Sebastian led me to the stables, where I geared up for my first horseback ride (cabalgata) in the Patagonian wild.

I met Turko, and immediately fell in love with him. She’s a prize-winning champion horse who tends to strut on the quicker side.

We rode for a couple of hours into the swampy forests of the peninsula,  until we reached a spot where we tied up the horses and explored the local hills (cerros)

I was in fantastic company, among new friends like Petisso, an experienced gaucho, Olav, a fellow solo traveler from Norway, and Sebastian, the head gaucho. Olav, Sebastian and I trekked up the Cerro and climbed down into a cave, where we took tea, cookies,  and homemade beef jerky.

It was a most beautiful and memorable day, in spite of the fierce Patagonian wind.