Gaucho Experience: A Day Trip To Don Silvano Ranch

The cold and the rain made the outdoor activities unpleasant. Indoors people holding up their cell phones to record made it difficult for those behind them to see the show.

I had such a fun day out! It was thrilling! There was horseback riding, horse carriage ride, a huge asado lunch and lots of snacks throughout the day! The traditional Argentinan song and dance performances were captivating! The gaucho skill demonstrations were breathtaking! All the staff and gauchos executed perfect hospitality! Completely 100% highly recommended!

We arrived about 11:00 AM from the city, and after leaving the bus, we began our visit by lining up for a small cup of wine and empanadas which we ate inside a large open pavilion of sorts. Pretty quickly, we lined up for a horseback ride. They were pretty docile horses for the most part, I guess for our own protection as the ones we saw later in the show had lots of spunk. Essentially, we mounted from a raised wooden walkway, then we all followed a young fellow on his horse, and trotted in a larger circular route that brought us back to the building. We crossed two old bridges and followed a path through fields. After the horses, we strolled around, looked at the other horses, the pigs, a peacock, and chickens. Old relics of cars too. Time for lunch, in a large hall, salads, fries, sausage and blood sausage, chicken, beef. The salad was carrots and lettuce, a blood sausage and another sausage. The beef, though ample, was on the tough side. The dancing and music show were very good. After lunch, we all sat on bleachers for a gaucho show. It was very good, but heavy rain hit and shortened it little. There was a partial roof over one bleacher Next came a coffee break in the hall; we were supposed to have been given maté, but we never saw any. A good day all in all, and nice to see some of the land outside the city.

We were lucky to have a day to spare in Buenos Aires. This was a perfect excursion for us. We were picked up from near our hotel and taken by minibus to the Don Silvano ranch. We were greeted and given a hot empanada which was delicious. The hours passed very quickly with a chance to ride a horse or else a carriage ride. There was a demonstration from gauchos on horseback.Also entertainment in the main barn with dancers and singers whilst we were given plenty of freshly cooked meat from the barbecue. This was finished off nicely with plentiful beer and wine all included. A very good experience.

I paid more than $300 for this excursion. Unfortunately, I had to travel to an alternate location to be picked up (they wouldn't pick me up where I was staying, unlike other more quality excursions). I also had no idea traffic would be as bad as it was at that hour. Obviously we were running late. Even though we had them on the phone, telling them we were 5 minutes away, they wouldn't wait. We missed the shuttle, and missed the excursion. Not only that, but it was clear that there wouldn't even be a partial refund. Lost my $300, even though we arrived within the 9:30 to 10:00 window that they had stipulated. While obviously we should have arrived at 9:30, they could've told us traffic was as bad as it was at that hour. How was I to know? I would also think that, having paid more than $300, they could have waited another 5 min. Clearly out to make money and not to serve the needs of their client.

It was a great day! Quick welcome reception with drinks and empanadas, then straight to the horseback riding/carriage ride which are optional. I did both; the horse ride was very leisurely and an adequate length of time (gauchos lead and end the pack), the carriage ride was faster and quite bumpy. Then we got a lesson on making mate, and got to try some (again, optional). Then came the barbecue lunch with fantastic entertainment. The gauchos’ riding games were fun to watch and learn the origins of, and then we had an optional merienda before leaving (I recommend getting the sweet pastry with quince filling; I was told the savoury one didn’t have much flavour). All in all it was an awesome experience. Only small complaint: when the guide on the bus spoke into the microphone, the acoustics were not good and it was extremely loud, making it really difficult to understand what she was saying, even when she spoke English. She was very nice though, and a photographer took pictures of everyone throughout the day that we could choose to purchase at the end.

