Ride Into Wild Patagonia
Cochamó Horse Expeditions
Multi-day mounted expeditions through ancient forests, remote valleys, and high mountain passes — fully supported, personally guided, and deeply connected to local Patagonian culture.
9 Days
La Herradura Expedition
8 Guests
Maximum Group Size
Nov–Mar
Patagonia Season
IMMERSIVE PREVIEW
Experience the Expedition
A glimpse into the valleys, forests, mountain passes and people that shape these journeys.
7-day traverse across untouched Patagonian wilderness
Where Forest, Granite, and Time Still Move Slowly
Cochamó Valley and the Paso El León region sit at the edge of modern access — a landscape of towering granite walls, glacial rivers, and forests containing trees over 3,000 years old.
Here, there are no highways. No lodges on every ridge. Travel happens the way it has for generations — by horse, along trails cut through ancient woodland and across open mountain passes.
It is a living, working landscape shaped by local families who still move livestock and supplies through these valleys as they always have.
To ride here is to enter Patagonia properly — slowly, deliberately, immersed in terrain that feels both immense and deeply human.
The Patagonia Horse Riding Experience
What makes our Cochamó expeditions unlike anything else.
Mounted Expeditions
Travel by horse through ancient forest trails, river crossings, and open mountain passes.
Ancient Forests
Move through temperate rainforest with 3,000-year-old alerce trees and pristine ecosystems.
Granite Walls
Cochamó's massive granite faces rival Yosemite — a world-class climbing destination.
Local Partnerships
Built with local families who have lived in these valleys for generations.
Full Expedition Support
Camp crew, horsemen, meals prepared fresh — everything handled with care.
Remote Access Only
No highways, no lodges on every ridge. This is Patagonia at its most authentic.
A Fully Supported Patagonian Expedition
Our expeditions are fully supported by experienced local horsemen, expedition staff and camp crew, and personally guided by an English and Spanish-speaking professional mountain guide with long-standing ties to the valley.
River crossings beneath towering granite walls
Travel through ancient alerce forests
Open pasture valleys bordered by deep forest and granite faces
Wide river flats and movement along the shores of Lago Vidal and Lago Grande
Evenings gathered in expansive lakeside camps beneath towering granite and forest edge
It becomes immersion in landscape and silence — the kind that quietly recalibrates you.
Guided With Local Knowledge and Deep Connection
These journeys are built in partnership with local families who have lived and worked in these valleys for generations. The horses are local. The knowledge is local. The routes are lived-in, not commercialised.
Your expedition is personally led by an English and Spanish-speaking professional mountain guide who has lived in the valley and works alongside local arrieros, families and horsemen with generations of knowledge of this landscape.
This combination of professional expedition leadership and genuine local knowledge allows us to keep each journey personal, attentive and deeply connected to the places and people we travel amongst.
Testimonials
“
There was a real sense of adventure from the moment we headed into the valley. Riding through rivers, forests and mountain country with everything we needed carried with us was an incredible experience. The further we travelled, the more remote it became. It felt like we were properly out there in Patagonia.
CESAR
Cochamó Horse Expedition
“
What stayed with me most was how peaceful it was. Some days we would ride for hours through beautiful forest and open valleys without seeing anyone else. There was no rush and very little to distract you. You just settled into the rhythm of the horses and the landscape. It was absolutely stunning.
CAROL
Cochamó Horse Expedition
“
What made this trip really special was Nathan and Julian’s connection to the place and the people who live here. Nathan has a real connection with Cochamó and you feel that everywhere you go. We spent time with local families, shared food and wine and travelled the old horse trails with people who have lived here their whole lives. You feel welcomed and part of the community rather than like you’re just on a tour through Patagonia. That was something I’ll always remember.
IKE
Cochamó Horse Expedition
Expedition Pathways
Our Patagonia expeditions are built around real movement through the Andes — following horse trails, river systems, mountain passes, and remote valleys still used by local arrieros today.
Some journeys remain entirely within the Cochamó Valley and Río Puelo region. Others continue deeper across the Andes into Argentina through isolated mountain routes shaped by generations of horsemen and local families.
