Estancia La Oriental Sheep Station Track

From Río Gallegos, the unmarked track to Estancia La Oriental strikes northwest across Santa Cruz’s windswept steppes, following century-old sheep trails and telegraph lines that once connected remote wool stations to port. You’ll cross the Río Chico on a sketchy wooden bridge built by Scottish settlers in 1898, then navigate through gates marked only with estancia brands burned into weathered fence posts. Wild guanacos watch from ridgelines as you bump across cattle grids every 10-15km.

Easy to moderate difficulty for any 4WD with decent ground clearance — the main enemies are wind, isolation, and getting lost in the maze of ranch tracks. Carry GPS coordinates, extra fuel, and permission papers from the estancias (arrange through tourist office in Río Gallegos). Best from November to March when roads dry out and daylight stretches past 9pm. Camp gates stay locked October through December for lambing season. Pure Patagonian solitude where you might not see another vehicle for days.