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.

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.

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.