General Info

Experience beaches, historic cities, gaucho culture and horseback riding through the rolling grasslands of the small, culturally rich country of Uruguay in South America on this all inclusive 9 day, 8 night tour, which takes riders to two different family-owned estancias, as well as sightseeing in the capital city of Montevideo, to Uruguay’s oldest town Colonia de Sacramento and to the beach area of Punta del Este on the vibrant coast. Brazil, Argentina and a long Atlantic coastline of beautiful beaches border Uruguay, which is slightly smaller than the state of Washington. Uruguay’s population of around 3.4 million people is vastly overshadowed by its population of cattle, sheep and horses. Ranches, known here as estancias, are sprinkled throughout the country.

Local guide and estancia owner Alicia Morales, will lead you to Uruguay’s top attractions, as well as horse riding at her eco-friendly ranch, La Salamora, located between Montevideo and Punta del Este. If you visit La Salamora, you’ll likely see vast expanses of greenery and bright blue skies, but something you won’t view are power lines. La Salamora garners its electricity from wind power. Alicia also contributes to the environment by participating in two programs sponsored by GEF and World Bank for the protection local biodiversity. Alicia is dedicated to sharing her love of Uruguay’s unique history and culture with guests by leading them to area historic sites on her beloved Criollo horses, a hardy breed native to South America. The ranch has natural spring water, volcanic rock formations, the Neandu (the Uruguayan version of an Emu/Ostrich), which you might see Alicia feeding in the morning, and old settlement history. You might ride to the mystical Windy Hills at sunset, a local cattle auction, where Alicia will shed light on Uruguay’s past, or an ancient area of stone cones. Enjoy trying lots and lots of local food and mate a local tea at this small five room ranch. Alicia works to make guests feel at home in her home.

Also visit a second estancia, El Charabon, owned by a local artist, Graciela, and her husband Jorge Zuasnabar, whose family has been dedicated to rural activities for three generations. At this 2000 acre working ranch in the hills of Rocha, you might get to join the gauchos in a cattle activities such as branding, milking, herding and others or take a day ride to the beach. The rolling hills are comprised of open spaces for the ranch’s 650 Hereford cattle, 500 Hampshire Down sheep and 30 horses, and quiet streams and forests of tall eucalyptus trees. Birdwatchers will want to be on the lookout for the unique birds of Uruguay, an attraction at this estancia. This intimate nine-room estancia is decorated with Graciela’s gaucho and rural inspired art and also has a pool, playroom with billiards and a small shop selling locally made products. Food is abundant and Graciela will certainly make you feel welcome in her estancia.

Uruguay Estancia Tour- All Inclusive- 9 days/ 8 nights- Novice to Advanced

Awards & Accolades
Uruguayan Rural Society

Both estancias will appear in Equitrekking’s Uruguay episode, debuting fall 2010. Watch for guide Alicia Morales in this episode, as she takes Darley to Montevideo, beaches, and riding to historic sites from her eco-friendly ranch. Alicia can take you to these same spots on your Uruguay vacation. Alicia, La Salamora’s owner, studied rural topics and ecotourism at the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina and also in Uruguay. She is well versed in Uruguayan history. Her husband Daniel is a veterinarian. La Salamora’s gaucho, Gilberto, is in charge of the ranch’s sheep and cattle. Gilberto’s story is not unlike many other gauchos, who until recently lived a traditional nomadic lifestyle, herding their livestock and sleeping with his saddle as a pillow under the starts. He now lives in a small house at the ranch and still works the cattle and sheep.

 

Packing

Besides our Equitrekking Travel's General Packing Suggestions, make sure to bring sunscreen, as the sun is intense in Uruguay. You’ll also want to pack a bathing suit for this trip, as El Charabon Estancia has a pool.

About the Horses

One of the owners of La Salamora’s Estancia is a veterinarian, so they have private care for all of their 14 Criollo horses. El Charabon, the other estancia on your tour, has around 30 Criollo and mixed breed horses.

Activities/Events

Area Activities
La Salamora Estancia: On or around the 20th of each month, there is a cattle auction about an hour and a half horseback ride from La Salamora. If you travel there during this time, Alicia will take you on a ride to the auction.

Non-riders: hike the area’s historic trails, bird watching, sightseeing and other rural tasks.

El Charabon Estancia: cattle drives, bird watching, swimming in the pool or at the nearby beach. Santa Teresa National Park, an 18th century fort is nearby. The protected dunes of Cabo Polonio. Punta del Diablo, a fishing village, La Paloma, La Pedrera and Punta del Este.
 

