how to be a gaucho in argentina and cowboy yourself for a day, a week, a life

An aspect of Latin American culture that sometimes gets missed? It’s the cowboys of South America, with their own style and culture. This is how clients can tap into this experience.

In modern times, the gaucho is still alive, lassoing and spur-kicking in South America. These niche lifestyles often become a tourist prop, but in Argentina, we found that these latin cowboys take great pride in their lifestyle and heritage. 

WHO:

The gaucho of Latin America has the best dress code of all the world’s cowboys. The leather is all there, but there is also a necktie, a beret, a loose blouse and high-waisted pants, coin belt, dagger, vest, poncho with the requisite high cowboy boots with spurs. It’s a cowboy with Latin flamboyance. 

WHERE:

Gaucho territory is in the pampa, a South American terrain of flat fields where cattle run the grass. Their native territory is in Argentina, Uruguay and south Brazil. Argentina boasts 150,000 gauchos, which shows the lifestyle flourishes to this day. They are a romanticized ideal in Argentinian culture, which goes some way to explaining how their culture has evaded modern day expectations. 

HISTORY:

The gaucho was a product of Spanish colonization. Traditionally, the gauchos would hunt wild cattle to sell for meat and skin. The word gaucho is derived from a word that translates to orphan or homeless. This indicates the vagrant and nomadic lifestyle of the traditional gaucho, roaming the pampas for cattle and living solo. 

VALUES:

The gaucho culture prides itself on freedom, and there is no better match of values for the traveller. There’s also the added hero aspects of bravery and environmental sustainability.  

HOW TO PARTICIPATE:

Estancios:

Known as estancios, these estates breed cattle on many thousands of hectares. The gauchos must herd and farm the cattle. Their relationship with their horse is incredibly intimate, and the gauchos will break them in,  or tame them, and train them from a young age to respond to their every subtle cue. 

Experience the Estancios:

Estancio El Ombu is 120 kilometres from Buenos Aires and is a traditional, Euro-influenced establishment that will suit garden lovers as much as it will ranch-lovers. It is one of the closest estancios to the traditional town and birthplace of gauchos, San Antonio de Areco (more below).

Estancio Los Potreros is a family-run estancio near Argentina’s second city of Cordoba. It counts 6000 acres and is a working farm. Accommodation quarters are minimalist and cosy. During the day clients horse ride to rock pools, assist the gauchos on the ranch and sometimes play polo.

Asado:

The frequent gaucho festival of a campfire, barbeque, music, wine and dancing is known as the asado in Argentina. Argentina consumes the most meat in the world. The locals eat more than 65 kilograms of it per year. Compare that to America, which sits at a mild 42. The fire cooking is a ritual in these parts, and the flames traditional come from wood, and often nowadays from coal. But if you’re in the country, prepare for the traditional approach and the style of cooking can be crucifix style with a fire lit from beneath. Slow cooking with embers is always preferred, so the meat will be prepared a long way before you arrive. There are cow ribs, meat roll stuffed with vegetables, chorizo, blood sausage and offal. All served with a simple salad and the salsa chimichurri. 

Music:

Travellers may be treated to an impromptu guitar session around the campfire with gauchos. The guitar has long been the other companion of the gaucho, after the horse, of course. 

Town: 

Touted as the birthplace of gaucho culture, San Antonio de Areco is a day trip and an hour’s drive from the capital Buenos Aires. It’s a colonial city with a silversmith and blacksmith and plenty of leather shops. Here, travellers can see the tradition of pulperias, a merge of the general store that becomes a bar and saloon come late afternoon and evening.