campo antilco - private day horse riding

We booked a half-day ride. There were six in our group - my wife and I, who are complete novices; two women who had done a lot of riding; and two others who had done some riding. It is a credit to the guides that everyone enjoyed themselves, despite their different abilities - my wife and I even got coaxed into cantering three or four times. Carmen, the leader, was exceptional. Although she must have done the same route hundreds of times, she was enthusiastic and encouraging and made sure that everyone had a good time.A recommendation for improvement is that hard riding hats should be provided. This seems particularly important given that a number of riders will be virtual novices.

My husband, Ron, and I returned from our "Chile to Argentina" ride, and had a great experience. Mathias, the owner of Antilco, his wife Karin, and his staff couldn't have made us feel more welcome ( and well fed!) . The horses are in great shape and very well looked after. Great care is given to match the rider up to the right horse. The guides, Carmen, Louis and Aldo, are very experienced, and Alexandria is very organized and an amazing cook. The trail is beautiful and challenging, but the horses never take a wrong step. The Argentinian side was equally well run. Hernan, the owner,and Nicole, his partner and guide, work hard to ensure everyone is looked after. Their place is amazing , as well. A truly wonderful trip, and I would go back in a heartbeat!

I went on a half day horseback ride with my daughter and 2 friends with campo Antilco. They gave us instructions, good quality equipment and a horse according to our different needs. The guides were great! We had the opportunity to gallop, something I had never experienced before. The scenery was spectacular.

My partner and I joined a small group to do a 3 hour trail ride. Carmen our leader was exceptional and we felt safe and confident under her guidance. My partner and I have varied riding experience but we both felt that our personal riding needs were met. Will definitely be back! Ps: the salami sandwich was delicious!!!

Pleasant family activity - weather was not great but rain ponchos provided.Horses for all capabilities - very nice ladies who take the ride with smoko provided by the banks of the river.We were all beginners - went fine.

I initially hesitated about going on this trail ride having had earlier horse riding experience as a child a long time ago.....but wow this was amazing. What a lovely horse I rode (can't remember her name) such skilled animals going over some pretty rough terrain. We did a lovely trail ride through some pretty country and alongside the river. Carmen the leader was so professional and kept an eye on the group the whole time. Alexandra was also charming. So lovely to be out in the countryside. So get on your horse and have a go, this is a special experience. Highly recommend it!

My husband and I had a fabulous trek with Carmen on Esparenza and treinta y ocho - lovely natured charismatic horses. As we were there in early September it was very much low season and the weather wasn't great but Antilco provided us with large ponchos and chaps to keep us protected. We had a good ride through some stunning scenery and plenty of opportunity to trot, canter and gallop. Carmen was fantastic - coaching us on our riding technique, telling us about the area and local history and about the horses. Absolutely brilliant day out - highly recommended!

I had never been on a horse before and I was keen to ride a horse in Chile. We were recommended Antilco and found it to be amazing. The staff were very professional and discussed our experience, needs and wishes at the start of the day. Having never been on a horse before I was apprehensive, however, the horse they chose was perfect - obedient and easy to control. By the end I was galloping (not comfortable nor pretty!)but very enjoyable. Above all else the staff were exceptional (from England and Germany). Well worthy try and exceptionally enjoyable. Thanks!

The best experience I took away from 3 months in South America and the US. We did the 4 day Rio Blanco trail, my partner a first time rider and myself with plenty of experience. Our riding buddies were two other young girls from New York and Germany, neither having ridden before. The terrain was challenging at times and I was really surprised how well everyone did! The horses were absolutely wonderful - they take care to match every rider with a horse that suits them and their skill level. As a more experienced rider, I was given a confident and spirited horse, which suited me fine! Our guide, Carmen, was an absolute gem - full of riding tips, hilarious quips and always keen to make sure you've got everything you need. The camping is great, with beautiful scenery and a relatively comfortable set up, but it is still outdoors, so it gets very cold. Layers are ideal, as it tends to get warm throughout the day. The farm where we stayed before and after the ride is totally idyllic - apple trees, a huge fast flowing river and all sorts of animals to keep your day occupied. I would 100% recommend this adventure - whether you're an avid horse/outdoors person or someone just looking for something a bit different. You'll never forget an experience like this.

