THIS IS A CALL FOR THE WILD AT HEART
OVERVIEW
Jakob von Plessen’s eight day safari through the Andes will leave you breathless and enchanted. Follow the tracks of the puma through this mountainous utopia. Cross the infamous ‘Pass of Tears’, a death defying mountain pass with a sheer drop to the valley below and revel in that feeling of being fully alive! Wash it all down with a glass (or a bottle or two) of Malbec and chat the night away with your new companions and the charming guides.
Each day is carefully planned around a post lunch siesta. Take the sheepskin off your saddle and lay down under a tree to rest before the ride begins again. At night retire to the bar and stay up late talking to your new companions about your passions and big ideas.
This is the trip of a lifetime. What are you waiting for?
LET’S RIDE
HIGHLIGHTS
Guided by Jakob von Plessen + Daisy Soames
Very high service safari
Incredible horses that you’ll want to take home
Adrenaline inducing mountain ridge-line riding
Beautiful secret Base Camp valley
Wooden cucina cabin with an open bar
Comfortable accommodation in African safari ‘tents’ with large showers, real loos and a fireplace
Speed boat arrival and departure
Stunning views over the Andes
Restaurant quality three course meals
Meet Pork Chop, the stunning dapple grey with his own fan club
OVERVIEW
RIDE GUIDE
Duration: 7 nights / 8 days
Cost: US$7,175
Operator: Jakotango
Guides: Rides are led by best-of-the-best Daisy Soames (probably your lead guide) and Jakob von Plessen
Where: San Martin de los Andes, Argentina
When: November to February
Riding level: Intermediate to advanced. You must be comfortable at all paces.
Weight limit: Maximum of 85kg/187lbs
Time in the saddle: 2 to 8 hours a day
Group Size: 8 - 10 riders
HORSES
The horses are predominantly the Argentine ‘criollo’ horse crossed with quarter horse, thoroughbred and percherons. Jakob has begun to breed his own line of Noriciollo horses, a mix of his Noriker stallion imported from Austrian and local criollo mares.
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.
Though there are some spaces for fast canters you will be climbing mountains at a steady pace for most of the ride.
ACCOMMODATION
Four nights are spent at base camp in luxurious Meru style safari tents - more like private cabins with permanent, ensuite shower-rooms with endless hot water, flushing loos, a wardrobe, and a fireplace.
Two nights are spent in campsites while on the point-to-point rides with simple dome tents. You are provided with sleeping bag and a camp stretcher bed.
The final night is spent as a guest of Felipe in large stand-up safari tents around the homestead that has been in his family for generations.
WHAT'S INCLUDED
Shared accommodation, road transfers to San Martin de Los Andes Airport, all horse riding, guides, meals, alcohol and soft drinks are included. Tips of $25 per day are included, 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
Domestic flights aren’t included in the price of your holiday but are around $70 each way.
Arrival: The trail begins at San Martin de los Andes airport, a two hour domestic flight from Buenos Aires. The summer flight schedule is released around July for the up coming season. We will share the exact flight that all guests should then.
Departure: You will arrive back to San Martin de los Andes airport by 12pm and can comfortably take any flight after 2pm.
RIDING + PACE
You should be confident at all paces to join the ride. The going is slower as you spend most of the week climbing mountains but there are plenty of thrills from the heights.
The horses are excellent and very safe. You ride in local saddles most similar to western saddles. Your horses are prepared for you.
MEALS
At base camp all meals are authentically prepared by wonderful onsite private chef Oscar who has been with Jakotango season after season. Lunch and dinner at base camp are long and leisurely three course meals with a starting cocktail (pisco sour anyone?) followed by wine to match the 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
While the season is open in summer you will be in the mountains where any weather can roll in. Refer to our FAQ for what to pack on a horse riding holiday.
Base camp runs off solar energy, providing enough power to charge cameras, phones and provide electric lighting and WiFi within the tents and quincho. However, 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 camps or at Felipe’s house so we recommend you bring portable power banks to charge your devices. We recommend our favourite power bank and other gear here.
Please note that there is a 15kg (33lb) per person luggage restriction on some domestic flights.
