Bucket List Trip: Chile for Trout Fishing

July 23, 2012 - Rick

I’ve been trying, since our fishing adventure in New Zealand several years ago, to schedule a trip to Chile for trout fishing. In February of 2013 it happens and our tickets are already in hand.

One of my readers Tom E. has been sending me photos of his trips and has on several occasions invited me along. We made it happen and to my surprise Katybug is going along to spend a few days in the river.

Trout fishing in the Patagonian Andes of Chile.

We will start with an award ticket from Savannah to Santiago, Chile on American Airlines. 50K each one way in business class through Dallas. With two days in Santiago and/or Valpariso before the fishing begins we’ll do a little exploring. If we end up in Valpariso it will be at the Sheraton Miramar Resort. If it is Santiago (no availability in Valpariso as of now) it will be the Hyatt in an upscale neighborhood.

We’ll meet up with Tom on the day before flying to Puerto Mont and our drive to the fishing club Los Ulmos for four days on the river. Tom has been to Chile 8 times and the family that owns the resort is like his second family. From what has been explained to me there are several fishing options including a float trip, horseback riding (nope allergic) and a normal day is 5-10 fish per day in the 2-5 pound class on fly rods. February is also salmon spawning time but I’d rather hook up with some big brown trout as I’ve caught lots of salmon before.

Dusk over Santiago, Chile.

After four days fishing Katy and I are going to go lakes cruising through the Andes. A two day trip starts in Puerto Varas and ends up in Bariloche, Argentina on the other side of the Andes. It looks very similar to the Norway in a Nutshell tour we took from Bergen. The scenery should be fantastic. We may opt for the one day version and spend an extra day in Bariloche which has been described to me as the Lake Tahoe of Argentina.

On our last day we will fly from Bariloche to Buenos Aires, take a private car from the domestic airport AEP to the international airport EZE for our American Airlines award flights home. This one was booked in first at 62.5 K each.

Free hotels and free flights make this dream come true. I’ll be paying the cost of the lodging and guides at Los Ulmos, the lakes crossing and the hotels in Bariloche as I can’t find a Hilton, Sheraton, or Marriott there , but what the heck, it is a bucket list trip and a dream of a lifetime.

Deal of the Day

For today’s Deal of the Day American Airlines AAdvantage® has provided 2500 AAdvantage® miles for the best deals, fares, promotions, anything related to American Airlines, their oneworld partners or AAdvantage ® partners. Add it to the comments section of this post or this afternoon’s Deal of the Day post (with your first name, last initial, and home airport) to be eligible to win.

Marc K

I was in Santiago last week staying at the Hyatt (a little far from the center and a 25 min walk to the metro) and am staying in Bariloche right now. I am going to write up a report for the Sunday success stories once I’m back.
worldtraveller2

Rick
I am in Ecuador right now and have family and friends in Santiago. Let me know if you have any problems while you are there (it should go smoothly and sounds like a great trip!) and I will have them help you. Enjoy.
http://michaelwtravels.blogspot.com/ Michael W Travels

We found Santiago & Valparaiso a bit underwhelming. The trout fishing trip sounds really awesome. Any reason that you are not going to Torres Del Paine National Park? It is so close (short flight & bus) from Puerto Montt.
Bacc

Rick check into the reciprocity fees (they dont call it a visa) . Chile hit us with a 125 dollar fee pp. It is only good for the life of the passport. Arventina has the same deal with the twist that its good for 10 years and collected only for international arrivals at eze.
Rich

Be VERY careful in Santiago. Lots of pickpockets in crowds and muggers in less crowded areas. Had a small gold chain ripped from my neck just across the street from the fish market, a major tourist attraction. It happened so fast the 2 thieves were able to disappear into a crowd just outside the market. What really amazed me most is that I considered myself a “very aware” traveller but this situation can occur even to the best of us ——
Narayana S.

I think this as a twist to the Club Carlson deals which we got a lot of points and it is my submission to the AA Deal of the Day:

I got about 50K points for $65 per night stay at one of the club carlson hotels. I did 2 of these as in Radisson and Country Inn. I got a total of 100K points at $130. I can convert these at a rate of 100K points to 18K AA miles. This gives me a rate of less than 1c per mile which I call a deal.

Narayana S.
IAD
andrewleen

Citi has lunched a new Hilton premium Visa credit card:
Signup Bonus: 2 free weekend nights after $2500 in spend within four months. These free nights are valid at all Hilton redemption categories including Waldorf Astoria properties.
Anniversary Bonus: 1 free weekend night each year after $10,000 in spend.
Earning: 10 HHonors points per dollar on Hilton spend, 5 points per dollar on air and car rental, and 3 on everything else.
Elite status: Instant Hilton Gold status which you retain as long as you have the card and Diamond status after $40,000 in annual spend.
No foreign currency transaction fees.
Annual fee: $95, not waived the first year.Detailed analysis: http://boardingarea.com/blogs/viewfromthewing/2012/07/22/citibank-introduces-awesome-new-hilton-hhonors-reserve-card/Sounds really awesome!

