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El Ceibo is a typical ‘estancia’ in Uruguay—a South American sheep and cattle ranch—set amid the gently rolling plains of Uruguay.
The ranch building dates back to 1849. At that time the local registrar performed weddings and christenings there. Thankfully the ranch has changed little. Even the wisteria which was planted back then still perfumes the central patio.So you do feel like you are stepping back in time. But you are just one hour from the capital of Uruguay and a little more than an hour from the country’s international airport.
The ranch is attended by its owners, Carmen and Joselo, a couple who moved to the estancia from Florida, a nearby town, with their children two decades ago.
Relax to red sunsets, star-filled nights and the sound of water running over rocks.
As there are no mountains in Uruguay, just gentle hills, any area of high ground affords impressive views of the surrounding countryside. Joselo will take you out horse-riding for an hour in the morning and in the afternoon every day. There’s a wide track which goes for miles and the highest ground is about 3 miles (4-5 km) from the estancia.
Unfortunately there are few trails and treks available in Uruguay. However El Ceibo has over 120 acres of native woods and you can take a two-hour trek following trails cut by Joselo on a 1950s Ford tractor (which he takes into the wood to collect firewood before winter). There are also take river-side walks.
Ten minutes walk across the property from the main house is a lagoon—perfect for paddling in the four-person canoe—and a river which forms a natural rock pool which is safe for swimming and a sandy beach.
Birdwatching. Where there’s water and trees you’ll see a lot of birds and El Ceibo is host to around one hundred species. Dawn is spectacular. The ranch has bird books for you to consult and binoculars.
Fishing. The most commonly caught species is the tararira, which also comes with the dramatic name, Blue Wolf Fish. Rods are available for guests. Note there are no new-fangled reels here, instead the old-fashioned fishing rods you may have used as a child.
For experienced riders, El Ceibo can organise a week-long cross-country ride for groups of a minimum of four riders. The rides take place on request in spring and autumn and cover about 30 miles (40-50 km) every day. The Uruguayan interior has a hugely popular tradition of cross-country endurance rides, known as raids.
Your board includes four home-cooked meals a day. The estancia uses local produce when possible. The lamb is 100% raised on the pastures of El Ceibo.
Deepest Uruguay with minimal travel time. Most estancias take hours to reach, often on poorly-maintained roads. El Ceibo is unusual in that it is just one hour from the centre of Montevideo and 1.5 hours from the airport.
Within easy reach of towns and the capital Close enough to Montevideo to make it an easy day trip. It is also just 20 minutes drive from Florida, the capital of the province, perfect for family members who prefer their Deepest Uruguay in doses.
Total peace and quiet You hear no traffic whatsoever. And of course, light pollution is minimal. Oh the Milky Way!
Winter time is wonderful and cosy. There is an open fireplace in the living room.
Carmen speaks good English and is well-travelled. She can tell you a lot about Uruguay and the surrounding countryside. And she has a wicked, sophisticated sense of humour.
Good value. The cost per person per day for full-board and all activities is around 100 USD.
Flexible mealtimes. El Ceibo offers four meals a day. Carmen is happy to adjust mealtimes. So while Uruguayans might sit down for dinner after 10pm, at that time you can already be tucked up in bed after your 6.30pm dinner.
Air conditioned guestrooms (not the case in all estancias).
The estancia may receive a large group of day visitors at some point during your stay. It’s not an issue as estancia guests have exclusive use of the main estancia house. Groups are limited to an area behind the house and will not be in view.
Driving Directly from Montevideo it’s very simple. Take Ruta 5 to Florida. The entrance is at kilometre 97.400. The drive from Ruta 5 is along country lanes, takes 20 minutes and is very well sign-posted.
Bus Buses from Montevideo to Florida are very frequent (several per hour depending on the time of day) and take anything from 1-2 hours. Arrange pickup with Carmen and Joselo for half the price of a taxi.
Airport El Ceibo can arrange a pickup from the airport. If you have time to spare and the inclination, Carmen has all the details about how you can take a three-hour bus journey which winds through the countryside passing through little villages using the Las Marias bus company.
Estancia El Ceibo
elceibo.com.uy
Florida, Uruguay
Reserve by visiting their website (in English, Spanish and Portuguese), by writing to Carmen and Joselo at info@elceibo.com.uy or by calling +598 99 125 761
[Note: Uruguay is in the southern hemisphere so seasonal references are the opposite of the North. So for example, summertime in Uruguay is December to February. See my article on the best time to visit Uruguay for a complete explanation of when each season is in Uruguay]
Photos: Guru’Guay
Hearty thanks: Guru’Guay would like thank the ever-knowledgeable Sylvana Cabrera of ComeryBeber for recommending we visit El Ceibo
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7 Responses
We stayed for 2 nights with the kids and mother-in-law. It was a wonderful experience taking me back to a time I imagine I had in another life, serene and breathtaking. The scenery was lovely and Carmen and Joselo are like visiting family. Carmen has a great sense of humor and Joselo will tell you all about life in the country. I am not a dog lover but I did fall in love with Bella during our stay. The rooms were comfy and the entire property has a campo chic aesthetic with vintage touches all around. The food was delicious and the chef, Oscar, was also a pleasure to talk to. I didn’t know where the kids were most of the time and that was the best part. They were with the dogs or helping Oscar in the chicken coop or feeding the lamb. Everyone enjoyed riding horses as well. All in all a fabulous country stay! And only about an hour from Montevideo.
[This comment was added to Guru’Guay’s old site on 05/04/2019]
Hi Karen
Really love the website, and I’m hoping to get hold of the Montevideo Guide very soon. (Did I read somewhere that you are you working on a Guide for the whole country)?
I very much enjoyed reading your blog entry on El Ceibo, and as a result I am very excited to be visiting El Ceibo for a couple of days in November with my partner.
Carmen confirmed the discount you mentioned for citing your article when I booked, but I was wondering if paying by credit card there would qualify for the IVA refund (which would cancel out the larger discount for paying in cash)?
Thanks
Phil
Hi Phil, international travellers to Uruguay pay 0% tax on accommodation. The credit card refund is for car hire and restaurants, not hotels (or estancias). I’m sure you’ll love El Ceibo! Yes, I am as we speak finishing my new book “The Guru’Guay Guide to Uruguay: Beaches, Ranches & Wine Country” and it will be out in time for your trip I do believe! So glad you are enjoying the site — All the best, Karen
Thanks for the clarification, Karen.
We’re heading out to Uruguay on 8 November, but we’re not planning to take ipads or laptops with us. Do you think we will be able to get hold of a physical copy of the new country-wide guide in time? It would be nice to have it a little in advance to help with trip planning.
Best wishes
Phil
Totally! Watch this site for announcements.
Thanks Karen. We are in Uruguay now and making good use of both fabulous guides. On our way to Montevideo right now.
Random query: can you recommend emergency weekend dentist in Montevideo? My husband has developed hideous toothache and we are keen to try and sort it before we head to el Ceibo on Monday.
Many thanks
Phil
Hi Phil, so sorry I only just saw your message now. Did you manage to sort out the dentist? I have just sent you a recommendation by email. So glad you are making good use of the guidebooks! All the best — Karen PS. Reviews on Amazon and the Guru’Guay site would be HUGELY appreciated!!