If you experience one thing in Argentina, let it be ‘la vida de campo’.
Stay on a traditional estancia, such as Estancia El Boqueron, ride with gauchos & explore the wild countryside on horseback or foot.
El Boqueron, in Mar del Plata, is a private estancia close to our hearts, owned & run by one of Argentina’s top riding guides, Jakob Von Plessen. When he’s not guiding horseback safaris across the Patagonian Andes, Jakob can be found entertaining guests on the polo field at his family home, which doubles as a lodge available to Plan South America clients.
What we love about Estancia El Boqueron
- Whilst the majority of the property has been divided up over the years, the original, colonial-style clubhouse remains & has been converted into a guesthouse by Jakob’s mother, interior designer, Christl Von Plessen
- Sleeping 14 guests, the house is a network of airy rooms connected through open doorways, allowing you to flit from room to room, never short of a comfy spot to lounge with a book
- Bedrooms are simple with large beds, cotton sheets, plump pillows & blankets that you can sink into for long Argentine siestas
- Dining at El Boqueron is a spoiling affair. Every meal is served in a different location, inside or out, to enjoy peaceful corners of the garden or the far reaches of the estancia
- Rhodesian ridgebacks, Ongu and Tembo, will be your loyal shadows and the most enthusiastic walking companions when they’re not too busy sprawling on a sheepskin rug by the fire
- The small library houses an inherited collection of books from all over the world, as well as a collection of films for cosy movie nights supplemented with feasts of piping-hot empanadas and plenty of Malbec. Guests are often found curled up in here enjoying a well-earned snooze after a day racing around the polo field
- Almost every room in the house has a discreetly positioned drinks cabinet to ensure guests are never far from their favourite tipple – these are the details that make guests feel instantly at home
With over a hundred horses roaming the farm, riding is a big part of the Boqueron experience.
Jakob is an expert horseman, renowned for his passion for breeding & the traditional gaucho lifestyle.
Along with exploring the estancia on horseback, you can try your hand at polo de campo (nothing showy; anyone can have a go) – the atmosphere is relaxed, usually with half the group chatting on the sidelines whilst the rest stick & ball. Jakob invites neighbours to play on weekends, teaching guests about their national passion, or, for the more experienced, a competitive match can be organised amongst local friends (don’t forget they’ll have been riding since they could walk!). This is when the skill of the sport can really be appreciated. For polo players & spectators alike, the adrenaline starts pumping as muscular legs flash across the pitch at galloping speed, with riders leaning precariously out of their saddles, mallets swinging through the air with power and precision. The pace is fast; the excitement is palpable.
After an energetic game of chukkas, lunch might be an array of tasty salads and meats to pick at by the pool. Or if you’re out on a long ride, you’ll retreat from the midday sun to the shade of an oak tree, tying up your steed to graze, before tucking into a traditional asado (BBQ), where one of the gauchos will have spent the morning slow-roasting a whole sheep over an open fire, plonking a few bottles of wine on a picnic table in preparation for your arrival.
Expect tea & freshly baked cakes in the afternoon, served from an old-fashioned trolley on the lodge veranda. Evening sundowners are followed by casual suppers perched on stools around the kitchen island, or lantern-lit dinners amongst the sweet-smelling agapanthus in the courtyard. By the pool, there’s a traditional quincho, another favoured dining spot. The quincho houses a bar & parilla (grill), & tends to be where the fiesta gets going after a typical Argentine feast.
Lazy afternoons spent sunbathing by the pool are a popular choice, as are long walks (the terrain is fairly flat) & you’ll always find a few of the dogs are keen to join on the adventure.
And even if you don’t ride? You’ll still be completely mesmerised by the ambience of the property – it’s hard not to love the beautiful space & warm welcome. Having catered for some of the world’s finest horsemen as well as young families looking for a homely escape, or a first-ever riding holiday, El Boqueron provides a truly magical experience.
Just a 45-minute flight from Buenos Aires to Mar del Plata airport, followed by a half-hour drive to the estancia, El Boqueron is set amidst hundreds of acres of private parkland (trees that were shipped over as saplings from England in the early 1900s).
The estancia is easily accessed from Buenos Aires & is one of our favourite stops on a journey around Argentina.
When to Travel
Whilst the estancia can be visited year-round, we’d recommend visiting El Boqueron during the polo season (October to early December) for the opportunity to watch a polo game.
Combine a 5-night stay at El Boqueron with a week-long riding safari across the Patagonian Andes, allowing plenty of time to settle into the glorious routine of sleep, eat, ride, repeat.
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