Description
Estancia El Condor has one of the most spellbinding locations in South America, on a sheltered arm of Lake San Martín, around a 5 hour drive from El Calafate. Getting here is a real highlight as you cross increasingly arid steppe past remote estancias, guanacos and shimmering jade-coloured lakes deep into the southern Andes.
El Condor is a truly authentic small estancia that gives guests a feeling of old Patagonia. The estancia keeps its own horses and a few sheep, and the extensive lands run all the way to the Chilean border.
Rooms are very simple but comfortable and the food is quite delicious. You will be treated as one of the family, with meals served by the open fire in the dining room. A small library with books on the culture and natural history of the region is kept.
Majestic mountains, lakes, ponds, native forest and canyons provide the ideal backdrop for some superlative walking and riding, including a memorable hike to a condor nesting site. This is a paradise for photographers, and a slice of Patagonia at its wildest.
Accommodation
The main house at El Condor has three twin rooms, two double rooms and one quadruple room, each with a private bathroom. The rooms are furnished in a simple yet cosy style.
Childcare
Children are accepted at Estancia El Condor, but ideally need to be older to fully enjoy the activities on offer. There are no specific facilities for children.
Facilities
Facilities at the estancia include a library where can relax over a good book and a dining room serving authentic Patagonian cuisine.
Activities
There is excellent horse riding and trekking from Estancia El Condor, taking you through breathtaking scenery, with picturesque cascades, rivers, beautiful beech forests and turquoise lagoons. There are rides and treks suitable for all levels. Guests can also enjoy trout and salmon fishing in the rivers and bays. Hiking, riding and sport fishing are offered as one day activities or as longer excursions of up to 4 days.
Services
Electricity is from a generator, which is turned on around breakfast and in the evening. During the estancia it is warmed by the fireplaces. Open Sep-Apr
When to travel
October to April is generally the best time to visit, but the southern autumn (April and May) is often characterised by extraordinary leaf colours, and prices are usually lower at this time. Winter days are cold but often still.
Jan
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Best time to visit
Good time to visit
Average time to visit
Not applicable
Location and directions
Lago San Martin, Argentina
Estancia El Condor is set overlooking Lago San Martin, in the South of Argentinian Patagonia.
How to get there
3.5hr flight from Buenos Aires to El Calafate followed by a 4hr transfer on sealed and dirt roads.
