Crossing the Andes - The Incredible Journey I Never Expected
By ELIZABETH BROOMHALL
Going over a high mountain pass
at 4350m, there were only rocks, a vivid blue sky, a patch of snow and winds so
strong it seemed they could blow your horse over. Heading over the top with
my wonderful mount, Biko, I was scared, excited and astonished all at the same time. I’d
heard the scenery was amazing, but now, I understood.
Some months earlier...
I was on a call with my manager Iris, when she asked me: "Would you like to do Crossing the Andes?"
Hmm. It had never been a dream of mine to cross the Andes mountains
on horseback. As much as I love South America, my bucket list was populated
with less extreme adventures. Hesitant and caught completely off guard, I said I’d think about it.
But who was I kidding? Deep down, I always knew
I’d go. Sure, I would need to check flights, the altitude and prepare myself mentally,
but the adventurous me could never turn down an opportunity to ride a horse
across South America’s highest mountain range. That would be, well, silly.
And
so it was that I signed myself up for another bucket-list adventure!
From Mongolia to Mendoza
Having done Mongolia’s Orkhon Valley ride in
the summer of 2025, (yes, it was turning out to be an epic 12 months), I felt fairly
prepared for the camping part of the trip: I had a warm sleeping bag, water
purification tablets and a good power bank. I now just needed to gear myself up
for a marathon flight across the world, to squeeze my warm clothes into a very
small bag, and hope that my body wouldn’t be too upset by the altitude.
When I finally arrived in Argentina, I was
exhausted but happy to be back in this wonderful country, where I had volunteered back in 2019. Luckily for me I had a quick stop at our partner’s estancia -- which
meant I got to try out the Peruvian Paso horses before the big trek. It felt a little strange at first, but I quickly adapted to this new style of
riding and now understood why Peruvian Pasos, with their smooth and speedy
gait, the 'paso-llano', were often nicknamed "the Rolls Royce of horses".
My first days were made easy by my new friend and
guide, Edgardo, who accompanied me at the estancia and on the night bus to
Mendoza, where the ride begins. His warm, positive energy, professionalism and
gentle nature made him a very special guide, and I felt
reassured to know that he would be with us on the trip.
When we arrived in Mendoza, I met the rest of
the group, which was big (19 in total), and I wondered how the local team would
cope with us all. One of the guests was actually doing his second ride over the
Andes (he’d done another route previously), and took the opportunity when we
were all together to explain about the history of the crossing.
I have to admit, I was very grateful for his
knowledge and enthusiasm. He explained how Argentine General José de San
Martín led his army over South
America’s famous peaks in 1817 to surprise Spanish royalist forces, and secured an incredible victory
to liberate Santiago. The route we were taking, known as the 'Portillo–Piuquenes' route, was apparently “easier”, (and said to be the
same route San Martin took on his way back to Argentina), but the significance
of the ride was clear, and the journey ahead sounded even more exciting than
before.
Into The Foothills: The Adventure Begins
The following day, we headed for the quaint
town of El Manzano Histórico, excited for our big adventure. Those first days in the foothills were unforgettable, not only because I instantly fell in love with my
horse Biko, (a chestnut gelding), but because I was absolutely
blown away by the scenery. Edgardo told me “just wait, you haven’t seen
anything yet”, but I couldn’t really pay much attention, so mesmerised was I
with these jagged and endless green hills, the quiet and mystical atmosphere, and the condors flying overhead.
The riding was also memorable. I had previously ridden in Patagonia and in the mountains of Spain, so I didn’t
expect the terrain to faze me, but it was harder than I expected. On the second
day, we climbed a road that was incredibly long and steep, making it surprisingly physically demanding. Coming down that same day, we took another steep but rough and uneven
route, which had me feeling just a little nervous, and Biko took his time. It was at this point I decided I very much liked our lead gaucho, Romón.
Observing constantly, he stayed with those at the back of the group (which
included me) and provided a reassuring presence. Thankfully, my very basic (and
not very grammatical) Spanish was enough that I could just about communicate
with him and learn from him throughout the trip (although Edgardo had to step
in from time to time).
Our
camp for the first couple of days, we joked, was a bit like somebody’s back
garden. It was essentially a little house where the support team slept and
prepared food, surrounded by a grassy area where we set up our tents. We had portable
toilets on site (which the team kept clean) and some public showers across the
road (not the best, but they did the job). Given our expectations, this camp
overall, was pretty comfortable.
On the third day, after
separating our luggage into our main bag (see ya in Chile) and small bag (meet
you at the next stop) we headed off into the hills, set to make progress on the
route. We first rode to the Argentine checkpoint where we showed our passports
(this seemed to take forever), had lunch, and then continued our climb up to a
mountain hut, where we set up camp again at 3170m. Despite riding the second
half of the day along a fairly non-picturesque winding road, I really enjoyed
our ascent through the mountain mist, with views of a fast-flowing stream just
over the side of the cliff. It all felt rather eerie, and, though not as tough
as the previous day, it was not a ride for those with vertigo.
The night at the mountain hut was
probably one of the wilder nights. There were no toilets or showers, and the
hut/camp felt very much in the middle of nowhere, despite there being a couple of other groups at the site. Dinner was very late that
night, so after a long day, I decided to skip it and head to bed.
