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A day in the Uco Valley from Mendoza costs €121.78 to €407.42 per adult (based on 2 travelers), depending on the format. For a first visit, the private visit with lunch is the simplest option: €216.79 per adult for 6 to 9 hours, rated 4.96 from 135 reviews.
Checked on on the Viator partner API (prices, ratings, availability).
Once you are in Mendoza, the question that comes up first is not « where should I drink? » but « which day should I choose? » The Uco Valley, south of the city, holds a good share of the wineries that welcome visitors. The difficulty is the choice: a private tour with a driver, a shared visit that stops for lunch at a winery table and a horseback ride have almost nothing in common.
So we took the problem the other way round. Instead of a list of wineries, you will find here eight real experiences, bookable on Viator and compared on what matters when you take out your card: the price per adult for two travelers, the duration, the rating and number of reviews, the share of open dates over the period and whether you can cancel free of charge.
The simplest experience to book first is the private visit to the Uco Valley vineyards. It combines wine tastings, lunch and Andean landscapes over a day of 6 to 9 hours, with instant confirmation. Its 4.96 rating rests on 135 reviews, a volume that makes the figure readable. This is not a guarantee: it is the format that asks for the least organization for a first visit.
This guide does not claim to cover everything. It does not say which estate is the most beautiful, nor which wine to drink, and it does not repeat the « best wine region in the world » rankings that circulate without a source. It relies on operator listings, wine guides and official websites, listed at the bottom of the page. Prices and availability were checked on November 5, 2026 for the period from November 19, 2026 to January 17, 2027, for two travelers.
If your date falls between December 24 and January 4, rule out the private day trip with driver straight away, which has only two departures in those dates (December 27 and 29), and check the horseback ride, closed on December 25 and January 1. If you want to be in January, the small-group private visit and the lunch paired with Gualtallary wines have no open date after December 31, 2026 in the survey, up to January 17, 2027.
Why the Uco Valley: the Pixidia angle
The Uco Valley is not a single winery. It is made up of the departments of Tupungato, Tunuyán and San Carlos, south of the city of Mendoza (argentina.travel). For the visitor, this geography changes everything: the estates are spread out, and the drive from Mendoza takes between one hour and an hour and a half depending on the starting point and the estate chosen. One booking site counts 93 km and about 1 h 04 of driving (Bookingwolf), another 88 km and about 1 h 15 (Bookaway).
What sets the valley apart is altitude. It is higher and cooler than the rest of Mendoza. The sources do not agree on altitude figures: they vary from one encyclopedia to another and from one wine guide to the next, so this guide gives none. What matters to the reader is the feel: a tighter Malbec, and mountain landscapes never far away.
Malbec dominates. The Spanish-language Wikipedia entry says the area accounts for about 18% of Mendoza’s vines, with Malbec predominant and a notable place for sparkling wines (Wikipedia in Spanish). Wine guides describe a fresher, more structured style than in the lower areas such as Maipú or Luján de Cuyo (VinePair; Wine With Seth).
Gualtallary is the sub-zone most often cited in visit programs. One wine guide describes it as a high-altitude area on limestone soils (Wine With Seth, Gualtallary). Its status as an appellation is not settled in our sources: we speak here of a sub-zone, never of a recognized appellation. The appellations already recognized in the valley are Paraje Altamira, San Pablo, Pampa El Cepillo and Los Chacayes, according to the Uco Valley page of Wine With Seth.
The history of planting at altitude goes back to the early 1990s. According to one wine guide, the Adrianna estate, of Catena Zapata, was planted in 1992 in Gualtallary, and Salentein began planting Malbec at altitude from 1997. These dates come from a single specialist source: we give them as such.
Which estates do you visit? Of the eight listings checked, only two name the estate visited; for the others, ask the operator which wineries are on the route before booking. Those two are Huentala Wines, in Gualtallary, where lunch is paired with the wines (see listing 5), and Domaine Bousquet, in Tupungato (see listing 6, official site). Salentein, present in our sources, does not appear in any listing; its sparkling wines and art collection are described by Travel.com.br.
In practical terms, the survey figures separate the formats. The driver format, listing 3, costs €121.78 to €262.56 per adult for two travelers and is open only 31 days out of 60; the horseback ride, listing 8, costs €407.42 and is open only 26 days out of 60. The table below sets these formats side by side, with the figures checked on November 5, 2026.
