Horseback-riding options offered by Estancia Cristina vary in duration and level of difficulty. All rides are carried out with Estancia guides certified by the National Parks Service. This activity always begins in the saddle ranch. Our resident gauchos will select and saddle the horses and provide all required riding and safety equipment (helmet, riding leggings, etc.).

Cristina Lookout Point (Mirador Cristina)

LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: Medium; prior horseback riding experience required.
DURATION: All Day.

Prior riding experience is required to participate in this excursion, as it requires control over the animal and the rider’s own body atop it. The Estancia’s designated gaucho-guide will determine if a guest is able to undertake this activity.

The ride begins heading northeast and crossing the Rio Caterina Valley. On this ascent, flanked by forests of Nires and Lengas, guests will witness firsthand vegetation typical of the Patagonian steppe. We will ride over uneven stone paths originally used by the Estancia pioneers to reach other strategic points in the area.

We will make a stop at the Cascades of the Dogs (Cascada de los Perros), to relax and take in sweeping views of the Estancia Valley and Pearson Lagoon. We will continue climbing the western slope of Peak Mesón before finally reaching the Cristina Lookout Point (Mirador Cristina) which stands against a dramatic backdrop of surrounding peaks, the Southern Patagonian Ice Field and the Upsala Glacier. This unique setting lets us enjoy breathtaking views while also contemplating the sheer force of nature’s ancient movements in this great valley.

Given this excursion’s duration, guests will have breakfast in the Octagon and will be provided with packed lunch services and snacks for the rest of the day. In the afternoon guests will return to the Estancia to enjoy hard-earned refreshments in the Octagon.

Fishing Lagoon (Laguna de la Pesca)

LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: Low.
DURATION: Half Day.

On this ride we will head north, leaving the Estancia behind us. We will enter through the back end of the Rio Caterina Valley on a route that will allow us to appreciate the terrain’s varied flora and fauna. Ideal activity for bird lovers, we will come into close contact with such specimens as royal geese, black necked swans, “coscoroba” swans, and spectacled duck, among others. This is a unique way to enjoy this setting without forgetting the real protagonist of this terrain, the horse.

When we arrive at the Fishing Lagoon, we find an enchanted setting where the Masters Family long ago planted rainbow trout for personal consumption, and which also served as a recreational space for the family and hired hands during summer Sundays. Guests can enjoy a moment of relaxation and untouched nature, while the towering sentinel, North Peak (Cerro Norte), guards this unique space from above. Upon request, guests can add to this experience a picnic previously prepared by our staff.

We recommend doing this activity in the afternoon.

Cascade of the Dogs (Cascada de los Perros)

LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: Low.
DURATION: Half Day.

This excursion consists of a short horseback ride on the east side of the Estancia Cristina Valley, where riders can enjoy the native flora and fauna of “Los Glaciares” National Park. As we climb onwards flanked by forests of Nires and Lengas, on this trail we can appreciate vegetation typical of the Patagonian steppe. We will travel through loose stone trails originally used by the Estancia pioneers to reach other hidden points of the area.

The Cascade of the Dogs (La Cascada de los Perros) is a simple yet elegant glacial meltwater waterfall from where guests can take in the untouched beauty of Lake Anita, surrounding hanging glaciers, the Estancia Valley and main house.

We suggest doing this activity in the morning in order to try to have this setting exclusively for our guests. Given this excursion’s duration, guests can return to the Octagon for lunch to rest and/or plan another activity for the afternoon.