Dry fly heaven in patagonia
Estancia de los Ríos lodge is located on a 360,000-acre ranch, granting you the unique privilege to enjoy dry fly fishing all day without seeing a soul. With more than 60 miles of rivers inside the ranch allows you to fly fish different water every day. Fly fishing is the preferred and most effective method to land a trout at this location.
The variety of fishing environments provide spectacular waded and float fly fishing alternatives within the ranch.
Located in the heart of Chilean Patagonia a few hours from the city of Coyhaique.
Estancia de los Ríos lodge is a place of spectacular beauty offering an immersion in the enormity of Chilean Patagonia.
Attention to detail, professional bilingual guides and fly fishing instructors, sincere and caring staff, exquisite cuisine and selected fine wines of Chile make this fly fishing trip to Patagonia an unforgettable experience.
Hosting up to 12 guests per week in extraordinary style and comfort. The lodge has 6 double rooms with private bathrooms all with gorgeous vistas to the mountains.
The lodge is located just a few miles from the Argentine Chile border which allows combination with fly fishing excursions in both Argentina and Chile.
This lodge is ideal for families or small groups.
“Fishing is as good as I have ever been lucky enough to participate in. Translucent water, some big fish, wonderful dry fly spot. Best fishing lodge I’ve ever stayed in - by some distance.”
GETTING THERE
Friday: Overnight flight from US to Santiago, Chile, arriving the following morning.
Saturday: Arrival. From Santiago, Chile, connect flight to Coyhaique (Balmaceda airport) arriving no earlier than 13:00
2:20 min direct flight or a 2:50 min flight with a 30 min. stopover in Puerto Montt.
At the Balmaceda airport, one of the lodge´s representatives will be waiting for you and drive you to the lodge.
This is a beautiful 4:30 min drive North along the Austral road, Chile's most scenic route.
You will drive through typical villages and Andean valleys where you will see a glimpse of the lifestyle of the inhabitants of Patagonia.
Fish and enjoy Estancia de los Rios
Next Saturday: Departure. After breakfast a lodge vehicle will drive you back to the Coyhaique airport (Balmaceda) for your flight to Santiago. Book flight departing Balmaceda not earlier than 14:00 hr.
SAMPLE ITINERARY 7 night / 6.5 days
Friday: Overnight flight to Santiago, Chile, arriving the following morning.
Saturday: In Santiago, Chile, board the first available flight to Coyhaique (Balmaceda airport), this is either a direct 2:20 min flight or a 2:50 min flight including a 30 min. layover in Puerto Montt. Upon arrival into Coyhaique, one of the lodge´s representatives will be waiting for you outside the baggage claim area, to greet and guide you to your vehicle, and drive you to the lodge. This is a beautiful drive North, along the Austral road, one of Chile's most scenic routes.
You will drive through typical villages and Andean valleys where you will see a glimpse of the lifestyle of the people of Patagonia.
Taking an early, direct flight, out of Santiago allows you to arrive to the lodge in the afternoon, in time to enjoy fishing. Your guide will take you fishing to one of the sections of river closest to the lodge.
After great dry fly or nymph fishing, we head back to the lodge where you are greeted with a welcome toast with "Pisco Sours", Chile’s national cocktail.
After a hot shower, dinner follows complemented with the best Chilean wines. During dinner the head guide will explain the plans for the next day.
Sunday-Friday: Enjoy six full days of fishing at Estancia de los Rios. A typical day at this lodge is as follows:
After an early breakfast guests join their guide in the mudroom, followed by a short drive to the river. We usually fish our way upstream since we use mostly dries and nymphs. This river has a healthy population of Brown trout and excellent hatches. A good fish weighs from 2 to 5 pounds. Fish take the fly eagerly but delicately. Your guide will show you what to look for in order to locate fish. Once you've mastered your eye, you will be amazed at how many fish you will be casting to. The challenge here is to spot the largest fish within your range. After a good morning's fishing and depending on the weather or your preference, we can return to the lodge or have a stream-side lunch.
If you choose to have a riverside lunch and while sitting in your chair under some trees, contemplating everything around you, it may finally hit you, that you are actually fly fishing in Patagonia! You have not seen a soul all morning while fishing almost two miles of river, all this beautiful water just for you, amazing! You look up and see strikingly bright clouds moving against a deep blue sky which seem much closer than usual, you cannot believe the clarity of the air and the intensity of the colors. Below, brightly colored lupines and intensely green grass dance softly with the warm breeze. It is really difficult to take it all in at once but one thing is certain, you are very fortunate to be here having so much fun, surrounded by so much beauty and to top it off it is winter in your part of the world!
You will continue your day fishing a nearby spring creek and then to the main river for the main hatch. As you well know, spring creeks require more patience and delicate work but they can be extremely rewarding as there is nothing like sight fishing and hooking a large trout in a gentle and peaceful setting. The hatch on the main river is always exciting, suddenly the river comes alive with fish feeding on the surface; when this happens, you want to be close to the largest fish and with the right fly at the end of your line. This is why observation of both the insects and the fish is paramount. Last summer during the hatch, our good friend Claudio hooked and landed four beautiful Brown trout between 3 and 5 pounds, all on dries, in a little more than an hour. After the hatch is over, we head back to the lodge, joining the rest of the group for cocktails, dinner, and fresh fishing stories.
Saturday: Departure. After breakfast a lodge vehicle will drive you back to the Coyhaique airport (Balmaceda) for your flight to Santiago and your connecting flight home.
