Horseback ride through vineyards followed by gourmet lunch

The best part of this Mendoza outing is the change of pace: you leave the city, ride gentle horses through the vineyards and olive groves of Lunlunta, then sit down to a long, wine-paired lunch at Club Tapiz. It gives you rural Mendoza without requiring a full-day trip into the Andes.

I like the small group of no more than eight, which makes the ride calmer and the guiding more personal. I also like that the horseback trip and lunch balance each other well: the ride is simple and scenic, while the meal at Terruño supplies the polished food and wine experience.

The main thing to consider is the sun. The ride lasts 90 minutes in an open setting, so bring sunscreen, a hat, and water. Bottled water is not included, and the ride is followed by a substantial lunch, so this is a late-morning-to-late-afternoon outing rather than a quick activity.

Key points at a glance

• Ride through southern Maipu: The route passes vineyards, olive groves, rural properties, and the banks of the Mendoza River.
• Gentle horses and an easy pace: The excursion is suited to beginners and people returning to riding after many years.
• A serious lunch afterward: Terruño at Club Tapiz serves a multi-course barbecue meal with wine pairings, dessert, coffee, and a small sweet finish.
• Small-group transport: An air-conditioned minivan carries up to eight people between Mendoza, Lunlunta, and Club Tapiz.
• Useful local context: Guides such as Victoria, Ricky, Charlie, Flor, and Consuelo have been praised for explaining local wine, olive oil, geography, plants, and culture.
• Good value for a combined outing: The $210 price includes transport, riding, lunch, wine, coffee or tea, and insurance.

Why this Mendoza horseback ride works so well

Mendoza is often sold through two big ideas: wine and the Andes. Both deserve your time, but this outing shows a quieter side of the province. In southern Maipu, vineyards and olive groves spread around small rural roads and estates. You are not simply being driven from one tasting room to another. You are moving through the countryside on horseback, at ground level, with time to notice the farms and open views.

The ride is not a rugged mountain expedition. That is good news for many people. The route around Lunlunta is described as flat and safe, and the horses are calm and easy to manage. If you have never ridden before, or if your last ride was 20 years ago, this is the sort of outing that gives you a gentle introduction rather than a test of horsemanship.

I would choose this tour for its rhythm. The first part is outdoors and active, but not strenuous. The second part is slow, comfortable, and food-focused. You get a taste of rural Argentina without spending the whole day in a saddle or the whole afternoon in a tasting room.

From Mendoza City to Lunlunta by minivan

The outing includes transport from Mendoza City or nearby areas in an air-conditioned vehicle. The drive to the stables in Lunlunta takes about 45 minutes, giving you a practical transition from urban Mendoza to southern Maipu.

The supplied schedule has two timing details worth checking before you go. Hotel pickup is described as around 11 a.m., while the meeting-point information lists a 10 a.m. start at Gral. Espejo 266 in Mendoza. The ride begins around noon, and the full return to Mendoza is expected around 5:30 p.m. Confirm your exact pickup time and location when booking.

That small bit of planning matters. You do not want to wait at the wrong place, especially if you are staying outside central Mendoza. The company provides hotel or hostel transport in Mendoza City and nearby areas, but the published meeting point is also given as Gral. Espejo 266.

The drive is part of the value. Mendoza’s wine country is spread across several districts, and arranging a private car for the day would add cost and effort. Here, the vehicle, driver, and transfers are already handled.

A 90-minute ride through Lunlunta vineyards

At the stables, you meet the local riding guide and gaucho, then begin the 90-minute route. The scenery includes vineyards, olive groves, orchards, rural properties, and the Mendoza River. This is a working countryside setting, not a staged ranch show.

The route gives you access to places that are awkward to reach independently. You may pass between planted rows, look across open farmland, and follow paths near the river. Because the pace is relaxed, you have room to take in the setting rather than concentrating on a demanding trail.

Several guides have made a strong impression on past outings. Victoria has been singled out for her warmth and broad knowledge of local flora, fauna, wine, olive oil, geography, and culture. Ricky has handled both the driving and the welcome for some departures, while Charlie has been praised for his humor and local insight. Other named guides include Flor and Consuelo. The actual guide varies, and the experience may be operated by a multilingual guide.

You should expect practical instruction and supervision at the stables. Cesar, Elio, and other riding staff have been noted for patience with people who had little or no recent riding experience. The horses are described as docile and well cared for, which is important when the group includes beginners.

This is best understood as an easy horseback excursion. The information does not promise trotting, galloping, or technical riding. If you want speed or a demanding route, this is probably too gentle. If you want a calm way to see vineyard country, the limited pace is exactly the point.

What the scenery gives you that a wine tour cannot

A standard winery visit usually shows you the cellar, tasting room, and dining area. This ride adds the spaces between those places. You see vineyards from within the rural setting, not only from a restaurant terrace or vehicle window.

The southern Maipu area also gives the outing a sense of place. The vineyards and olive groves are not just attractive backdrops. They connect the ride to the products you will later taste at lunch. Wine and olive oil are part of the region’s working life, and the guides can put those products into a wider local setting.

The Mendoza River adds another change of scenery. It is not presented as a separate river adventure, but its banks form part of the route and help break up the cultivated land. Take sunscreen and a hat because the ride is outdoors for an hour and a half, with limited shade mentioned in the tour details.

Wear clothing you can ride in, and avoid treating this as a dressy winery visit from the start. You can change or freshen up before lunch if needed, but no changing facilities are specified. Also bring drinking water. Bottled water is not included, even though coffee and tea are part of the meal service.

Lunch at Terruño in Club Tapiz

After the ride, the outing shifts from country trail to polished estate dining. Terruño is located at Club Tapiz, a winery and wine lodge, and the meal is a multi-course lunch with wine pairings.

