Long gallops across open plains, gauchos who ride standing up and facing backwards, and a smoky wood-fired lunch waiting at the ranch. Out in the tobacco country of northern Argentina, horse riding in Salta at Sayta Ranch is the kind of day that stays with you for years. Here’s what it’s really like, and how to book it.
Whenever people ask me for my favourite travel destination, my answer never changes: Salta. And when they ask about my favourite experience in South America, I tell them about horse riding at Estancia Sayta.
The city and the region around it, in the north of Argentina a few hours from the Bolivian border, captured my heart.
Architecturally, the city is almost unrivalled on the continent. Brightly painted colonial buildings such as the Iglesia San Francisco dominate the skyline, a perfect contrast to a sky that always seems to be the brightest of blues.
But the real magic starts when you leave town. Drive a short way into the Lerma Valley and you’re in gaucho country, where riding isn’t a tourist activity so much as a way of life. I’ve ridden in several parts of Argentina, and nowhere has come close to Sayta.
Sayta Ranch at a glance
- Where: Ruta 61, Camino Las Moras, just outside the small town of Chicoana, about 41km south-west of the city (roughly 45 minutes by car).
- What it is: a family-run working ranch offering gaucho-led rides, ranch stays and countryside experiences, hosted by owner Enrique Carbia and his team.
- Rides: half-day rides (with or without an asado), full-day rides, a full day with a mountain picnic for experienced riders, a full day with a night at the ranch, and multi-day rides, including an eight-day route from Chicoana to San Carlos across the Lerma and Calchaquà valleys.
- Who it suits: complete beginners through to confident riders. The gauchos match horses and pace to the group.
- Price: rates aren’t published. Ask for a quote when you book, and check what it includes (transfers, meals and wine, overnight stays).
- Booking: by WhatsApp on +54 9 387 683 6565 or by email at [email protected]. Book ahead, especially in Argentine holiday periods.
- Staying over: a handful of double and triple rooms with private bathrooms, for up to six guests.
Riding with the gauchos
While the city of Salta in Northern Argentina is a wonderful destination in itself, those who take the time to explore the wider region will be rewarded. Horse riding is close to a national sport in Argentina, and this is very much the land of the gaucho. The riding here was the best I’ve ever encountered, and Sayta, an estancia (ranch) 41km outside town, is the perfect place to test your horsemanship.
It was a warm day, and there were about ten riders gathered outside the small building in the middle of the estancia. The owner, Enrique, was telling the group a little about what to expect. “Sayta Ranch is set in the most beautiful part of Argentina,” he started, with typical modesty.
“You won’t visit anywhere like it in the rest of the country. Horse riding in Argentina is great, but in Sayta it is fantastic,” he continued.
Immodest or not, I was to discover that Enrique may well have been right. Vast, open lowlands are framed by dramatic mountain ranges, with small villages dotted about.
The ride started across the open plains, slowly at first, then with a few long canters and gallops to set the pace for the day.
Most of the group had some riding experience, but a few had never been on a horse before. The ranch’s two gauchos, Franco and Rodrigo, made sure everyone was comfortable and in control of their horses as the morning went on.
Why riding gaucho-style feels so different
I love riding in England, but there’s something appealing about the relaxed style the gauchos at Sayta Ranch adopt. Horse riding in Argentina is a completely different ball game.
Traditionally, gauchos wear wide-brimmed hats to protect their faces from the sun. Rather than stiff jodhpurs or breeches, the trousers of choice are the extravagantly named bombachas de gaucho: baggy trousers that button at the ankle, normally worn with leather chaps to protect the inner leg. The saddles are different too: the traditional recado is built up in layers and topped with a sheepskin.
In between canters, the group chatted while Rodrigo and Franco showed off their horsemanship: riding while standing up, facing backwards, you name it, they could do it.
They had both been riding since the age of five, and they handled their horses with a casual ease and skill that put even the most talented riders in the group to shame.
Through the tobacco fields
Tobacco is one of the mainstays of farming in the Lerma Valley. The province grows almost a third of Argentina’s tobacco (around 36,000 tonnes in the 2024 to 2025 harvest, second only to Misiones), and I rode past field after field of the crop.
