Upon arrival in Montevideo, be met at the Carrasco International Airport and driven along the wonderful coastline called ‘Rambla’ to the downtown hotel.
After check in, the guide will help to discover the charming and quiet city of Montevideo, its museums, street markets, nice restaurants and friendly people. Enjoy lunch at the lively Port Market before returning to the hotel located in downtown Montevideo.

After breakfast, be driven to the Brazilian border and into Rocha, arguably the most beautiful province in Uruguay with pristine beaches, emerald shores and a great network of lagoons. Visit ‘Chuy’, a very curious town straddling the border where guests can step into Brazil and hear the locals speak a unique language comprised of a mix of Spanish and Portuguese.
Upon arrival at the hotel, built in the same stone as the nearby Portuguese fortress, admire the views out across an enormous stretch of fresh water - one of the largest fresh water reserves of South America, the ‘Merin Lagoon’. After lunch, meet the gauchos and the horses to ride around the rolling hills of San Miguel enjoying a wonderful panoramic view of the area from the top of the boulder covered ‘Cerro Picudo’. The view across the flat lowlands and the huge lagoon provides a very different landscape to the following days’ rides. Smell the sea and on clear days view the coast. This area is home to a wide variety of birds and one can see many different native trees and bushes. There will also be the chance to see the Cimarron cattle – the first cattle, introduced from Spain in the 17th century. Tonight, stay at the Fortin de San Miguel Hotel where guests will be able to enjoy the gardens, a swimming pool and the relaxed atmosphere.
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After breakfast, be driven to the horses (5 minutes away) where they will be waiting for a nice 3-4 hour ride towards the coast! After a special picnic lunch, riders may have a pleasant siesta. In the afternoon, enjoy a fast-pace ride along the wonderful, isolated ocean beach of ‘Barra Chuy’. Visitors seldom reach this beach so, enjoy a long, exhilarating canter with no signs of habitation while riding across the pure white sands alongside the Atlantic Ocean. Continue 22km (12 miles) further south to ‘La Coronilla’ and stay at small beachside hotel there. ...read less

Today, ride south alternating between beaches, sand dunes, pine forests and coastal hills where one might see dolphins feeding before getting to the immense Santa Teresa National Park. The center piece of the park is a fort started in 1762 by the Portuguese to defend the edge of their territories. It was later completed by the Spaniards who took it by force just a year later. The fort is surrounded by 3000 hectares (7400 acres) of forest containing over 2 million trees, most from other parts of the world.
After a picnic lunch, enjoy riding along the forest trails and down to the beach where riders will pass a shipwreck buried in the sand; one of many along this treacherous coast. Luckily, Charles Darwin’s ship, ‘The Beagle’, did not succumb to this fate and Darwin spent quite some time in Uruguay collecting species and most likely starting to formulate his theories of evolution. After a traditional picnic close to the fortress or on the beach, continue along the coast towards the lovely town of Punta del Diablo. Afternoon drive to ‘Estancia El Sauce, to enjoy dinner and spend the night.
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This morning, wake up at ‘El Sauce’, a working estancia run by its owners where one can enjoy a full day riding around the crops and the diverse flora of the area. The estancia, built in 1920, is not a hotel but a family house where Yampu travelers have been invited to stay as guests of the owners, offering an incredible experience and a very special insight into the life of the countryside.
In addition to the cattle grasslands, this estancia has a large area of marshlands and rice crops, both of which are teeming with bird life (more than 400 species) making another very unique ride with the chance to see the graceful black-necked swan (largest population in the world found here), the rare white goose and many ducks and other birds such as the largest bird in South America - the ostrich-like ‘nandu’ (American rhea). Otters, coypus and capybaras inhabit the marshlands and streams. At several points on the trip one can see the pink flamingo – a species of flamingo with very bright pink pigment, quite common in Uruguay. Overnight at this authentic working estancia.
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Today begins with a drive to the coast where riders will get on their horse and ride into the desert! Ride through an area that has been declared a natural animal reserve and a Biosphere Natural Reserve by UNESCO. The ride continues to Cabo Polonio, a charming fishing village which can only be reached by horse or a four wheeled drive vehicle through shifting sand dunes.
After lunch at a typical restaurant on the beach, see seals and sea lions that populate the small islands and make up one of the largest populations of seals in the world; occasionally one can spot a migrating whale. This afternoon there will be an opportunity to swim in one of the most beautiful beaches in the country. After this ride full of surprises and diverse scenery, stay at a lovely and charming working estancia in the area.
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The day starts with a lovely breakfast of homemade bread, jams and cakes, admiring the views of the countryside before embarking on a wonderful day working alongside the gauchos and their trusty dogs as they tend to the cattle and sheep. The work varies depending on the time of the year, but the gauchos always welcome a bit of help checking and moving the stock or putting animals in the corrals. Sometimes a lame animal has to be caught and tended to. The wonderful, friendly gauchos with their berets, ‘bombachas’ (riding trousers) and with their knives tucked into their colorful belts all seem to have been born on a horse and it is a delight to be riding with them. Their dogs are very much work animals and it is an amazing sight to see four dogs working in unison moving a herd of cattle. After lunch, ride to the nearby wetland area hoping to see some herons or other migrating birds. In the evening, enjoy a typical cordero asado, specially cooked by one of the gauchos! ...read less

Depending on the time of the return flight, one will be able to enjoy a last morning ride to say goodbye to the lovely horses and, after a quick lunch, head back to Montevideo for the international flight home or to connect with the Yampu add-on of one’s choice.