Rio Guanaco
Travel & Tackle Guide

Welcome to your Fly Water Travel trip guide. We’re excited to help you prepare for your upcoming adventure! Inside, you’ll find everything you need: your to-do list, travel logistics, destination notes, and a curated tackle guide tailored to your trip.

Getting Ready

We’ve created a quick checklist of essential tasks to make sure you’re fully prepared for the journey ahead. If questions come up or you need anything at all, just give us a call, we’re here to help every step of the way.

To-Do List:

✓ Arrange flights to/from Buenos Aires, Argentina

✓ Arrange hotel in Buenos Aires, as needed

✓ Arrange transfers in Buenos Aires

✓ Arrange flights to/from El Calafate, Argentina

✓ Purchase medical and evacuation insurance

✓ Get travel cash

Rio Guanaco
Travel Guide

From how to get there and what documents you’ll need to tipping guidelines and destination details, this section covers the practical information to ensure smooth travels.

Getting to the Lodge:
To reach Rio Guanaco, guest need to arrange travel to and from El Calafate, Argentina (FTE). All flights connect through Buenos Aires International Airport (EZE). Most international flights arrive in the morning, allowing you to transfer to the Buenos Aires Domestic Airport (AEP) and all you to connect to El Calafate (FTE) on an afternoon flight. Please allow four hours between arriving at the international airport and the next flight to go through customs, grab luggage, and ground transfer to the domestic airport for the flight to El Calafate (FTE).

Arrival Day:
Guests need to arrive in El Calafate (FTE) before 5:00 PM and you will be met by a representative of Tres Amigos Outfitters and transferred to the lodge. This transfer is included if you arrive at or before 5:00 PM. If you need a later transfer or arrive earlier, transfers are available for an additional fee upon request.

Departure Day:
When planning your departure, please book a flight that departs from El Calafate after 2:00 PM or later. You will depart the lodge at 9:00 AM on Saturday morning, and the drive to El Calafate takes approximately 2.5 hours, arriving at the airport around 11:30 AM.

Documentation Requirements: 
To enter Argentina, all guests are required to have the following: 

  • Passport: Valid for the duration of your trip. 
  • Medical and Evacuation Coverage: Valid for the duration of your trip.

Recommended Travel Agent: 
The domestic airline carrier in Argentina is notorious for changing and canceling flights, so to make things easier on our guests, we highly recommend using a travel agent when booking domestic flights within Argentina.  

Alicia Regueiro, Holdy Tours 
800-446-1111 or 925-927-6617 
alicia@holdytours.com  

Domestic Flight Note: 
Domestic flights within Argentina fly through either the Ezeiza international airport (EZE) or domestic airport, Aeroparque Jorge Newbery (AEP).

All domestic flights within Argentina prohibit carry-on baggage of fishing equipment (rods, reels, lines, flies, etc.) and must be checked. 

Buenos Aires Transfers: 
After arriving at the international airport (EZE) in Buenos Aires, clearing customs and immigrations (45 min – 1 ½ hour process), in most cases guests will need to transfer to the domestic airport (AEP), to make the connecting flights within Argentina. The transfer between airports or to downtown hotels takes approximately 45 minutes, depending on traffic, however we recommend allowing four hours between flights. The following are transfer options:  

  • Tienda Leon – Located just outside of customs through sliding glass doors. Transfers can be pre-arranged online or arranged after arrival for approximately USD $40-$60 per person.  
  • Private Transfer – A private driver and/or driver and guide can be arranged through our recommended travel agent.   