We visited in late January and were collected from our hotel by Diego our tour guide with Guadeloupe who was training and our driver Cesar. The drive out to the ranch was easy and Diego gave us a running commentary of areas of interest. At the ranch we were met by our host and offered refreshments and an empanada which was delicious. We had a choice of a gentle horse ride or carriage ride, we chose the horse ride and had a lovely ride. After a wander around the ranch we had lunch and were treated to a dance and cabaret who were brilliant, the tango was fast and expertly carried out. The food was good and after lunch we had a display of horsemanship before it was time to head back to our hotel. We can thoroughly recommend this trip if you are visiting Buenos Aires.

We were picked up at a hotel which was convenient. The food was very good. The singing entertainment was excellent as was the dancing. They have a great place to take a horseback ride. This includes their setup for getting on & off a horse and the trail ride - not going around a corral. It is a picturesque place with lots of animals & birds. We felt it was good "bang for the buck".

Amazing food, great people, Sergio and all the staff were amazing. I will never forget this trip. An extensive outlook into life on an estancia. Thank you !!

An excellent day out and well worth the money. Lot’s to see and do and really nice people. I would definitely recommend it

Lucky enough to visit here on a trip in October. Great fun throughout and s delight to get a sense of what life was like outside Buenos Aires.

Well organized tour with excellent shows, lunch and horse rides. Guide Soledad was very attentive and professional.

Looked at loads of similar tours and all the reviews. This one was the cheapest with good reviews so decided to take the plunge. Started off a tiny bit shaky due to lack of communication on pick up location and time. However, all actually went smooth as the wine on the tour. Fun filled day with plenty of food available. Highlights being the gorgeous, tasty empanadas. Plenty of freedom to wander around the ranch but also enough structured activities to keep the devil away from your idol hands. Lunch and show also a plus with staff friendly and inclusive of all. Overall, thoroughly recommended day and excellent value for money.

At first I was a bit sceptical about this tour, especially about why it lasted the whole day. But it was the perfect combination of entertainment and activities at a relaxed pace on a hot day. It was my first ever horse ride and it was more comfortable and fun than I ever expected. Combined with the carriage ride, you really learn to respect the cowboy way of living in the past (boneshaking rides and saddle pains). The food was indeed great and as customary in BA way to much. And the tango and folklore singer were top notch, actually better than some other shows I visited. I picked this tour over the other ranch tours because it was smaller and that was perfect. We didn't have to way too long for everybody and it created a very relaxed atmosphere. We learned a lot about gaucho and BA customs and history. On the way back to the hotels everybody fell asleep in the bus, happy and content.

The singers dancers and food were excellent. The rest of the tour felt extremely unorganized. Guide had fairly weak English for a tour of this price the bus ac was not functioning properly so it was humid and uncomfortable both there and back. You must queue for 30 to 40 mins for the horse ride which lasts 10 mins. Also they had all the horses corralled in a small space when the rides were over didnt look particularly comfortable for them.wouldnt recommend this experience other than the music the singer in particular was amazing.

This may have been the worst tour I've ever been on. Overpriced, lack of activities, and no direction from the tour guides. Here is what the real itinerary is: You'll hop onto the bus at either your hotel or a pickup point. From there, the group takes the bus for about 40 or so minutes to the ranch. The ranch itself looks like it was built solely for the purpose of taking in tours. Immediately after getting off the bus, you're told to go eat an empanada and have wine. No introduction to the ranch or the background (I wonder why...hmm...). After literally five minutes, you're swooped away to the horse riding area and told to get in line to ride the horse. There is no direction on: 1. Where you are riding the horse 2. How to ride a horse (commands, stopping, going, etc.) 3. How long the ride is Other groups come to the ranch as well, so there will be several different rounds of horse riding. The actual ride is about fifteen minutes on a pre-defined path, and your horses pretty much just follow each other. Ignore the one horse that got a little out of control and one of the ranch hands had to come and help the tourist stop their horse. Again, no training at all. From there, you're told it's about two hours (yes, two) until the next activity, lunch. You have two entire hours to walk around the very small ranch. No guided tour or explanation on the animals or history of gaucho life. You're left to yourself for two hours while the tour guides sit around the ranch hands cook. Half an hour later, we're all just sitting around waiting for lunch. Just waiting. Finally, lunch begins. The first 45 minutes is the starter (salad and bread). Then, endless meat begins coming out. We're talking several rounds of sausage, chicken, pork, and steak. Like everything else, no explanation or introduction to the lunch. None of us had any idea how much to eat or what was coming out. The food was good, but not a good experience at all. Throughout this meat fest, a singer and dancers go on stage to perform traditional dances. This was interesting (still no spoken background on what gaucho life is like). However, after that ends, they begin singing songs that represent each country represented in the group and they ask you to sing along. It was absolutely terrible. Following that, you have about an hour until they begin horse racing for about a half hour. That part was interesting. You then head back, but they drop you off in three areas instead of your hotel.

