THE ADVENTURE CONTINUES AT THE WORLD’S END
OVERVIEW
Brand new from Jakotango is safari from estancia to estancia at the World’s End in the Land of Fire - southern Argentina.
The End of the World rides are led by Marcos Villamil. Marcos’ life has always revolved around horses and farming. He grew up in Buenos Aires and found sanctuary on his family’s farm.
After earning a degree in Agricultural Engineering, he explored opportunities in agribusiness before ultimately following his true passion: sharing the beauty of Argentina through horseback adventures. Fluent in both English and Spanish, Marcos is deeply committed to supporting riders throughout the journey.
He brings the experience to life with captivating stories rooted in Argentina’s rich cultural and natural heritage.
He’s guided two seasons of The Patagonia Trail with Jakotango and now leads our Tierra del Fuego safaris. During the pandemic, he embarked on an extraordinary 9,000 km solo journey across Argentina with three horses—an adventure that says a lot about his spirit and dedication
Let’s Ride
HIGHLIGHTS
Stay at comfortable, iconic estancias on the island of Tierra del Fuego
Enjoy long canters across grassy valleys
Thrilling mountain riding
Ride Jakob von Plessen’s own breed of horses - the noricrollo, sired by his austrian Noriker stallion.
Delicious three course meals with wine included
Expertly guided by the charismatic Marcos Villamil
Experience the isolation of gaucho life, staying at an authentic puesto
Spot guanacos, condors, wild horses, foxes, beavers and an abundance of bird life.
Spend two nights at San Jose, until recently owned by Ted Turner
Fly fishing in the Rio Grande - a bucket-list location for all keen fisherman (optional extra)
OVERVIEW
RIDE GUIDE
Duration: 7 nights / 8 days
Cost: US$5,775 (2025/2026)
Operator: Jakotango
Guides: Marcos Villamil
Where: Arrive to Rio Grande and depart Ushuaia
When: December to March
Riding level: Intermediate to advanced. You must be comfortable at all paces and with heights.
Weight limit: Maximum of 85kg
Time in the saddle: 2 to 8 hours a day
Group Size: 8 Riders
HORSES
The horses are predominantly the Argentine ‘criollo’ horses, bred on the estancias you will ride across.
All the horses are trained to neck-rein and the saddle are Argentine ‘recado’ style, more similar to a western saddle, with sheepskins and traditional, rawhide bridles.
This ride has more opportunity for long canters compared to the sister ride in Patagonia. You will enjoy thrilling mountain riding too.
ACCOMMODATION
San José Lodge is an estancia set within 8,000 hectares of private land with the magnificent Río Grande owing through it. This is the home of some of the largest sea run trout in the world. The lodge was owned until recently by Ted Turner – an avid fisherman, conservationist, and among America’s biggest land owners. Originally, it was a sheep farm but now its buildings have been renovated to host our guests with ensuite bedrooms and the shearing shed has become a living area with a replace inside.
Estancia Río Apen has four gaucho caravans. Each one has a bathroom and two double beds. The common area, which includes a bar and dining room, is a cottage with an indoor parrilla (open re grill) placed on a hillside with an amazing view.
Estancia El Boquerón is situated deep within the heart of the island. It has three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a very comfortable living and dining room. For two nights, at El Boquerón, you will sleep inside the comfort of the estancia.
Puesto República is the most remote location on ourride, accessible only by horse. All of our supplies willbe brought in by pack horses. This is proper camping- eating around open res, under the stars and sleeping in two-man tents with cot-beds, mattresses and sleeping bags. There are no showers at this camp but fresh mountain springs to wash your face and hands. We will spend only one night here.
GET IN TOUCH
WHAT'S INCLUDED
Shared accommodation, road transfers to and from the airports, all horse riding, guides, meals, alcohol and soft drinks are included. Tips of $25 per day will be added to your invoice, there is no need to bring additional cash for this reason. Whiskey, gin, vodka, wine and beers are always available but please let us know should you have a special request.
WHAT’S EXCLUDED
The price does not include international or domestic flights, travel insurance. Full medical and holiday insurance is required to join the ride.
TRANSFERS
The trail begins at Rio Grande and departs from Ushuaia airport. Flights leave very early to Rio Grande, between 3am and 5am, so you will need a night in Buenos Aires before the ride.
Once you have reserved your saddle we will share the exact flight for you to take to meet the group.
MEALS
Meals centre around a meat main course. You’ll enjoy asado, argentine barbeque, cooked fresh over the fire pit in front of the kitchen cabin. Other meals and starters include osso buco, stuffed mushrooms and fresh salads. Save room for desert! They are fine and delicate and you’ll manage to find room even on a full stomach!
Argentina is famous for being a carnivorous country but Jakotango can happily cater for vegetarians and other diets. If you have any special dietary requirements, please let us know on the rider form and Jakotango will make their best efforts to cater for them.
