The 15 Best Estancia & Gaucho Day Trips in Argentina

1.Gaucho and Ranch Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 809 reviews · 9 hours · from $168Our pick

Spend nine hours beyond Buenos Aires with a guide such as Victoria, Oriana, or Facundo, visiting San Antonio de Areco before heading to an estancia. Expect empanadas, horseback or carriage rides, a large asado, folk music, dancing, and, with the Premium option, a skilled gaucho horse demonstration.

“Victoria was a very nice and knowledgeable guide Enjoyed talking to her. She knew how to communicate with all 16 people The Ranch was amazing the atmosphere was just breathtaking every one in there costume outfit which felt very authentic Food fantastic more than enough Wine good quality Over all a great day.”

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2.Gaucho Day Trip from Buenos Aires: Santa Susana Ranch

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 272 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $313

Spend about eight hours trading Buenos Aires for Estancia Santa Susana near Los Cardales. Ride or take a carriage, tour the chapel and museum, eat an unlimited asado lunch with wine, and watch tango, folk dancing, boleadoras, and gaucho horse skills. Guides such as Sofia, Eileen, and Alan have earned praise for friendly service.

“Was a great day start to finish. Our guide, Eileen, and our driver were excellent. Very enjoyable. They accommodated a vegetarian on the trip - even in the meat loving experience of the gauchos.”

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3.Gaucho Experience: A Day Trip to Don Silvano Ranch

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 148 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $244

Spend about eight hours traveling from downtown Buenos Aires to Estancia Don Silvano for empanadas, a short horseback ride, asado lunch, folk music, dancing, mate, and gaucho horse games. Hotel pickup is included from central hotels, with guides such as Santiago and Soledad noted for warm, helpful service.

“Such a charming place. Beautiful grounds. Interesting antiques and authentic buildings. The people and activities were super. Santiago, our host and expert on many topics was completely enchanting. Worth every penny!!!”

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4.Estancia Cristina Mirador del Glaciar Upsala

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 122 reviews · 11 hours (approx.) · from $285

Spend a full day crossing Lake Argentino to remote Estancia Cristina, cruising past icebergs toward Upsala Glacier, touring a historic ranch, and choosing a 4x4 glacier viewpoint or Los Perros Waterfall walk. Hotel transfers, a guide, boat snacks, and lunch are listed as included.

“Great experience. Seeing floating icebergs was crazy and the historic ranch was so interesting. Be prepared for very cold wind and rain so pack a hat and rain poncho. Do the discovery tour over classic. The ride in the 4x4 gave us a break from the weather and the views from above were the highlight of the trip.The reason I'm not giving it a five is because there was so much travel time involved getting to the glacier that I wasn't expecting. l it was a total of more than 6 hours on bus and boat round trip but there is no other way to see this amazing glacier! Everything…”

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5.Full Day Tour of Cabo San Pablo and Estancia Pirinaica

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 93 reviews · 9 hours (approx.) · from $180Top rated

Travel from Ushuaia along National Route 3 and remote Route A to Cabo San Pablo, the leaning lighthouse, Desdémona shipwreck, and Estancia Pirinaica. Expect long vehicle stretches, a small group of up to 12, local fish dishes, ranch life, and guides such as Lucas.

“I really liked the beach and visiting the farm. Great people on my trip and the guides were helpful and kind. I would suggest a picnic snack on the beach and to stay a bit longer there. Nice place to relax.”

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6.The Real Gaucho Day Trip from Mendoza – Don Daniel Ranch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 60 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $290

Leave Mendoza at 8:30 am for Don Daniel’s ranch, where you’ll learn the mate ritual, eat homemade sopaipillas, and ride well-behaved horses into the Andes. The small-group outing includes about 3.5 hours on horseback, mountain lunch, bilingual guiding, and hotel transfers.

“Indico para os amantes da natureza. Deliciosamente exótico! Faria o passeio novamente. Uma emoção única! Deliciosamente exótico! Faria o passeio novamente. Uma emoção única!”

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7.Estancia 25 de Mayo Tour with Dinner & Transfer

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 52 reviews · 5 hours · from $109Best value

You’ll visit Estancia 25 de Mayo with a guide, watch sheepdogs work, see sheep shearing, taste regional treats, and dine at El Quincho. Martina has been praised for her clear English, while French-speaking visitors should know the tour may not include a French guide.

“De lo mejor. Fue una experiencia en la que explicaron muy detalladamente la faena con ovejas, desde cómo arrearlas con un perro, cómo clasificarlas, ver cómo esquilan una oveja y el proceso de hacer un hilo de lana. Degustar comida típica argentina y tomar café de carretera hasta disfrutar un baile típico con una excelente cena de cordero. Fue fabuloso”

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8.Tailor-made Day Tour to San Antonio de Areco & Estancia El Ombu

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 46 reviews · 9 hours (approx.) · from $270

Spend nine hours beyond Buenos Aires with a bilingual guide in San Antonio de Areco, Argentina’s gaucho heartland. Visit its parish, colonial town hall, silver museum, chocolate shop, and gaucho museum before heading to Estancia El Ombu for horseback or carriage riding, asado, music, dancing, and gaucho horsemanship.

