Mendoza with Kids: Which Tours Have Age Limits and What Suits Families?
4 min read
With children, the easiest long day out of Mendoza is the thermal park at Cacheuta, which the Cacheuta listing at €36.55 describes as a family outing; rafting, paragliding, bike tours and one of the two horseback rides carry age limits that rule out many families. The limits below are what the booking pages say, and they differ from operator to operator.
Where a limit is listed
The Cacheuta thermal park or spa listing offers a choice between a thermal park and a spa day. The page calls the park well suited to a family outing and its tiered pools run from 30 to 40 °C. The page lists small groups of up to 3 people, so a larger family should ask the operator before booking. The spa is a different matter: the page of the premium spa day says children under 14 cannot enter the thermal spa, and the page of the private spa day lists children under 14 as not suited. Read our Cacheuta guide for the details.
The 12 km rafting tour with Ríos Andinos costs €31.20; its page says the tour is not recommended for children under 12, and it describes rapids of level 3 and 4. The page also says swimming is only available from December to February. The rafting and canopy combination at €47.24 is from the same operator with the same 12 km on the river; its page lists children under 10 as not suited. That is lower than the limit of the rafting-only tour, so ask the operator which one applies before booking for a child of 10 or 11. See also rafting and canopy near Mendoza.
For paragliding, the page of the tandem flight with instructor lists children under 5 and people under 30 kg as not suited, and the foothills flight lists children under 6. The paragliding and brewery combination lists people under 18 as not suited.
Bike tours are strict as well. The bikes and wine with lunch page lists children under 18 and people under 150 cm as not suited. The guided winebike tour lists children under 5, and the small-group ride to the Andes foothills lists children under 14.
The asado cooking class lists children under 13 as not suited. The asado with a local host involves two flights of stairs to the terrace.
Horseback rides: one limit listed, one to ask
The two horseback rides differ. The ride with authentic barbecue at €106.96 lists children under 10 as not suited. Its page says horses are chosen by size and experience, gives the ride as 1.5 hours in the description and 2 hours in the inclusions, and does not allow sandals or shorts. The sunset ride with barbecue at €106.96 has no age limit in the not-suited or notes sections of its page, so ask the operator for the minimum age and for a horse that suits a child. Our horseback guide compares the rides.
For the high Andes day trips, altitude and long drives are a question for your paediatrician, not for us. Check the listing for the tour you pick before you book.
| Tour | Not suited, as listed |
|---|---|
| Cacheuta thermal park or spa | Ask the operator for the minimum age |
| Cacheuta premium spa day | Under 14 cannot enter the spa |
| 12 km rafting | Under 12 |
| Rafting and canopy | Under 10 |
| Tandem flight with instructor | Under 5, under 30 kg |
| Foothills paragliding flight | Under 6 |
| Paragliding and brewery | Under 18 |
| Bikes and wine with lunch | Under 18, under 150 cm |
| Guided winebike tour | Under 5 |
| Bike ride to the Andes foothills | Under 14, under 150 cm |
| Asado cooking class | Under 13 |
| Ride with authentic barbecue | Under 10 |
| Sunset ride with barbecue | Ask the operator for the minimum age |
Our recommendation
For a first day with children, book the Cacheuta thermal park option and keep the more demanding tours for children above the listed limits. For the sunset ride, have the operator confirm the minimum age in writing; the ride with authentic barbecue lists children under 10 as not suited. Browse Cacheuta hot springs tours and horseback riding tours for more.