Should you wish to dress like a local for your ride, we are happy to recommend places in Buenos Aires to buy ponchos and the traditional gaucho boinas (beret), bombachas (riding trousers) and alpargatas (espadrilles) - all essential items in a gaucho’s wardrobe.
Helmets are not provided. Please bring your own if you choose to wear one.
LAUNDRY
Laundry will be available on one day of your safari, typically when you have returned to Base Camp after your first night camping at El Buque Fly Camp.
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
All departures are $7,175 per person twin share. Solo riders are very welcome and will share accommodation with another rider of the same gender.
BLACK SADDLE EXCLUSIVE RIDES
07 - 14 January 2027 - WAITLIST ONLY
The Jakotango season runs from mid-November to the end of February over the Argentine summer. Weeks are booked by private groups over a year in advance so spaces are very limited.
Fill out a Rider Form and we will notify you of any cancellations.
Maximum group size of 10.
GET IN TOUCH
Fill in an obligation-free rider form and we will share information on the ride
PATAGONIA
Currency is the Argentinian Peso (ARG$). Banks in Argentina greatly limit daily withdrawals so bring USD$ in cash to convert in Buenos Aires. You can pay your tips in USD. Card are readily taken in Buenos Aires. If you need to withdraw cash Western Union can issue larger amounts than ATMs at a much better rate.
Time Zone: GMT -3
Climate: The weather in Patagonia can be very variable with temperatures ranging from 30C to -2C, and strong winds can make it feel even cooler. Please come prepared for all conditions – hot days under a strong sun; cold nights when you will want thermal layers; and it is always best to be prepared for wind and rain. It can snow. Most guests enjoy good weather all week but please be prepared for the possibility of four seasons in one day.
YOUR ITINERARY
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We recommend arriving a day early to Buenos Aires.
Fly to Ezeiza International Airport, Buenos Aires. This is a wonderful, vibrant city so stay here for a couple of nights either before or after the trip. We recommend the vibrant suburb of Palermo for it’s boutique hotels, cafe culture, nightlife and shopping.
In November and December, the Argentine Polo Open is a unique opportunity to see the best and fastest polo in the world.
Tomorrow the tour begins and you will take a domestic flight to Patagonia from Buenos Aires, the details of which we will share with you to book directly with the airline, in order to meet your transfer to base camp.
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Fly to San Martín de los Andes where you will be met by one of our team. We recommend that you travel in your riding clothes as your luggage will be taken directly to camp, whilst you will ride in. From the airport, you will be driven one and a half hours to the shores of Lake Falkner.
At the lake, you will meet a boat to take you across the water to where your horses, gauchos and guides will be waiting. Travel light with little to carry, just a camera and your water bottle should be enough.
The ride into camp is only short, but it's your first opportunity to get a feel for your horse and gaucho-style saddle which you may not be used to. If the weather is looking gloomy, we will provide ponchos on your saddle. However, please note that if the weather is really bad, and the lake is too choppy to cross, you will be driven directly to Base Camp.
Once arrived at camp, you will be shown to your tent and given a chance to settle in before an evening of drinks and dinner in the 'quincho' – the log cabin that serves as our dining room, sitting room and bar.
1 Hour Riding
Stay at Base Camp
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Early in the morning the gauchos herd the horses into the corral. You hear the thunder of galloping hooves from the breakfast table and can choose to run and see them come into camp.
For your first full day at Jakotango we will base ourselves out of camp, dividing the day into two rides: morning and evening. After breakfast, we will head out on the horses to explore the Filo Hua Hum valley and, after three hours or so, will return to Base Camp for a good lunch and a siesta.
After tea and cake in the afternoon, we ride again, typically taking the horses up a short climb to give you a feel for the types of terrain we will be covering over the following days
Dinner is served around 9pm by private chef Oscar and followed by an incredible desert made by the pastry chef. You’ll be offered a hot water bottle to be placed into your bed that evening and a fire lit early morning to warm your tent. Do say yes to both!
6 Hours Riding
Stay at Base Camp
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Today you traverse the infamous mountain ridge-line. Surrender to your fear of heights and trust that your horse will carry you safely through to camp. Your reward is the spectacular views and a healthy rush of adrenaline! We suggest filling a hip-flask with whiskey before leaving basecamp for some extra dutch courage. Rest at the summit and observe the condors flying over-head. Lunch is carried in your saddle bags and eaten in a shady glade at the tree-line.
