Family & Sabbatical, Plan South America | Argentina Brazil Chile Colombia Costa Rica Galapagos Islands | 21.02.24

The Best Places For Family Holidays

A Selection of our favourite escapes

Luxury hideaways in South and Central America where families can stay longer, relax, learn, and fall into local rhythms.

Argentina

Plan South America | Argentina | El Bordo

Argentina’s estancias – traditional working ranches and estates – lend themselves perfectly to family vacations and are suitable for longer stays of 7-14 nights. Typically set in breathtaking scenery, they offer warm, authentic, relaxed hospitality, and a privileged window onto life on a working farm.

In Salta, Estancia El Bordo is one of the oldest estancias in the country and one of our favourite gaucho outposts. Guests will feast on mighty asados (Argentine barbecues), and explore the estate on foot and on Peruvian Paso horses.  In the evenings, dance & cookery classes are immensely entertaining for all ages. Under-threes stay for free & babysitters can be arranged for parents wanting to slip off for a massage.

For the remotest outpost of them all, journey to Estancia El Condor, in southern Patagonia.  Positioned amidst towering Andean peaks, the 40,000-hectare estancia on the shores of Lake San Martín is home to guanacos, horses, sheep, & some elusive puma. Ride through petrified forests to the Chilean border, camp out in the wilderness, cast a line for trout and return in the evening to a glass of Malbec & a feast of slow-roasted lamb, prepared over an open fire.

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Costa Rica

Hacienda Montezuma, Costa Rica

For a taste of traditional Costa Rican country living, few places rival Hacienda Montezuma. Besides the Tenorio Volcano in the Guanacaste province, this working cattle farm is run by the most attentive team imaginable.

Ignite a lifelong passion for the natural world with fascinating conservation programmes. Jaguars, sloths, monkeys & toucans live on the  private reserve, where youngsters can release rescued ocelots, set up cameras & hone their tracking skills.

While seasoned riders help sabanero cowboys muster cattle on horseback, keen gardeners can harvest fresh vegetables & young swimmers will be enthralled by sparkling rivers, waterfalls and natural pools. Al fresco dining is a must, from sunny lakeside picnics to firepit feasts under the stars.

Conveniently for those constricted by school breaks, the hacienda has ​​five-to-seven-night family holiday experiences, although longer stays will allow you to settle into the invigorating pura vida lifestyle.

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Colombia

Plan South America Colombia | Barichara Street

The magic of Casa Yahri lies not just in its charming colonial facade, but in the opportunities it provides to nurture creativity. The elegant villa is tucked away in Barichara, a storybook village in Colombia’s Andean heartland. Here, workshops with local artisans will tap into children’s artistic side through ceramics, clay painting & weaving. They’ll create homespun handicrafts as well as vivid family memories.

Get the whole family cooking with masterclasses in regional cuisine, before discovering the coffee-making process at a nearby finca. Adventures abound, from horse riding & paragliding in the Chicamoya Canyon to waterfall rappelling along the Fonce River. Should you wish, you can rent out the entire villa to enjoy the leafy terraces and spacious suites all to yourself.

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Chile

Plan South America | Chile | Pata Lodge

At family-run Pata Lodge, the Patagonian wilderness is a precious tool for learning. As well as cosy cabins, there’s an on-site school teaching everything from beekeeping & sheep breeding to yoga practice & astronomy workshops.

Guests come here to walk, fly fish, and raft and kayak the Futaleufú River. In the Futaleufú National Reserve, deep ravines make for excellent canyoning. Delve deeper into the Andean scenery on horseback or mountain bikes, spotting Huemul deer grazing peacefully among the trees.

Young pirates can hop aboard Pata’s sailboat, which navigates through shadowy fjords and towering glaciers off the Pacific coast. Keep an eye on the waves; these waters shelter whales, dolphins, penguins & sea lions.

After each action-packed day, tuck into home-cooked dinners at the organic farm-to-table restaurant.

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Brazil

Plan South America | Comuna do Ibitipoca | Minas Gerais

Set amongst the green hills of Minas Gerais, the Ibitipoca, is a serene oasis and one of the world’s great hideaways. The 18th-Century farmhouse is comfortable and rustic, impecably decorated with colourful Brazilian art and furniture.

Whether riding Mangalara horses, spotting wildlife in the Atlantic Forest or scrambling through caves, the 1,500-hectare reserve is the ultimate playground. Venture into the Ibitipoca State Park and you’ll be rewarded with dramatic waterfalls &  spectacular rock formations. Then unwind with yoga classes & spoiling treatments at the barn spa. Tuck into picnics made with fresh produce from the land at secluded spots around the reserve. After each day, watch the sun set over vast sculptures of figures, that tower over the rainforest.

With its tropical climate, Ibitipoca works year-round, but is at its best from April to September. A favourite with locals, we recommend booking well in advance for buyouts.

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Ecuador: The Galapagos Islands

Plan South America | Holidays in South America

What better way to get kids excited about Darwin’s Theory of Evolution than surrounding them with dragon-like reptiles and giant tortoises? A family holiday to the Galapagos brings textbooks magically to life.

The archipelago is home to the most diverse ecosystem on the planet. Budding scientists can snorkel with turtles & sea lions & witness marine iguanas sneezing in saltwater. Up-close encounters with the inhabitants of these enchanted isles are sure to inspire inquisitive young minds.

Up in the wild highlands of Santa Cruz Island, the luxury tented family suites at Galapagos Safari Camp are wonderfully spacious. As well as an infinity pool, you’ll enjoy ocean views from your veranda & guided activities from scuba diving to surfing.

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