Galpon del Glaciar Ranch: Traditions of the Patagonian Land

Group tour

You’re invited to a unique first-hand experience of what it’s like to live and work on a Patagonian estancia (ranch), learning all about rural Patagonian life.

The beautiful Estancia El Galpon del Glaciar, magically surrounded by nature

The Patagonian Gaucho, our equivalent to the North American Cowboy

Learn about the chores that come with daily life at an estancia

Come dinnertime, we’ll be treated to a slow-roasted, traditional Patagonian lamb

Step back in time as you cross the doors into Estancia El Galpon del Glaciar, where you’ll be greeted by the estancia’s very own gaucho! The “gaucho” is the Argentine equivalent of a North American “cowboy”; they are the traditional workers of the estancias.

We’ll first visit the estancia’s old-fashioned shearing shed, which is over a century old. Here, we’ll get to look on as the gaucho performs a traditional sheep shearing demonstration. In the late 19th century, sheep farming expanded across the Patagonian grasslands, making the southern regions of Argentina and Chile one of the world’s foremost sheep farming areas. The gauchos will next perform a sheep herding demonstration on horseback with Kelpie dogs, which are traditional sheep herding animals.

Later we’ll do a guided walk to the panoramic shores of Lake Argentino, the largest freshwater lake in the country.

No doubt you’ll feel hungry by now, so our hosts at the estancia will serve us a tasty and traditional specialty of Patagonian cuisine: the Patagonian lamb! This juicy and flavorful Patagonian local delicacy is known in Spanish as “cordero” and it is cooked by slowly roasting the lamb over hot coals.

Over dinner, relax and savor the flavors of Patagonia after an afternoon of ranch life.

As our day of nature draws to a close, we’ll prepare to head back to our hotel, with a camera overflowing with new memories to share!

Tour details

Duration: half day (approximately 5 hours from the time you leave your hotel until you return). This tour starts in the afternoon.
Guide: group guide. El Galpon del Glaciar has capacity of up to 100 travelers.
Vehicle: group vehicle.
Included: dinner with non-alcohlic beverages and wine

Important: the tour’s exact itinerary and duration may change subject to weather conditions and decisions of the tour guide to optimize your tour experience.