Li P.
IND
andrewleen

Forgot the link:

http://creditcards.citicards.com/usc/Hilton/HHonors/2012/q3/reserve/default.htm?BTData=PvU%2EB%2EB4f%2EJ%2EBVX%2EKUa3%2EZmI%2Eclt%2EdqU%2EBj%2ED%2Ea1&m=6HRZhhonoZW&ProspectID=A69FF8C8BF24468DA728230FCB7811AB
Acker

That Hyatt in Santiago is very nice. I got it a few years ago for $99/nite using the Hyatt lowest category gift certificate. We inquired about lounge access, the charge was $60/day for 2, we thought why not, used the lounge and were never charged. I remember the hotel and pool as being wonderful.
Jeff

This was my first ever award last year with miles from the 100K BA card. Stayed in santiago here
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g294305-d1734013-Reviews-Bellavista_Home_Bed_Breakfast-Santiago.html
very nice neighborhood, great restaurants, but our car did get broken into.
The bus/boat trip from varas to bariloche is fantastic and easy over one day. I would reccomend an addition day in bariloche as it is really nice.
Thank you for helping me get started enjoy the trip! Jeff
Jeff

As a side note bring an extra credit card, my primary card at the time was chase sapphire and it is not accepted there due to the fact that it does not have raised number, quiet the head ache!
Kathryn I – OKC

Today is the LAST day to book the AA special fares to Tokyo! For example JFK to HND is only $624 roundtrip! http://www.aa.com/netsaaver/viewNetSAAverSpecialsDetails.do?fN=Asia.Sale.xml&locale=en_US&saleId=99

I have learned recently that if you are in between cities/airports (similarly equidistant) do searches from either airport to ensure you are getting the best deal. Flying out of the HUBs does not equal savings all the time. For example flights to/from OKC to whereever are often CHEAPER than flying out of DFW even though I am connecting on the same plane. So for example searching flights to Louisville, KY it is cheaper for me to fly from OKC connecting through DFW rather than catching the same exact flight from DFW!! Plus I earn a few more AA miles in the process. The airports are about the same distance but the parking is MUCH Cheaper than DFW. Plus the traffic isn’t as crazy. So having options from two different airports will allow for more options, cheaper fares and a few more AA miles to deposit into the account for less money and that’s what this is all about!!

Kathryn I – OKC
Joe F (JFK)

Enjoy! “Bucket lists” make me depressed…

A generous AA bonus miles with Avis:
3,000 miles for 1-2 day rental
5,000 miles for 3 or more day rental
If you can do a bunch of one day rentals you rack up a nice amount of miles.
(AWD) number K817165Coupon number MUAA035
Untill Aug. 31

http://aav12.aavacations.com/Consumer/marketing/car/cs_mv_assembler.html?contentUrl=/Consumer/marketing/car/avis_budget/offer.htm&src=ABCarPlanner
http://elitisttraveller.blogspot.com/ Andrew C, LAX

Virigin America announces elite status tiers: http://www.virginamerica.com/vx/elevatebenefits?cid=sm_social_72312_830a_elevate_FB
Carl

I am in Santiago now, very clean and cosmopolitan, cheap taxis, seems very safe. Hyatt and Marriott are both in good spots, 5 minute walk from huge shopping mall. Depending on flights, no reason to spend more than a night here, two at the most. But nice city.
Ana A. (MSN)

Going with the South American theme, LAN, an AA partner, is offering some great deals to travel to Colombia from Miami.
$465 to Medellin or Cali
$502 Bogota
$506 Barranquilla
$537 Cartagena de Indias

This is for travel before December 31st, 2012.

http://www.lan.com/en_us/sitio_personas/special-offers/fly-to-colombia/flights-to-colombia/index.html?otid=827133&s_cid=USEN_interno_2012jul19_banner_1_miabog
CubsGirl

I caught the Crowne Plaza Santiago on a 5k points break–worth checking.

Found the Lake Cruise (going Bariloche to Puerto Montt) a waste of a very good day. It was ship, get luggage, bus, get luggage, ship, get luggage, bus…. all day long.

I’d fly Puerto Montt to Bariloche and spend every last second in and around Bariloche.
Phelps Scot

I’ve been to Chile twice, both times in February, both times on points (Thank you SO much). Santiago will be hot (90′s) but nice (and quiet in February- everybody is on holiday). It might be smoggy, but wasn’t when I was there. Like any big city, it can be sketchy in places, but it is WAY less sketchy than New York City, and I’ve lived here most of my life. Puerto Varas is a pretty-but-small town, far nicer than Puerto Montt, and will require a sweater. Depending on how far south you go for fishing, you’ll need a jacket (I was on Chiloe and on a boat in the fjords for 5 days- it was COLD.) You do have to pay the visa fee, and it is expensive, but America makes Chileans pay the same fee, which is why they charge it. BTW- they ONLY charge it at the Santiago airport- no other point of entry, and you only pay once every 10 years.

A few random things to know:
-You need to tip the kids who pack you bags in the market.
-Chile generally has the food selection of the midwest- meat & potatoes.
-A few years ago, almost nothing was in English- no ads, no tv, not heard on the streets. This February, English was everywhere.
-For a long, thin country on the ocean, they don’t have a huge water culture- not many ferries and not much sailing visible in most places.
-While Amex can get you a new card overnight in Santiago, they can’t when you’re in the south. I know- my card was hacked in the US so they deactivated it, but couldn’t get me a new one right away.
-I’m a big fan of renting apartments rather than hotels, you get to feel a little more like a local. Renting an apartment is way cheaper and nicer than hotels in most places.

I’d love to buy you a beer (just to say thanks for all you’ve done for me) if you end up having time in Buenos Aires. I’ll be there Feb 4th-13th for my winter holiday.

-Scot
walter

Also good fishing around Bariloche/Junin area. Maybe an estancia visit with gaucho asado and stream acccess would be a good combo? this is just one example: http://www.safariexperts.com/country_argentina_arroyo_verde.asp
also hope this isn’t really one of your bucket list trips, you should try and return there to fish again and again.
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Bucket List Trip: Chile for Trout Fishing

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