The food , dancing and horsemanship were excellent, A plesant day in the country. I feel it was overpriced.

It was a good day out, something different away from the city. People very friendly. Food was good plenty of it.

The day was very well planned with good English speaking guides. Best empanadas we tasted in BA. Great BBQ. Entertainment was most enjoyable with traditional dances, tango and a show of horsemanship. Guide and driver dropped us off at our hotel, which was near the city centre, even when the tour indicated drop off in the city centre. We had a great time.

Really nice setting some hour or so outside of Buenos Aires. there is not a great deal to do despite the hype. there is a small aerial adventure park with a short zip line but not sure how this fits into the gaucho life style. The horse riding really is for absolute beginners so don't expect to go galloping across the pampas. The riding show is poor although the horsemanship of the riders is first rate. The little animal park is a bit depressing but you can see Rheas, llamas etc. The lunch is excellent and the singing and dancing very upbeat and entertaining. I didn't pay so i'm not sure if it is value for money.

It's an hour or so to get to the ranch, but definitely worth the ride. It's a beautiful place, best empanadas once we got there. Horse back riding, carriage ride, tango show, gauchos show, lots of good food and plenty wine. There were sheeps, cows, horses, peacocks, birds, flamingo, a beautiful 🦉 and a parrot can say a few words and he bites if your hands too close ro the cage to take pix of the owl.

Our hotel set this up for us and we were pleased. Cost was reasonable. Pickup was on time. Van would have been great but they had 3 large guys and myself stuffed along a bench seat in the back row so it was a tight ride getting there. Exiting they served you wine and yummy empanadas. There was quite a wait time between the first batch and the second batch so the last to arrive had to wait quite a but for theirs which was a small inconvenience. Then you could wander the beautiful old grounds, go for a carriage ride or go for about a 20 min horseback ride. Don’t delay getting in line if you want a horseback ride as it is limited hours. You must have a little experience as they just place you on a horse and off you go. Its an argentinian “ saddle”, not a leather saddle so not much to hold on to if you are a newby. One man and boy did fall off their horse, luckily no one hurt. Then you go into a large building where they serve you gallons of wine, other non alcoholic drink available, and lots of meats and sides. Did I say more wine!! Meanwhile a wonderful couple dance tango and other dances, musicians play and sing and even kareoke getting everyone to sing along! Tons of fun. Then you can roam around, see a horse display then gather back for mate and dessert. Caution: the parrot in the cage on the grounds BITES!! Then they return you back to your hotel. I would recommend this.

Great day, lots of fun and great guide Sergio . So very helpful and informative. ThanksSergio!! Horse riding, fabulous lunch and lots of dancing. Wine was plentiful. The best Empinsdas ever on arrival.

This adventure is a must. The welcome , people and willingness to offer a genuine experience is beyond belief . A hour or so out of BA , you will find a ranch in need of money, support and basically refurbishing , however what they have got is beguiling cocktail of honesty and humility. My recommendation is - arrive, get over the awkwardness, get a full bottle of red wine “down your neck “ enjoy the company , food and international standard entertainment. Silvanos 1 McDonalds 0 ..

