Included / Not Included –
Included: Meals and accommodations at the lodge, meet and greet at the Rio Grande Airport and round-trip auto transfers to the lodge from Rio Grande if applicable, wine and beer, daily guided fishing (two anglers per guide), fishing license/permits.
Not Included: Airfare, round-trip transfers between Ushuaia and the lodge, staff & guide gratuities, departure tax, hard alcohol, tackle, and equipment.
Travel Logistics:
Arrival Information: To get to Estancia Despedida, you will need to make travel arrangements to and from Rio Grande or Ushuaia, Argentina, via Buenos Aires. In most cases you will need to overnight in Buenos Aires before departing on a flight to Rio Grande (or Ushuaia). You will be responsible for making arrangements for your international and intra-country flights, as well as for transfers and accommodations in Buenos Aires.
Getting to the Lodge: If you arrive into the Rio Grande airport (recommended) you will be met by a lodge representative and driven to the lodge, roughly 45 minutes. The Rio Grande airport transfer is included in your package. If flying into Ushuaia you will be met and transferred by auto to the lodge, roughly 3 hours. This transfer is not included will will need to be paid for on-site.
Departure Information: Estancia Despedida Lodge will arrange the auto transfers to Rio Grande or Ushuaia to start your trip home or continue your travels in South America.
Travel Recommendations in Argentina
Documentation Requirements:
You need a valid passport to enter Argentina and it must be valid for six months after the last day of your trip.
Currency:
The dollar is widely accepted in Argentina, and you can change dollars for pesos at your hotel in Buenos Aires or at any bank. When paid in dollars, most merchants will give change in pesos, a good way to get small bills for cabs, tips to porters, etc (although dollars may be used as well.) It is difficult to exchange traveler’s checks of any kind outside of Buenos Aires. American Express, Visa, and MasterCard are widely accepted in Buenos Aires.
Note: The lodge does NOT accept credit cards or traveler’s checks. For payment of gratuities, souvenirs, etc., US currency is preferred.
Travel Cash:
The lodge only accepts cash and personal checks. We recommend each guest travels with approximately $750.00 - $1000.00 (per week of travel) for gratuities, alcohol, and miscellaneous gifts. Most of the restaurants and shops in Buenos Aires and the larger towns take credit cards.
Gratuities:
The average gratuity for guides is $250-300 per person per week and for the staff we recommend a gratuity of $100 per person per week. The gratuities may be given directly to the lodge manager to disperse accordingly.
Fishing Licenses:
Fishing licenses are included in your package.
Climate:
The summer climate of this southernmost region of South America is extremely changeable, and a wide range of temperatures and weather conditions should be expected. The sun can be very strong during the day, but the wind chill factor makes the use of protective gear necessary all season long. Ice in the guides is not uncommon during the late season.
Medical Facilities:
Anglers should pack medications for such common complaints as diarrhea, upset stomach, motion sickness, headache and irregularity, along with prescriptions. Most visitors to Argentina don’t experience stomach problems associated with other countries, but it pays to have treatment available just in case.
Power and Communications:
The lodge has reliable electric power and back-up battery lighting, 220 volts, 50 cycles, generator powered. You will need to bring a voltage converter/adapter.
Internet service (email) at Despedida is very (very) limited and is not high speed.
We recommend calling your cell phone provider concerning your international cell phone service. Satellite phones work so feel free to bring your own. Each room has a phone available with DDI (Direct International Communication) but it will be expensive – around $3.00 US dollars per minute. Only one call at a time can be made, because the lodge only has one phone line.
Water:
Tap water is OK for brushing teeth, but NOT for drinking. Bottled water is available everywhere in Argentina and at the lodge.
Clothing:
It is recommended that anglers layer their clothing, enabling the adding and subtracting of garments throughout the day. Pack polar fleece jackets, thermal underwear, polar neck, wool socks and a wool cap to be prepared for the extreme. Flannel or chamois cloth shirts and polars are ideal for the stream. A reliable windstopper/rain jacket is also recommended. Attire at the lodge is casual and laundry service is available.
Laundry:
There is limited laundry service at Despedida. The laundry is taken into the town of Rio Grande and it will be at least two days before you could get it back. The cost is approximately $20 per load (3 sets of clothes).
Beverages/Alcohol:
Wine and beer are available at the lodge and included in your package. If you prefer any other alcoholic beverages you will need to purchase them before you arrive and bring along with you.
Tackle/Equipment List:
Rods: For a single-handed rod – 9, 9 ½ or 10 ft. for an 8 – 9 weight is ideal. Light two handed rods are increasingly popular and allow anglers to cast a comfortable line with less effort, particularly on windy days. We encourage you to bring one of 13 to 15 ft. for a 8-10 wt. line.
Reels: A strong, smooth drag is a must. Reels should have capacity for the fly line and 100 yards of 20 lb backing
Lines: Anglers should include at least 3 lines to accommodate variance in water levels and wind conditions. Weight forward fly lines are generally used on the Rio Grande. A sinking shooting taper is very important. The Teeny T-200 and T-300 lines are excellent, and at least one or both of these lines should be considered as must bring items. Sinking tips and sinking poly-leaders are also used at times. Intermediate lines are also effective in some conditions. Floating lines are typically most useful in low water conditions and during early morning and evening hours, when sea trout are inclined to be nearer the surface. There are a number of Versi-tip line systems that give you plenty of interchangeable tips for any water condition.
Leaders/Tippet: You will need four 9’ 16 lb. knotless tapered leaders as well as spools of 12, 15, and 20 lb. Fluorocarbon or equivalent.
Flies:
Bunny leech, Zonkers, Articulated string leech types, with electric blue flash, on #2-8 hooks
Woolly Bugger (black/olive/purple #8-2 with and without white rubber legs
Peacock (now a staple on Rio Grande, tied on #2-4 hooks)
Girdle or Yuk Bug rubber legs (white rubber legs) (#4-12)
Bitch Creek nymphs (orange and black for preference, #4-12)
Bead head nymphs (Prince, Hare’s Ear, etc. #6-14)
Traditional Atlantic Salmon flies
Bombers, Muddler Minnows, Green Machine, Quigley’s Dragon Gurglers or other waking dry flies (natural deer hair, black & green on #4-8 hooks), for use drifted or with a Portland hitch.
Include 1 ½ 2 inch tube flies if you have them, as tubes can be very effective on the Rio Grande. Also note that large tubes and leaches in the 3-5 inch range are very effective for night fishing. (Collie Dogs, Black and Silver ‘Temple Dog’, Editor, Lune Special, and String Leech Intruder)
Also, take any large, dark trout or salmon fly in which you have confidence. Fishing a fly that has worked for you in the past, and in which you have confidence, is half the battle.
Note: Larger streamers should be weighted and all should be tied on heavy hooks with good gapes. Treble & double hooks are not allowed on the Rio Grande.
Other Equipment:
Breathable chest waders and a good pair of wading boots with felt soles or rubber cleats.
Capilene fleece pants are a must, worn under Gore-tex waders, given that water temperatures can be in the 40’s. Be sure and bring a capilene base layer, fleece pants and tops, including wool or fleece socks.
Gravel guards and a wading belt
Gortex windproof rain jacket with hood.
Warm hat and gloves
Sunscreen and lip balm
Polarized sunglasses
A quality headlamp is essential.
