Es t anci adel osRi os-Chi l e T r i pI nf or mat i onPacket
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ESTANCIA DE LOS RIOS Patagonia, Chile Chile’s premiere lodge • Exclusive access to more than 60 miles of rivers • World class dry fly fishing for brown trout • unparalleled seclusion and privacy • Chile’s largest ranch • Great riverside lodge With more than 60 miles of rivers, several spring creeks and many lakes on the ranch, the Estancia de los Ríos provides world-class dry fly fishing. The lodge is located on a 360,000 acre ranch in the heart of Chilean Patagonia. Vast uninhabited valleys surrounded by the majestic Andes Mountains, a place of spectacular beauty where you can enjoy unparalleled seclusion and privacy.
Introduction Visiting Patagonia is like traveling back in time. Most of its inhabitants live from the land raising cattle or sheep. In this remote area, helping your neighbor is a way of life. Here the concept of time and distance are unique. Eight hours on horse back is what takes to visit your nearest neighbor. The streams are cool due to springs percolating from the high Andean snow. Waters are rich in sub-aquatic life with Nymphs, Crayfish, and Minnows. Wild, strong fighting trout populate these waters in great numbers. They were introduced to the streams of Patagonia in the late 1800's.
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Brown trout were brought from Scotland across the Atlantic Ocean. Today, a hundred years later, we fish for wild trout of this same genetic stock. These beautiful fish seem to have been painted with vivid colors by the hand of an artist. For many years we explored the rivers of Patagonia searching for a place to build a fishing lodge. Long distances and poor roads represented the main obstacle for anyone interested in visiting the area for serious fishing. At Estancia de los Rios the main river in only 100 yards from the lodge from where we have access to various streams and spring creeks that can be reached within a short drive or on horseback.
Outdoor Activities
Additionally to fishing, the following activities are available to our guests: horseback riding , hiking, scenic float trips, guided tours -by vehicle or horseback- to the Estancia’s headquarters or to visit the Gauchos -Patagonia’s cowboy- at work, mountain biking, tour to the Puerto Cisnes Fjord; visiting the small village and local salmon farming operation, tour to the Queulat National Park with magnificent views of the Queulat Glacier and hikes within the temperate rain forest, and finally cooking classes by the lodges chef , focused on typical Chilean dishes.
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Sample Itinerary Friday: Fly from Santiago to Coyhaique. A guide will be waiting for you just outside baggage claim; he will show you to your vehicle and drive you to your hotel in Coyhaique for an overnight stay. Saturday: Early Departure to the lodge along the scenic Austral road After orientation and light lunch, your guide will take you fishing to waters closer the lodge. After great dry fly or nymph fishing, we go back to the lodge for a welcome cocktail followed by dinner, during dinner the head guide will explain the next day’s plans. Sunday: We usually fish our way upstream casting dries and nymphs. The river has a healthy population of Brown trout and excellent hatches. A good fish weighs from 2 to 5 pounds, taking the fly eagerly but delicately. The challenge here is to spot the largest fish within your range. After a morning’s fishing, we will enjoy a streamside lunch. The afternoon program includes a nearby spring creek then, a short walk to the river for the main hatch. Spring creeks
require more patience and delicate work but they can be extremely rewarding. The hatch on the main river is always exciting, suddenly coming alive with fish feeding on the surface; when this happens, you want to be close to the largest fish and with the right fly. 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. Monday: Today we'll go fishing down the valley to the Andes where the river runs much larger in size due to a large tributary coming in from the North. We will fish from the junction down. Here the river goes through a narrow path between some rock banks; pools are very deep and slow, good holding spots for large trout. We will start using streamers or Nymphs until we see some action on top, then we will change to dries. We fish each pool very carefully with our streamer or nymph, waiting for the big one to take our fly. As soon as
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these fish grab the fly, they head for a big log or rock, so you have to react fast in order to stop them, if you can. As we fish upstream the river opens into beautiful runs with gravel beds. Here the rest of the group will join us for a streamside lunch. This section of river has no access but by wading. We continue fishing, trying some dries and nymphs as we approach the evening hatch… Tuesday: Today we go fishing toward the headwaters. Here the river is smaller and has an interesting structure. We will start using nymphs, fishing pocket water and a few deeper holes, covering between a couple of hundred yards to no more than a mile of river during the morning. As the water temperature rises we'll switch to a dry fly. Using a smaller rod, you should be able to land between 10 to 15 fish in a morning. In general, wading is easy and safe. The rivers have gravel bottoms and are not slippery. The water is very clear so it's easy to avoid large underwater logs or