The 8 experiences compared
| Experience | Duration | Price per adult (base 2) | Rating (reviews) | Free cancellation | Open days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Private visit and vineyards | 6 to 9 h | €216.79 | 4.96 (135) | Yes | 52 of 60 |
| 2. Malbec and 4×4 with gourmet lunch | 8 to 10 h | €325.94 | 4.97 (119) | Yes | 56 of 60 |
| 3. Private driver excursion | 7 to 8 h | €121.78 to €262.56 | 4.93 (150) | Yes | 31 of 60 |
| 4. Off-the-beaten-track wineries, small group | 8 to 10 h | €316.88 | 4.91 (89) | Yes | 43 of 60 |
| 5. Gualtallary, shared group lunch | 8 h 30 | €199.18 | 5.0 (25) | Yes | 31 of 60 |
| 6. Two wineries and wine-paired lunch | 5 to 6 h | €214.58 | 4.87 (15) | Yes | 50 of 60 |
| 7. Lunch at a local restaurant | 8 h | €267.09 | 4.86 (44) | Yes | 52 of 60 |
| 8. Horseback ride and asado | 10 h | €407.42 | 4.6 (15) | Yes | 26 of 60 |
Prices and availability checked on the Viator partner API on November 5, 2026 for the period from November 19, 2026 to January 17, 2027, for two adults; they may change. The price of the private driver excursion is brought down to two travelers.
The 8 experiences to book from Mendoza
1. A private visit, lunch included
If you do not want to organize anything, this is the visit to take first. The vehicle is private, the guide is dedicated to your group, and the day combines tastings and Andean landscapes without waiting for a group slot. Lunch and alcoholic drinks are part of the inclusions, so you do not have to count glasses at the table. With 135 reviews, the 4.96 rating rests on a broad sample. One point to clarify: the listing does not give the meeting point, which the operator confirms after booking. Ask for it as soon as you confirm rather than the day before. On the November 5 survey, the visit was open 52 days out of the 60 in the window. We recommend it for a first visit, as a couple or a small group that wants a day without a schedule to keep.
- Private visit with a dedicated guide
- Lunch and alcoholic drinks included
- Free cancellation up to 24 h, deadline stated on this listing only
2. High-altitude Malbec, 4×4 and gourmet lunch
This is the one that adds a 4×4 climb into the cordillera, to taste high-altitude Malbec rather than only the wineries along the road. The programme mixes tastings, a gourmet lunch and the mountain drive, over a day of 8 to 10 hours. With 119 reviews and a rating of 4.97, it has the highest rating among the products in this list that have more than 100 reviews. Two points to check before paying. Confirmation is not instant: if your date is fixed, ask for confirmation before organizing the rest of the day. And the stated minimum age is 17, with 18 to drink alcohol. We recommend it to those who want a long lunch and a mountain landscape more than a round of tastings.
- Gourmet lunch included
- 4×4 access in the mountains
- Private round-trip transfer
3. A driver for a private day
Here the listing describes a private excursion: a vehicle with a driver collects you from your hotel, and the day is not shared with other travelers. This is the lowest price range in this selection, from €121.78 per adult for two travelers depending on the day. That price is brought down to two travelers: the rate covers the vehicle, which takes up to four people, and we do not show it for any other number of travelers. Two cautions. The listing does not mention lunch among the inclusions, and wine tastings are not listed either: check what is actually covered before booking. And availability is uneven: 31 days open out of 60, with no departure on December 24, 25 or 26, nor on December 28, nor from December 30 to January 4. We recommend it to those who want a private day at the lowest price in this selection.
- Private vehicle with driver
- Hotel pickup
- Private day excursion
4. Off-the-beaten-track wineries, in a small group
This is the most compact format on the list: eight adults maximum, with a personal guide who speaks English, Spanish, Portuguese or French. The operator announces wineries that receive few visits, off the usual circuit, and pairings between wines and a gourmet lunch, with coffee or tea. Pickup takes place in Mendoza, in Luján de Cuyo or in Chacras de Coria, which changes the morning journey. The rate, €316.88 per adult for two travelers, covers a day of 8 to 10 hours with a dedicated guide. On 89 reviews, the 4.91 rating is consistent with this format. Note: to drink alcohol, you must be 18. In the survey, no date is open after December 31, 2026, up to January 17, 2027. We recommend it to those who want discretion and cellars you will not find in a guidebook: here, the quality of the guide matters as much as that of the wine.
