What it's like to stay at an Argentine gaucho ranch

Trying desperately hard to loosen my grip on the leather reins, while resisting the urge to cling on for dear life, I attempt to reason with my horse. Negotiating with a nervous 1,000lb animal would be challenging on a flat surface. On a boulder-strewn 45-degree slope, it’s almost impossible. Fortunately, Jonathan ‘Yoni’ Zapata, an accomplished gaucho, comes to my rescue. A few quiet words of reassurance and my horse is putty in his hands. 

The lauded heroes of Argentine folklore, gauchos have powers of equine communication far beyond our comprehension. Originally employed to round up wild cattle and horses, these courageous, free-spirited nomads flourished across the grasslands from the 17th century. But their role is about much more than herding cattle. They’re sewn into the fabric of endless steppe and open skies, and the landscape wouldn’t be the same without them. 

“Sadly, the gaucho way of life is disappearing due to modern life and more automated farming practices,” says Kevin Begg, who runs Estancia Los Potreros, a 6,500 acre cattle and horse farm that’s been in his family for four generations. With a name like Kevin and an accent shaped by a schooling in Somerset, he’s hardly the archetypal Argentine; his origins are actually Scottish. But dressed in slip-on alpargatas (espadrilles), a necktie and slouchy felt boina — an oversized beret typically worn by gauchos — he’s embraced every element of estancia life.

Kevin still sells his prized Angus beef at auction every Monday, but today a large chunk of his income is generated by travellers who visit his farm. It’s 1,100m above sea level in the Sierras Chicas hills, but less than an hour’s drive from Córdoba airport. People come to ride one of his 100-plus prized horses and drink velvety Malbec on the shaded verandah of his 250-year-old farmhouse, where noisy parakeets squabble in the boughs of a towering pine tree. 

Being almost a total beginner, my clunky start in the saddle was to be expected. Determined to have a second shot at being a cowgirl, I pull on a pair of chaps and a hard hat in preparation for another ride with Yoni. More accomplished riders can help round up the mares and foals; others can book an Argentine polo teacher for lessons. I’m happy trotting slowly along the gravel path, settling into a slow rhythm and enjoying my surroundings. 

Grasslands speckled with scarlet verbena flowers soon give way to stacks of dusky-pink granite boulders as we climb to the highest point on the estancia, nicknamed ‘Top of the World’. Gauchos are by default people of very few words. But as Yoni gazes out to the Sierras Chicas, illuminated by a haze of sunshine-yellow butterflies, he radiates pride.

“Real gauchos are now hard to come by,” sighs Kevin, back at the farmhouse as guests gather at a long wooden table for dinner. “Most of my employees are generational. Their fathers worked for me; their grandfathers worked for my father. I remember sitting in the kitchen with them drinking mate (herbal tea) and listening to the radio. They were happy-go-lucky, hard-working lads. When the sun rose they started work and when it set they downed tools.”

Sharing stories is part of the experience at Los Potreros. All guests are assigned a brass napkin ring engraved with the name of a horse, past or present. I’m given Flopi, fondly described by Kevin as “a gem of a mare with white socks and a bit of a temper”. Every mealtime, I find my ring at a different spot on the table, encouraging me to chat with new people in a game of adult musical chairs. 

A natural entertainer, Kevin plays host every night. One evening, he masterminds a wine-tasting guessing game using a sommelier’s box of unlabelled tinctures to help us identify different notes. As we fumble through flavours, he giggles unapologetically: raspberry and blackcurrant are obvious, while burnt toast is almost impossible to detect. 

Decorated with original wooden furnishings and threadbare rugs, every part of the house sparks memories and anecdotes throughout the evening. “Watch out for that,” warns Kevin as I’m about to trip over a door frame. “That’s caused more accidents than the horses. But this house has never been altered, and I refuse to move one bit.”

Despite his fondness for tradition, Kevin is very aware the world is changing. Before leaving the estancia, I join him on a walk through the hilly grounds, accompanied by his energetic border collie Clyde. Bunches of pampas grass fluffier than foxes’ tails sprout from meadows decorated with pinhead-sized wildflowers. Passing several burrowing owls perched on fence posts, we continue to the cattle station and corral. In February, gauchos gather to brand the herd with hot irons, as required by law. Afterwards they sing, read poetry and feast on an asado.

“We’re the last estancia in this area to throw a party like that,” says Kevin, wistfully. “The gaucho culture is being kept alive by associations and weekend enthusiasts, very similar to the cowboy culture in the USA.”

As generations come and go, I wonder how much of the authentic gaucho culture will survive. There’s every risk it could one day disappear, like the dust that rises from their horses’ thundering hooves. But thanks to people like Kevin, this way of life will always be much more than a tourist attraction. Beyond the crumbling bricks and well-trodden carpets, Los Potreros preserves a tiny slice of a much bigger Argentine history.

Four more gaucho ranches to stay at

Words by Shafik Meghji

Argentina’s estancias — its famed cattle and sheep ranches — have been central to the country’s economy, culture, cuisine and national identity for centuries. Many welcome guests, with options ranging from hardscrabble working farms to luxurious rural retreats. 

1. Estancia Los Potreros 

Best for: horseriding
Between the Pampas and the Andes, on the rippling hills of the Sierras Chicas in Córdoba province, Estancia Los Potreros is a memorable place to ride, thanks to its incredible landscapes, expert guides and beautiful Peruvian Paso horses. You can work alongside its gauchos, try your hand at traditional games such as corrida de sortija (a race to hook a ring off a T-bar) and learn to play polo. From US$1,008 (£800), all-inclusive.

2. Estancia Harberton 

Best for: history 
Tierra del Fuego’s oldest ranch, Estancia Harberton was founded in 1886 by British missionary Thomas Bridges. A national historic monument, it’s still owned by his descendants. On the shores of the Beagle Channel, its walking tours and history museum whisk visitors through the region’s tumultuous past; the accommodation is provided in atmospheric cottages and excursions run to its own penguin colony. From US$240 (£190), B&B.

3. Estancia Cristina 

Best for: isolation
Accessed via a catamaran journey across an icy lake in the majestic Parque Nacional Los Glaciares, Estancia Cristina immerses guests in the wilderness of Patagonia without scrimping on luxury. Hikes, horserides and 4WD trips through subpolar forests and windswept steppe provide close-up, crowd-free views of one of the planet’s largest ice fields, with the magnificent Upsala Glacier among the highlights. From US$1,800 (£1,440), all-inclusive. 

4. Rincón del Socorro 

Best for: wildlife 
In the Parque Nacional Iberá, close to the Paraguayan border in northeast Argentina, tranquil Rincón del Socorro is an ideal base for exploring the surrounding wetlands, grasslands and subtropical forests, which are home to a profusion of wildlife. A lavishly restored estancia, originally founded in the late 19th century, it offers guests an array of safaris and birdwatching trips. From US$972 (£780), B&B.