Route 40 before 9 AM is a kind of morning meditation.  The van follows the trail of sunlight as it begins to turn the sleeping mountains into vibrantly colored slopes.  And though the trip is long, some two hours south west of Mendoza City, it merits open eyes and a camera at the ready.

By midmorning we had arrived at Quebrada del Condor (Condor Gorge), an estancia humble in architecture and rich in tradition, staffed by true gauchos who care for the animals and work the land.  There is a rustic elegance to the gaucho duo that runs the Quebrada del Condor; Cato and Eduardo are seasoned cowboys when it comes to life at high altitude.  Their hands are calloused and their faces creased from too much squinting at the Mendozan sun.

Eduardo preparing the saddles.

At 1,400 m (4,500 ft.), base camp is Cato´s home, kitchen and stables.  Cato, a man who looks to be in his late fifties, has had the estancia in his family since 1969, and somewhere in the rolling hillsides rests his father, a man who wanted to leave the land.  Back at the base, the fieldstone buildings are unimposing, a cozy place to fill a grumbling stomach and rest a tired head after a long day´s work in the open air.

“This is a special corner of the cordillera,” said Cato, looking around at the three simple shelters practically hidden against the backdrop of one Andean peak stacked on another.  “This is not a place for tourism, we work and live here, the animals work and live here, some are wild and some work the land.  It´s just…well, you´ll see what this land is about when you get on the horses.”

But before we could mount the horses, one Argentine tradition had to be observed: it was time for mate breakfast.  After washing up in the restrooms, everyone found their place at the picnic table and snacked on medialunas (Argentine croissants) and warmed up with steaming mate, coffee and tea.

I have found that breakfast in Argentina is less about food and more about slowing warming up to the day.  It always begins with a hot mug of something and a conversation.  While bites of pastry and the warm coffee energize the body, Cato and Eduardo unravel stories of their life on the land.  They tell of the 6,800 hectares, the quiet guanacos that scale the steep slopes, and the condors that circle above them.

Horseback Riding in Mendoza

And then it was time to meet the horses.  Even for the unsteady rider, the trail through the Cordón del Plata is easy to navigate, but lively enough to keep you happily alert.  Stream crossings, winding paths up and down hillsides, condor sightings and small herds of grazing cattle alongside semi-wild horses are common features on the day-long excursion.

Half way through the four-hour ride, the group paused beside a stream and had a picnic of salami, cheese, olives and wine.  It was one of many chances to dismount, stretch legs, snap a few pictures, enjoy the blue haze of distance ridges, and the sweet sound of…nothing.

Back at the base camp, Cato´s wife along with rustic Chef Rodrigo Ruiz had been preparing a veritable feast: handmade empanadas, procuitto and fresh baked bread, charred vegetable salad, gilled meats and a dessert you´ll have to try for yourself.

Just as we hoped, the meal achieved the two benchmarks for Argentine Asado: it was both ample and delicious.  As we lingered over the final bites of meat and the final glasses of red wine, we unwound with the team that had led us through the mountains and back again.  To them it was another day in the Quebrada, but it was clear that even in the guacho´s line of work, no day is “just another day of the same old thing,” because mountain life rarely lends itself to predictability.

It lends itself to splendor.    

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How to Dress:  We recommend athletic tennis shoes or hiking boots, comfortable pants (for mounting and dismounting) – not jeans, sunglasses, a light polar fleece or warm sweater and an outer layer to break the wind.  Cato and Eduardo will supply you with leather chaps to cover your calves and protect your pants, and also have some warm clothes on hand for travelers who forget to bring their own. It´s also best to wear a coat with pockets, so you´ll have a place to store your camera while on horseback. (The same dress code applies for hiking trips)

Rest Assured:  The team always has water on hand and throughout the day there is time to get out, enjoy a view point, stretch your legs and snack on something tasty.  You will not go home hungry. 

Good to Know:  There are 3 sections of the Andes Mountain Range in Argentina, or cordillera, as it´s called in Spanish.

1. Pre-cordillera that includes the foothills and mountains that border the greater range.
2. Cordón del Plata is the inner mountain range, which is located entirely in Mendoza province, and is sandwiched between the pre-cordillera and the Cordillera Principal.  It contains mountain peaks between 4,000 and 6,000 m above sea level (13,000 – 19,700 ft.).  Cordón del Plata is wildly considered the most picturesque part of the Andes Range and, on a clear day, can be easily seen from Mendoza City and the central-north part of Mendoza Province.

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