Akuani River Lodge

Akuani is the latest offering from our outfitting friends and partners at Colombia Afloat. What sets this program apart from their other operations is the opportunity to fish for trophy peacock bass and trophy payara (sometimes referred to as vampire fish) in the same trip. While most of the time will be spent fishing multiple large beats of the Vichada River for peacock bass, guests will also experience a rustic overnight at the Orinoco River’s massive Maipures rapids. Here anglers will cast heavy lines into heavy water from bedrock stations in search of large, ultra-hard striking payara which are widely considered one of the most coveted and hardest-earned jungle species on a fly. In addition to visiting the unique semi-arid jungle of eastern Colombia, guests will also get to interface with the native people that call this wild and seldom-visited region home.

Akuani’s fishing program will have two distinct elements: the peacock bass fishing portion on the Vichada River and the payara portion on the Orinoco River. Four of the total fishing days will be devoted to fishing the Vichada River and its lagoons for peacock bass. During the middle of the week, guests will travel 90-minutes to the Orinoco River where the staff will set up a casual tent camp and kitchen. After a full day targeting payara in the rapids, meals will be served along the river bank, and guests will sleep overnight in tents equipped with cots. The next day the group will fish throughout the late afternoon before returning to the main lodge for 2 more days targeting Peacock Bass.

While fishing bass, guests will fish from Bongos, a large stable type of canoe. The Bongos are equipped with chairs and casting platforms as well as coolers loaded with beer, soft drinks, and water. This type of fishing will entail casting and stripping large flies at structure and holes along the shoreline with floating and sinking lines. This fishing will have two guests sharing a boat with a local guide. Anticipate the guides English skills being limited. 

When targeting payara at the Orinoco River’s massive Maipures rapids, guests will fish primarily from big rocks casting into the rapids. The terrain is often slippery, and the fishing is rather demanding. Anglers will cast heavy sinking lines as far as possible and then strip large flies back quickly.  There are also opportunities to fish for a variety of smaller yet interesting fish with a lighter set-up and floating line.

The main lodge sits atop a large cliff with great views overlooking the Vichada River. It has four spacious cabins, each with two queen beds, private baths, plug-ins for electrical devices, and ceiling fans.

The payara camp is very basic and equipped with double occupancy nylon tents with basic cots.

Breakfasts and dinners will be served at the lodge and the main payara camp.  Lunch will be served either at the lodge/camp or riverside. Paella, pasta, BBQs, fish, hamburgers, and Colombian dishes will all be in the mix.

Day 1: Arrive Bogota, Colombia (BOG). Overnight (Included in package).

Day 2: Transfer to Inirida. In Inirida guests will transfer to the river for a 4-hour boat ride to the lodge.

Day 3 – 8: Four full days of guided fishing at Akuani River lodge with two full days of guided fishing at the Rio Orinoco out-camp.

Day 9: Transfer back to Bogota. Overnight (Included in package)

Day 10: Depart

2025 Rate: Per person based on double occupancy

• 10 night/6 day package: $4,200 plus $400 native fees

Included: Accommodations, meals and beverages including wine and beer, in-country transfers between airport and hotel and hotel and fishing camp, two hotel nights in Bogotá, fishing license, guided fishing.

Not Included: International flights, meals or miscellaneous expenses while in Bogota, staff and guide gratuities.

Species: peacock bass, payara

Season: January - March

Capacity: 8 anglers

Who is best suited to this destination?  Akuani River Lodge is best suited to skilled anglers looking for a true fly fishing adventure without excessive creature comforts. Their goals should include a willingness to fish hard for a chance to tangle with both peacock bass and large illusive payara. Strong and stable legs are important for the payara portion of the trip.

Where is the lodge?  The main lodge is located on the Vichada River in the center of eastern Colombia. 

How do I get there?  Guests will fly into El Dorado International Airport, Bogotá where an Afloat representative will meet you. The ground handlers will transfer you to the Aloft Bogota Airport Hotel, which is nearby. The next day an Afloat representative will pick you up at the hotel around 6 AM for a 90-minute domestic flight to Puerto Inirida. Next, you will drive in a TucTuc style vehicle for ten minutes to the river where you will take a four-hour speed boat ride to Akuani River Lodge. During the boat ride you will see the Inirida, Guaviare, Orinoco and Vichada rivers.

