Estancia Cerro Guido

A historical Patagonian estancia right on the edge of Torres del Paine National Park, offering horse-riding and hiking tours

A rare chance to hike the majestic peaks of Torres del Paine by day, then stay at a pioneer Patagonian sheep farm at night. Just 30 minutes from the eastern entrance to the National Park at Laguna Amarga, Estancia Cerro Guido (formerly known as Lodge Cerro Guido) offers an array of activities - riding through sweeping steppe landscapes, minibus tours to Grey Glacier and Salto Chico - as well as an evocative insight into estancia life, with its annual sheep shearing and cattle round-ups.

It's perched in the most perfect position, gazing over the steppe to those iconic towers of mountain; and it still looks just as it did in the 1920s. Simple, white-painted zinc houses sit above orchards and vegetable gardens, and lilac and honeysuckle grow by the door. The charming bedrooms and sitting rooms retain all the elegance of the original ranch, but have been modernised to add warmth and comfort. You’ll be welcomed by friendly Paulina and Horacio with a pisco in the quincho dining room: a magical spot where you can watch the sun set over the Torres as you tuck into home-reared lamb or locally caught salmon.

Highs

• Horse-riding programmes into the steppe for experienced riders, with the option of staying overnight on a remote estancia
• Proximity to the National Park: hiking to the Torres base camp and the French Valley are highlights
• Adventure tours of 2-7 nights can be booked (though the lodge doesn't have its own guides yet)
• Free tours of the estancia provides a vivid insight into pioneer life
• Combines the atmosphere of a traditional estancia with the comforts of a hotel: warm and spacious bedrooms, plus modern ensuite bathrooms

Lows

• There’s little to do in the immediate area unless you love horse-riding - and that's strictly for experienced riders
• Some might find the vast steppe all around rather bleak
• There’s no television and only intermittent WiFi - which you might feel is a bonus
• Don’t come here for nightlife or to meet other travellers: it's for couples or friends who love the great outdoors
• Unlike traditional Argentine estancias whose owners have farmed the land for centuries, the young hosts are new arrivals - but very friendly