This is a Guru’Guay Top Pick
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Experience deepest Uruguay from your very own wood & stone cabin with 360° views of the northern sierras, horse riding and trekking.
If you are looking to experience Uruguay countryside at its most authentic, choose Finca Paraíso Escondido, which translates as Hidden Paradise Farm. Your hosts invite you to their small farm with its animals, wide-open sunsets and sunrises and regional cooking.
I was delighted when an old gaucha friend recommended the farm. She told me that Mariela and Hugo are doing wonderful things in the Uruguayan countryside. I haven’t had a chance to visit yet but Nahir’s recommendation and the couple’s five star Google reviews make them worth featuring here.
The cabin sleeps three (double bed and a single bunk bed), ensuite bathroom and kitchenette. Most guests tend to choose full board and eat with the family returning to the cabin with its picture windows for siestas and at night. It’ll be a unique opportunity to try typical Uruguay countryside cuisine prepared by Hugo using meat (beef, chicken, duck and lamb), eggs (chicken, duck and quail) and vegetables from the farm—all raised organically. One reviewer praised Hugo as “an artist with flavours using many ingredients from the farm”.
Visitors are encouraged to interact with the farm animals. Activities also include horse riding and decent hiking (uncommon in the Uruguay interior). Hugo leads the hikes through the sierras or to an abandoned village complete with cemetery and the site of indigenous remains.
You’ll be welcomed into the community with Mariela and Hugo as your hosts. They love to take guests to the local store, frequented by gauchos (get yourself a pair of authentic gaucho trousers—‘bombachas’) and the local rural school.
This promises to be a truly authentic Uruguay countryside experience to remember forever. And I can’t wait to check it out for myself. Until I get there, I look forward to reading your reviews below.
Recommended stay length At Guru’Guay we recommend that to really slip into Uruguay countryside mode, you stay for minimum 3 nights. This allows you to arrive, settle in, and at least two full days to really live Deepest Uruguay.
Internet The connectivity is good.
Limited English Mariela and Hugo don’t speak any English but where there’s a will there’s a way. They are successfully communicating using a mixture of goodwill and technology. Time to practise a little Spanish!
Getting there The farm is 20 km off Route 5. The couple will meet you at the turn-off and you can follow them to the farm along a country road. Take a bus to Tacuarembó bus station and arrange a pick-up with Mariela. The trip from Montevideo to Tacuarembó takes around 6 hours.
Finca Paraíso Escondido
fincaparaisoescondido.com
Paraje Cuchilla Casa de Piedra, Tacuarembó
Reservations: write to Mariela by email turismoparaisoescondido@hotmail.com or WhatsApp message +598 99 464 882
Contact Mariela for a quote.
Cabin rental: 2000 pesos* per night (1 person), 3300 pesos (2 people)
Full board (breakfast, lunch and dinner): 1000 pesos per person per day
Activities (trekking and horse-riding): 1000 pesos
*Uruguayan pesos
Photos: Finca Paraíso Escondido
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5 Responses
My husband and I stayed with Mariela and Hugo in March (2023). We spend three wonderful days with them and their beloved animals. The location is stunning and we explored their property as well as a neighbouring property. It was delightful to be on a farm and interact with the animals. We fed two young ones daily and my husband, who also grew up on a small Canadian farm, assisted Mariela with an injured hen. Hugo’s meals were delicious and it was a pleasure having homecooked local specialties. The accommodations are comfortable and lovely, with a view of the valley as well as an occasional horse or cow. But what made our stay outstanding was the hosts. Mariela and Hugo are warm, welcoming and lots of fun. They were generous with their time and their maté! We couldn’t have had a better stay and would recommend this ‘hidden paradise’ to anyone wanting a taste of country life in Uruguay.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience as a couple, Janet! — Karen
My eight-year-old daughter and I had a splendidly simple and licely stay at Finca Paraiso Escondido. My daughter who barely speaks Spanish interacted without any problem with Mariela and Hugo to help feed and take care of all the animals of the farm. We had lovely meals and walks ans horsebak-riding with Mariela and Hugo and the neighbours.
The cabin is lovely, well equipped, bed is great and the sunsets are just gorgeous.
Manuéline, thank you so much for sharing. It sounds like you had a wonderful time. Best, Karen
Manuéline y Mila que decir , fue una experiencia espectacular pasar días con la pequeña Mila festejar su cumpleaños 🎂 un amor como me ayudo con todos los animales, y Tú Manuéline experimentamos contigo lo hermoso de compartir charlas ,caminatas ,risas y la comida de HAGO … esperamos su regreso ..
Saludos cordiales desde Finca ” PARAISO ESCONDIDO ” 🏡 Hugo y Mariela ..