On the flight to Inirida, the maximum allowed weight for checked bags is 33-pounds (15-kilograms) and carry on is 11-pounds (5-kilograms) per person.

When should I go? The season runs from December to mid-March.

How will I fish?  For peacock bass, guests will fish from Bongos, a large stable type of canoe. The Bongos are equipped with chairs and casting platforms as well as coolers loaded with beer, soft drinks, and water. Two anglers and a guide per boat will fish to structure and holes along the shoreline.

When fishing for payara, guests will fish primarily from big rocks casting into the rapids. The terrain is often slippery, and the fishing is rather demanding. Anglers will cast heavy sinking lines as far as possible stripping large flies back quickly.  There are also opportunities to fish for a variety of smaller yet interesting fish with a lighter set-up and floating line.

Is there wade fishing? The peacock bass fishing is done almost exclusively from the boats while the two days of payara fishing will be one almost exclusively from the rocky shores of the rapids.

Where will I fish?  For peacock bass, guests will fish the Vichada River and its lagoons. It is a tributary of the Orinoco River.

For payara, guests will target the Orinoco River’s massive Maipures rapids. These rapids are in Tuparro National Reserve and were called the Eighth Wonder of the World by German explorer Alexander von Humboldt.

How long does it take to reach the fishing grounds?  For peacock bass, run times from camp vary greatly, with the close beats being only a ten-minute ride by boat, while the longest can be just over an hour.  To reach the payara fishing guests will take a 90-minute boat ride to the outpost tent camp first, from there, the rapids are 15- to 20-minutes away.

What type(s) of fish will I catch?  There are three species of peacock bass in these river systems, temensis, paca and butterflies. They are, by far, the dominant species, and anglers should not count on catching an abundance of other species. That said, there are pacu, piranha, and catfish that are sometimes caught by anglers. While targeting payara guests may also encounter sardinata and pacu.

How many fish will I catch?  Peacock bass catch rates vary from week to week and boat to boat but we feel guests will land 5 to 15 fish per day and have a good chance at a fish over 10-pounds each day. Payara fishing is more difficult and lower catch rate. Guests can expect shots at 4 to 6 payara per day, landing one over 10-pounds in the two fishing days.

Will I see other anglers?  Yes, you will likely see some other angler in both portions of the trip but not many.

What are the guides like?  All guides are indigenous native people. They do not speak English so you will be signing with them if you do not speak Spanish. They are proficient boatmen and know where the fish are. They are also helpful and kind, but some guides aren’t savvy on tying knots and may rely on you to tie your own flies on to your leader.

What are the physical demands? The greatest demands while targeting peacock bass are long days of fishing, in what can be hot and humid conditions. There is very little walking but lots of casting and stripping. While not overly physical, these days can sap a person’s energy and throwing big flies can cause a good deal of wear and tear on the body. Payara fishing is similar but guests will be standing on and wading in slippery rocky conditions.

Are there any special skills required?  No but anglers who are more skilled at casting a long line quickly will have more success. Being comfortable with big flies and sinking lines and stable on your feet while wading will be very helpful during the payara portion of the trip.

Does the lodge provide equipment? No. Anglers need to arrive with all their own tackle. The lodge will have flies for purchase available. Flies must be pre-ordered, and then paid for in cash by guests upon arrival at the camp.

What is your favorite setup for the trip?  Rods should be powerful with faster actions. A 9-foot 8- or 9-weight is ideal. For peacock bass, the complete angler would have an 8-weight rod rigged with the RIO DirectCore Jungle Series Floating line and a 9-weight rod rigged with the RIO DirectCore Jungle Series F/I or F/S6 line.  

For Payara fishing anglers will want 8- to 10- weight rods with weight forward lines designed specifically for the jungle. The RIO DirectCore Jungle Series or a comparable, ultra-aggressive, warm water fly line will work the best. The complete angler would have their lighter rod rigged with the RIO DirectCore Jungle Series F/I or F/S6 line and their heavier rod rigged with a RIO Elite Leviathan in 300- to 500-grain weight. We strongly suggest you bring at least one back up fly line. Do not bring cold water floating lines, as the hot weather makes these lines "soft and gummy".

What are the top flies?   For peacock bass larger streamers designed for jungle fishing will all work. Flies should be between two and four inches long, and anglers should have a variety of colors ranging from chartreuse, to olive, orange, yellow and white, or combinations thereof. 2/0 and 3/0 hooks are most popular.

