Monday 30 December 2013

Riding a horse across Uruguay

Gauchos of Uruguay

'What is there to see in Uruguay?'

The nest of the oven bird


Unusual things, unusual animals

Nigel Harvery with an armadillo

with the sweetest ears.

A wild armadillo

A clutch of eggs laid by the southern rhea, a flightless bird like a small ostrich


and perculiar plants,


all best seen from the back of a horse.

I travelled through Uruguay in December with Ride Worldwide. Click here for details.

Saturday 14 December 2013

Crossing the Andes into Chile


In the Andes mountains
A collection of saddles and bridles outside my tent
The day dawned when we woke on the Argentinian side of the Andes mountain range knowing that we would soon cross the border into Chile.

Cleaning teeth in a river in the Andes

After breakfast cooked on the fire,

Camping in the Andes Mountains

 We saddled up our horses.

Horses from Estancia Huechachue

The morning was spent riding higher and higher as we made our way towards a certain, iconic volcano.


We finally crossed a river into a National Park that straddles the border with Chile.

Riding across the Andes

Sadly our Argentine horses were not permitted to cross into Chile due to veterinary controls. We ended up having to walk through passport control, out saddlebags flung over our shoulders.


To our surprise the most wonderful lunch was awaiting us, together with glasses of Chilean champagne.


Small, but beautifully presented horses were tethered up under the bushes.

Riding in Chile

I was given a Palamino.

Sophie Neville, riding through Chile in South America

We rode off, descending from the Andes watershed into valleys which seemed to be surprisingly Alpine in appearance.

Riding through Chile in South America

My little pony proved quite a handful, but a sparky and amusing ride.

Sophie Neville, riding through Chile in South America
Sophie Neville having ridden across the Andes into Chile

For more information please click here.