Included / Not Included –
Included: Accommodations (double occupancy) and meals at lodge, dinner wines and local spirits, round-trip ground transportation from Rio Grande airport to lodge, professional fishing services including guiding, and transportation. Not Included: Airfare, accommodations and meals in Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires transfers, personal equipment, flies, departure tax, laundry services, departure taxes, staff and guide gratuities, and fishing licenses.
Travel Logistics:
Arrival Information: To get to Kau Tapen Lodge, you will need to make reservations to and from either Rio Grande or Ushuaia Argentina, via Buenos Aires. You will likely need to overnight in Buenos Aires before departing on a morning flight to Rio Grande or Ushuaia.
Getting to the Lodge: A lodge representative will meet you at the Rio Grande airport and transport you to the lodge in a 4-wheel drive vehicle. This transfer from the airport to the lodge takes about an hour. After arriving at the lodge, you'll be shown to your private room, given a brief orientation and tour of the facilities, guides will be assigned, and you'll have a chance to organize your tackle for the fishing day planned to start the next morning. There is no fishing on the first day or evening
Departure Information: On your departure day you will take a morning flight back to Buenos Aires and points beyond.
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 and will be accepted at the lodge where they also accept payment in cash and personal check.
Note: For any gift shop purchases or other incidental expenses incurred during your stay at Kau-Tapen Lodge, you may use Visa, Master Card, American Express, cash or personal check.
Travel Cash:
The lodge accepts major credit cards, 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:
We recommend a gratuity of $500-$700 per person, per week. This gratuity should be given to the lodge manager at the end of the week and will be divided amongst all of the staff and guides.
Fishing Licenses:
Fishing licenses are not included. The lodge will issue your license when you arrive. Please be prepared to pay $200 for your license onsite.
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 powered generator which normally runs from 6 AM to 3 PM and again from 7 PM to 2 AM at night. For your convenience each bedroom has a battery operated light on the bedside table and an overhead battery light in every bathroom. If 24 hr power is needed for a breathing machine the lodge is happy to accommodate. A standard converter and European adapter for two pronged plug should work fine throughout Argentina.
There are two lodge computers each in dedicated rooms for privacy so one may type or work if needed. Internet access (wireless internet) is free and available at the lodge and telephones are available to use. You may make calls and send/receive faxes. Please ask the lodge manager to purchase an international phone card if needed.
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.
Laundry:
There is a laundry facility at the lodge. Please check with your host to make arrangements during your stay. The cost for washing, drying, and ironing is $3US per item.
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:
Rod: Single handed (7-9 wts, 9-10 ft) & double handed rods (9-11 wts, 13 to 15 ft). 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 9-11 wt. line.
Reel: A strong, smooth drag is a must. Reels should have capacity for the fly line and 100 yards of 20 lb backing.
Lines: Floating, sink tips or heavy sink depending on water conditions. Anglers should include at least 3 lines to accommodate variance in water levels and wind conditions. Weight forward fly lines are generally used n 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 a lot. 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.
Leaders/Tippet: Spools of mono should include 15, 12 and 10 lbs breaking strengths. We recommend straight Maxima for sinking line leaders and for floating, have a knotless tapered leader from 9 to 12 ft with OX tippets.
Flies:
Small Salmon dry Flies, nymphs, traditional salmon and sea run trout wet flies for the main river.
Collie Dog tube flies (3 ½ - 4 ½ long, both aluminum and copper bodies, with hard plastic tubing and #4 wide-gape hooks)
Bunny leech, Zonker, Woolly Bugger (black/olive), articulated string leech types, with electric blue flash, on #2-4 hooks
Peacock (now a staple on Rio Grande, tied on #2-4 hooks)
Girdle or Yuk Bug rubber legs (#4-12)
Bitch Creek nymphs (orange and black for preference, #4-12)
Bead head nymphs (Prince, Hare’s Ear, etc. #10-14)
Traditional Atlantic Salmon flies
Bombers 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, 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. Long johns and thick wool or capilene fleece socks are also a must.
Gravel guards and a wading belt
Gortex windproof rain jacket with hood.
