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Uruguay ranches & estancias – Explore deepest Uruguay

Looking for a Uruguay ranch? We track down the best estancias in the Uruguay countryside. Go gaucho and let the peace seep into your soul.

Should you book a stay in a Uruguay ranch (or estancia, as they are known in this part of the world)? Ranches and estancias in Uruguay range from small homesteads to sprawling cattle and sheep ranches. They can be as rustic as a working farm or as luxurious as a country hotel from a long-gone era. Whether you’re seeking adventure or relaxation, you’ll get to experience Uruguay’s agricultural heartland firsthand.

We track down the best estancias in the Uruguay countryside. Go gaucho. Allow the peace to seep into your soul.

Recommended ranches in Uruguay

Our recommendations are 1-4 hours drive from the airport and dotted across Uruguay. And we’ve checked out every single one of them so you can choose the best to fit your preferences.

Estancia El Cangüé – Cattle & roses in Paysandú

Home to Uruguay's biggest rose collection, this 200 year west Uruguay estancia is the perfect destination for outdoor adventure or a wedding.

Estancia El Ceibo – Deepest Uruguay ranch with minimal travel

It can take hours along pot-holed roads to reach the best estancias in Uruguay. This ranch, virtually unchanged since 1849, is just an hour from Montevideo.

Estancia Los Plátanos – Authentic 6th generation ranch

Venture into deep Uruguay to Estancia Los Platanos, a working ranch. Six guestrooms—and there's a gorgeous indoor pool.

Estancia Santa Cruz – Luxury & polo holiday in Uruguay

Minutes from South America’s hottest beachtown, José Ignacio, lies an exclusive vacation retreat. Polo holiday? Yes. But not only.

Martín Pescador – Sierras ranch 1 hr from ocean

Just an hour inland from the beaches of Punta and José Ignacio, the perfect Uruguay estancia, horse riding and trekking.

San Pedro de Timote – Uruguay’s most historic estancia

For 200 years, estancia San Pedro de Timote has been the pride of Uruguay. Today it's a historic country hotel where you can go riding and meet gauchos.

How long to stay

It’s possible to day trip into the countryside, even from the beach. But if you want to really experience what locals proudly call Uruguay profundo—deep Uruguay, those small towns and ranches far from urban centres, where you have to travel miles to reach the nearest highway—take a few days and slow right down.

Plan to spend three or four nights, enjoy the serenity of the countryside, ride a few trails and allow the peace to seep into your soul. Horse enthusiasts will want to stick around for longer. At a working ranch, a three-night stay will give you the opportunity of a full half-day riding on the sierra, a day experiencing working on the estancia with the animals and a day to relax.

When to visit a ranch in Uruguay

Mid December-February Summer temperatures can average the high 90s (36°C) and reach the 100s (40-42°C). From mid morning till four in the afternoon it’s too hot to do much other than read a book under a tree or head to the waterhole.

March-May Autumn is serene. There tends to be little wind on the sierras and you can be out till late with temperatures hovering in the mid 70s (23-24°C) during the day and pleasantly cool at night. Excellent time for birdwatching.

July La Yerra is one of the most important community and festive events in the country calendar. It is when cattle are branded and young bulls castrated. Ouch. Now you know you really are in gaucho territory.

Late September to early December It’s spring and the countryside explodes into bloom—everywhere you look the ground is yellow, white, pink and purple. Chicks are hatching. You can witness the birth of lambs and calves. Sheep shearing takes place in September and October. When the sun’s out, it can be T-shirt weather during the day. It’s not so hot for the horses so you can ride any time of day.

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