In March of this year, we came visiting the beautiful land of Chile – and the small, rainy (atleast while we were there), but gorgeous town of Pucon. We drove in from Puerto Montt for 3 days, and were looking for something different and fun to do. Antilco was something we found online, and had some good reviews. So we thought, why the hell not – neither of us are horse riding experts. Heck we’d probably been on one 3 times between the two of us until then. The drive to Antilco is a bit of a curvy hill ride, and it’s a bit hard to find – that said, they pick you up…we just had our own car so we tried that way. All the staff we met at Antilco were extremely friendly, understanding of our severely limited experience, and understanding of my wife’s hesitation/doubts about climbing a large animal and guiding it. They introduced us to the horses (and you could see they love these horses, and take very good care of them), and then gave us a short lesson in horse riding. And then we were off for a half day (4 hour) ride. It was rainy in a lot of parts, and they provide very sturdy and useful rain-ponchos. The horses are awesome and very well trained. I rode one named Esmeralda and my wife had a gentle guy named Pepe. We trotted, we cantered and we saw some beautiful beautiful views, all the while chatting away with Carmen (our very friendly, very patient, very knowledgeable horse riding guide/instructor). The other two ladies we met – Alessandra and Frau’en (I might have butchered both those names) – did not ride with us, but were a lot of fun to talk to and very friendly during our introduction and when we returned our horses. It was a great 4 hours spent, riding by the river, into forest, up and down hills with magnificent views, and just learning about horses. Next time maybe we will be more confident and even do the ride into Argentina…but these are guys are awesome!! :)

I am a horse lover and have ridden regularly or 20+ years, done trail rides all over the Americas, and worked as a wrangler at a couple of American dude ranches, so my praise doesn't come easily. From the start Mathias, the owner, was quick to answer all my questions and help me organize my ride. Upon arrival to the ranch, Mathias and the guides welcomed me like family and treated me and another couple to a delicious breakfast. I thought I might lose a little bit of weight in the back-country but I was so well fed throughout that I think I actually gained some! After that I met my horse, a lovely mare named Auca. I have ridden a lot of horses over rough terrain and have never found one so sure footed. She was amazing! All of the horses on the farm are very well cared for. The guides deserve a special thanks - Frauke and Luis were both expert horse people and very gentle with the horses, not to mention a lot of fun! They really made the experience. The scenery was amazing, I think the best way to describe it was a cross between Colorado and Jurassic Park. I was weary of doing this ride due to a poor experience horseback riding in Torres del Paine (among other disappointments in Latin America), but Antilco did a fantastic job all around.

I have just finished the Crossing the Andes ride. I have guided people on horseback in the Canadian Rocky Mountains so I can say with some authority that this was an experience of a lifetime. The tack was great the horse superb, the camping equipment and food were top notch. Our guides Luis and Sammy were friendly and fun. The scenery was spectacular and could be described as other worldly. The weather on the Chilean side was a bit cool and damp at times but this is an outdoor activity and you should expect this. The most striking and I would say most enjoyable was how different things were on the Argentine side. The horse are bigger the saddles are different and the scenery completely different it is like a totally different trip. Hernan Jose and Paige kept us fed and on the right path. They introduced us to shepherds and took us to a trail side bar which was like stepping back in time. The bar and rounding up horses on the pampas was a highlight of the trip. Hernan's place at the end of the trail is like something from a story and would be worth a trip just to go there.Thanks Mathias for your professional handling of all the arrangements and thanks to all the staff for a trip of a lifetime

Four day Rio Blanco trail ride. Superb horses, stunning scenery, great camping (thermal baths heavenly after a long day in the saddle). Go in early summer when the meadows are full of flowers and the wild cherries are ripening. An experience not to be missed!

What an awesome trip. My cousin and I enjoyed the variety of the riding, from the jungles of Chile to open fast paced pampas of Argentina. We loved the well chosen camps. Mathais and Hernan are wonderful hosts and the team made the camping a genuine pleasure. The food was very enjoyable. Aldo, Hernan, Page and Deigo made it special. many thanks. Travelling with 5kgs and a make do attitude was a refreshing change from a typical holiday, and I am missing it already. We rode, we ate, we drank and our heart was content with this trip of a lifetime. Ride on.

We did the half day ride yesterday -party of four with different experiences. They did a nice job matching us with horses, and the two guides, Frauka and Cama were great. The part of the ride on the road was not my favorite, but when we headed into the village, the forest, and along the river it was gorgeous. I suggest wearing a wide brimmed hat that has a neck strap so it doesn´t fly off when galloping. And sunglasses and sunsreen. Note that the guides are not paid, but receive food and housing in exchange for their services, so a tip is greatly appreciated. We had brought a big camera, but were asked to not bring it on the ride because it would bounce around and couldn´t fit into the saddle bags. That was definitely the right decision to not bring it, but I really wish we could have some pictures from the trail, so maybe tuck your phone into a zippered pocket.