Note: If you want to add another destination to your program, we suggest you look at these specially designed itineraries combining the best of what Patagonia has to offer: Chile - Argentina combo program
TERMS AND CONDITIONS:
Rates: Remember that our services are completely free. When you book a trip with us, you pay the same rate than when you book directly with the lodge or outfitter.
Regular Rates: Per person in US dollars. 7 nights, Saturday to Saturday,
2024 SEASON
$6,600 Per guest sharing a room and guide with another guest.
$8,000* Per guest in a single room, sharing a guide with another guest.
$9,000* Per guest in a single room with its own guide.
2025 SEASON
$6,850 Per guest sharing a room and guide with another guest.
$8,000* Per guest in a single room, sharing a guide with another guest.
$9,000* Per guest in a single room with its own guide.
2026 SEASON
$7,000 Per guest sharing a room and guide with another guest.
$8,000* Per guest in a single room, sharing a guide with another guest.
$9,000* Per guest in a single room with its own guide.
(*) Max 2 single rooms per week.
Double occupancy program inclusions:
Included:
Lodging in double rooms with private bathroom
Daily guided fly-fishing or outdoor excursions
One bilingual guide per two anglers or four non-fishing guests.
All meals, Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Non- Alcoholic beverages, beer & wine at lunch and dinner. Pisco sours at cocktail time.
Use of boats, horses or bicycles according to program.
Fishing license, Wi-Fi
Electricity & Lodge services from 7:00 am to Midnight.
Airport to lodge transfers departing from 13:30 to 16:30
Lodge to Airport transfers departing from 8:00 to 11:00
Lodge Check In: 13:00; Check out: 10:00
Not included:
Air travel, hotel and transfers prior or after lodge itinerary.
Hard liquor, use of fishing gear, flies.
Selection of flies available for sale at the lodge, 3 dozen for $130.
Gratuities. Laundry is available.$20 per load.
All other items not specifically mentioned as included.
Reservations: In order to secure space, 50% of lodge cost advance payment is required at the time of booking. The balance is due 60 days prior to arrival. We strongly suggest early reservations due to limited availability. For credit card payment please add 2,9% surcharge.
Trip Cancelation: Deposits and payments are non-refundable unless client finds replacement guests, in which case all payments will be refunded, minus a $200 administration fee. Replacement guests cannot be part of a group with reservations to visit Estancia de los Rios. We strongly suggest, guests buy trip cancellation insurance that will cover risks such as : Work, injury or personal health related issues, etc.
*Gratuities: Gratuities are a very important contribution which the lodge staff/guides rely on due to the seasonal employment. We recommend a tip of 10% of the total trip cost to reflect your appreciation.
Release and Reservation of Rights
We strongly suggest, guest buy trip cancellation insurance. Due to acts of god or adverse climatic conditions some activities can be changed or canceled, especially if the guide estimates that there is higher risk for an individual or the group. If canceled, we will do everything possible so the activities are substituted for others of similar nature. All outdoor activities have a risk of personal injury and strongly suggest that our clients buy insurance that will cover such risks. We recommend insurance by www.travelguard.com. The client liberates Andes Journeys, LLC its subsidiaries, affiliates and agents (collectively referred to herein as AJ) as well as any service providers, hotel, land and lodge owners, including Agricola y Ganadera Estancia Rio Cisnes Limitada, of all obligations and liabilities due to accidents or illness while participating in the contracted itinerary. Andes Journeys, LLC retains the discretion to alter any itinerary or activity if, in the sole judgment of the guide, local conditions or client’s physical abilities are judged to make the activity unsafe. Failure to comply with the guide’s decision in these matters will release Andes Journeys from any liability for consequences, which may occur from the clients’ non-compliance. Andes Journeys, LLC and its subsidiaries, affiliates and Agents (collectively referred to herein as AJ) act only as agents for, and have no control over or responsibility for the acts or omissions of governmental agencies travel policies or restrictions, airlines, railroads, ship owners or other providers of means of transportation. AJ will endeavor to make all expeditions as enjoyable and rewarding as possible, however, the client understands and acknowledges that AJ cannot control naturally occurring phenomena, such as the weather or other such phenomena for which the clients of AJ will assume full responsibility. Guides and/or lodge staff may take pictures or videos of guests and these images may be used in promotional material without the need of consent unless guest specifically requests this material not to be used. Should illness, safety or personal reason necessitate the evacuation of one or more clients, the client(s) involved will pay the evacuation expense. AJ reserves the right: 1) to make such alterations in the itinerary of any expedition as it deems necessary or desirable under the circumstances 2) to refuse to accept or retain as a member of the party of any expedition any person at any time (in which case refund will be based on the actual cost of the unfinished portion of the expedition) 3) to pass on to expedition members expenditures occasioned by delays or circumstances beyond the control of AJ and 4) to cancel any expedition prior to departure, in which case AJ will substitute the expedition for one of similar nature and this will constitute full settlement to the client, thereby terminating all obligations and liabilities of AJ. Baggage and personal effects, including items purchased during the expedition, are the sole responsibility of their owners at all times and no employee/agent of AJ or any affiliated entity is authorized to accept these items for storage, safekeeping or transportation. Client accepts responsibility for loss or damage of fishing equipment or personal items even if these items are handled by AJ personnel or guides. The prices quoted for any itinerary are based on foreign exchange values and/or tariffs currently in effect and are subject to change without notice. Registration for the trip and receipt of deposit indicates that our terms and conditions have been read and accepted.