EXPERIENCES

Departure to reach the full Patagonian steppe: 130 km northeast of Esquel and in the middle of the Chubut River valley - passing before by Gualjaina town- we arrive at Piedra Parada Nature Reserve, where an imposing volcanic stone stands 210 meters high. From there we begin a trekking entering the Cañadón de la Buitrera, flanked by 150-meter-high walls, which gradually decrease as we advance into the area. This place was the “caldera” of an ancient volcano, whose chimney solidified and gave rise to very peculiar geoforms. The ancient walls with traces of the incandescent material also treasure cave paintings that left the ancient populations of the area. Climbers from all over the world come to the Protected Natural Area.

Magic in the land of Malbec; let's experience floral aromas, violets, red fruit, and fresh spices. Guided by expert guides, we will visit the wineries where the best Argentine wines are born: • Benegas Winery is located in Luján de Cuyo, in a building from 1901 that was constructed by the governor of Mendoza, Agustín Álvarez. Federico Benegas Lynch bought this winery in 1999 and it took him five years to restore it, preserving its original design with adobe walls and cement vats, while incorporating new temperature control technology. • On the southern bank of the Mendoza River, you'll find Matervini Winery, which was founded in 2008. Starting with the same grape variety, the grapes from different terroirs produce wines with absolutely different characteristics. It's a journey from traditional soils to unexplored ones, from younger to older, and non-alluvial soils. Matervini is the search for the unknown, the new in the old. • The pairing of Malbec and Argentine gastronomy comes to life at Finca Decero Winery. This is the result of the extraordinary vision of its owner, Swiss entrepreneur Mr. Thomas Schmidheiny, who discovered the unparalleled potential of the Agrelo region in Mendoza to create a unique and sophisticated winery surrounded by its own vineyards, which he named Remolinos. (On Tuesdays, this winery is closed to tourism and is replaced by another one.)

An entire experience that combines a 4x4 expedition, a photographic safari and the possibility of a moment of relaxation in an authentic Patagonian estancia “post”. Leaving from El Calafate, a short route takes us to the entrance to Estancia Huyliche; after passing through its main house, we enter "Estancia 25 de Mayo" natural reserve. The first stop is an old stone post where the first family of the ranch used to live and we will have a brief explanation about these first settlers and the beginnings of El Calafate. We continue the tour in the vehicle until reaching the "section", an authentic ranch located in the immensity of Patagonia, where we will make the second stop, to begin to spot native fauna. We make this third stop front of the exuberant fauna after leaving the vehicle and walking towards the herds of guanacos, with a fantastic interaction with nature. Later, we travel about 4 km in the vehicle until we reach a fossilized oyster deposit -which is 23 million years old-, and we will learn about the paleontology and geology of the place, discovering that the desert where we are was once covered by the sea. Immediately we continue the trail south to the Mirador del Centinela -hill of 1,500 meters above sea level- from where we get a stunning panoramic view of endless basalt walls. Here the fifth stop is made, where the moment of relaxation arrives to feel the wind and the Patagonian immensity. Finally, we return to the "section" where lunch or dinner is served in an authentic ranch post, before returning to El Calafate. The house has a spacious living room with a beautiful view of the 25 de Mayo hill.