Colourful Mountains & High
Winds
On Day 5, after I awoke to a
beautiful burnt orange sunrise, we set off riding into the mountains, and with an
increase in altitude, came changes in the landscape. Early in the day, there
were some streams and green plants among the rocks and stones, but as we
climbed higher, it quickly turned more desolate and arid, although the rock
faces showed off beautiful shades of grey, soft yellow and gentle copper tones.
When we finally reached the first mountain pass, the “Portillo Argentino” at
4350m, it was a bit like being on the top of the world, though the incredibly strong winds were a not-so-gentle reminder that this wasn't a place humans should stay for long. We were given a quick safety briefing, and then over the pass we went.
Heading into the unknown with my
wonderful Biko, I was suddenly greeted with a view that can only be described as absolutely breathtaking. Jagged snow-capped peaks stood majestically in the distance and to
the right, with snow sweeping down the mountain sides in broken lines. To the
left, the high peaks were striped yellow, copper, grey and brown. The path
infront of us was narrow, steep and stony, and Biko stepped carefully while I
took in the scene and snapped countless pictures of this incredible vista. At
the bottom, I had a swig of liquor, complements of Edgardgo. Biko had an apple
and some of my sandwich.
We finally reached Refugio Real
de la Cruz on the banks of the Tunuyán river in the late afternoon, after a
long and dusty ride that offered fantastic valley views. We stayed at
the army base for the next three nights, camping outside and entering the base
for meals, card games, toilet visits (if you dared) and showers (with flip
flops on and a girl guarding the door). The next day was a non-riding day,
giving the horses (and us) a much-needed chance to rest, followed by another scenic
day of riding, this time to a nearby glacier.
Over the Border
On Day 8, it was time to cross
over into Chile. Until now I had believed that the ride over the Portillo
Argentino was the best so far, but this day was, if possible, even more
beautiful: with alpine meadows, crystal-clear streams, jagged cliffs in the
shape of castles, another dramatic mountain pass to take your breath away, more
stunning views of the cordillera and fantastic colours throughout the day, ranging
from brick red to butter yellow to vivid green.
Just before we reached the pass, the Portillo de Piuquenes at 4042m, (which is the border crossing) we had
to change horses due to Chilean restrictions on bringing animals over the
border. This meant waving goodbye to my adorable, brave and very tired Biko,
and saying hello to my new Chilean Criollo horse, Brigit (who I renamed Bridget
Jones). Sweet, gentle and also cautious in her step, this lovely little chestnut
mare took me safely over the pass, where the path down, though a little
less rocky than the first one, was extremely narrow. But the stunning
views I saw that day as we trundled down into the valley were absolutely
breathtaking and well worth the anxiety. At the bottom was Termas del Plomo
where we camped for the last night. Here I enjoyed a fantastic glass of prosecco and sat
for hours infront of the fire where our other gaucho, Alberto, prepared an
asado.
Once-in-a-Lifetime Journey
Before we left Chile, we were
lucky enough to enjoy one final ride in the Valle del Yeso park, which meant I
was treated to more, strikingly beautiful views and I could also get to know
Bridget Jones, a little better. Turns out, Bridget Jones had more gears, and
along with my new comrade in arms, Elke, we enjoyed a fabulous (albeit sneaky)
canter/gallop to our lunch spot.
Then it was on to Chile, (via immigration)
for a final night in Santiago and a big hug to all the lovely guides and guests
who shared this once-in-a-lifetime journey with me.
It was, I realized later, one of
the most memorable trips I have or ever will do, and I will always be grateful
for having the chance to cross the Andes mountains on horseback.
Tips:
- Flights to Argentina can be long and very tiring. I would highly recommend arriving a day or two early to relax, recover and do some touristy things in Mendoza.
- There is very little time in Chile on the new itinerary. If you’re interested to see Santiago, I’d recommend adding some days at the end of the trip. (I’m pretty sure your body would also enjoy a spa/massage if there’s time!)
- Crossing the Andes is no mean feat. You’ll need to be physically and riding fit, prepared for long hours in the saddle, changeable weather, the altitude, very rugged and steep terrain in parts, as well as camping nights.
- The camping on this ride is not what I would call "wild camping". While you will be riding and sleeping in a very remote location, you will mostly have access to toilets and showers (please note: these are very basic).
- Don’t expect a fast ride. There are no canters on this trip. This ride is all about enjoying the scenery and adventure.
- Sunglasses, suncream and a buff are not just recommended but absolutely essential on this ride. There are huge amounts of dust at times, and the wind can be extremely powerful even at lower altitudes (I think I experienced wind burn).
- Knowing some Spanish is very useful on this ride. While your main guides will speak English fluently, the gauchos only speak Spanish, so it can be helpful to learn at least some basics.
- Small games or packs of cards are handy for non-riding hours and can be fun to bring members of the group together.
- The local team work incredibly hard on this trip to ensure everything runs smoothly, but you may experience the occasional hiccup or delay. I recommend having a relaxed, 'go-with-the-flow' mindset to make the most this incredible adventure.
- A bumbag is useful on this ride for carrying your passport.
- Please bring a copy of your passport that will go inside your main bag, in case the Chilean authorities want to check it. You can bring a padlock to lock your bag overnight however, do not lock your bag before it goes to Chile, as the authorities may need to open it.
More information:
To enquire about this trip, please visit our website or contact one of our travel advisors. You can email: info@equus-journeys.com or call us on +44 (0)1905 388 977.