Estancia Alice

To really get a taste of rural farm life in Patagonia, visit the sprawling sheep property of Estancia Alice outside El Calafate.

Visitors are invited to get involved, with sheep-shearing demonstrations and flock-gathering exercises operated by the farm’s team of well-trained kelpie sheepdogs and border collies.

The huge property borders Argentino Lake and runs along the Centinela River, so birdwatching is a very popular pursuit. More than 30 species of birds can be spotted from the estancia’s birding hides, hidden on the riverbank amongst the grasses.

Fly fishing is another specialty at Estancia Alice, and guided horseback rides wind along the water’s edge and to the icy steppes of the Perito Moreno Glacier.

Visit for the day or book a room at the Lodge to relax overnight in this traditional Patagonian homestead, with views of the lake or the Andes from your room. In the evening, the Lodge team entertain with displays of Argentine folkloric dancing.

Practical Info

Estancia Alice is 20km (12 miles) west of El Calafate, en route to the Perito Moreno Glacier.