Accommodations/Food

Accommodations
Both El Charabon and La Salamora are small, family run estancias. La Salamora has five double bedrooms, all with central heating and en-suite bathrooms. Rooms are traditionally decorated, as is the main lodge, which features art, antiques and handmade Uruguayan goods. The main lodge has a large open area with a dining table, kitchen equipped with the Parilla, a big grill, and living area with big wood fire, plenty of seating and local information such as guidebooks for birdwatchers, and books on the wildlife and flora you may see on the property. There is a large deck running around the main lodge with seating so that you can enjoy views of the rolling hills.

El Charabon has nine rooms, each with private bath and comfortable beds. Five of these are of the superior category. Superior rooms have air conditioning, refrigerators with bars. The ranch has two living rooms, a playroom, small shop selling local handmade goods, billiards, DirecTV, Wi-Fi and central heating. El Charabon also has a big Parilla for grilling meat.

Food
La Salamora and El Charabon offer three meals per day consisting of international and local cuisine and snacks. Breakfast might include orange juice, coffee, tea, milk, yogurt, fruit, butter, marmalade, toast, cakes, cereal and bread. Your afternoon aperitif or snack may include cheese, salami, olives, bread and Uruguayan beverages or tea, coffee, homemade cakes, cookies and toast. Lunch / dinner may include homemade soup or salads, barbecue beef, pork, lamb or chicken and homemade desserts. La Salamora and El Charabon can accommodate vegetarians and those with special diets with advance notice.

Drinks
Alcohol is not included in your trip price, except for some afternoon aperitifs at La Salamora. Outside there is a deck that runs around the entire building and a seating area which overlooks the rolling hills, perfectly situated for sampling Alicia’s homemade copatine or JuJu, a type of cane alcohol (like cachaca from Brazil) mixed with various local fruits and herbs and left to sit for several months. It is a Uruguayan delicacy best enjoyed with local chorizo, cheese, olives and home-prepared mushrooms; all of which are also provided. You may want to try mate, a special type of Uruguayan tea. Beer and wine is available from La Salamora’s private cellar for an additional cost. Alcohol is available for an additional fee as well at El Charabon.
 

The Ideal Traveler

Curious about new cultures, the environment and its biodiversity. Likes to travel and wants to experience a diverse selection of riding and sightseeing, while getting to know Uruguay.

Uruguay Estancia Tour All Inclusive

Dates & Rates for 2010:
9 Days/ 8 Nights
starting at $2109 per person double occupancy*

Oct 11-19, Oct 25- Nov 2, Nov 8-16, Nov 22-30, Dec 6-14
Please email us if you have a group of two, four or more and would like to request your own special dates!

(flights on Sundays and the trip in Uruguay runs Mondays to Tuesdays)

* This tour price includes: Airport transfers and guide to drive you throughout the country. (you need not rent a car for this trip) Bilingual guide, museum entrance fees, city tours, hotel in Montevideo, full board at La Salamora Country Lodge and El Charabon’s estancias, Information – maps – brochures, personalized attention, all meals. Alcohol and drinks are not included. Please note a 4% addtional fee for credit card charges.

Day 1- Explore Montevideo
Arrive to Montevideo’s Carrasco International Airport. You’ll be picked up at the airport and transferred to your hotel in Montevideo. This afternoon you’ll meet your personal, English speaking guide Alicia, who will be with you for much of the trip, on your Montevideo city tour. Tonight, you have the option to attend a show downtown, which is approximately 1.5 hours and features tango, country music and candombe, a special drum-based Uruguayan music. This show is optional, as some travelers may be tired. (ticket price for the show is not included in trip price)

 

Day 2- Colonia del Sacramento
In the morning, you’re off to Colonia del Sacramento in Southwest Uruguay. This is one of the most beautiful old cities in Uruguay. Declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, the historic quarter with its 17th century cobblestone streets is a great place to explore on foot. You’ll have lunch in Colonia del Sacramento (included in trip price). After lunch, head to La Salamora, your first estancia. This comfortable, eco-friendly ranch is run entirely by wind power and has been lovingly decorated by Alicia, the owner. Alicia’s husband Daniel is a veterinarian and they raise cattle and sheep on their ranch. Dinner and night at La Salamora.

 

Day 3- Windy Hills Ride
After breakfast, you’ll start getting used to the Criollo horses, a South American breed, by horse riding inside the ranch. Alicia will take you on horseback to a historic lime oven dating back to 1780, and then up into the hills for panoramic area views. (Riding time- Approx 3 hours)

Back at the estancia, enjoy an aperitif and lunch. You’ll have some time to rest before the afternoon ride. In the afternoon, ride horses to the Windy Hills to take magnificent pictures of the region. At night before dinner, enjoy an aperitif with homemade snacks and have time to relax. 