“San Antonio de Areco is a beautiful city and worth seeing, we wett disappointed with Estancia Onbu. Even though the natural setting of the Estancia was beautiful, the food and the dance show were not up to par. We have been to Estancia Santa Susana on previous visits and the food, dancing, and Gaucho shows were much better.”

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9.Estancia Gaucho Day at Buenos Aires

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 43 reviews · 9 hours (approx.) · from $168

Travel from Buenos Aires to San Antonio de Areco and a traditional estancia for gaucho culture, silversmith craft, horseback riding, an Argentine barbecue, wine, folklore, and horse handling. Guides such as Carolina, Enrique, and Marcelo have earned praise for their care and clear explanations.

“This was the best organized Viator tour we have been on. The ranch horse riding, lunch and cultural dancing was wonderful. Our guide and driver were exceptional! One thing that needs to be corrected on the tour description is the requirement to bring passports. There is no reason to require passports and there is no situation where they would be needed or checked.”

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10.Estancia Don Silvano Tour with Lunch.

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 23 reviews · 8 hours · from $165

Travel from central Buenos Aires to Estancia Don Silvano, a 380-hectare ranch with Italian and Irish roots. Enjoy empanadas, wine, a Creole roast, singing, folk dancing, gaucho skill demonstrations, and an afternoon snack. Transport takes about 105 minutes each way.

“Ich hatte eine Private Fahrt. Top! Sichere, Aufmerksame und Vorausschauende Fahrerin, Jennifer 5⭐️für die Fahrten. Auf der Ranch , etwas kurze Reit-Tour, Wenig Spannende Atraktivitäten für den Preis . Essen viel zu viel , geschmacklich TOP 4⭐️+. Ciara hat Top Übersetzt und war auch sonst Unterhaltsam und eine Hervorragende Gastgeberin. Preisl-Leistung =mässig. Das Essen und der Wein haben es etwas gerettet. Unterhaltung während dem Essen , schön, interessant, umd mit viel Liebe , aufgeführt. Trotzdem würde ich es zu diesem Preis , nicht weiter empfehlen.”

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11.Don Silvano Ranch Gaucho Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 10 reviews · 8 hours · from $468

Travel from Buenos Aires to Estancia Don Silvano for an 8-hour gaucho day. Ride with a gaucho, eat grilled meats and empanadas, watch horse skills and folk dancing, try maté, and return around 5 p.m. English and Spanish guides, lunch, drinks, and hotel pickup are included.

“Had such a great time. A nice break from Buenos Aires. Learned a ton about Gaucho culture as well as Argentine traditions. The tour guide who took us there was so knowledgeable and friendly. Don Silvano kept feeding us and the food was delicious (especially the empanadas). The horse ride was so calming. Our guide at the ranch, Pablo was entertaining and so hospitable, as well as teaching us all things Gaucho and how to make a mate. The day wasn’t fast paced but a lot was crammed in. The lunch was never ending food and drink (wine). The music and dance show was excellent (they also make you dance).…”

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12.Full Day Gaucho Experience

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 9 reviews · 9 hours

Set out from Mendoza at 8:30 AM with a Spanish or English-speaking guide such as Joaquin, then drive through Cacheuta and Potrerillos to a family ranch. Enjoy mate and tortitas, ride for three hours toward 3,000 meters, and finish with an open-fire asado, wine, vegetables, and dessert.

“We booked a full day gaucho tour and it was the best decision ever. From pickup to drop off everything worked perfectly. The experience itself was just amazing and I recommend everyone not to miss out on this. You will be welcomed by the Gaucho and the guides on the farm and enjoy breakfast while the horses are being prepared. After that we rode the horses through amazing landscape if the andes to about an elevation of 3000 meters where we had an amazing barbecue. Then we started to make our way down again. Absolutely loved it and would do it again in a heartbeat.”

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13.Private Experience: Horseback Riding and BBQ in the Mountain – Estancia La Carrera

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 9 reviews · 8 hours · from $180

Gilda and her team take you from Mendoza to Estancia El Pico Palma in Tupungato for a private mountain ride on calm Criollo horses. A local gaucho leads the way, while a bilingual host explains the area. Finish with empanadas, an asado criollo, high-altitude wine, and mountain views.

“Gilda and her team provided an unforgettable experience. Riding through the stunning valley was a true highlight, and the delicious meal paired with excellent wine afterward made it even more special. The horses were calm, gentle, and clearly well-cared for, making the ride peaceful and enjoyable. This is an amazing way to take in the beauty of the Mendoza countryside. Highly recommended for anyone visiting the area. Thank you, Gilda, for such a memorable day!”

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14.Glacier Cruise & Trekking at Estancia Cristina

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 5 reviews · 12 hours · from $342

You’ll cruise Lago Argentino among icebergs, view the distant face of Upsala Glacier, then visit Estancia Cristina for a guided walk to the Caterina River, chapel, and former shearing shed museum. An English, Spanish, or Portuguese guide leads the day, with lunch included and park admission extra.

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15.Península Valdés with Estancia San Lorenzo (Full Day)

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 4 reviews · 10 hours · from $179

Travel from Puerto Madryn across UNESCO-listed Península Valdés to Puerto Pirámides, Caleta Valdés, Punta Norte, and Estancia San Lorenzo. You’ll see major wildlife sites, a huge Magellanic penguin colony, and may add whale watching from June to December.

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