Awesome day at the ranch! Pickup at the hotel was prompt and the ride time to the rancho was just right. We were greeted with empanadas and either wine/soda/water. From there, we could either ride horses or go on a carriage ride. There were also bikes for the kids to ride, an area to play soccer/futbol and even a zip line! That was followed by an amazing lunch, where there was all the food you could possibly want! We were entertained by some terrific musicians and dancers, doing some Argentine music and tango dances. When the feast and show were done, they told us to head out to watch the gauchos perform and they had such a command of their horses! With the time left, we could walk the grounds and explore. Before leaving, we were offered one more course of sweet breads and mate (traditional South American tea) and then boarded the bus for the ride back to Buenos Aires. Full day of fun and excellent food and very sweet people. I was so glad I chose to do this!

We enjoyed the day. Yes it is an attraction for visitors but they do it well. You can ride a horse if you wish or be taken around for a ride on a cart. It was very hot the day we went but it was enjoyable. The food was in abundance and very delicious, you will not go away hungry. I think there was 3 types of meat, salads and the drinks flowed freely. The entertainment was good fun. The staff work hard as they go from one job to another and I give them credit to entertain and feed us. A fun day for all.

We had THE most fabulous day at Don Silvano and can not recommend it enough. Just go! A similar trip was organised by our cruise ship and they charged double. We bought our tickets through the hotel we stayed at after the cruise ended. It included minibus pickup at 8.45am and drop off around 6.30pm. You can also get tickets through “Info Offices” in town, also with hotel pickup. Many reviewers have said here what is on offer in this excursion. The BBQ and caballero show were both amazing with songs and dances from the most talented caballeros on the planet! The gift shop only accepts MasterCard, Pesos or US dollars. We wanted to buy items but only had a Visa card. Shame.

Our expectations were rather low, as we are not horse people, but we had a fantastic time. From riding horses, to watching gaucho activities, stuffed with lunch and dancing, would have missed an extraordinary time at the ranch.

This was a great experience. And you can buy pictures of you on the horses at a very reasonable price. It was a fun horse ride, and a nice show with food plus watching the gauchos race. This is a great place. I cannot wait to take my grand kids when they are older. I run children's programming.. this is a very kid friendly event.

The show meal and horse demonstration excellent. Long day worth every minute accept the traffic in BA!

We made our booking privately and drove to the ranch. Price at $25 USD per person was very good. Welcoming empanadas and wine and greeting from Tobias the ranch guide. We rode horses around the ranch with no knowledge of horseback required and there is a carriage to ride as well. Tobias educated us on the specifics and etiquette of preparing and drinking mate - think gaucho Japanese tea party. Food was typical parilla with chorrizo, blood sausage, chicken, and vacio with good salads, wine and soft drinks. The vacio was one of the best I have had in Argentina. During the meal a show of latin and Argentine music and dance was presented that was very good and included short songs from countries of all visitors at the ranch. Feeling well fed we were given a show of gaucho riding and "ring" stabbing by Tobias, Lucas and another great rider whose name i forget. If one of the riders gives your female partner the ring you may have to kiss the horse. I suggest you visit to understand this part of the show. Afternoon "tea" gaucho style is then served before you return to BA.

I guess i booked this trip not knowing what to expect. It was an overall great experience. We ranch was gorgeous and had tons of animals (i.e. sheep, pigs, horses, peacocks, chickens, etc). They had a mini rope obstacle course which ended with a zip line. The food and entertainment was amazing. I would highly recommend this trip for anyone.

Great day and fun day. Our guide entertained us for the day and the show and food was pretty good. Real authentic and very accomodating trip. Thank you

This was the optional tour offered by Gate 1 tour. We were glad we joined this activity. As soon as we arrived at the Ranch we were greeted by their chief and a warm delicious empanada. After that we were offered a horseback ride. The horses were very clean an tame. Evan my wife who never rode horse before enjoyed by ride. The horseback ride lasted about 30 minutes. We were entertained by local musicians and dancers during lunch. The meats had great favor and the wine was good. Overall we enjoyed the atmosphere, the show, the food and the drink. We also had opportunity to do some dances similar to the western dance in USA.

