If you thought polo was reserved for the British aristocracy, think again. Argentina is the planet’s polo powerhouse, producing more champions than every other nation combined. At Estancia El Venado, about two hours’ drive south of Buenos Aires, you can get in the saddle and have a go at whacking a ball with a mallet at a polo school located on a working cattle ranch. Be trained by the pros, take to the field for a game and learn about the ranch’s horse-breeding program.
You don’t need any prior riding experience to participate, but if thundering down the field chasing a ball on horseback rattles your nerves, there are plenty of tamer activities on hand. Take part in a cattle muster with a real-life gaucho (cowboy), swing under the treetops in a hammock, kayak the Salado River, or just soak up the surroundings of the ranch, which has been kept in the family for four generations.
Polo weeks at Estancia El Venado cost from US$2,030 per person. Non-polo weeks at the ranch start from US$1,220.
Hey, you might be a natural, but to us trying to hit a ball while simultaneously staying upright on a horse sounds pretty tricky.
Polo Days
polodays.com
El Venador Ranch
elvenadoranch.com