These are not fast-paced tours.
They are immersive expedition journeys designed for people seeking depth, landscape, connection, and a more meaningful experience of Patagonia.
EXPEDITION 1
La Herradura Expedition
9-Day Remote Patagonia Horse Expedition
US$6,700 per person · Maximum 8 guests
A nine-day journey into the remote valleys, forests, rivers and mountain landscapes surrounding Cochamó and Río Puelo, combining six days travelling by horse with time to arrive, recover and experience northern Patagonia before and after the expedition.
Designed around immersion rather than rushing through an itinerary, La Herradura follows traditional horse routes still used by local arrieros today, with the expedition fully supported throughout by our guides, horsemen and camp team.
JOURNEY OVERVIEW
DAY 1 — ARRIVAL IN PUERTO VARAS
The journey begins in Puerto Varas, where we meet and settle into our accommodation overlooking the lakes and volcanoes of northern Patagonia. We use the afternoon and evening to recover from travel, meet the group, prepare equipment and talk through the expedition ahead.
DAY 2 — INTO COCHAMÓ & THE MOUNTAINS
After breakfast we travel south towards Cochamó, where our horses and local arrieros await. From here we leave the road behind and begin travelling by horse into the mountains through forest trails, rivers and open pastureland.
DAYS 3–6 — DEEPER INTO LA HERRADURA
Over the following days we move progressively deeper through the remote valleys surrounding Cochamó and Río Puelo.
Days are spent travelling by horse through ancient forest, river crossings, open valleys and mountain terrain, while evenings are spent in remote camps prepared and supported by our expedition team.
The exact rhythm of the journey remains deliberately flexible. Weather, river conditions, the horses and the group determine how we move through the landscape.
DAY 7 — RÍO MANSO & RETURN FROM THE MOUNTAINS
Our final riding day takes us gradually out through Río Manso and towards the Río Puelo region, completing six days of travel by horse through the mountains. From here we return to comfortable accommodation, hot showers and a well-earned evening together.
DAY 8 — TERMAS DEL SOL & FINAL EVENING
After six days in the mountains, the pace slows completely. We spend the day recovering and enjoying the thermal pools at Termas del Sol before returning for our final evening and dinner together.
DAY 9 — PUERTO VARAS & DEPARTURE
After breakfast we return to Puerto Varas, bringing the expedition to a close. Guests can continue their travels through Patagonia or connect with onward transport and flights.
EXPEDITION AVAILABILITY
Limited 2026/27 Departures
We run only a small number of La Herradura expeditions each season, with a maximum of 8 guests per departure.
NOVEMBER 2026
NO AVAILABILITY
15 - 23 DECEMBER 2026
SOME SPOTS AVAILABLE
28 DECEMBER 2026 - 5 JANUARY 2027
SPOTS AVAILABLE
10 - 18 JANUARY 2027
FEW SPOTS AVAILABLE
23 - 31 JANUARY 2027
SOME SPOTS AVAILABLE
FEBRUARY 2027
NO AVAILABILITY
MARCH 2027
PRIVATE EXPEDITIONS: ENQUIRE
US$6,700 PER PERSON
9 Days · Maximum 8 Guests
Looking for Different Dates?
Travelling with a group of four or more? Contact us with your preferred dates and we will see what availability we have. Private expeditions can be arranged on request.
EXPEDITION 2
Paso El León — Private Expeditions
9–12 Day Remote Andean Journey
A remote journey through the Cochamó and Río Manso valleys towards Paso El León and the Chile–Argentina border.
Following traditional horse routes through forest, rivers and isolated mountain terrain, Paso El León takes the journey deeper into the Andes and can be shaped in different ways depending on your group, available time and how far you want to travel.
Expeditions can journey towards the border before returning through the remote valleys of Río Manso, or continue across the Andes into Argentina for a complete Chile–Argentina crossing.
Paso El León expeditions are arranged privately and on request.
Plan Your Horse Expedition
Tell us what kind of horse expedition you're looking for, when you're thinking of travelling, and anything you'd like us to know. We'll get back to you personally and help shape the right experience.