- Small group, 8 adults maximum
- Off the classic circuit
- Multilingual personal guide
5. Gualtallary, lunch paired with the wines
Gualtallary is the most cited sub-zone of the valley, and this visit takes you there for a four-course lunch, paired with the wines of the Huentala Wines estate, in the middle of the vines. It is a shared format: transport from Mendoza is by car, minibus or van depending on the number of people registered, and the day lasts 8 h 30. At €199.18 per adult for two travelers, the price stays modest for a lunch of this length. Three reservations. Confirmation is not instant, the visit is open only 31 days out of 60, and no date is open after December 31, 2026, and the 5.0 rating rests on only 25 reviews: it is a small sample. Report your allergies to the operator as soon as you book. We recommend it to those who enjoy long lunches and accept a shared format rather than a private driver.
- Four-course lunch paired with the wines
- Estate in Gualtallary, Tupungato
- Shared transfer from Mendoza
6. Two wineries and a lunch paired with wines
Don’t have a full day? This visit lasts 5 to 6 hours and combines two wineries, including Domaine Bousquet in Tupungato, with a lunch paired with the wines. Round-trip private transfer is included, which spares you driving on country roads. It is open 50 days out of 60 over the window surveyed, and it confirms immediately. The 4.87 rating rests on only 15 reviews: read it as the small sample it is. We recommend it for a shorter afternoon, or as a first contact with the valley before coming back for a longer day.
- Lunch paired with the wines
- Two wineries, including Domaine Bousquet
- Private round-trip transfer
7. Lunch at a local restaurant, not at a winery
Here lunch takes place in a real local restaurant, not at a winery’s table. It suits anyone who wants to eat the way the region does rather than in a cellar setting, on top of the tastings: two wineries are visited, the vehicle is air-conditioned and the guide is bilingual. The day lasts 8 hours, for €267.09 per adult for two travelers, and 52 days out of 60 are open over the period surveyed. Confirmation is not instant: send your request early if you have a specific date. The 4.86 rating rests on 44 reviews. We recommend it to those who want a local meal on top of the tastings, even if it means visiting fewer estates than a classic round of wineries.
- Lunch at a local restaurant
- Two wineries visited
- Bilingual guide
8. Horseback through the foothills, with an asado
This is the most physical outing on the list: 3 to 4 hours of riding in the Andean foothills, followed by a full Creole asado. Round-trip transport and a bilingual guide are included, and so are the drinks. The excursion leaves the wineries for a country experience, over a day of 10 hours. It requires sufficient fitness to ride, and passports must be provided at the time of booking. The rate, €407.42 per adult for two travelers, is the highest in the selection. Over the period surveyed, 26 days out of 60 are open, with no departure on December 25 or January 1. We recommend it to those who know how to ride and want to get out of the wineries. For everyone else, the private visit with lunch remains the simplest choice.
- 3 to 4 h of horseback riding
- Full Creole asado
- Round-trip transport and bilingual guide
Preparing the trip
Several private formats leave from the hotel in Mendoza, and the valley is one to one and a half hours away by road depending on the starting point. If you do not want to drive, the private day excursion with driver leaves from the hotel. For most products, the exact meeting point is confirmed by the operator after booking. The starting point is to be confirmed with the operator.
Prices and availability were checked for the period from November 19, 2026 to January 17, 2027, for two travelers. The number of open days ranges from 26 to 56 out of 60 depending on the product. Dated closures count: the private day trip with driver (listing 3) does not depart on December 24, 25 and 26, nor on December 28, nor from December 30 to January 4; the horseback ride (listing 8) does not depart on December 25 or January 1; the small-group private visit (listing 4) and the Gualtallary lunch (listing 5) have no open date after December 31, 2026. These dates may change: check the date on the listing before paying.
For most formats, count between €199 and €408 per adult, excluding whatever the listing does not include. The private day trip with driver goes lower, from €121.78 per adult depending on the day, but its listing does not include lunch among the inclusions: add that cost if you want to eat on site.
Practical tips on site
Seven questions come up before every booking, and they should be settled before you pay.
The format first. A private visit with lunch costs €216.79 per adult for two travelers. A shared group drops to €199.18, but it runs with other travelers and its departure depends on the vehicle. The horseback format is the most expensive on the list and the most physically demanding. Choose according to what you want to see: wineries, a long lunch, or an outing that leaves the usual circuit.
