Some of the camp sites we use for horseback riding in the Chilean Andes. Our parcela(a small piece of land) in the Cajon del Maipo is an hour’s drive from Santiago. Santiago is situated NE of our location. Map details for our parcela. For higher rides we use a base camp situated at Banos Morales another 40 Km from our location at the Parcela.
Campsite near Banos Morales - Jan to Feb summer season, high andes (1850-3000m)
Banos Morales (1850 – 3000 m)
Here we camp at a little over 2000m in the valley called El Clarillo. It is a small hidden valley, not known to many people. A small river runs through it and the irrigation streams create a paradise for birds and flowers, as well as grazing for the horses. From here there are different spectacular rides going out to a glacier, to a high fossil lake, a mountain refuge on Volcan San Jose, a long rich valley called La Engorda (the Fattening valley) and also shorter rides around the campsite, suitable for families with children.
The horse are left loose at night to graze and sometimes need lassoing to catch them in the morning. This one is trying to resist arrest
The sun is hot in the daytime, but normally we go off for our rides before the sun has begun to burn fiercely, and return in time for an early evening bathe and drink by the fire. If people wished to stay in the campsite all day, we would erect some shade and also there are some small naturally shady spots. The tents are two-person tents but we allow one per person as they are not very large. We have four-person tents for couples. We put a toilet in a secluded place always with an amazing view.
Writing the diary after a long day's ride to the glacier
We pride ourselves on the quality of the food which is all cooked over the fire. Most days fresh bread is made and we bring plenty of fruit and vegetables up on mules, and usually a goat which will serve for a barbecue eveningand later for soup or cazuela, a Chilean national dish. We offer wine in the and beer or soft drinks for lunch. We boil plenty of water all the time so that there is safe drinking water for water bottles and tea or coffee. Lunch is usually a picnic – something like ham and bread and tomatoes, or quails eggs, or local goats’ cheese. Because it is high up ( about 2,500 metres and we ride up higher in the daytime) we find that most people do not have very large appetitites, but we allow plenty so that no one need be hungry.
The lake near the Banos Morales camp site (El Clarillo). Here the brave can bathe
Relaxing after a day's ride
El Toyo (1000 – 1750 m)
We take rides in El Toyo with camping overnight between October and March, inclusive. The campsites are delightful places usually protected by large quillay trees. We always camp near a river and there are pools and places to bathe.
A nice spot for a dip after a day's ride
