Senderos Soul
Los Potreros is a bewitching place. For the gauchos that still work on horseback and along with guides show you their world - this rugged, wild landscape below wide open skies. For the precious slowing of time, horse and rider moving (mas o menos in my case) as one, the sheer thrill and exhilaration of riding; For its history as well as disconnection with the outside world and a slower, more natural pace of life. For the warmest most personal hospitality imaginable, a family opening their home freely and proudly. For the precious art of conversation and the evening’s magically refilling malbec glass. For the open kitchen (and open wine cellar), for that slow cooked, organic, home reared osso buco of my arrival night after a long journey. For practical, embedded (& largely unaware of itself) sustainability. I loved being part of this fascinating (and valuable) way of life, it was too short, I'd come back in a heartbeat.
- Simon, Senderos
Key Facts
No. of rooms: 8 (12 guests max)
Room Categories:
Carpintero – 2 bedroom cottage with 2 x twin or double (king size) beds, sitting room and 2 bathrooms
Muñecas – 3 bedroom cottage with 1 x triple or twin, 1 x double king, 1 x single (2 bathrooms)
South Room –1 x twin or double (king size) beds
North Room –1 x double (king size) bed
1945 – separate small cottage with a double Queen size bed (often reserved for single occupancy)
Each room has been fitted with new bathrooms (Sep 2024). The handmade counters have been designed and built with ‘petiribi’ – a beautiful textured wood found across South America.
Facilities: Swimming pool (mid Oct to April), gardens, outdoor barbeque. Separate inside / outside dining area and yoga studio ‘El Establo’ (new Oct 2024)
Internet: satellite wifi, only in the main house (not bedrooms).
Activity details: max 4 – 6 guests plus 2 guides, one English-speaking.
While Estancia life is usually centred around the working farm and especially riding (see further detail below), other available activities include:
- Varied and plentiful walking: either self-guided or accompanied by a member of the estancia team. From 1 hour to full days, to suit all abilities
- Birdwatching: the estancia has fantastic birdlife from October till March, with condors, eagles, vultures and burrowing owls also often seen ball year round.
- Farm drives: the estancia owners are delighted to drive guests around the estancia in a 4×4 to learn some of the history of the estancia or visit the cattle station to learn more about the life of the gaucho
- Other regular scheduled activities include: wine tastings, chefs nights, lassoing sessions, horse/gaucho demonstrations.
All the above activities on the estancia are included in rates.
Type of riding:
Morning (3 – 4 hours) and afternoon (1 – 2 hours) riding, or full day.
Riding is varied visiting high points, waterfalls and rock pools, local villages and churches.
Guests can help the gauchos with the cattle or herding the horses.
Informal polo and ‘stick and ball’/polo – usually played once a week (charged extra for guests staying less than 7 nights).
Other horse activities include gaucho games and lassoing.
All levels of riding are catered for.
Dates of operation: All year except May, June and July, when the estancia is closed. In 2024 the Estancia will be also closed in August and re-open 01 September.
Rates from: US$560 per person per night ($504ppn for stays over 7 nights)
*For full rates see below under Gallery and Resources.
Rates include: Transfers from Cordoba airport (8am to 8pm) (from 2025 rates will not include transfers, but they can still supply them for minimal cost), on farm activities, equipment, full board (breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, supper, soft drinks/house wine/beer/local spirits). Excludes tips, insurance.
Minimum age: 10 yrs (except buy outs / children 16 and under receive a 20% discount).
Minimum stay: 3 nights (5 at Christmas & New Year).
Senderos recommends: 4 nights + to experience everything on offer and riders will usually stay 7 nights.
Affiliations: LATA, Riding Safari Association.
Sustainability
The majority of energy is generated from renewable resources (mainly wind, water and solar power).
All farming on the estancia is undertaken with organic principles.
Strong ‘farm-to-table’ ethos when it comes to providing home-reared beef, free-range eggs, and fruit and vegetables from the estancia gardens.
Active tree-planting programme and zero food waste policy. Even the wine bottles are transported back to the winery, where they’re filled again with Los Potreros’ own label wine.
Estancia Los Potreros has long supported the local rural school, and guests help too via a small shop on the estancia.
Plastic free, locally sourced natural soaps and solid shampoo and conditioner in rooms.
Members of The Long Run. Their aim for 2024/25 is to promote responsible tourism by creating jobs and boosting income for the local community while minimising environmental impact.
Need to know:
This is a historic family home (the main house dates back 250 years) and working farm, not a hotel. Expect to be treated like an honoured house guest.
Easily accessible via hub Córdoba – it can be quicker to get here than to some far flung estancias in the Provincia de Buenos Aires.
Then old very limited satellite internet limited only to the drawing room – beloved by some, not so others 🙂 – has had the ‘Elon Musk’ upgrade in mid 2024 and fast wifi is now available in the main house and all bedrooms.
Cuisine is of an extremely high standard and meals are an event, especially dinner, which is hosted by one of the family. Food is locally sourced and wherever possible produced on the farm.
A selection of hard hats is available at the estancia, however we always recommend that guests bring their own in case those at the Estancia don’t fit correctly or aren’t the national standard required for your individual insurance schemes.
For riding there is a weight limit of 14 stone / 90kg / 200lbs.
There are plenty of other activities apart than riding (though most guests try it at least once!).
Perfect for:
Travellers interested in digging under the skin of Argentina – riders and non riders alike – a unique insight into Argentine rural life. And for riders… this is heaven!
Getting there
Estancia Los Potreros located in the Sierras Chicas is reached from Córdoba airport, which has excellent connectivity.
By Road
50 minutes by car from Córdoba airport, or comfortable and economic coaches overnight from Buenos Aires.
By Air
Just 1 hour from Aeroparque (BS As) to international airport of Córdoba, various other internal flights including Salta, Mendoza, Bariloche and Ushuaia. International direct flights include Chile (Santiago), Brazil (Sao Paulo), and Peru (Lima).
Gallery & Resources
Follow this link to Senderos Resources for access to
- Images, our selection
- Fact sheets
- Presentations
- Videos
- Rack rates
- Excursion lists
- And other useful information
Contact us if you need anything else.
Estancia Los Potreros has its own resource centre with photos, videos, presentations and product information, for which you’ll need to request a password from us.