Day of Polo in Buenos Aires
Sports are also in our roots. Polo is a prestigious sport that has entered in the heart of the Argentinians and that has gradually become a cultural and touristic attraction.
Being passionate about Polo and communicating this love for horses and the sport to each of the visitors is the objective of experiencing the Polo Day.
The day starts with an explanatory talk about polo and its horses. We are received with some delicious empanadas [cornish pasties] and a good Argentinian wine. While we taste these empanadas the guide explains how polo horses are chosen for the sport, their bloodlines, and how they get trained, everything very interesting to learn about. Furthermore, we have learnt how a great polo horse is taken care of, its food and preparation for the game. Let’s leave this on hold for the passengers to experience it themselves.
After having this talk, we attended a professional polo match up to 4 chukkers (name given to the different periods in which the match is divided). More than 30 horses were involved. We enjoyed of a rapid-paced match full of adrenalin. If you come for the day there are polo matches every day of the year, so it is possible to watch a match with bilingual commentators explaining the basis of the match, its rules and its techniques.
At lunch time, we enjoy of an unforgettable barbecue. With a selection of Argentinian offal and meat accompanied by Argentinian wines. Nothing better than a good barbecue after a great match, this is what our delicious local food looks like. Take into consideration that a vegetarian option is also available for those lovers of the greens.
After a couple of hours relaxing at the pool or enjoying a walk through this beautiful Argentinian field, we take a polo lesson where we can learn how to ride a horse, how to grab a polo stick, how to aim at the ball and finish the day by sharing a mini polo match which make us feel as a professional player. Clearly the ball was more frequently touched by the horses than by us, but the experience was really very special.
Each person has a different level of expertise in horse-riding so there are horses for any level of expertise and there also are qualified trainers who give us professional instructions. Even when your passenger has never learnt how to ride a horse, or if he/she only has a basic knowledge or if he/she is already a professional, the horses we use are excellent to enjoy a ride through the countryside, to start learning, or to progress in his/her abilities and techniques.
Andreas Madsen Museum El Chalten
Andreas Madsen Museum El Chalten is one of the great activities you can do during your trip. El Chalten means also Culture.
Adventure and culture generally go together. Each place we visit has a history, culture and other appealing aspects that we will discover throughout the journey. This is what the Kallpa’s philosophy involves: the possibility of enjoying an active trip to the Argentine destinations and of closely experiencing the local culture and history.
This is why this moth we want to tell you about the new touristic attraction at “El Chaltén”. This is the guided visit to the manor of the former Estate Cerro Fitz Roy also known as Casa Madsen (Madsen House) which was owned by the Madsen family, pioneers of the area and its proposal is to inform travelers who visit El Chaltén, the activity generally developed by the first inhabitants of the area and especially the habitat of the Madsen family.
Andreas Madsen was a Danish pioneer who arrived to the region in 1901. He was an active member of the Commissions on the Limits ruled by the Perito (technical specialist) Francisco P. Moreno. During 12 years he explored the area developing all sort of tasks, at the beginning for the Commissions and then for the Estates already set in the area.
In 1912 he returned to his country of origin and married Stephanie Tomsenwith with whom he undertook the venture of living in the Patagonia until the last days of his life.
Andreas Madsen life is fascinating. He was a husband, father of family, sailor, tamer, writer,multilingual, among other characteristics of this Patagonian traveler who knew how to narrate in his books ‘La Patagonia Vieja’ (The Old Patagonia), ‘Cazando Pumas’ (Hunting Cougars), among others, as well as countless anecdotes that deserve to be told.
Something that appeals to our attention is the Family House, built with materials from the area: wood, sheet metal and bricks stuck with adobe. The house is in the process of being restored respecting the original structure and the looks this used to have when inhabited by Andreas and Stephanie. In the guided visit we may appreciate the method used by the Patagonian Pioneers for building their homes which shows their sacrifice and work.
The House, surrounded by trees planted by the Madsen family, is also an excellent panoramic point of view for tourists to appreciate the beauty of the landscape, of the mountains and especially of the Massif Fitz Roy which named to the Estate built by Mr. Andreas.
Daily visits to the house start in October. There will be trips at 3pm and 6pm. Journey duration is 2 hours, with a cost of USD31 per person. This activity is suggested for people with a free afternoon at the Chaltén and who are interested in having a close encounter with the architecture, history and knowledge of one of the Pillars of the foundation of our beautiful Patagonia.
Cuisine and Good wine is an experience
Combining relax, cuisine and good wine is an experience an is not something easy to perform, however, Club Tapiz in Mendoza was very successful in doing so.
As lovers of tourism and fine cuisine we cannot miss the opportunity of telling you about this product Kallpa-like.
Club Tapiz proposal offers us is specially devised for lovers of the fine cuisine, the good wine and throughout a true personal experience by the active participation in activities in the vineyard, the wine tasting and cooking lessons.
We have stayed in Club Tapiz. It is located in a residence built in 1890, surrounded by 10-hectare vineyard. We highlight that the house was restored respecting the original structure and its architects were in charge of keeping the identity which is unique together with the surroundings and the magnificent view of the Andes mountain range. This house was declared Historical, Architecture and Touristic Heritage of the District of Maipú at the City of Mendoza.
When visiting the Hotel we could appreciate that attached to the Club there is an old wine cellar where wine was produced until 2002. We walk along aisles flanked by large oak barrels, we reach ‘Pour le Galerie’ room which has a beautiful mural of 22 x 4 meters painted by Sergio Roggerone, an artist from Mendoza, the room has got a 200-person capacity, it has got an own winetasting room, a wine cellar and a sparkling wine racks. It is that Pour Le Galerie was created out of love for art and it may be used for cultural events and social gatherings.
The Club has got a restaurant open the whole year where you can taste delicious meals prepares with local products and from the own organic vegetable garden.
We also enjoyed of the spa with sauna, Scottish shower, jacuzzis and massage rooms with different therapies that after a day of walks and degustation are definitely rewarding. Activities proposed by the Hotel are interactive. We had the possibility of trimming, harvesting and performing all of the vineyrad tasks and observing at the time of harvest the production of olive oil also produced at Club Tapiz.
We also rode horses; hiked and wandered around under the trees of the Andes. These are activities to be done in Mendoza during the day; and then to return to the Hotel to relax.
Nights were dedicated to sharing experiences in wine tasting or to enjoying a cuisine lesson.
Club Tapiz has got 11 rooms classically decorated, with wooden classic floors. Each room has got air conditioning, free wi-fi and cable tv, in addition to one of the most impressive views of the mountain range of the Andes.
Find below the Fact Sheet with more details about the Hotel. And as you already know, should you need further information about this activity proposed you may contact your Kallpa Personal Account’s Officer.