boulders. After the morning's fishing, we'll join the group for an “Asado” the traditional Patagonia barbecue with lamb or slabs of beef attached to irons thrust into the burning coals and rotated slowly. The charred meat is washed down with a robust Chilean red wine. Later, after the Asado and some rest, we get ready for more fishing. In the afternoon, our goal is to catch a large trout on a dry fly during the hatch. We'll go to a pool or run where you have spotted larger trout over the last few days. Once there, we will wait until the fish start rising for the hatch and go after your trophy. Wednesday: Fish a small stream located in a valley south from the lodge, not more than 20 miles away. We start fishing with nymphs, slowly covering just a half-mile during the morning. The stream is narrow with grass and bushes touching the water forming deep cut banks holding strong Brown trout in great numbers, which have never before seen a fly. After lunch, we'll fish further downstream where the river is larger, using grasshopper, a pattern that works very well close to cut banks. This valley is, without a doubt, one of the wildest corners of Patagonia. Thursday: By now your guide should have told you all of the secrets of this
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quite remarkable; this particular situation is basically like sight fishing a large spring creek. Saturday: Departure. Time permitting; enjoy a morning fishing session on waters closer to the lodge before you drive to the airport to catch the plane that will fly you to Santiago.
great river. Like all previous days, you will be fishing a section of the river you have not fished before. After You’ve enjoyed the evening hatch; we head back to the lodge. Friday: Enjoy a session of sight fishing for large Browns in the shallows of the nearby lake. Fish here very active even in a bright sunny
day. This allows you to see fish as they came to your fly but curiously, here most fish come very slowly examining your fly with great attention to finally opening a large white mouth while continuing their usual path. The excitement of this type of fishing has no parallel since you are the privileged observer of all the action and the anticipation of the strike is hard to take. Sizes of fish are
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Rates, Terms & Conditions, How to get there Suggested itinerary: Saturday-to-Saturday Program Nights
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Addl. Nights
Double Occupancy
$5,800 $800
Single room Supplement
$1,000 $200
Included • • • • • • • • • • • •
7 nights Lodging in room with private bathroom at Estancia de los Rios 1 night accommodation in double room in Coyhaique hotel 6 1/2 days of guided fishing according to program All 3 meals. Lunch and dinner accompanied by our selection of Chilean wines beer and all non-alcoholic beverages, Pisco Sour cocktails. All transfers to and from lodge/fishing locations. One guide for every two anglers. One guide for every four non-fishing guests Use of vehicles, boats or horses as required by program. Land transfer between local airport and hotel in Coyhaique on arrival Land transfer between Coyhaique hotel and lodge. Land transfer lodge and local airport on departure.
Not Included • Air travel, Hotel and/or transfers prior or after fishing itinerary. • Fishing license, use of fishing gear, flies (available for sale at the lodge), • Gratuities. • Items of a personal nature such as: laundry, telephone, Internet (satellite phone available at extra charge) and other items not specifically mentioned as included. Capacity: Maximum of 12 guests per week.
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Getting there:
Friday: Arrive to Santiago Chile and connect a flight to Coyhaique (Balmaceda airport) this is a 2:50 min flight. Upon arrival one of our representatives will meet you outside baggage claim to assist you with your luggage and show you to your vehicle. A 45 min. drive will take you to your Hotel for overnight. Saturday: Early departure to the lodge. This is a beautiful drive North along the Austral road, Chile's most scenic route. We will drive through villages and valleys where you will get a glimpse of the typical lifestyle of Patagonia. Arrive to the lodge on time for lunch followed by a fishing session. Notes on flights Arrival flights can be the one that best fits your international schedule. Departing on the last flight to Santiago. Gratuities The lodge recommends 10% of lodge cost per guest as total tip for guides and staff. Lodge manager will distribute tips. If you tip someone directly please advice lodge manager. Guides generally fish an 8-hour day, but they will cater to the serious angler who fishes longer hours, in this case guide tips should be adjusted accordingly. NOTE: 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. We strongly suggest our guests to buy insurance that will cover such risks. We recommend www.travelguard.com 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 the 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 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. 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.
Photography: © Matt Harris, Marcelo Dufflocq
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