This is an interesting excursion to the Estancia 25 de Mayo, which combines transfers in a 4×4 vehicle, a photographic safari and the possibility of spending a few hours at an authentic Patagonian estancia outpost, where you can learn a little more about the lifestyle of the pioneers in the region and the experiences of the country and estancia people in southern Patagonia. The excursion can be enjoyed during the morning, departing at 9 am and finishing with lunch, or in the afternoon, departing at 4 pm and finishing with dinner.
After entering the “Estancia 25 de Mayo” Natural Reserve, our first stop is at an old stone building that used to be inhabited by the estancia’s first owners, the Villalba family.
An explanation is given about estancias, the first pioneers and the early years of El Calafate and the Estancia 25 de Mayo..
The tour continues with a visit to La Sección, where we will have sufficient time to admire herds of guanaco (binoculars provided for a better look).
We continue on foot to the sector where fossilised oysters more than 23 million years old can be found. These are set in a wall of fossilised reefs that bear witness to a time when this desert was under the sea.
The last stop before lunch/dinner is a panoramic viewpoint called Centinela, at around 1500 m.a.s.l., for some impressive 360° views over walls of basalt, Cerro Centinela and the Baguales (mountains on the southern border with Chile).
This is the perfect moment to appreciate the wind and the immensity of the place, and to enjoy Patagonia with all five of your senses.
On our way back, we stop off at La Sección.
A country lunch or dinner will be served at an authentic estancia outpost, set in the immensity of the Patagonian steppe.
– Lunch or dinner in the country residence consists of a rustic stew accompanied by home made bread, local wines and dessert.
