Estancia Pampa Grande is a spectacular 30,000 hectare private estate in a surprisingly green corner of northwest Argentina.
At its heart sits a handsome eleven-bedroom Spanish colonial house with wide galleries, a central courtyard, and simple, comfortable bedrooms arranged around the patio. Remote, rustic and deeply atmospheric, it remains a word of mouth property, mercifully out of the mainstream circuit.
Situated on the old Inca trail, around four hours south of Salta City, the estancia was once home to the founder of Salta and later passed to General Arenales, one of the founding fathers of Argentina. Today, guests are invited to participate in authentic estancia life, where gauchos still work the land much as they have for generations.
What we love about Estancia Pampa Grande
- The unexpectedly lush green Andean setting where the Chaco, monte and yungas ecosystems meet – far removed from Salta’s better-known desert scenery.
- A proper old-fashioned estancia feel: wide verandas, central courtyard, open fireplaces, terracotta floors, beautiful local furnishings, and a warm, lived-in atmosphere.
- Eleven simple, cosy rooms, each with thick duvets, woven textiles, and sheepskin rugs – interconnecting rooms are available for families.
- Access to real estancia life: ride out with the gauchos, help round up horses, watch cattle work, visit the estancia school, milk cows, and learn to make empanadas in the kitchen.
- Outstanding home cooking – much of what ends up on the table is bred, grown, and harvested from the estate, and the kitchen garden is always bustling with activity.
- The sense of community – the estancia sits beside a tiny village of around 150 inhabitants, a third of whom work as gauchos on the estate.
Pampa Grande provides a rare insight into authentic estancia life.
It is home to a herd of several hundred horses, with 150 used by the gauchos to work the estancia’s cattle. Little has changed here over the past 100 years, and guests are invited to participate in the daily routines of the gauchos, rounding and branding cattle, enjoying rodeos and exploring the estate on foot or horseback.
Beyond riding, there are excellent walks through forests and open meadows, mountain bikes to borrow, exceptional birdwatching, fishing on the lake, swimming, table tennis and a beautifully restored French billiards table. Those wanting to explore further can visit the nearby school or enjoy a picnic overlooking the surrounding valleys.
The pace is deliberately slow. Return from a morning’s adventure to homemade lemonade in the garden, spend the afternoon by the pool or reading beneath the verandas, before gathering for family-style dinners and long evenings around the fire.
Estancia Pampa Grande is located in northwest Argentina, approximately a three hour drive from Salta airport.
There are direct flights to Salta from a number of locations within Argentina, including Buenos Aires, Iguazu, and Mendoza.
When to Travel
Estancia Pampa Grande can be visited year round. June to September is winter, and the weather is warm and dry during the day, but the temperature drops at night. The weather is hot during the summer, which is between December and February.
We’d recommend avoiding February and March, as these months experience the heaviest downpours.
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