<p>A soul destroying experience!!! This was not a trip to anything resembling a gaucho ranch. It was a hotel with grounds, some chickens, peacocks and 20 or so horses. And the experience was commercial garbage for the most part. You arrive at the ranch and are given a ticket if you want to 'ride' the horses. For the next 2 1/2 hours there is nothing organised except for some mediocre empanadas and drinks and a 15 minute walk on horses that are so sedate we wondered if they might be drugged. The signs said trotting was forbidden, but they needn't have bothered as the poor creatures barely wanted to walk. The 'ride' is also just a ploy to take you around a route they have set up with cameras so they can try to flog you photos during lunch. The alternative to riding is a so called carriage ride, but I've never heard of a tractor pulling a cart around a field called that before. We did enjoy walking around and seeing the old farm equipment, which was clearly brought in purely for decor, and the chickens, but that is the sort of thing you might drive somewhere to spend 30 minutes walking around. There was a zip wire oh how gaucho! which I ended up going on from sheer boredom. Then it was time for lunch, which is in a barn and reminded us of school dinners. Forget choosing where you want to sit or getting a look at the grills. I'd like to think whoever runs the kitchen was on holiday, as we were served the most awful food and cheap cooking wine. Come on! We are in Argentina, how hard is it to rustle up a chorizo sausage that actually tastes of something and a bottle of wine that costs more than 50 pesos at end retail cost? For the first time in my life I actually had a piece of meat that was medium rare and yet somehow dry as old boots. Some evil genius going on there. The fact that the only smell coming from the kitchen was petrol should have been sufficiently warning though. We thought the entertainment might save the day and it started out well. The singer and dancers were fantastic and we enjoyed the local dances, but it then descended into a sing along for all the nationalities of tourists in attendance. If we want to sing along to Let It Be we'll go to a cheesy Beetles show at home. The best part of the lunch was us sneaking away an hour early on our own to go see the paddock with some of the younger horses they don't use for riding. Lovely natured animals and that part was peaceful and more one with nature. The one part of the day we genuinely enjoyed was the 30 minutes of the gaucho show right at the end. Very skilful riders and horses that actually responded. Not as good as a proper rodeo show, but good fun. In short, if you love nature, horses, good food and anything even remotely approaching an authentic experience, stay well clear.</p>

<p>This is a long day trip about 8 hours but enjoyed every minute. Saw most of the, nearby ranch, did horse riding plus horse and cart trip had a BBQ where they supply enormous amounts of meat and some wine. Whilst eating they put on a show, singing, dancing etc. including the Argentina Tango a must see. Tried some of the local eating dishes and drinking. You won't go hungry here...:- Excellent varied day, lovely host, with the Gaucho's showing their horse skills as well. Brilliant...</p>

<p>The ranch is a commercially run affair for tourists. It is well run and lots of activities to enjoy. About an hour from the city. Pick up and return to hotel. Very smart mini coach. Great driver and the tour guide was excellent. When you arrive the gauch/ranch guide greeted us and was very friendly. Empanadas and a welcome drink. Horse trek, ride in a cart. Some time to wander and view machinery, animals and small shop. Demonstration on the history of Meta herbal hot drink of Argentina, customs and preparation. The making of empanadas. A great lunch of BBQ meats and salads with beer, wine or sodas. A folk singer plus tango and traditional folk dances. There followed a horsemanship demo by a couple of gauchos. All in all the tour was great. However, I was slightly disappointed that the riding experience consisted of a 10 minute ride around the perimeter of a field and not the riding experience I had expected from reading the advert.</p>

<p>This is an enjoyable day with much more meat than we could possibly eat. The horseback riding was relaxing a a nice way to get an idea of the size of the farm and it prompts your imagination of the elements that a gaucho must work in. A real surprise were the beautiful chickens. Our guide was very helpful and made sure we had a good time and the van driver was excellent. The only thing that we would change would be to make the drop-off points the same as the pick-up points. If you are considering this tour make sure you know the drop-off location and are comfortable returning to your hotel or apartment from that location. Thanks to the great entertainment from the dancers, singer, gauchos, and restaurant team.</p>

What a great day out we had! We traveled in a comfortable, air conditioned coach, did a bit of horse riding, tried the local drink mate, had a huge and amazing lunch (with lots of wine), were treated to a tango exhibition and some excellent singing, and witnessed a gaucho show. Absolutely top value and comes highly recommended.