This is more than a quick barbecue plate. The meal includes a choice of starter and entrée, paired wines through the courses, dessert, coffee, and a small sweet bite at the end. The food and service have been praised repeatedly, with Luisa mentioned for attentive service during one meal.

The setting is part of the pleasure. Club Tapiz provides an estate atmosphere that contrasts nicely with the simple riding experience. You begin on horseback with a gaucho and finish at a refined table, which gives the day a useful sense of variety.

Wine is included, not an extra add-on. Alcoholic beverages are listed as part of the package, along with coffee or tea. This makes the price easier to judge because lunch and the wine service are already built in.

Vegetarian food is available, but you must request it when booking. The same applies to other dietary needs. Do not wait until you sit down to mention an allergy or restriction. Breakfast is not included, so eat before pickup if you tend to need a full morning meal. The late lunch is substantial, but it comes after the ride.

Is $210 a fair price?

At $210 per person, this is not a budget half-day activity. It is a bundled experience, though, and the comparison should include everything provided: hotel transport, an air-conditioned vehicle, the 90-minute ride, lunch, wine pairings, coffee or tea, and insurance.

The small group also matters. With a maximum of eight people, the outing should feel less like a bus excursion and more like a hosted day in the countryside. You are paying for the transfers and coordination as much as for the horse ride itself.

I see the strongest value for people who want one well-organized Mendoza experience rather than separate bookings. A private car to Maipu, a riding excursion, and a high-quality lunch with wine could quickly become expensive and require careful timing. Here, those pieces are joined together.

The value is weaker if you only want a short trail ride. You will spend close to two hours in the vehicle overall, depending on your pickup and return location, and the lunch makes the experience longer and more expensive than a simple riding session. This is a food-and-country day, not merely a horseback ride.

Who should book this experience?

This outing suits couples, families with adult supervision for children, solo visitors, and friends who want an easy activity with a strong meal attached. It is particularly good for people who want to try horseback riding without committing to a difficult trail.

The route also works well for a mixed group. One person may be excited by horses, another by wine, and another by the lunch. Since the ride is gentle and the meal is a major part of the day, nobody has to be an experienced rider to enjoy the whole package.

It is a good choice after a few busy days in Mendoza. The pace is relaxed, and the group size keeps the social side manageable. A multilingual guide may be available, and guides such as Victoria, Ricky, Charlie, Flor, and Consuelo have led departures with a mix of practical riding help and local explanation.

I would be more cautious about booking it for very young children unless you confirm the riding arrangements directly. The information says children must be accompanied by an adult, but it does not give a minimum age or describe special child-sized horses.

People with limited mobility should also ask the operator for specific details before booking. Service animals are allowed, but the tour includes mounting a horse, riding for 90 minutes, and moving between a vehicle, stables, and restaurant. The supplied information does not describe adapted arrangements.

Timing, weather, and the small practical details

The planned day runs from late morning to late afternoon. After pickup and the drive to Lunlunta, the ride starts around noon. Lunch follows, and the return drive begins at about 4:30 p.m., with arrival in Mendoza around 5:30 p.m.

That timing leaves the morning free, but do not schedule a tight evening commitment. Delays can happen with city pickups, rural roads, or a long lunch. The meal is designed as a full experience, not a rushed stop.

Good weather is required. If poor conditions cancel the outing, you are offered another date or a full refund. The tour also requires a minimum number of participants, so a cancellation for low enrollment comes with the same choices.

You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the local start time. Changes or cancellations inside that window are not accepted for a refund. Confirmation is normally received when you book, though bookings made within one day of departure are subject to availability.

Because water is not included, carry a bottle or ask your pickup contact what is practical. Bring sunscreen and consider a hat with a secure fit. The open ride is one of the pleasures of the outing, but the sun is the clearest drawback mentioned in the available information.

My final call: book it if you want a relaxed two-part day

I would book this experience if you want Mendoza to be more than cellar doors and city restaurants. The horse ride shows you vineyards, olive groves, and the Mendoza River at an unhurried pace, while Club Tapiz supplies the polished food and wine portion.

The tour is not for someone seeking a mountain ride, a fast trail, or a cheap activity. It is for someone who values easy riding, dependable transport, a small group, and a long lunch included in the same plan.

At $210, the price makes sense when you use every part of the package. Bring sun protection, arrange your dietary requests ahead of time, confirm the pickup hour, and save your evening for a quiet return to Mendoza. If that sounds like your kind of day, this is one of the more complete ways to experience southern Maipu.

FAQ

Where does the horseback ride take place?

The ride begins at stables in Lunlunta in southern Maipu. The route passes through vineyards, olive groves, and the banks of the Mendoza River.

How long is the horseback ride?

The horseback portion lasts about 90 minutes.

Is the tour suitable for beginners?

The tour information and riding guidance support an easy ride with calm horses. It is presented as suitable for people with little experience, including those returning to riding after many years.

What is included in the $210 price?

The price includes transfers in an air-conditioned vehicle, the horseback excursion, lunch, wine tasting and pairings, alcoholic beverages, coffee or tea, and insurance.

Is hotel pickup available?

Pickup is available from hotels or hostels in Mendoza City and nearby areas. The published meeting point is Gral. Espejo 266 in Mendoza, and you should confirm your exact pickup time because the details list both a 10 a.m. start and pickup around 11 a.m.

Can I request a vegetarian meal?

Yes. A vegetarian option is available, and you should request it when booking. You should also advise the operator of any other dietary requirements.

What happens if the weather is bad?

The experience requires good weather. If it is canceled because of poor weather, you will be offered a different date or a full refund.