As the group rode, Franco talked through the process of cultivation from crop to cigarette and explained why the climate here suits tobacco so well. If the subject grabs you, Sayta now runs a guided tobacco circuit and a handmade cigar-rolling workshop too.
The asado back at the ranch
By the time the group returned to Sayta Ranch for lunch, the combination of hours in the saddle and the hot sun had worked its magic. I was ravenous and, judging from the lull in conversation when plates of freshly cooked asado (barbecued meats) were laid on the table, I wasn’t the only one.
The steak, from one of the neighbouring farms of course, had been cooked on a wood-fired barbecue. It melted in the mouth, leaving a hint of smokiness and a burst of flavour in its wake. It’s still one of the best asados I’ve ever tasted.
There was locally produced wine to go with it, and huge piles of roasted vegetables. When everyone had eaten their fill, everyone sat around dozily, waiting for lunch to settle before climbing back into the saddle for a few more hours.
Into the foothills in the afternoon
The second half of the day climbed up into the mountain foothills. The pace was slower, partly because of the steep inclines and partly because the scenery was so breathtaking that I kept stopping to take it all in.
Uncorralled horses roamed free, and the trail passed several herds of cows feasting on the lush greenery. Everything was perfectly quiet and, after a while, the whole group rode along in silence, content to meander in Franco’s wake.
Soon enough, it was time to head back to the estancia. Dusk was falling, and I was tired after the long hours in the saddle.
Some of the group were returning to the city that evening. I was staying on for a few more days of riding, so I said my goodbyes and sat around the fire with Enrique and the neighbours who’d come over for an evening chat, before turning in for an early night.
It was one of those rare days, as were the days that followed: memorable for all the right reasons. It’s the experience that has brought me back to Salta several times over the years.
Which Sayta ride should you book?
Sayta offers far more than the classic full day, so there’s a ride for most levels and timeframes.
- Half-day ride: a shorter trail through the farmland around Chicoana, ideal for first-timers or if you’re short on time. Add the asado and you get the best bit of the day either way.
- Full-day ride: a morning and an afternoon in the saddle with lunch at the ranch in between, the closest to the day described above.
- Full day with a mountain picnic: old mountain paths and an outdoor lunch in the hills. It’s aimed at experienced riders, so be honest about your level when you book.
- Full day with a night at the ranch: the one to choose if you want the fireside evening and a slower start the next morning. A sunset ride with an overnight stay is another option.
- Long-distance rides: multi-day circuits for confident riders, including the eight-day crossing from Chicoana to San Carlos through the Lerma and Calchaquà valleys.
Not a rider? The ranch also runs regional cooking experiences, where you learn to make Salta-style empanadas, and a full cooking and countryside day.
How to get to Sayta Ranch from Salta
Sayta sits on a country lane a few kilometres outside Chicoana, about 41km from the city centre. The drive south through the Lerma Valley takes roughly 45 minutes.
- Transfer: the easiest option. Ask about a pick-up from your hotel when you book; it has long been part of Sayta’s day packages, but confirm it’s included in your quote.
- Hire car: handy if you’re road tripping on to Cachi or Cafayate afterwards. Use the ranch’s address (Ruta 61, Camino Las Moras) and confirm directions when you book.
- Bus: local buses run from the city to Chicoana town in a little over an hour, but you’d still need a taxi from there to the ranch, so it’s only worth it on a tight budget.
- Package: UK operator Rickshaw Travel includes a gaucho day at Chicoana and Estancia Sayta in its Salta trips if you’d rather have it all arranged.
Tips for horse riding in Salta
- Dress for the saddle: wear long, comfortable trousers and closed shoes or boots with a small heel. Chaps help on the longer rides.
- Take the sun seriously: the light in northern Argentina is fierce, even on cooler days. Bring a hat, sunscreen and water.
- Pick your season: the dry months from April to November bring clear skies and the most reliable riding, with cold nights in midwinter. December to March is greener and the tobacco is high, but afternoon storms are common, so ride in the morning.
- Be honest about your experience: the gauchos pair you with a horse to suit, and the mountain rides are only for confident riders.
- Where to base yourself: stay in the city and visit for the day, or book a night at the ranch for the full experience. My Salta travel guide covers where to stay, eat and dance afterwards.
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