When you choose a Patagonian vacation at Estancia Ranquilco, you elect to take time for yourself, away from email, Facebook, texting and phones. The world of the Estancia is a tech-free, simpler world, where your hours are filled with adventure, luxury, beauty and peace of mind.
As a guest, you can choose to be pampered or challenged, or a little bit of both. What is a surety is that you will spend days without technology. Many guests find a sense of self they didn’t even know they had lost when they choose this Patagonia travel adventure.
Many of us, caught in the fast pace of our lives, are tethered to the trappings of the twenty-first century. In response (or, maybe, in protest) we regularly try to steal moments of peace. We may take a weekend horseback ride on well-worn paths, walk on the beach, or simply share a glass of wine with friends.
But even when we steal those moments, our technology isn’t far behind. To say we’re addicted to our smartphones, tablets and laptops is an understatement for many of us. Taking a break from technology is tough; staying away while still surrounded by opportunities to text and email is borderline impossible for any length of time.
At the Estancia, you don’t have to steal moments of peace. Each moment offers that opportunity.The world of the estancia is one where you can ride horseback in magnificent scenery, take walks along rivers seen by very few, and enjoy delicious wine every day. It’s a glorious way to go off the grid and into the natural rhythms of the Argentinian cordillera.
Tech-free days are a feast for the senses
Instead of responding to the ‘chirps’ and ‘tweets’ of your smartphone, your ears will become accustomed to the rhythms of nature. You’ll often wake to the same sounds each morning: rustling wind, birds, perhaps a distant snort of one of the estancia’s horses.
Your eyes become accustomed as well to looking up, and not angling downward to read that last message or send that text response. Instead, you can enjoy the changes in the patterns of the sky, watch the trail ahead as you climb further on horseback, or close your eyes and enjoy a relaxing siesta under a shade tree.
Going off the grid builds closer relationships
When you’re in conversation with people and a new, unfamiliar word comes up, what’s the first thing you normally do now? Do you “google it?” Do you stop talking to each other and start relating to the phone? Even when you’ve found the answer, do you read it to each other, still not looking into eyes?
At the Estancia, no one googles anything. People talk to each other about possibilities, usually while sharing time around a campfire, at the dinner table, or at an asado. They learn from each other and with each other, often building lasting relationships.
Time increases and stress fades away
Depending on technology to communicate seems to drain time out of the day. Off the grid, that time is yours to structure in other ways. You might choose a steep climb through the Andes, fly fishing in the pristine waters of the Trocoman River, or learning lassoing from the Estancia gauchos.
It’s a time when stress seems to melt away. You work, play and relax in tune with your own natural rhythms. You are in a gorgeous setting with friendly, compassionate people, great horses, pristine rivers, and boundless opportunity for adventure. It’s the most beautiful way possible to let go, unplug, and recharge.
