Horseback Riding and Estancias
Alta Vista. Convenient to El Calafate, Alta Vista is a solid choice for the standard estancia activites (horses, sheep, asados) and offers good guidance for local hikes. 33 km [20 miles] from El Calafate on Ruta 15, El Calafate, Santa Cruz, 9405. 2902/499–902; www.hosteriaaltavista.com.ar.
Estancia El Galpón del Glaciar. This estancia welcomes guests overnight or for the day—for a horseback ride, bird-watching, or an afternoon program that includes a demonstration of sheep dogs working, a walk to the lake with a naturalist, sheep-shearing, and dinner in the former sheep-shearing barn served right off the asador by knife-wielding gauchos. Ruta 11, Km 22, El Calafate, Santa Cruz, 9405. 2902/497–793–503; 11/5217–6719; www.elgalpondelglaciar.com.ar.
Nibepo Aike. This pretty estancia an hour and a half from El Calafate offers a range of horseback experiences from hour-long excursions to full-day, nine-hour rides to view glaciers in the distance. It's possible to visit Nibepo Aike by booking a day trip at the office in downtown El Calafate, or you can stay overnight at the estancia. 53 km (31 miles) from El Calafate near Lago Roca on Ruta 15, El Calafate, Santa Cruz, 9405. 2902/492–797; 2902/492–859; www.nibepoaike.com.ar.
