Torres del Paine offers a variety of sensory experiences that will stay with you. After visiting Patagonia, you may remember the vibrant colors of the sunrise greeting a new day, the soothing sound of the river as you walk, or the flavor of mate on a cold day.
If there’s one thing everyone who has experienced Patagonia agrees on, it’s that drinking mate is a mandatory ritual. It’s an informal ceremony of camaraderie and unity, and a moment to pause. It is an invitation to connect with one of Latin America’s and the Magallanes region’s most deeply rooted traditions.
In this article, we will explore this local tradition, a beverage that has become a signature and a ritual you need to experience to feel truly connected to Patagonia.
If you’re not familiar with mate, upon arriving in Magallanes, you’ll probably notice many people carrying a thermos of hot water in one arm while holding a gourd-shaped cup with a small silver straw sticking out of it.
These elements are rooted in local traditions and have spread across many Latin American countries. They help people weather the cold, soothe troubled minds on tough days, and even foster moments for sharing with others.
Mate can be likened to English tea, Italian coffee, or the Japanese tea ceremony. It is more than just a drink that warms the body and sharpens the mind to carry on with your day; it is a social ritual that fosters sharing, conversation, or simply being.
This beverage releases the herb’s flavors when mixed with hot water. The infusion contains dried leaves of Ilex paraguariensis, mint, pennyroyal, chamomile, green anise, and boldo. The ideal blend varies according to personal taste.
When mixed with hot water, its flavor may feel unsettling at first; the bitterness awakens the less cautious, but it’s an experience you cannot miss.
Like all traditions, mate also adapts to the customs of each region. In Patagonia, drinking mate is a rite that follows specific rules, many of them passed down by shepherds, ranchers, and baqueanos who have lived in the area for generations.
It all begins with the brewer, or cebador. This role falls to whoever decides it’s time to share mate, and is therefore in charge of preparing all the utensils and elements needed to enjoy this drink.
The cebador must boil the water and ensure the temperature is right. If it’s too hot, the mate can become more bitter than intended. The ideal temperature is around 70°C, or up to 80°C on very cold days.
The next step is to fill the mate gourd with herbs and position the straw correctly. Then comes the hot water. The cebador takes the first sip to ensure the mate is well prepared, then offers it with the straw pointing toward whomever they wish to, often the person closest to them or someone new to the ritual.
The mate then begins its round. You take it without saying thank you. You only say it once you’re finished drinking.
As the mate is passed around, everyone drinks from the same straw. If the water runs out, it goes back to the cebador. Communion through mate ends when the last person finishes their turn.
Like visiting someone’s home, drinking mate has its own rules. Breaking them can be seen as disrespectful to those around you and to the institution represented by this bitter, unifying brew. So, when joining this circle of trust, follow the "when in Rome” principle and “do as the Romans do.”
Can I put sugar in my mate?
Some people drink it without even batting an eye, and in Patagonia, no one would dare to mask its bitterness with sugar, let alone stevia. Mate is meant to wake you up instantly, reactivating your body through your taste buds.
Can I stir the mate with a straw?
This is a resounding no. Stirring can clog the small holes in the straw that draw water into the tube, ruining the infusion and earning perplexed looks from those around you.
Who decides whose turn it is to drink?
The cebador leads the ritual. They refill the gourd when the water runs out and decide who drinks next after taking the first sip. The gourd is usually passed to the nearest person in a circular order. Respecting the sequence is essential.
Can you drink it quickly, like an espresso?
In Patagonia, we say that rushing is a waste of time. The same goes for mate. The tradition invites people to gather, talk, reflect, and share a moment of communion. Respect the flavor, follow the rules, and allow meaningful moments to unfold.
Everywhere. And when we say everywhere, we mean it.
When you visit our Excursion Center to schedule or confirm your itinerary, you’ll likely find our guides adding a touch of flavor to their day with a freshly brewed mate.
If you stop by the stables for a horseback ride or the baqueano experience, you’ll be greeted with a freshly brewed mate. It will definitely come with stories and jokes from these cheerful ambassadors of Patagonian tradition.
You can also buy a mate gourd or straw at our Welcome Center, so you’ll be ready to take this tradition back home.
If you thought mate was only meant to be sipped, think again. Our food experts at the Coirón Restaurant have created a mate-flavored ice cream. That’s right, this noble flavor that has delighted generations is now part of our restaurant’s dessert menu.
Mate will always be present. It’s just a matter of finding it.
If you’re interested in learning more about baqueano traditions and cultural activities that preserve the region’s history, you can join our immersive excursions. These experiences show you how we care for the horses in the reserve and how we transform waste into fertilizer to enrich the soil.
Experience Patagonia one sip at a time and live a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The natural wonders of Torres del Paine await you.