Emerald Coast Estancias and Beaches

Montevideo

Guests are met at the Montevideo International Airport (Carrasco) upon arrival and driven to their well-located city hotel. Enjoy a stroll through the old city or along the sandy beaches of the famous ‘Rambla’ combined with fine dining in this cosmopolitan capital city.

Overnight at a Montevideo hotel. No meals included.

Winery and ride

After breakfast, a drive eastwards towards the Atlantic coast. Guests will meet their horses at a traditional, recently renovated Estancia. Once everyone is comfortable you will ride out to a nearby vineyard and also through olive groves where delicious olive oil is produced for a tour
and lunch then we will continue our ride on through the cattle ranching ‘gaucho country’ and b ack to the estancia for a glass of wine on the
veranda at sunset and a delicious dinner awaits.

Lunch at a vineyard; Dinner & overnight at an 1890s recently restored Estancia.

B, L, D (approx 2. 5 hrs drive, 3-4 hours riding)

Cattle work and asado

Ride out along dirt lanes to another Estancia where you join the gauchos (skilled local horsemen) to help out with the cattle work at a ranch. An authentic experience, riders helping out with the daily tasks. The day will depend on what work needs doing but often we have to count the cows (not as easy as it looks!), move herds to the corrals or different pastures and treat any injured animals. Once the work is over you ride on to your lunch spot for a delicious traditional ‘asado’.

The vehicle will then meet you and to head to a stunning coastal area for overnight at a horse farm where you will meet new trusty steeds and begin
another leg of your journey.

Overnight at individual ‘cabins  on the property or at small Posada in nearby beachside village.

B, L, D (approx 5-6 hours riding, 2 hrs drive to coast)

Coastal riding

Once riders are settled, ride to the beach where the tide will determine how the group crosses an estuary – normally riders in a boat and horses swimming! On reaching the opposite bank, arrive in a large system of sand dunes. Lunch awaits the other side of the sand dunes in a restaurant on the beach of an isolated village.

During the afternoon ride back to the horse farm through pine trees, often spotting burrowing owls and possibly armadillos! Stunning sunsets are common, enhanced by a glass of Uruguayan wine. Another delicious dinner is served.

Dinner & 2nd Overnight at the delightful cabins or cozy Posada.

B, L, D (approx. 5-6 hours riding)

Wetland rides

Today you ride inland, along grassy lanes, across pastures, through native forests and beside a lagoon the shores of which are inhabited by many bird species. The terrain allows for some long canters and then we plunge into the wetlands, sometimes occasionally swimming on horseback as we approach the ‘rancho’ where the group spends the night. Guests will see the very unique, usually solitary Ombu tree and can hear a lot about the local flora and fauna from the guides. There is a
night drive to a very rare Ombu forest.

Dinner & overnight at a camping ‘rancho’ (permanent structure with veranda, tables, shower…) Night under the stars or in comfortable tents (thick mattresses) – a team will have already put your tent up for you and prepared some delicious dishes ready for your arrival.

B, L, T, D (approx 5-6 hours riding)

Coastal village and tack shop

A chance to taste the ‘mate’ green tea that Uruguayans could not live without! Then a morning ride across grasslands with the opportunity of spotting rheas (ostrich like flightless native birds), road runners, caracaras, herons, spoonbills, southern screamers – to name a few! Pass strangler figs and palm trees along he trail and other native tree species. In the afternoon you will be driven up the coast to a Posada in a seaside village but, before this drive, there is an opportunity to call into a local gaucho store to buy some souvenirs and see all the local tack and
clothing used. Intricate leatherwork and high leather boots are sold here as well as berets – the gauchos’ surprising choice of
headwear.

Dinner & overnight at a small, charming Posada.

B, L, D (approx 3 hours riding, gaucho shop visit, 45mins driving)

Coastal fort

As you ride out along the coast, riders enjoy the empty firm-sand beaches across several bays and points. There is the possibility of seeing dolphins as you splash in the water and canter on the sand. Parts of the ride will be in forest and you pass an historic fort, first built in the 1700s -the guide can once again give you all the details about the battles that took place along these strategic shores and also the many shipwrecks that lie beneath the waves.

Arriving at the beachside hotel, riders spot the outdoor hot tubs; there are also indoor hot tubs and a swimming pool and a whole ocean to swim in, if you wish.

Dinner & overnight at beachside hotel with swimming pools & hot tubs.

B, L, T, D (approx 6 hours riding)

Beach canters

The final morning ride takes you onto a seemingly endless beach – that continues on into Brazil. Perhaps you might meet one or two fishermen, otherwise flocks of shore birds are the only other inhabitants of this expansive beach. Having enjoyed some exhilarating canters, if they wish, riders can take the saddles off and ride bareback into the ocean, paddling with the horses and crossing an ‘arroyo’ (small estuary) on the way back to the hotel for lunch and the departure back to Montevideo.
Shower & lunch back at the hotel.

Drive to Montevideo.
B, L (approx 3 hours riding, approx. 3½ hrs drive)

Departure from Montevideo

Transfer to the Montevideo airport for departure.