Uruguay
A night spent living like a gaucho, then a village with no electricity guarded by sea lions
Uruguay
A journey through Uruguay's most rural side: the estancias of the interior, where gaucho culture remains fully alive amid cattle herds and centuries-old equestrian traditions, then Cabo Polonio, a fishing village with no electricity or paved road, reachable only by off-road truck across the dunes, home to one of South America's largest sea lion colonies.
When
Oct-Nov | March-April
Price
From 2 900€ excl. flights
(based on 2 people sharing)
How long
6 nights
Ideal length
Days 1-2
The first chapter unfolds at an inland estancia, a traditional working ranch where gauchos, the emblematic horsemen of the South American plains, keep alive extensive livestock-raising methods passed down since the 19th century. Horseback rides across hills dotted with cattle and sheep, in a country that holds more livestock than people.
Day 1
Arrival and a first ride
Arrival at the estancia, check-in at a rustic guesthouse, a first late-afternoon ride across the surrounding hills alongside the resident gauchos.
Day 2
A day's work with the gauchos
Taking part in a traditional day's work with the gauchos, rounding up cattle on horseback, then an evening around an asado accompanied by folk songs.
Days 1-2
An off-road truck transfer across the sand dunes to Cabo Polonio, a fishing village with no public electricity grid, where every house generates its own solar power. The cape's lighthouse, built in 1881, overlooks one of South America's largest colonies of sea lions and fur seals, visible just metres from the coastal rocks.
Day 1
Crossing the dunes and settling in
An off-road truck transfer across the sand dunes to Cabo Polonio, settling into a fisherman's cabin with no electricity, a first candlelit evening facing the ocean.
Day 2
The lighthouse and the sea lion colony
A climb to the Cabo Polonio lighthouse for a view of the sea lion colony on the nearby rocks, then a free day between the wild beach and a hike through the surrounding dunes.
Other trips built in the same spirit — more to draw inspiration from.
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