WHAT TO PACK
✓ Warm jacket
✓ Riding hard hat
✓ Riding boots and chaps
✓ Rain gear / waterproof coat
✓ Gloves
✓ Warm hat
✓ Jockey goggles (for if it is very windy)
✓ Buff / scarf (to cover your face if it is windy, sunny or dusty)
✓ Fleece
✓ Thermal underwear, thermal long johns, long sleeved thermal tops and ski-type socks
✓ Riding trousers
✓ Long-sleeved cotton shirts
✓ Short-sleeved T-shirts
✓ Trainers
✓ Sunglasses
✓ Sun block
✓ Lip balm with SPF
✓ Wet wipes (handy for camping)
✓ Head torch
✓ Water bottle
✓ Camera
✓ Power bank (to charge phones and cameras when at Fly Camp)
Helmets are not provided. Please bring your own if you choose to wear one.
LUGGAGE
We recommend that you to stick to one piece of luggage per person, not exceeding 20 kg (44lb).
Please tag every single piece of luggage so we can identify your belongings and accommodate them in your rooms and tents once you arrive.
POWER AND WIFI
San José Lodge runs mainly off solar energy, providing enough power to charge cameras, phones and provide electric lighting and WiFi. At Estancia Río Apen and Estancia El Boquerón, you will have access to a limited power supply provided by a generator. It can easily charge phones, power banks and camerasbut it is unable to sustain any devices that generate heat (e.g. hairdryers) so please don’t bring those with you. There is no power at the Fly Camp, so we recommend you bring a portable power bank to charge your devices.
ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES
Fly fishing for brown and rainbow trout is an optional, additional activity or can be done in place of riding. For this we would need previous notice since the licenses, rods and a guide may need to be organised. This will be at an additional cost.
PRICES & AVAILABILITY
2026/2027
US$5,775 per person sharing
15 - 22 December 2026: 1 saddle
23 - 30 December 2026: waitlist only
20 - 27 January 2027: 2 saddles
05 - 12 February 2027: waitlist only
15 - 22 February 2027: waitlist only
Fill out a Rider Profile with your preferred dates and we will get back to you with availability.
Maximum group size of 8
YOUR ITINERARY
Tierra del Fuego is wild and untamed. This itinerary is intended but your guide may need to adjust the plan according to the weather.
-
Fly to Río Grande where you will be met by us. First, we will drive you to Estancia María Behety, one of the pioneering sheep farms in the region with the biggest shearing shed in the world. Here, we will have breakfast.
After, we will continue on to Estancia San José, our first two nights’ stay and headquarters for our operation. Once there, you will be shown to your rooms and given a chance to settle in, before a lunch at the shearing shed. It is an Argentine institution to have a siesta every day.
The afternoon ride is comparatively short, but it’s your first opportunity to get a feel for your horse and gaucho-style saddle. We will head out in the evening light, to get accustomed to our horses and become oriented within the extensive steppe.
We will end our day with drinks and dinner in the shearing shed.
2 Hours Riding
Stay at Estancia San Jose
-
Breakfast at the estancia and a three-hour ride to lunch on the Río Grande.
This river is host to some of the largest sea run trout in the world, so it’s an excellent opportunity to get off our horses to fly fish. We will provide rods and all the fishing equipment (waders, boots, jackets, etc.). For this we will need previous notice since the licenses and the guide needs to be organised. This will be at an additional cost.
For those who aren’t avid anglers, we’ll have a picnic lunch and a siesta on the banks of the river.
After, we will return to the estancia, cantering quite a bit to cover ground, and stopping for a whiskey at the historic trenches dug during the Beagle conict of 1978 – a border conflict between Chile and Argentina, eventually settled by the Pope.
Stay at Estancia San Jose
-
Today is a long ride of about 35 miles which will take about eight hours to cover. There’ll be lots of cantering across a variety of scenery, as we ride from the steppe into the mountains.
During breakfast, you will be given saddlebags to pack your picnic lunch, snacks and other essentials for the day.
Lunch will be on a beautiful spot on Río Menendez and, after a siesta, we will continue our way to Estancia Río Apen.
Your accommodation here will be in shepherd’s huts with double beds and sleeping bags. There is a cabin with a fireplace, where dinner will be served.
8 Hours Riding
Stay in twin shepherds huts at Estancia Rio Apen
-
Today, we will change horses. The ones that you have been riding so far will return to Estancia San José and you will be given new ones brought from Estancia El Boquerón, where you will be riding to today.
This is a beautiful, yellow house set in the heart of the island also owned by Ini Menendez Behety, who owns the iconic María Behety farm that you visited on your arrival day. It’s an easy three-hour ride to El Boquerón where we will stop for lunch. In the afternoon, you can go riding or walking if you would like to stretch your legs.
Overnight in the yellow house at Estancia El Boquerón.
