Depart Montevideo and travel toward José Ignacio, stopping on the route at Olivos de las Ánimas, a family-owned olive plantation set in the rolling foothills of Cerro de las Ánimas (“Hill of the Souls”). Learn about the careful process of producing extra virgin olive oil and enjoy a guided tasting followed by a homemade lunch. The area is also home to a variety of wildlife, including colorful red and blue cardinals, elegant rheas, and other native species. After lunch, continue your journey to José Ignacio and settle in at your hotel.

Meet your guide for a transfer to Punta del Este’s port and board a private boat bound for Sea Lion Island, one of South America’s largest breeding grounds for sea lions and southern elephant seals. Observe these remarkable animals in their natural environment, and for those who wish, take the opportunity to swim alongside the playful young sea lions.

Afterward, continue to Gorritti Island, a scenic spot just off the coast, where you’ll stop for lunch before returning to the port and heading back to your hotel.

Begin the day with a visit to Estancia La Soleada, a family-run ranch where your host, Rebeca, and her family raise cattle and horses. Take a guided hike through the surrounding hills and enjoy beautiful views of the countryside. Savor a traditional lunch featuring empanadas, classic parrilla with beef and sausages, and fresh garden vegetables. After the meal, enjoy a family music performance and sample Rebeca’s homemade pastries while learning about daily life and traditions on a working Uruguayan estancia.

Head out to rural José Ignacio for a scenic horseback ride through Uruguay’s coastal countryside. The route passes through local estancias and open fields before reaching the sandy shores of the Atlantic Ocean. Along the way, keep an eye out for native wildlife such as capybaras, rheas (ñandúes), armadillos, and local deer.

Ride through pine forests and across rolling dunes before emerging onto the beach, where you can gallop or walk along the water’s edge. Stop to enjoy a picnic overlooking Laguna Garzón and the ocean.

Begin the day with a guided bike ride from your hotel to José Ignacio’s town center. Visit the lighthouse and Main Square before following Route 10 toward La Lengüeta at Laguna Garzón. Stop at the lookout to see the circular bridge, then continue cycling along quiet rural trails past private estancias to the Anastasio Stream.

From there, switch to kayaks and paddle into the lagoon, a haven for birdlife including flamingos, swans, herons, and storks. Enjoy a traditional picnic lunch at a rustic lagoon-side shack before biking back to José Ignacio.

Enjoy the morning at leisure to relax or explore José Ignacio at your own pace. In the evening, take a short transfer into the countryside for a fire cooking class, a hands-on culinary experience celebrating Uruguay’s rustic cooking traditions. Learn how locals prepare meats, vegetables, and fish over open flames using iron pots, parrillas, and wood-fired griddles. Guided by your hosts, help prepare a traditional meal using fresh, local ingredients, and enjoy the results under the open sky in true Uruguayan style.

Say goodbye to Uruguay and head to the airport to catch your departing flight.