In Argentina, some hotels are just hotels. Others are working ranches where you can mix with the gauchos. In Patagonia though, sometimes you find a place that’s a ranch but also sits next to snowy mountains and a lake. That’s the case with Nibepo Aike Estancia outside of El Calafate, on the edge of Los Glaciares National Park.
The history of this place goes back a long way, to a time in the late 1800s and early 1900s when Argentina and Chile were practically giving away land to get people to move to this cold part of the southern cone. The deal was, if you put the land to productive use for long enough, eventually you’d own it outright. Nibepo Aike, a name formed from parts of the Croatian immigrant owners’ three daughters’ nicknames, was a major sheep farm for decades, supplying wool to lands far away.
Over time that business got more competitive, plus when the area got turned into a national park, restrictions came in. The grandfathered owners could retain their land, but there was a cap on the number of domestic animals. So the ranch home became a hotel and a new income source from tourism took place of the farming.
Dining at an Argentine Farm Hotel
My dining experiences in my three weeks in Argentina went from gourmet to street food and this one was a different angle: farm-fresh cuisine that was simple but extremely tasty. They have plenty of their own beef and lamb on hand here, so one grand lunch was an Argentine parilla prepared by the gauchos, an open-fire barbecue where a lamb carcass is splayed and propped up on a stake near the flames. This is not the best experience for vegetarians…
We did have plenty of vegetables with our other meals though, some of them grown in Patagonia, some of them needing to come from a more temperate climate. Potato and leek soup, salads, and roasted carrots joined freshwater fish and breakfast dishes with eggs and pastries.
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There’s a good selection of wines from Patagonia and beyond as well as some Argentine craft beers for an additional charge. Some cookies and cakes come out in the afternoon, though with the hearty meals being served, we didn’t feel very hungry between them.
After dinner, guests usually relax with a drink in the lounge, formerly the farmhouse living room, where there’s a cozy fireplace. Another room in the back serves as a second living room and is a nice spot for playing games or reading a book.
Rooms at Nibepo Aike in Patagonia
Picture a mountain town bed and breakfast on a former farm in New England and that’s a similar guest room experience to what you’ll find at this estancia in Patagonia. This is a converted farm house so the 10 rooms vary in size and layout. Ours had hardwood floors, some antiques and original-era furniture, and a great terrace area outside where we could watch the changing sky.
We weren’t doing much work while we stayed since this is a good place to disconnect, but the included WiFi worked better than expected to check e-mail and respond to what couldn’t wait. We had a comfy bed with two reading lamps, a hot shower, and enough outlets to recharge the gadgets when needed.
This is a house though, so you can expect some ambient noise from other guests, whether that’s conversations in the public areas or creaking floorboards as they walk down the hall. It’s an early-to-bed, early-to-rise vibe for most people staying here though, getting into the farm life groove and using the sun as a guide for when to roll out of bed. The wafting smell of brewing coffee and fresh-baked bread doesn’t hurt either.
Sheep Shearing and Horseback Riding El Calafate
While this is now more of a hobby ranch than one that depends on sheep and cows to pay all the staffers, there are still plenty of animals around. You can still see a sheep shearing done the traditional way in the barn, often along with some day trip visitors from Calafate. One of the main reasons to stay here though is the beautiful scenery around Nibepo Aike, so most guests go for a package that includes at least on horseback ride in the beautiful surroundings.
The estancia’s land comes right up to Lake Argentina, so it’s a short walk down to there. That lake is the same one adjoining the popular Perito Moreno Glacier, though the trip there is much longer by car than it is as the crow flies. You can hike up the hills behind Nibepo Aike though to get a different view of the majestic Andes Mountains and possibly see a few glaciers.
Depending on what kind of package you book, you can also go on a more extensive hiking trip that gets further into the national park. Or you can join the gauchos for a day working with the sheep, rounding up cattle on horseback, or helping to prepare the mid-day barbecue. They’re happy to set up custom experiences such as multi-day horseback excursions, glacier trekking, or adventures on the lake.
Booking a Stay at Estancia Nibepo Aike
Rates for staying at Nibepo Aike are not listed anywhere on the site and the booking sites often show availability but then say it’s sold out, so the best bet is to plan ahead and contact them here to request availability and package rates. After the long ride from El Calafate to get here, you’re going to want to stay several nights and do some activities anyway. This is not a luxury estancia though so you can assume you’ll find the rates to be a good value.
See more information at the official website (scroll to the bottom for the translation button) or try your luck at Booking.com with all info in English. For more information on the whole experience, see this Calafate travel tour story by the same writer.
Review and photos by editor Tim Leffel. He was hosted at Nibepo Aike while researching a tour story via Say Hueque Adventures for another publication.
