A 10-day journey through Northern Patagonia, April 2026

My trip began in April 2026. It was the last tour on offer that year. I was already incredibly excited, and finally the journey began. In South America, autumn is already beginning at this time of year and, as expected, nature’s wonderful play of colours was on display in all its splendour. I arrived in Pucón two days before the tour began. This allowed me to settle in quietly. Pucón is about a 1.5-hour drive from Temuco Airport. A lovely little lakeside town that’s perfect for strolling through the narrow streets, browsing the shops, enjoying leisure activities such as hiking, or simply savouring an aperitif or a delicious meal. Always with a beautiful view of the famous active volcano, ‘Villarica’. You can also climb it on guided tours, by the way. Pucón reminded me of a ‘ski resort’ village with its wooden cottages and very charming architecture. As it was no longer peak season, I generally didn’t encounter large crowds at any point during my trip. This meant I didn’t need to book leisure activities in advance either. I went on a trip to the ‘Las Termas Geométricas’ thermal springs. These are just under two hours’ drive from Pucón. I’d simply booked it through Getyourgide, so I didn’t need to hire a car. I was picked up right from the hotel. It was absolutely worth it and very relaxing.

On Sunay, we finally set off and I was picked up by Mara from the Antilco Ranch. She recently took over the business from her father. Mathias (originally from Germany) had built up the Antilco Ranch over the years and had now handed it over to the best possible hands. Mara, who grew up in the business from a young age, is now running the operation skilfully and bringing a breath of fresh air to it. I received a warm welcome. The cabins where we stayed were superbly equipped. A wood-burning stove provided cosy warmth. A platter of snacks and an aperitif were already waiting on the table. One by one, my fellow travellers began to arrive. There were four of us in the group. We got to know each other a little better over a freshly cooked dinner together. Once again, I was lucky enough to meet some wonderfully sociable and lovely travelling companions. We were briefed on the equipment and the horses. The Chilean Criollo horses are incredibly hardy, powerfully built and impress with their tremendous stamina. The saddles were very comfortable. On the first day, we went for a trial ride to get to know the horses. The landscape is simply breathtaking even at this early stage. At that point, I had no idea what was still to come. After we were served a lovely, fresh and varied breakfast, we set off. First, however, the horses were loaded onto the trailer and we were driven by bus to the starting point.Alexandra, the logistics wizard and a long-standing member of staff at the camp, transported our luggage. During the tour, she assisted our guides Katie and Steven. On certain evenings, she conjured up fantastic culinary delights, whether over the fire or on the hob, and brought us fresh clothes, extra food and wine.


The tour:
Guide Katie assigned the horses. In my opinion, the horses were matched to the participants perfectly. The right horse for every personality. It was a pleasure to ride the handsome gelding Melian. Once saddled up and loaded with heavy saddlebags and riders, the tour set off. From a remote gravel road, the route led onto narrow footpaths, where the horses soon faced their first ‘climb’. The landscape is like something out of a picture book. The leaves are turning shades of orange and yellow. The water in the rivers and lakes is crystal clear – and, of course, even more picturesque when the weather’s on our side. And it certainly was! We didn’t see a single drop of rain throughout the whole tour. Which is rather unusual, as anything is possible in Patagonia, especially in autumn – from snow to rain to sunshine. The paths led mainly through private land and sections of the national parks, which gave us that absolute feeling of freedom. No hiking groups or crowds of tourists. The plants and trees that have been growing and thriving there for millennia are impressive. I felt as though I were in another era. The sure-footed horses led us down slopes that I couldn’t have imagined were rideable. Simply incredible. We stopped for lunch at spots like lakes or streams, where a dip offered a welcome refreshment. As Katie and Steven even prepared our lunch for us, it really was an utterly relaxing holiday. No cooking, no saddling up the horses – just pure enjoyment. We spent an average of 6–8 hours in the saddle each day and were then delighted to make use of the fantastic facilities at our accommodation. Splashing about in the natural pool, heated by the volcano. Or relaxing in the hot tub. In Chile, we only spent one night in a tent. We were told this varies depending on the tour. However, as the nights do get very cold, we were glad to stay in guesthouses or small cabins on several occasions. After enjoying an exceptionally lavish BBQ on our last evening in Chile and being fortified the next morning with yet another superbly hearty breakfast, we set off for the border area. One last ride on the wonderful horses of the Antilco Ranch. As soon as the border post came into view, the transporter arrived. The horses were unsaddled, given a good pat, bid farewell to, and then loaded onto the lorry. There wasn’t much time to miss the horses, as the next ones were already waiting 30 metres further on, on the other side of the border post. Once the paperwork was sorted, it was time to say goodbye to Katie, Steven and Alexandra, who had supported us so ably through the first few days.

Hola Argentina! Once we’d arrived on the other side, we were greeted by seven curious horses and two guides: José Maria, who was celebrating his birthday that very day, and his son Alvaro. It was then time to be assigned our horses and mount up. I was introduced to ‘Unicorno’ – a strong, playful horse that I really enjoyed riding. The Argentine horses were slightly longer-legged than the Criollos, but nonetheless very hardy and strong, and equally good-natured. José Maria himself rode a horse that was a cross with a Shire horse. The two guides were assisted by Álvaro’s brother and another José, a friend of the family. We spent the night in tents that had already been pitched for us. Pure luxury. The Antilco Ranch has only recently started working with José Maria from Moquehue. However, I am delighted to report that the tour is run with absolute passion and, thanks to Álvaro’s English translation, there is no language barrier. In terms of landscape, the Argentine side was rather flat with endless expanses, which also lent itself to a few gallops. As we were reunited with our luggage every evening, there was no need to carry heavy saddlebags. Alongside the flat terrain, however, there were also streams and woods which we rode through. The vegetation differed from that on the Chilean side. It wasn’t as densely overgrown as before, but there was still plenty of greenery. An absolute highlight was the view across the entire lake landscape from the summit of a volcano. Culinary delights were provided by the boss himself. Skilfully, and just as in all the Silverstone Ranch series he’d watched, José Maria cooked everything over an open fire. The nights in the tent were cool, but this wasn’t a problem with warm layered clothing. The view of the starry sky, free from light pollution, was also incredible. Our final night was spent at the ranch on Lago Moquehue. The weather was warm and sunny, perfect for canoeing. A panoramic view of the highest order. Finally, after everyone had freshened up and enjoyed a hot shower, we gathered in the guest house for a farewell dinner together. A huge BBQ over an open fire – a so-called ‘asado’. Naturally, vegetarian preferences were also catered for. What’s more, there were plenty of side dishes to accompany every balanced meal. And a dessert was never to be missed for the South Americans with a sweet tooth. Dulce de leche caramel spread was even a treat for breakfast. After saying goodbye to the horses and José Maria, Alvaro drove us back to the border, where we had to fill in some more paperwork to re-enter Chile. The journey to the border took just under 20 minutes. Mara welcomed us back and then took us to Temuco Airport.


I stayed in Pucón for another two days before continuing my journey through South America. But this horse-riding adventure in Northern Patagonia is highly recommended and was certainly an absolute highlight of my riding tours so far. As I didn’t want to have travelled all the way to South America just for two weeks, I continued my journey through the Patagonia region. In total, I spent another two weeks discovering the most wonderful natural spots I have ever seen. I marvelled at the endless expanses, the wildlife and the mountain peaks. There was the famous ‘Fitz Roy’ mountain range, which also features on the Patagonia clothing brand’s logo, and the icy landscape of the Perito Moreno Glacier. So if you have the chance to extend your trip, you should definitely do so

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