Forget The American West, Go To South America's Country With Frontier Energy, Ranches, And Horseback Riding Instead

One of the most romanticized cultural icons in the U.S. is the cowboy, a historic figure celebrated and idolized by generations. An entire film genre is devoted to them, songs are written about them, and cowboy core — trends in pop culture cowboy motifs like Paramount's astronomically popular "Yellowstone" series — spotlight a way of life that's never out of style. But the boots-and-spurs iconography of the Wild West isn't the world's only cowboy culture: Swap prairies for pampas, firearms for facónes, leather chaps for bombachas, and campfire coffee for yerba mate sipped from gourds, and you have the South American gaucho. These cowboys hold a long romanticized place in Argentine culture, and, similar to U.S. cowboys, are revered for their horsemanship, cattle-tending skills, and rugged lifestyles. Today, working gauchos still ride across regions of Argentina, and a number of thriving, working ranches (known as estancias) and converted colonial farms invite travelers to experience the mystique of the legendary gauchos and the wide open pampas.

The pampas are the flat, fertile, open grasslands that roll across 250,000 square miles of central Argentina and into Brazil and Uruguay. Though gauchos also herd cattle and sheep in the blustery Patagonian foothills of the south, the epicenter of modern gaucho life is San Antonio de Areco. Roughly 90 minutes from Buenos Aires, a number of estancias here host day trips and tours for visitors to experience gaucho traditions from horseback riding to Doma India, an Indigenous Argentine horse training method utilizing natural horsemanship. Each November, San Antonio de Areco also hosts Fiesta del Tradición, a colossal celebration of all things gaucho, from food and folklore dances, to parades and bonfires, plus traditional silver and handicraft exhibits.

As the heart of gaucho country, San Antonio del Areco serves as a gateway to gaucho getaways, housing a number of ranches within a relatively small radius. With close proximity to Buenos Aires, an affordable gem named the most desirable city in the world, travelers will find it feasible to rent or hire a car for the day, or book a tour through a trusted operator.

Estancia Santa Susana, a 3,000-acre ranch, offers curated day-trips with round-trip car transfers from Buenos Aires. Sample Argentine empanadas and barbecue, watch horsemanship demonstrations and folklore dance performances, and learn about Argentine gaucho culture in a tranquil setting. About 90 minutes from Buenos Aires, former racehorse ranch Estancia El Milagro now introduces visitors to gaucho culture through traditional food, activities, and games in a charming, old-world setting that includes a tavern and chapel in adobe-and-straw style. Just 30 minutes from El Milagro, Estancia El Ombú is a 19th-century gem offering day-trip and overnight family-friendly gaucho experiences. Covering nearly 750 acres with pools, a soccer field, and bicycles, this all-inclusive farm stay includes room and board plus an immersive, gaucho-led experience featuring horseback riding and horsemanship demonstrations.

Estancia La Bamba de Areco (pictured) calls itself one of the oldest ranches on the pampa. Its colonial mansion has been reimagined as a luxurious boutique hotel that earned the coveted Relais & Châteaux distinction. Located just a few miles from San Antono del Arcero, the estancia contains 600 acres of private ranchland, with the hotel complex tucked into park-like grounds shaded in old-growth trees. 11 impeccable rooms and suites are decorated with dark wood and colonial-era furniture, plus local fabrics and original artwork. The hotel has numerous gathering areas across multiple rustic-chic structures, including a bar, billiard room, and library. In addition to stables and riding excursions, guests enjoy polo matches, a tranquil pool, and relaxing gardens. 

Argentina is one of the most tourist-friendly and affordable countries in South America, with diverse regions boasting gaucho flair. Head 450 miles northwest of Buenos Aires to Jesús María in Córdoba for the annual Jesús María Festival. The gaucho-style rodeo in January features horseback competitions, food vendors, interactive events, and more. Aerolíneas Argentinas offers direct flights (about 90 minutes) from Buenos Aires. Veer off Córdoba's tourist trail to Estancia Los Potreros, a fourth-generation family ranch offering gaucho games, activities, and wine-tasting in a lush environment; National Geographic calls it one of the best estancias for riding.

Down in the southern Santa Cruz province, Patagonia offers a far more wild-frontier, off-grid, and vivid glimpse at what it's like to be an Argentine cowboy. "You can get on a horse and ride for two weeks without crossing a road, a fence line, or any other person except local gauchos," T.A. Carrithers, lodge manager at Estancia Ranquilco, told National Geographic. Estancia Ranquilco is a 100,000-acre, remote gaucho ranch in the Andes of northern Patagonia that offers pack trips and lodge stays — but requires a horseback ride just to get to the lodge. Also in Santa Cruz province, Nibepo Aike is a century-old Hereford cattle ranch and lodge located within Los Glaciares National Park, home to massive glaciers and breathtaking views. The traditional lodge offers full board plus activities like horseback excursions to hidden glaciers, stunning hikes, and traditional lamb barbeques — with or without a guide. 

For a more accessible experience, Estancia 25 de Mayo in El Calafate offers half-day gaucho trips. You can also experience gaucho life by indulging in Argentina's world-class beef. "The world's best steakhouse" is Michelin-starred Parrilla Don Julio Family Restaurant in Buenos Aires, but visitors will have no trouble finding numerous parrillas — classic, grilled-meat restaurants — throughout Argentina.