Open dates. Over the period surveyed, the products are open between 26 and 56 days out of 60. The horseback ride is the most constrained, with 26 open days, followed by the driver excursion and the shared Gualtallary visit, at 31 days each. Check the date on the listing before blocking off a holiday around it.
Lunch and extras. Seven of the eight experiences list a meal in their inclusions or highlights. The private driver excursion does not. Always read the « included » and « not included » sections of each listing: the displayed price does not necessarily cover everything.
The meeting point. For most private products, the pickup point is confirmed by the operator after booking. For the private visit with vineyards, the listing gives no specific place: ask as soon as you confirm, and do not rely on an address found elsewhere.
The misleading « from » price. The floor price shown in the catalog applies to all age brackets; it is not the price for one adult. Compare amounts on a two-adult basis, as in the table, not on the first figure that appears in a search.
Age, alcohol and fitness. Some listings set a minimum age or an alcohol threshold. For the Malbec and 4×4 excursion, the minimum age is 17, and 18 to drink alcohol. The small-group visit requires 18 to drink alcohol. The horseback ride requires sufficient physical fitness, and passports must be provided at booking.
The jacket. The valley is higher and cooler than Mendoza: a light jacket is useful, even in the southern summer.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a day in the Uco Valley from Mendoza cost?
On the survey of November 5, 2026, for two adults and a period from November 19, 2026 to January 17, 2027, prices per adult range from €121.78 to €407.42. The shared Gualtallary visit with lunch costs €199.18, and the private visit with lunch €216.79. The horseback ride is the most expensive on the list. These amounts may change: check the listing before booking. See the table.
How long is the trip from Mendoza?
Between one hour and one hour and a half of driving, depending on the starting point and the estate. The sources consulted give 1 h 04 for 93 km, 1 h 15 for 88 km, and about 1 h 30 for a visit with lunch from the city. Days last 5 to 10 hours depending on the format. The starting point is to be confirmed with the operator.
Is lunch included in the excursions?
In seven of the eight experiences, a meal is on the programme, whether gourmet, paired with the wines, local or an asado. For the private driver excursion, the listing does not include lunch among its inclusions. Check the « not included » section before booking, especially if the meal is part of your budget.
Should I tip the guide or the driver?
Our research found no clear local norm for tipping in Argentina, in wineries or on guided tours. The safest approach is to read the relevant section of each listing, which states what is and is not included, and to set aside something to thank the guide or driver if you wish, without it being an obligation.
Is confirmation immediate?
For five of the eight experiences, yes: confirmation is instant according to the listings in the survey. For the other three, the Malbec and 4×4 visit, the shared Gualtallary visit and the local restaurant lunch, confirmation comes after a check. If your date is fixed, ask early and read the deadline on the listing before paying. See the 4×4 visit.
Who can take the horseback ride or the 4×4 visit?
For the Malbec and 4×4 visit, the stated minimum age is 17, with 18 to drink alcohol. The small-group visit requires 18 to drink alcohol. The horseback ride requires enough fitness to ride, and passports must be provided at booking. Read each listing’s conditions before confirming. See the horseback ride.
Sources
- Valle de Uco, Argentina.travel (national tourist office) : composition of the valley, towns, recommended stay
- Valle de Uco, Wikipedia in Spanish : departments, share of Mendoza’s vines, dominant Malbec
- Uco Valley, Wine With Seth : sub-zones and recognized appellations
- Gualtallary, Wine With Seth : Gualtallary soils, history of planting at altitude
- Uco Valley Malbec wine guide, VinePair : style of high-altitude Malbec
- Mendoza Malbec: High-Altitude Reds from the Andes, Arrowsmith Wine : context on high-altitude vineyards
- Uco Valley, Tupungato Department, Afar : travel time from Mendoza
- Uco Valley in Mendoza, Bookingwolf : distance and driving time
- Valle de Uco to Mendoza, Bookaway : distance and driving time
- Winery and lunch experience in Valle de Uco from Mendoza, Lokalee : drive of about 1 h 30
- Wine Tour in Huentala Wines departing from Ciudad Mendoza, Lokalee : four-course lunch at Huentala Wines
- Private Uco Valley Tour including Lunch and Wine Tasting from Mendoza, My Little Adventure : drive of about 90 min
- Domaine Bousquet, official site : presence in Tupungato
- Bodega Salentein, overview : sparkling wines, architecture, art collection
- Pages of the eight experiences on Viator, checked on November 5, 2026 (prices, ratings, availability, cancellation and inclusion terms)
Sources checked on November 5, 2026.
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