Buenos Aires Hotels (Recoleta District): 
Intersur Recoleta 
Av. Callao 1764 

Four Seasons Hotel Buenos Aires 
Posadas 1086/88  

Loi Suites Recoleta Hotel 
Vincente Lopez 1955 

Arc Recoleta Boutique Hotel & Spa 
Peña 2155 

Buenos Aires Restaurants: 
La Cabrera  
José A. Cabrera 5127  

Las Violetas 
Av. Rivadavia 3899 

Cabaña Las Lilas 
Av. Alicia Moreau de Justo 516  

Don Julio Parrilla 
Guatemala 4699  

Parrilla La Brigada 
Estados Unidos 465 

Currency:  
The official Argentine currency is the peso (ARG) however US dollars (USD) are accepted throughout the country and for gratuities. We recommend exchanging no more than $100 (USD) into pesos (ARG) for small tipping, such as baggage handlers, taxis or tips at restaurants, throughout your travels in Argentina.  

Exchange Options:
We recommend the following for exchanges.  

  • Airport Convenience Stores – Purchase something small using a $100 (USD) bill and change will be provided in pesos, which should be enough pesos during your travels.   
  • Hotels  
  • ATMs

Travel Cash:
We recommend each guest travel with

  • $2,500 (USD) per week of travel
  • Bills should be new and in larger denominations, such as $50s and $100s

Credit Cards:
The lodge does not accept credit cards

Gratuities:
The following are guidelines, and all gratuities are up to the discretion of the individual guest. Gratuities can be given directly to your lodge manager at the end of the week for distribution to the guides and staff.

  • Guide and Staff: $800 (USD) per person for the week

Fishing Licenses:
Not included. Paid in cash (USD) on-site at the lodge. We will let you know the cost of the fishing license at the start of the season (estimated $150).

Communications: 
While traveling in Argentina we recommend using WhatsApp as this is the way most lodges and outfitters communicate. Texting through the app will allow you to keep in touch with the outfitter, friends, and family when connected to Wi-Fi.   

Cell Coverage and Wi-Fi:

  • Cell Coverage: There is no cell phone service at the lodge
  • Wi-Fi: The lodge has satellite internet

Power:
The lodge has 24-hour power

Laundry:
Laundry service is not available, please pack accordingly.

Water:
There is plenty of bottled water on hand, we do not recommend drinking the tap water.

Beverages/Alcohol:

  • Soft Drinks: Included
  • Beer and Wine: Included
  • Alcohol: Not included. Guests are welcome to bring their favorite spirit.


Emergency Medical Assistance:
The closest medical facility is in El Calafate about 2.5 hours from the lodge.

Due to the remote location, we strongly recommend that anglers purchase travel insurance and medical evacuation coverage.

Recommended Medical Evacuation Carrier and Insurance Provider:
Global Rescue

Rio Guanaco
Tackle Guide

Here you’ll find everything you need to be ready on the water. You’ll find our preferred setups, favorite flies, recommended packing list, and notes on tackle available at the lodge.

Rio Guanaco Tackle Overview

When we travel to the Rio Guanaco, we always bring a short two handed rod with an assortment of tips to cover the range of conditions that can happen. The river is not very wide, so our primary set up is a short Spey or switch rod with a matching Skagit head and sinking tips. The guides like rods that are 11-foot to 12’6 foot in length in an 8-weight. A single hand rod in 9 foot-to 10-foot in length and 8 – 9 weight can also be useful for some of the more pocket water fishing,. If we had one rod, the short two-hander is the most versatile for the fishing they have there. Rods over 13 feet are not encouraged due to the small size of the river and it is much easier to control the swing of the fly with a shorter rod.

Rio Guanaco Provided Equipment
We recommend all guests bring their own equipment. Limited Spey tackle is available for rent, and they have a small fly shop with lines, sink tips, and tippet in case you forget some items. Some flies are also available for purchase if you run out or do not have the right patterns.

  • Rods/Reels/Lines: The lodge has limited Spey rods available for rent with matching Skagit lines.
  • Flies: Hand tied local flies are available for purchase. We recommend bringing a modest collection of flies to have on you and options while fishing.
  • Waders/Boots: Waders and boots are not available to rent, guests must bring their own. Felt is permitted in Argentina, but lodge prefers rubber soled boots without studs.