<p>We are very disappointed as there is no cow milking as advertised on the tour description. In fact the tour guide said there were no cows on the farm whatsoever. I dont understand why they false advertise. I brought my two kids along because they wanted to milk a cow. There was no discount for the tour for kids aged 8, 10, we paid for the full price. Without the milking experience, I would have done something else for our precious time in BA on our last day for this kind of money for 3 people.</p> <p>In addition, the tour guide showed up 30 mins late. Knowing there is always traffic in a big city, they should have budgeted extra time for the pickup. It is not very professional not to call me or inform me about their tardiness in a timely manner. I was also surprised to be shuttled to a souvenir shop on the drive to the farm for them to peddle extra business. </p> <p>There was horse riding and carriage riding around the farm for about 15-20 mins each, not particularly interesting or scenic. There are a bunch of farm animals to see. </p> <p>The lunch w singing and dancing show was very touristic, the food was solid. But that shouldnt be your focus since for the money you could see better dance shows and eat much better steaks in the city. The last bit of horse riding demo by 2 gauchos is probably what you came to see. Honestly it is not that impressive. I have seen better ones in Hungary. </p> <p>For the money and time you would spend here, I know I know it is the word gaucho that catches your imagination, if you travel a lot, you would be wiser not to fall for the exotic words. If you want to do everything in one day and claim that you have done it like most Chinese tourists on a rush schedule, book the tour.</p>

<p>Awesome Trip. Great food! Good wine! Loved the guide. Gave us so much information on Argentina, the nation and the area!</p>

<p>Such a charming place. Beautiful grounds. Interesting antiques and authentic buildings. The people and activities were super. Santiago, our host and expert on many topics was completely enchanting. Worth every penny!!!</p>

<p>I really enjoyed this day out in the country. The asado was fantastic, coupled with a tango and other Argentine dances. We also rode horses, although they basically go around in a circle. Not that you can just ride out into the country on your own, or would want to. The final show was a horse show that was actually quite enjoyable. The grounds are well maintained and beautiful, with many animals and beautiful peacocks wandering around.</p>

<p>Our guida I cant remember her name was delightful and so was our host at the ranch. The place is great and the food was good. I was traveling with my mom and brother and they both appreciated doing something different, and getting to the country side for a chenge of pace.</p>

<p>This is a tourist ranch popular with the locals and overall a really fun experience. The star was the BBQ and the show during it with 2 excellent singers and 2 dancers. The staff really went out of the way to make us feel welcome and ensure we had a great time. Everyone there was fantastic and the best tour of our trip.</p>

<p>OK trip. 140 ?? Horses did not look well cared for - docile and a bit scruffy.</p>

<p>Despite a wet and cloudy day, we had a terrific time exploring the ranch, and participating in the activities on offer. The guide was very informative not only on what to expect but pointing out various interesting sights on the way. The van was very clean and comfortable. The staff were all welcoming and made sure we did not miss anything. We especially thanked Santiago who helped us only English speakers who had way too many questions for him about the ranch. The food was scrumptious and the entertainment was perfect. Very worthwhile.</p>

<p>Really awesome day! All the people were super friendly. The shows were really good and the empanadas they served on arrival were the best we tried in Argentina :</p>

<p>PROs: the guides, the Mate, the Peacocks and Llamas, the Rodeo, the dancing show and the gorgeous weather! CONs: a very long bus ride from Buenos Aires and the fact that the meat was very dry though there was lots of it.</p>