3 Hours Riding
Stay at Estancia El Boquerón
-
This is a ride into the complete wilderness. You will leave your luggage behind and take in your saddle bags whatever you need for one night’s camping. There is no access by car to where you are going, only by horseback. We will ride for about four hours in the morning, then stop for a picnic lunch, before continuing on for another couple of hours until we reach Puesto República.
El República is a very remote, simple shelter, built as a shepherd’s camp. You will sleep in dome tents big enough to stand in, on cot-beds with mattresses and sleeping bags.
Dinner and breakfast will be cooked on an open fire, under the stars.
6 Hours Riding
Stay in tents at Puesto República
-
This is the day that you ride up the highest peak of our ‘end of the world’ ride. Thrilling, but challenging for those with vertigo, the scenery is breathtaking and the most extraordinary view of the trip.
We will picnic at this epic location and, in the afternoon, ride back to El Boquerón to enjoy a good shower, a cozy bed and meet your luggage again.
6 Hours Riding
Overnight at El Boquerón
-
A morning ride up to the “Cerro Pelado” before returning to El Boquerón for lunch.
After lunch, you will say goodbye to the gauchos and guides, before your off-road experience in a 4x4 towards Estancia Viamonte begins. Estancia Viamonte was founded in 1902 by Lucas Bridges, author of “Uttermost Part of the Earth” and one of the British pioneers to populate Tierra del Fuego amongst its indigenous people.
Farewell dinner and a good night’s sleep.
3 Hours Riding
Stay at Estancia Viamonte
-
After breakfast, you will be driven two hours to Ushuaia Airport to begin your journey home.
We will recommend the flight for the group to take back to Buenos Aires or you are free to stay in the south and continue explorng.
CLIMATE
Our rides go from December to end of March. During summer, sunlight extends for up to 18 hours. Sunrise is at 3:30–4:00 AM, and darkness falls after 10:00 PM. Although there are days with pleasant temperatures, they rarely exceed 25C. The summer average is between 10C and 15C. It is usually windy, and you can experience all four seasons in one day.
It’s a good idea to pack some wild weather essentials in your soft duffle bag including:
✓ Rain gear / waterproof coat
✓ Gloves
✓ Warm hat
✓ Jockey goggles (for if it is very windy)
✓ Buff / scarf (to cover your face if it is windy, sunny or dusty)
✓ Fleece
✓ Thermal underwear, thermal long johns, long sleeved thermal tops and ski-type socks
✓ Hikers hand and feet warmers
TEMPERATURE
RAINY DAYS
MEET YOUR GUIDES
Marcos Villamil - Your Guide
Argentina native Marco started guiding at Jakotango in 2022. An accomplished horseman many guests are surprised to find out Marco used to work in the City in Buenos Aires. Living in Recoleta, he worked in a bank and owned two businesses.
In 2021 he packed in his corporate career and packed his saddle bags to ride the length of Argentina over 450 days. He knows the land like the back of his hand, is cool, calm and collected, an excellent knowledgable guide. He also plays guitar beautifully, adding another dimension to your camp fire sessions.
Marcos has spent two years guiding with Jakob von Plesson on the Patagoina Trail.
Jakob von Plessen - Founder
Jakob created this ride in collaboration with Marcos. Jakob does not usually guide this trail. To ride with Jakob you can join him in Patagonia.
Jakob is a living legend in the horse safari world. Born in Austria he moved with his family to Argentina as a child. Growing up he played polo on the family estancia but also spent time with the gauchos, Argentinian cowboys, that farmed the wild mountains of Patagonia where his family spent their holidays away from the city.
At age 19 he was guiding riding safaris across the Masai Mara in Kenya with Offbeat Safaris, headed by the legendary Tristan Voorspuy.
Probably the most famous Safari guide in the world with enough stories of adventure to fill volumes.
PRICES & AVAILABILITY
2026/2027
US$5,775 per person sharing
15 - 22 DEC 2026: 2 saddles
23 - 30 DEC 2026: 1 saddle
05 - 12 FEB 2026: 2 saddles
Fill out a Rider Profile with your preferred dates and we will get back to you with availability.
Maximum group size of 8
Single supplements are not available. Tips of $25 per day ($175 total) will be added to your invoice.
HOW TO BOOK
Terms & Conditions
Bookings are confirmed upon receipt of a 20% deposit of the total reservation cost. The balance is payable in full 90 days prior to arrival.
Deposits are non-refundable.
90 - 0 days in advance 100% of the full amount is forfeited.
In the event of a cancellation, clients will have a credit for another trip in the future (valid for 1 year) only if cancellation is notified in writing at least 60 days before departure date.
HOW TO BOOK
+ Submit an obligation free Rider Profile
+ We will get in touch with availability
+ You pay your 20% deposit now with the balance due 90 days before the ride
RIDE THE PATAGONIA TRAIL
Join a Black Saddle group 16-23 January 2026