Rio Guanaco Spey Set Up

Our primary set up is an 11-foot to 12’6-foot 8-weight two handed rod with a matching floating Skagit head. We always have a 10-foot section of T-11 sinking tip, as well as an intermediate and T-14 sinking tips in 6 and 10-feet lengths. This is set up to 50-pound shooting line on a reel with a solid drag system and at least 150 yards of 30-pound backing.

The guides recommend fluorocarbon or monafilament tippet in 25 - 40 lbs.

Rio Guanaco Single Hand Set Up

The river is not very wide and a single hand rod can be useful in some of the more pocket water pools. The single hand rod should be an 8- or 9-weight in 9 - 10 feet in length. You will want shooting head lines in assorted sinking rates from floating to fast sink, and a reel with a strong drag with over 120 yards of 30-pound backing.

Support Your Local Fly Shop

If you need assistance with assembling your gear for your upcoming travels, we encourage you to support your local fly shop. This curated list of tackle is handpicked for your destination by our experts and can serve as your shopping list to get your ready for your next adventure. Find your local Far Bank dealer.

Top 5 King Salmon Flies for Rio Guanaco

The most commonly used flies are large profile flies with trailing hooks suitable for king salmon and winter steelhead, such as intruders and string leeches in black, blue, pink, and chartreuse which contrast well against the glacier-colored water. It’s also helpful to have various weights and sizes from 1-inch to 4-inch, heavily weighted, lightly weighted, and unweighted to cover the range of conditions.

Top 5 Recommended Rio Guanaco Flies

  1. Intruders
  2. String Leeches
  3. Marabou Tubes
  4. Bosses
  5. Clousers

Suggested Packing List

The Guanaco River is located just outside the mountains of Glaciers National Park, and despite the fishing season running through the summer months of December - February, wind, rain, and sun can be found every day of the season. Be sure to pack a quality rain jacket, which also doubles as a windbreaker. Most importantly, you will want to dress in layers, so you can change with the conditions. Expect daytime highs to range from the mid-50s to low-70s °F, while nights cool into the upper 30s to mid-40s °F.

Documents:
Passport, plane tickets, itinerary, credit card, cash, business cards

Waders:
Breathable stocking foot waders are recommended. For anglers prone to cold (especially feet), boot foot waders are excellent.

Boots:
Felt soles are permitted in Patagonia, but please ensure all gear is clean and completely dry before travel to prevent the spread of invasive species. Rubber soles without cleats are also a great option, and are the boot of choice for the guides.

Forceps:
We like the Dr. Slick scissor pliers for crimping barbs, releasing fish and trimming flies.

Clippers:
One line clipper

Wading Staff:
One wading staff and belt

Socks:
Four pairs of wool or synthetic socks to wear under your waders. Two pairs of camp socks.

Base layers:
One to two pairs of synthetic or merino wool long underwear (tops and bottoms) to wear beneath your waders. One mid-weight and one heavyweight. These can be worn alone or together depending on conditions.

Shirts:
Two or three long sleeve fishing shirts. One or two lodge shirts. Dress at the lodge is neat, but casual.

Warm Layers:
One or two warm insulating layers. Down, synthetic or fleece mid layers are good options. Avoid cotton.

Rain Jacket:
One high quality rain jacket

Hats:
Two fishing/baseball hats. One warm cap.

Lodge Shoes:
One pair of shoes for around the lodge

Sun Gaiter:
One facial sun protector.

Sunglasses:
One pair of polarized sunglasses. It is great to have a lens cleaner and a soft cleaning cloth as well. Always pack clear lenses for the evening light. Cheap hardware store glasses are an easy option to protect your eyes.

Sunscreen:
One bottle SPF 30+

Lip Balm:
One tube of SPF 30+ lip balm

Backpack:
One waterproof backpack or boat bag for day gear

Headlamp:
One small LED headlamp with batteries