Some of our favorite peacock bass flies include:

• Unweighted Mushmouth #1/0-3/0:  Blue/White, Chartreuse/White, Olive/White, Orange/White
• Super Mushy #3/0: Blue/ Pearl, Mackerel
• Lead-Eyed and Unweighted Deceiver #1/0-3/0: All colors
• Half and Half Clouser Minnow(w/ large and medium lead eyes) #1-2/0 Blue/White, Grey/White, Tan/White, Brown/White
• FlashTail Whistler/Seaducer (w/ Bead Chain eyes)#1/0-3/0:  Red/White, Yellow/Red
• Standard Clouser Minnow#1-2/0: Yellow/White, Blue/White, Grey/White, Tan/White
• Sea Habit Bucktail #2-2/0: All colors
• Banger-Style Popper #2/0: Orange, Yellow, Pearl (optional)

Payara will attack a wide range of streamers but big, long flies are best in the 5- to 10-inch class on 3/0 to 6/0 hooks. Tube flies also work well as these fish can be “tail biters”. Bring some of your own or pre-order flies from the lodge. The lodge can provide a selection of proven tube flies that are available to order before your trip. Their partner is Armando Giraldo from Orinoco flies www.orinocoflies.com. Guests can contact him or the lodge directly for recommendations and purchase. The lodge will have the flies waiting for you at the camp.

What are the options if water conditions become challenging?  This is a program where you will be at the mercy of the river and the conditions.

What is a typical day like?  Typically, guests wake up at 6:00 a.m. You can enjoy breakfast at camp or take it on the boat. Snacks and drinks are supplied on the boat. At noon, lunch is either at camp or on one of the beaches. The fishing day typically ends before 5:00 p.m., and dinner is back at camp at approximately 7:00 PM..

What is the general vibe, atmosphere, and style of the lodge?  The lodge is very casual, and guests will be immersed in a pristine natural environment.

Is there an on-site owner, manager or other point-person at the lodge?  Yes, there is a camp manager at the lodge.  He is a fluent in English, an excellent angler, and will attend each of the guest’s needs.

Where do we eat, and what are the meals like? Breakfasts and dinners will be served at the lodge and the main payara camp.  Lunch will be served either at the lodge/camp or riverside. Paella, pasta, BBQs, fish, hamburgers, and Colombian dishes will all be in the mix.

What is the alcohol policy? Unlimited beer is included in the package price. If guests would like additional alcohol please order it in advance and pay onsite.

Where do we stay, and what are the accommodations like?  The main lodge sits atop a large cliff with great views overlooking the Vichada River. It has four spacious cabins with two queen beds, private baths, plug-ins for electrical devices, and ceiling fans.

The payara camp is equipped with double occupancy nylon tents with basic cots.

Is there internet and/or cell service?  The lodge does not have cell coverage or internet. If needed, they will offer three minutes of free satellite phone time as well as additional time for $3 per minute.

Are there other activities?  While we do not not recommend this trip to non-anglers, guests will be amongst the Sikuani indigenous people. It is a special community and culture. Items they make, such as bows and arrows, are available for purchase, and guests can visit their villages to learn about their culture.

Are there any other expenses?  No. when requested, single-occupancy accommodations in Bogotá are an additional $60.00 per night and can be paid on site.

Do I need a visa?  Guests do not need a visa to enter Colombia, just a valid passport at least 6- months from the date of your travel.

Are there any health concerns, dangers or annoyances? The weather can be hot. 70- to 95-degree days are to be expected. There can also be a wide range of insects including mosquitos, no-see-ums, sandflies, bees, and horseflies. With that said this is not an exceedingly buggy destination by jungle standards. Guests must keep in mind that this is a virgin rain forest and home of all kinds of spiders, strange insects and wildlife. We recommend guests not go deep into the jungle, pass through dense vegetation or turn logs and fallen leaves over.

Although it is not a requirement, the outfitter recommends vaccines against Yellow Fever, Dengue and Tetanus. If you are allergic to any food or insect, it is important that you come prepared with the needed medicines and let the lodge manager know in advance. Please carry any needed medicines in your carry on.

We recommend that guests always consult with the U.S. Department of State and the Center for Disease Control websites for general travel information and guidelines.