Nibepo Aike

This authentic, remote working ranch welcomes guests at its generator-powered inn located in the gorgeous countryside.

• Magnificent lakeside scenery inside Los Glaciares National Park
• The experience of staying at a true estancia
• The farm-to-table dining experience including evening asados** **

There are two upscale options for guests visiting El Calafate: the refined Eolo, a Relais & Chateaux property that offers simple elegance in a formal setting, and Nibepo Aike, a down-home, no-frills estancia. At the latter, days are spent learning the ropes of a working sheep and horse ranch, riding through the striking wilderness with gauchos and enjoying traditional asados (outdoor grills) in the evening. Occasionally, one of the gauchos plays a guitar and brooding folk songs usher in the night.

The 10-room Nibepo Aike, with a cozy hearth and an antique stove, is not for the typical luxury traveler. It would be misleading to say that anything about the experience here is luxurious, but a stay at the home-turned-hotel is rich in tradition and authenticity, and in a way, one of the most exclusive accommodations in the region. The property attracts a specific kind of traveler: one willing to forego certain comforts (the generator only runs about 10 hours per day and WiFi is spotty) for the experience of living like a gaucho in a far-flung and beautiful part of Patagonia. The rooms are almost monastic in their simplicity, with no air-conditioning (though hardly necessary in Patagonia) and minimal heating (there is a single wood-burning stove in the hallway).

This property works for travelers looking for a no-frills, authentic estancia experience. If basic accommodations, limited electricity and patchy WiFi are deal breakers, you’d be better off booking at Eolo instead. For those willing to eschew luxury, Nibepo Aike’s magnificent surroundings are well worth “roughing it.”