Dinner is prepared over the roaring campfire at El Buque Fly Camp. Wash your success down with a glass (or two) of Malbec. There are no showers at the fly camp but you’re able to wash your face in the fresh spring water.
8 Hours Riding
Stay in a simply fly camp on El Buque
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Today you head back down the mountain to Base Camp. You weave through the wild bamboo forest down to the grassy valley below. Watch the path for puma pawprints. These elusive animals are often observed only by their tracks. You may come across some of Jakob’s herd grazing in the valley. Some may nicker to your horse and choose to follow their friends home. You cross the river when heading into Base Camp. Why not take off your boots and get in the river to wash your horse down to thank them for returning you home from the mountain safely!
The afternoon is free for you to spend as you wish. You could ride in the afternoon, take the opportunity to go fly fishing, take a nature walk or enjoy an extended siesta.
3 Hours Riding
Stay at Base Camp
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Today you take it easy. You take a leisurely ride back to the lake where you first met Jakob and the horses. You move back into the neighbour’s land and come across his herd grazing in the valley. The horses are a range of different colours blend beautifully into their surroundings. You have the opportunity for a few fast canters.
The afternoon is yours to do with what you wish. With two long days in the saddle ahead of you this is the perfect time for a little rest and relaxation.
3 Hours Riding
Stay at Base Camp
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Today we're heading out for another night of camping, so you'll need to pack just as you did before: same gear, same level of preparation. You will have another exciting full day of riding today and will be camping tonight in our second fly camp.
We'll set off in the morning for a three-hour ride to our lunch spot, where we'll take a proper break before continuing. In the afternoon, it's another three-hour ride to camp.
This site is very different from the Pass of Tears fly camp: much more open, with sweeping views in every direction. It's an exposed location, but incredibly beautiful, and ideal for stargazing.
After a long day in the saddle, we'll settle in with another hearty stew to round things off.
6 Hours Riding
Stay at a simple mountain fly camp
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After a breakfast of bacon and eggs on the fire, we'll ride down through Eagle Pass, making our way back in time to arrive at base camp for lunch.
After lunch, the afternoon is yours to enjoy at a more relaxed pace, with a range of activities to choose from. You can head out for a walk or simply unwind back at base camp, perhaps with a pisco sour in hand or cooling off in the river pools.
For those still keen to be in the saddle, there's also the option of a gentle afternoon ride, making the most of the landscape before the day winds down.gets.
The afternoon is yours to spend it as you wish though a long siesta followed by a swim in the lake is highly recommended.
4 Hours Riding
Stay at Base Camp
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After breakfast, you will say goodbye to your gauchos and guides. A car will take you to San Martín de los Andes Airport for your journey home.
Find out what it’s actually like to ride The Patagonia Trail
ACCOMMODATION
Accommodation at base camp is in large kenyan safari tents with wooden floors, a pitched roof, beautiful terracotta bathrooms with flushing toilets and a large shower.
Each tent has a double sided fireplace that is discretely lit from the bathroom side so that you wake up warm and toasty each morning.
Two nights you will sleep out on trail in simple dome tents. There are no showers on trail though you can wash in the fresh mountain stream water. A long drop loo is set up in each location.
Your final night is spent at Felipe’s house. You are in tents once more. A shared bathroom is located close to the tents.
TAKE A GLIMPSE AT BASE CAMP VALLEY
YOUR GUIDE
Jakob von Plessen
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.
For fifteen years Africa captured him, until in 2015 it was time to return back home. Back to Patagonia where the gauchos had inspired him to spend his life with horses as a child.
Probably the most famous Safari guide in the world with enough stories of adventure to fill volumes.
READ OUR TEN TIPS FOR A JAKOTANGO RIDING SAFARI
PRICES & AVAILABILITY
BLACK SADDLE EXCLUSIVE RIDES
07 - 14 January 2027 - WAITLIST ONLY
The Jakotango season runs from mid-November to February over the Argentine summer.
Fill out a Rider Form and we will notify you of any cancellations.
Maximum group size of 10.
All 7 night departures are $7,175 per person sharing.
Private groups are welcome with a maximum of 10 guests and a minimum of 8.
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.
