

In order to protect yourself against unforeseen circumstances interfering with your “Entre Orejas” vacation, we demand that you purchase trip cancellation insurance. You can use any travel insurance company you are comfortable with.

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release agreement:

The “Entre Orejas” guests are required to sign a release agreement at the time of check-in. This is mandatory and guests cannot participate in the tour without signing the release agreement (all moneys paid are non-refundable). Please feel free to read the release agreement prior to your arrival: please download the form here. Parents or legal guardians of minor children are required to sign the release agreement on their children’s behalf. Please direct all questions to the office.

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  • Currency: 

The peso (established as the peso convertible) is the currency of Argentina, identified by the symbol $ preceding the amount in the same way as many countries using dollar currencies. It is subdivided into 100 centavos. Its ISO 4217 code is ARS.
1 USD = approx : 103 Peso (Dec 2021)
1 EURO = approx : 115 Peso (Dec 2021)
1 GBP =  approx : 138 Peso (Dec 2021)
Cash dispensers can be found in all towns and cities.
In the cities you can pay with credit cards. (Visa, Mastercard, Maestro, American Express, ...)
 

  • The Electricity and plugs:   https://www.power-plugs-sockets.com/ar/argentina/  

  • Power supplies and Wifi:  
    Base Camp runs off solar energy, providing enough power to charge cameras, phones and provide electric lighting and WiFi within the tents and quincho. However, it is unable to sustain any devices that generate heat (e.g hairdryers) so please don’t bring those with you. There is no power at the Fly Camps or at Felipe’s House so we recommend you bring portable power banks to charge your devices.

  • Mobile phone:  In towns and villages there is mobile phone coverage everywhere. During the riding trip full time coverage is not guaranteed.

  • Internet: In most towns and villages there is Internet access at the hotels. During the riding itself there is almost no internet access.

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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 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!

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