Estancia del Zorro

Estancia Del Zorro Lodge (EDZ is a Chilean Patagonia gem, a fly-fishing lodge that sits adjacent to the Argentina/Chile border and provides some of the finest dry fly wade fishing in all of Patagonia. Its namesake creek, the world-famous Arroyo Zorro (Fox Creek, is nestled in the Coyhaique Alto mountain range, 23 miles from the town of Coyhaique: it is Patagonia’s finest brown trout-only spring creek. The Zorro spring creek itself is a private spring creek for the exclusive use of the lodge’s guests. The fish average 20 to 22 inches, with fish upwards of 30 inches caught every year on dry flies. It is truly world-class fly fishing. In addition to fly-fishing the Zorro spring creek, anglers can take daily trips to the Ñirehuao River—the ‘grasshopper’ river, where dry fly fishing is again the preferred method. There are eight different rivers to fish from the lodge, including cross-border options into Argentina, which is only a 15-minute drive away. Estancia Del Zorro provides its guests with over 100km of private water for their exclusive use. Also available are two lakes for trophy rainbow and brown trout which grow to 10 lbs. or more.

The six-bedroom, 12-person lodge is part of a 15,000-acre working ranch, also by the name Estancia Del Zorro. Each room is very spacious, with two king-sized beds and a private bathroom. Adjacent to the rooms is a ‘quincho,’ which is an enclosed area with a center fireplace for cooking asados. A whole lamb BBQ will be cooked there in front of you. Open a bottle of red wine, relax, and watch the chef work as he prepares and cooks a meal on the natural wood fire.

Guests fly into the capital city Santiago, and then take a domestic flight to their final destination, Balmaceda airport (BBA), a two-hour flight south. There are multiple daily flights from Santiago to Balmaceda. A representative from EDZ will be waiting outside baggage claim to take guests by van the final 90 minutes to the lodge. Upon arrival guests will be greeted by lodge staff with fine wines and freshly made empanadas. The perfect way to settle in.

The fishing season begins October 1st, and ends May 30th; however, the best wade fishing is from November 1st to March 30th, when rivers are at their optimum height. The dry fly fishing is excellent and anglers can expect trout to rise to dries throughout the season.