What a Patagonian estancia is
A Patagonian estancia is a rural property that began as a sheep ranch on the steppe. It was run from a main homestead, where the manager, the foremen and some of the workers lived; at shearing time many more people arrived.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, sheep ranching turned southern Argentina and southern Chile into one of the most important sheep-raising regions in the world. The system was adapted from British practices in the Malvinas Islands, Australia and New Zealand. In 1884 the governor of Santa Cruz, Carlos María Moyano, traveled to the Malvinas and promised cheap land leases to anyone who moved to the territory. Wool came first; later, meat for export to Europe.
Estancia Rio Mitre and the Echeverría family
Estancia Rio Mitre belongs to the Echeverría family, whom the estancia presents as a “pioneer family of El Calafate.” Its owner, Esteban Echeverría, descends from the first settlers in the area.
Where it is and how to get there
Estancia Rio Mitre is 58 km from El Calafate: 53 km on Route 11, which runs along Lake Argentino, and 5 km of gravel on Route 60. It’s 30 km from the Perito Moreno Glacier. The road doesn’t pass the entrance to Los Glaciares National Park, so there’s no entrance fee to get there.
| Stretch | Distance | Road | Through the national park entrance? |
|---|---|---|---|
| El Calafate to the Route 60 junction | 53 km | Route 11, along Lake Argentino | No |
| Junction to the estancia | 5 km | Route 60, gravel | No |
| Total from El Calafate | 58 km | Route 11 and Route 60 | No: no entrance fee |
| Estancia to the Perito Moreno Glacier | 30 km | The glacier is inside the park |
With the Asado Workshop you don’t need a car: round-trip transfers are included, with pickup at 11:30 am in El Calafate and an estimated return at 4:30–5:00 pm. The glacier visit isn’t part of the workshop.
What you see from the estancia
From Estancia Rio Mitre you see the Andes, the Magallanes Peninsula and Lake Rico, which is the Rico arm of Lake Argentino.
At the estancia, once everyone has eaten, there’s free time to roam the open country: rest or take a walk, your choice.
The Centro de Interpretación Tehuelche (Tehuelche Interpretation Center)
The Centro de Interpretación Tehuelche is inside Estancia Rio Mitre. It holds original Tehuelche arrowheads, boleadoras and tools found in the region, historical photos and stones of geological value. The visit is included in the Asado Workshop.
Who the Tehuelche were
The Tehuelche, also called Aonikenk (“southerner,” the name they use for themselves), are an Indigenous people of Patagonia. Until the Europeans arrived they were hunter-gatherers who followed the guanaco herds: in winter they moved down to the coasts and lakeshores, and in summer up to the plateaus or the Andes. The horse, which they knew from 1570 on, changed the way they moved across the land. Large-scale sheep ranching later pushed them off their lands.
What boleadoras are
Boleadoras are a throwing weapon for hunting, created by the Indigenous peoples of Patagonia and the pampas and later adopted by the gauchos: two or three polished, nearly round stones joined by strips of guanaco hide or rhea tendon.
The optional horseback ride
The horseback ride lasts 1 hour and goes to the Echeverría family’s old house. It isn’t included in the Asado Workshop: you arrange it on the spot, directly with the estancia.
Season and weather
The Asado Workshop runs daily from August to May; the estancia is closed in June and July. If it rains or there’s strong wind, it goes ahead under cover.
How to visit Estancia Rio Mitre with the Asado Workshop
The Asado Workshop by Medio Perro is a class in asado, Argentina’s barbecue tradition, held at Estancia Rio Mitre. It’s run by Medio Perro, a grill house in El Calafate inside America del Sur Hostel; the host is Matías “Chacho” Chaumeil, grill master and owner, with more than 23 years of experience.
| Asado Workshop by Medio Perro | |
|---|---|
| Where | Estancia Rio Mitre, 58 km from El Calafate |
| When | Daily from August to May |
| Schedule | Pickup at 11:30 am in El Calafate; estimated return 4:30–5:00 pm (5 to 5½ hours) |
| Price | USD 180 per person |
| Includes | Round-trip transfers; asado workshop (how to light the fire, when the embers are ready, how to lay out the cuts and how long to wait without touching them); chimichurri making; wine tasting, with non-alcoholic drinks; free time to roam the open country; Centro de Interpretación Tehuelche |
| Not included | Visit to the Perito Moreno Glacier; 1-hour horseback ride (optional, paid separately at the estancia) |
| Rain or strong wind | It goes ahead under cover |
The workshop is designed for people who want to learn to make asado; children can come along and explore the estancia. More on the fire and the cuts in Argentine asado: what it is and how it’s made, and on the signature dish of the south in Patagonian lamb.
How to book
The price and the workshop FAQ are on the home page. If the day fits your trip, check availability on WhatsApp from the booking section; bookings are confirmed with full payment by bank transfer.