CENTER
- PAMPA
The famous Pampa, the land of the “gaucho”, consists
of arid bush lands and vast fertile plains suitable for cattle and
crop farming. Also located within this geographical region are the
delta of the Parana River and the Atlantic Coast of the Province
of Buenos Aires with its large, picturesque beaches. The word "pampa"
in Quechua, an indigenous group of the Northwest, means flatland.
The fertile Pampa was originally located solely within the area
surrounding the River Plate basin, but European immigrants extended
the productive area significantly to the west by applying their
agricultural knowledge. With the exception of the coast, which has
a maritime climate, the rest of the Pampa is moderately warm and
humid, with hot summers and mild winters.
Province
of Buenos Aires
Crossing the boundaries of the main cities towards the countryside,
you will come across green plains and blue skies divided by a
neat horizon, dotted with sporadic groves, cattle, cropland, and
farm houses called “estancias”.
This quiet monotony ends at the foot of two ranges of gentle hills
(Sierras de Tandil and Sierras de la Ventana) in the south of
the Province of Buenos Aires that mark the transition area from
the Pampas to Patagonia. These two hill ranges with their woods
and creeks are suitable for trekking and horse riding. As is the
case in most of Argentina, visitors can lodge at beautiful farm
houses and inns.
The eastern part of the province of Buenos Aires borders the Atlantic
Ocean and has thousands of kilometers of wide beaches. Big cities
like Mar del Plata and Bahia Blanca, as well as sea-side towns
in the middle of man-planted pinewoods which stop the spreading
of the sand dunes, like Pinamar and up market Cariló, stretch
south along the coast.
Back to top page
The Delta
To the north of the City of Buenos Aires, the Delta of the Parana
River, befero becaming the Plata River, offers quite a different
landscape in the form of islands covered with subtropical vegetation,
streams, nautical life, places for leisure, and a traditional
fruit and crafts market in the city of Tigre itself.
Back to top page
One day in the countryside
learning the "Rational Horse-Breaking Technique"
  
At 95 km from the city of Buenos Aires, Martín
Hardoy raises and trains horses using non-violent techniques.
In his farm in the middle of the Pampas, he teaches his own method
known as the "rational horse-breaking technique" (doma
racional). Over the course of 12 days he introduces his students
to the world of wild horses and to the art of riding. We spend
one day with Martin, learning the basics of his methods and theories
and also indulge ourselves with a delicious “Asado”
for lunch, cooked as only the ‘gaucho’ can.
The Estancia Mariposa and the Pampas’
Indigenous People Horse-Breaking Method
An introductory weekend version of the Indian Horse-breaking technique
is offered by Oscar Scarpati at a The Estancia Mariposa (170 Km.
From Buenos Aires). The process attempts to teach the trainee
how to understand behavioral patterns that are deeply rooted in
the animal. The person learns the basics of developing a good
relationship with wild horses, for example one of the most important
issues is to teach the horse to trust people. For the advanced
and adventurous he also offers an intense fortnight in the mountains
of the Province of San Luis.
Back to top page
La Niña, Localidad
de 9 de Julio
At 250 km from the city of Buenos Aires and located near to the
province of “La Pampa”, you will find an area dotted
with communities dependent on the agricultural industry. In their
heyday, these communities provided the means by which the rest
of the country prospered. During these times, Argentina was widely
known as the ‘bread basket of the world’ and rightly
so. The country was the primary grain exporter in the world and
also a major exporter of beef. Huge amounts of wealth were generated
from these rich lands. In order to facilitate the transportation
of grains from the interior to the great port of Buenos Aires,
a large railroad network was developed. The crisis at the end
of the 1970´s heavily affected the production and transportation
system. In one fell swoop, agriculture was taken out of the hands
of the many and placed into the hands of the large agro-businesses
who could afford the cost of transporting their goods by truck.
  |
The economic situation of Argentina today is a far cry from
its past affluence and the majority of the population in this
former economic-powerhouse has suffered greatly. The region in
which La Nina is located was recently dealt a further blow that
seriously affected the way of life for the people of the area.
In 1999, after a period of uncharacteristically heavy rains in
the region of “La Pampa”, many areas were completely
flooded. La Nina was isolated for months and 80% of the surrounding
lands were submerged under water. A large part of the cultivable
lands were flooded to such a degree that they were transformed
into lagoons, and this forced the inhabitants of the area to decide
between abandoning their homes or adapting to their new environment
by creating alternative means to support themselves.
The idea to dedicate themselves to tourism came from the fishermen
who had themselves recently arrived with the formation of the
lagoons, and who began to demand services which the residents
of La Nina began to offer, albeit modestly. Many of the inhabitants
are now focusing on tourism as a way to provide them with the
necessities of life. We visit the area and stay in the estancia
“La Catita”, located close to La Nina, where since
1996 they have been developing an agro tourism project. Those
who visit the establishment will also visit the tiny town of 500
inhabitants and share distinct activities with the local population.
Also located nearby is the community of “Los Toldos”
where the only Mapuche community in the province of Buenos Aires
is located. The “Tourist
Association of La Nina” has contacts with this Mapuche
community and organizes visits to the community.
Back to top page
Back to Travel
Circuits
|