Day 4- Stone Cone Valley
After breakfast, ride to Valle del Hilo de la Vida, a very special valley where the aborigines of Uruguay constructed around 100 stone cones. Here you’ll have the chance to learn about these special monuments, which face the same direction on the side of a hill, and are a sort of mystery. The place is thought to have a lot of special energy. The owners themselves will give a tour (approx 1 hour) and tell you more about this mystical place. Lunch is back at the ranch or by a stream in middle of an area of native woods. Discover a different trail on the way back to the estancia, where you’ll have a tasty aperitif and homemade dinner.



Day 5- Waterfalls, Native Flora and Birds
After breakfast, travel along the top of the hills on old wagon trials, discovering wonderful hidden places, waterfalls, native flora and birds.  Lunch will be waiting for you in the middle of the hills. After the journey back at the ranch, you will have time to enjoy an aperitif, and share the experiences of the day before a homemade dinner. 

Day 6- Beach Tour
After breakfast, you’ll leave La Salamora for your next estancia, El Charabon, stopping first in Piriapolis and Punta del Este, famous South American beach resort towns. Piriapolis was created as a resort area at the beginning of last century by a visionary man called Piria. There are beautiful beaches and wonderful views of the River Plate and the Atlantic Ocean.

Next, you’ll visit Casa Pueblo Museum, created by Uruguayan artist and architect Carlos Paez Vilaró (entrance fee included).  Here you will have the chance to get closer to this artist, learn about his life, art and visit his house and atelier and the museum shop. Leaving Casa Pueblo, you’ll head to Punta Del Este, the most glamorous resort in South America. Lunch in this elegant, expensive resort town is included.  You’ll do a city tour (approx 2 hours) visiting the most remarkable points of Punta Del Este and then continue on to El Charabon, your next estancia. Dinner at El Charabon.

Day 7- Working Ranch Activities
Enjoy breakfast, lunch, dinner and afternoon tea with snacks at El Charabon, a 2000 acre working estancia that raises Hereford cattle and Hampshire Down sheep. El Charabon is located very close to the Atlantic Ocean and the beach. Today you’ll enjoy a variety of rural tasks on horseback with El Charabon’s gaucho, perhaps cattle activities like herding, branding and milking. The schedule can be created to suite your desires. You may also want to spend time relaxing by the pool or bird watching.

Day 8- Beach Ride
After breakfast, riders head out for a ride to the beach. It's a four hour ride across three neighboring estancias to the low key fishing village of La Pedrera. The reward is a picnic lunch and miles of dune-backed sands to gallop across, as well as crashing surf. The coast here is wild and almost deserted.

Day 9- Depart
After breakfast and depending on your schedule, you will be transferred to Montevideo’s Airport for a flight home.

* Please note that this itinerary is flexible and subject to changes and revisions based on the weather and other unforeseen circumstances.
 

Related Blog Posts

Uruguay- La Salamora Castle Ride

A castle in Uruguay, you might ask? Well yes. Just over the hill from La Salamora lies a stone castle built in 1928 by an eccentric lottery winner. Why he decided to build a castle amid the rolling grasslands of Uruguay surrounded by cattle is why I am labeling him… Read more »

Uruguay- Montevideo

We just arrived to the small South American country of Uruguay, after flying about three hours from DC to Miami and then 9 hours from Miami to Montevideo. I slept on the plan, thankfully, which I almost never do. Alicia, a guide to owns La Salamora, an estancia that we… Read more »

Uruguay- Morning Mate

This morning I enjoyed a drinking a morning mate with Alicia at La Salamora. No, not latte, mate, the national drink of Uruguay. Mate (pronounced mah- tay) is like a tea and to me it tasted like an oolong or green tea, if you have ever had that. It is… Read more »

Uruguay- Torta Frita Recipe

Estancia El Charabon is a lovely working ranch in Rocha owned by husband and wife couple Jorge and Graciela Zuasnabar. Graciela is an artist, whose work populates the walls inside the estancia, giving it a unique, eclectic feel. We arrived in the rain to find Graciela, who gave us a… Read more »

Uruguay - Stone Cone Ride

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Uruguay Gaucho Culture

By Darley Newman, as published in True West magazine   As a sudden rainstorm passed, I was glad to have on the wool poncho that Jorge let me borrow for the early morning ride to gather cattle and move them to another pasture.Uruguay is a small South American country (population… Read more »

Traveler Reviews

Fernando, El Charabon's gaucho, is the real deal: tanned with a pointed black beard, leather chaps, knife at the waist, leather boots and hat. It's his job to take guests riding through the hills as well as looking after the stock...

The estancia overlooks wetlands, lagoon and forest – part of an important biosphere reserve. Wading on horseback through the shallows later with Sanguinetti, the ranch gaucho, we spotted black-necked swans, spoonbills, egrets, herons and storks.

