GAUCHO DAY TRIP to Estancia EL OMBU de Areco | Argentine BBQ, Horse Whispering and Folklore Dancing!

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🐴 Gaucho Day Trip to Estancia El Ombu de Areco: https://bit.ly/3Bjo783 🌾
↗️ This is how you can visit on a day trip from Buenos Aires! Ready for a full-on Buenos Aires countryside escape? Join us for a day trip to Estancia EL OMBU de Areco, just outside San Antonio de Areco, where we dive into authentic gaucho life! From mouth-watering empanadas and refreshing welcome drinks to horseback or carriage rides, a sizzling BBQ lunch with custom Malbec, and an awe-inspiring doma india (horse whispering) demonstration.

We navigate muddy roads in a pickup, befriend friendly dogs, and glimpse Black Angus grazing on this 300-hectare historic ranch founded in 1880. From folklore tunes and traditional dancing to endless asado courses, flan with dulce and a cosy afternoon marenda, this Argentinian estancia day trip is an unforgettable slice of gaucho culture.

Gaucho Day Trip to Estancia El Ombu de Areco

01:35 - Welcome Snack

As soon as we arrived at Estancia El Ombu de Areco, we went on a brief tour of the place, and then it wasn’t long before we were served a mid-morning snack! We got two juicy fried beef empanadas per person along with a beverage.

02:39 - History of Estancia El Ombu de Areco

To give you a bit of history, Estancia El Ombu de Areco is a historic estancia in the outskirts of San Antonio de Areco. The main farmhouse dates back to ​​1880 and it’s been in the hands of the same family since 1934. They opened their doors and started receiving tourists in 1993 and now visitors can either come for the day or spend the night at their 11-room hotel.

Their land is divided between grazing livestock and agriculture and depending on the time of year, they have fields planted with soy, corn, wheat, and oats!

03:41 - Horseback riding or carriage ride

Guests visiting the estancia on a day trip have the option of going on a horseback ride of the estancia or enjoying a more leisurely carriage ride. We opted for the latter since it was something we hadn't done before!

06:13 - Traditional Argentine BBQ Lunch

Around noon, we followed our noses because we could smell the barbecue or ‘asado’ underway. And here’s a look at the grill featuring all that meat! This is as Argentine a meal as you’re ever going to have!

Lunch was served in the covered terrace, and I mean, just look at this place! The colonial floor tiles, the ivy climbing up the columns, and this beautiful table waiting for us!

We lost track of how many different courses of meat we had, but it was a lot! The waiters kept walking by with trays and trays of meat, so we had some sausage, beef, chicken, and more. This was followed by a classic dessert: flan with dulce de leche and cream!

08:26 - Folklore Music and Dancing

And then the music started! As lunch was winding down, we got to listen to some typical Argentine folklore music and the next thing we knew, it was time to dance.

I’ve gotta give it to the staff at the estancia because they really planned it well! Get the guests feeling merry with a bottle of Malbec wine, and then by the end of the meal, nobody will resist getting up to dance.

Not only dance but learn a traditional folklore dance! This definitely brought back childhood memories as these were the same dances we would do at school when I was growing up in Argentina.

10:18 - Horse whispering or Doma India

Then, we were led out to the garden to watch a horse whispering demonstration also known as doma india. The true gaucho’s approach to taming a horse is a gentle one built on trust and that’s what we got to witness.

During the demonstration, we watched as the gaucho moved his trusted horse into various positions without any force or struggle. The horse laid down on its side, then on its back, and also put its legs up in the air. It was a display of complete trust.

13:58 - Merienda time

We were stuffed after all that food, however, we couldn't skip out on merienda time (the Argentine equivalent of afternoon tea time). We kept things relatively light with a brownie and some lemon cake, not that we needed any more food!

14:48 - Final thoughts

This tour is known as a Día de Campo (Countryside Day) or Gaucho Day Trip. It's a very popular day trip from Buenos Aires or you can also organize it independently if you're planning to visit San Antonio de Areco.

We thoroughly enjoyed it as it's a great way to learn about gaucho culture and learn about rural life in the Pampas without having to travel too far. The fact that this place is located less than 2 hours from Buenos Aires makes it a super accessible day trip destination.

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