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Yerba Loca Sanctuary · Central Andes

A Day in the Andes, on Horseback.

Ride with local huasos. Stay for lunch by the river.

Ride the trails of Yerba Loca with the horsemen who know them, then slow down beside a mountain river over a Chilean BBQ. Not an activity squeezed between transfers — a whole day spent in the mountains above Santiago.

Full day In the Andes
Ride + BBQ By the river
Private From 2 travelers
USD 270 Per person
Check Availability See the Day
Group of riders crossing a golden Andes meadow with mountain peaks behind, Yerba Loca, Chile
The Experience

The Andes are close to Santiago. Most visitors only see them from a window.

Yerba Loca is a protected nature sanctuary in the Central Andes, just above Santiago. You'll explore it the way it has always been explored: on horseback, at walking pace, with local huasos who read the trail, the weather and their horses better than anyone.

After the ride there's no rush back to the van. Lunch is a Chilean BBQ beside the river — cooked on a gas grill, because Yerba Loca is a protected sanctuary and open fires aren't allowed. It's the part of the day people tend to remember: good food, mountain air, and time to actually take in where you are.

No riding experience needed. Horses are matched to each rider, and helmets are provided.

The Day

Horses. River. Time.

Three moments, no rushing between them.

Part 01 Pickup in Santiago

Into the Mountains & Meeting the Huasos

Local huaso adjusting a saddle before the ride in the Andes Rider being fitted with a helmet before the horseback ride Guide introducing a horse to riders before setting off

Private pickup in Santiago and a drive up into the Andes. At the ranch you meet the huasos, get your helmet and are matched to your horse — chosen by people who have worked with these animals all their lives. Your guide fills in the context: who the huasos are, and why horses still matter in these mountains.

Part 02 All levels welcome

Riding Yerba Loca

View from horseback on a canyon trail with a huaso leading ahead Riders crossing a golden meadow with Andes peaks in the background Riders on a tree-lined mountain trail in Yerba Loca

The ride follows mountain streams, native shrubland and open valley floor with the Andes on every side. It's paced for the group, with stops to look around rather than a race to the next photo point.

"On horseback the mountains feel bigger. You move at the pace the landscape was built for."
Part 03 Lunch & drinks included

Chilean BBQ Beside the River

Anticuchos cooking on a gas grill beside the river in the Andes Guide seasoning meat on the gas grill at the riverside lunch Group sharing lunch in the shade by the river in Yerba Loca

Anticuchos and grilled meats, salads, bread and drinks, served by the river. This is where the day slows down: conversation, the sound of water, the light changing on the mountains. Then a relaxed drive back to Santiago.

"The river, the grill, nowhere to be. You forget the city is so close."
What's Included

Everything for the day, handled.

🚐
Private Transport
Pickup & drop-off in Santiago
🎙️
Bilingual Guide
English & Spanish, all day
🐴
Horseback Ride
With local huasos · helmets provided
🍽️
Riverside BBQ
Gas-grilled meats, salads & drinks — no open fires
Good to Know

Before you go.

Schedule
Full day — pickup and return times confirmed when you book
Group
Private, from 2 travelers. Larger group? Talk to us — we can build a custom setup.
Price
USD 270 per person
What to Bring
Layers and a windproof jacket, sunscreen, cap, closed shoes
Reserve Your Spot

Book the Andes Horseback Riding Tour.

Send us your details and preferred date. We'll confirm availability and handle everything from there.