A 15-mile stretch of the banks of the lagoon is also the site of the only ombú forest in the world. Ombú trees, which can live for 500 years, are found in Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and elsewhere in Uruguay – but this is the only place where you will find more than one or two together.

- Lucy Gillmore, The Independent

The principle activity is horse riding and most guests avail themselves of this with the help of an imposing gaucho (Fernando). The estancia can accommodate up to 20 guests but, it being the end of summer, there were only, at most, 6 guests when we were there. We were content to take in the tranquil atmosphere of the surroundings and go on a walk over the fields. The estancia is so located that it seems remote from everything and everybody - there is no sign of any other human habitation in looking over the pampas. Four meals a day are included, breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, and dinner. We struggled valiantly to eat all the delicious food cooked by two charming young chefs. Those of you who know us will understand when I say that we were up to the task. Joan is threatening starvation rations when we return to Chicago!

-- John's review of El Charabon

Reading List

You know you’ve found a hidden gem when there aren’t even guidebooks available for the country when you travel there! Uruguay is a small, charming country with a still vibrant gaucho culture, great food and welcoming people. I felt like I was getting a genuine estancia experience in Uruguay and am excited to go back and ride again.

-- From Equitrekking Travel founder and Emmy winning host Darley Newman.

General Guidebook
Uruguay (Lonely Planet CUSTOM Guide) (Paperback) by Gregor Clark

The first ever Lonely Planet guidebook was stapled together at a kitchen table. We're keeping that spirit alive with CUSTOM guides - sections of our most popular books combined to fit your trip. Uruguay is delightfully low-key and surprisingly diverse, but you won’t find a guidebook for it - until now. This custom guide, made up of chapters selected from Lonely Planet's Argentina guidebook, covers Uruguay, including cosmopolitan Montevideo and the wilder outer reaches. We've also included buzzing Buenos Aires because, let's face it, you're in the area already – why not take in the Buenos Aires blend of old-world languor and contemporary attitude? Sound like your kind of thing? Then this is the CUSTOM guide for you.

This book includes: Maps and detailed information to help you explore every corner of Uruguay. Chunky coverage of Buenos Aires: where to stay, where to eat, what to see. A language chapter that covers all the essential travel phrases in Argentine Spanish. Health information including recommended vaccines.

Equitrekking Coffee Table Companion Book & DVD

Equitrekking Travel Adventures on Horseback by Darley Newman with Photographs by Chip Ward available at ShopDarley.com
This companion to the PBS TV series, Equitrekking, proves that the world's most beautiful views are often best seen from atop a horse. This gorgeous book features dozens of scenic rides in the U.S. and around the globe. Denver Post review: For horse folk and dreamers, as well as fans of the show, it's a beautiful trip through stunning equestrian-friendly possibilities.   

Equitrekking: Season 1-4 DVD sets featuring Emmy winning PBS episodes. Available at ShopDarley.com

Get off the beaten path to see some of the world's most beautiful horses and classic riding destinations with host and equestrian travel expert Darley Newman with Emmy Award-winning Equitrekking, the horseback riding travel series on PBS. 

Season One: Vermont, the Carolinas, Georgia Coast, Wyoming, Colorado and Spain.

Season Two: Iceland, Coastal Ireland, Hawaii's Big Island, Irish Countryside, Maui, Virginia Hunt Country and California Wine Country.

Season Three: Arizona, Belize, Costa Rica, Kentucky, Quebec, Texas and Utah.

Season Four: Southern Spain, Alaska, Central Turkey, Quebec City and Beyond, Scotland and Wales.

  

Good Books for Horse Lovers and Equestrians

Animals in Translation: Using the Mysteries of Autism to Decode Animal Behavior (Paperback) by Temple Grandin
Philosophers and scientists have long wondered what goes on in the minds of animals, and this fascinating study gives a wealth of illuminating insights into that mystery. ---Publishers Weekly

The Horse: A Miscellany of Equine Knowledge (Hardcover) by Julie Whitaker with Ian Whitelaw
The Horse is an informative gallop through everything to do with the horse:  evolution, history, biology, breeds, behavior, training, competition, health, and care—all gathered into an accessible gallery of solid information, essential facts, and fascinating trivia.                                                           

Hunter Seat Equitation (Hardcover) by George H. Morris
A classic by a world-renowned teacher and master equestrian--the definitive work on the art of teaching and riding the hunter seat, now updated to include refinements in Morris's insightful program of riding instruction.

The New Encyclopedia of the Horse (Hardcover) by Elwyn Hartley Edwards
Chronicling the history of the horse, this guide encompasses the early domestication of the horse, classical riding styles, as well as a survey of the great stud farms and current international sporting events.