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La Posada de Los Farios

3.5 Hours drive north of Balmaceda, Chile



La Posada de los Farios (“The Inn of the Brown Trout”) was founded in 1994 by American, Rex Bryngelson, and his lovely Chileno wife, Maike. Rex has been exploring, rafting, and pioneering today’s fishing program in Chilean Patagonia since 1988. Their small lodge on the banks of the Cisnes River in Patagonia is an extremely charming operation perfectly designed for groups interested in a more intimate and private angling and wilderness experience. With only three bedrooms, the family-run outfit offers what we believe to be the most personalized adventure available in Chile that is truly off of the beaten path. The Cisnes Valley and the other venues frequented at La Posada de los Farios are exclusive of competing operations and guarantee a peaceful escape with zero angling pressure from other lodges in the Aysen Region.

The lodge is located north of Coyahique, Chile approximately 3.5 hours via ground transportation on an old working cattle ranch. This inland part of the Cisnes Valley is surrounded by the dramatic Andes Mountains, not too far from the Argentine border, and just to the south of the Queulat National Park. If you are a serious angler who prefers a quiet lodge setting with a more “homey” atmosphere, this is the destination for you.


The sixty year old lodge is built on the banks of the lower Cisnes (Swan River), one the most scenic and idyllic settings you can imagine. The fishing schedule is of course completely up to guests, however the typical program is based around floating a few days on the Cisnes, walk and wading a few days on spring fed tributaries and hidden lagunas feeding the Cisnes, and spending a day or two fishing one of or more private lakes for HUGE browns and rainbows. The Cisnes Valley running through the ranch is incredibly diverse, and offers a myriad of differing fishing style and character. We also highly recommend taking a day in the middle or tag end of the week to head down into the Queulat & Magdalena National Parks to try your hand at some of the coastal Fjords fishing. Depending on the conditions, a two day / one night trip can yield some of the best fishing for enormous browns, salmon (kings, silvers, atlantics), and sea-run rainbows.

The traditional five mile float on the Cisnes is absolutely gorgeous. Likened to the Madison, the shallow, riffley, wide river offers classic dry fly fishing with large terrestrials such as hoppers, beetles, ants, ect. The fish are not particularly large on this stretch, with the average brown measuring up around 16-17 inches, however it is very user friendly and high-volume fishing well suited for experienced and inexperienced anglers alike. The floats are done in inflatable rafts with comfortable frames / chairs, and there are numerous spots anglers can get out to walk and wade.

Feeder streams, lowland lagunas, and spring fed tributaries in the area offer very peaceful and exclusively walk and wade opportunities as well. You can hop across some of these creeks, however they are home to some huge browns that will readily eat a properly presented dry or nymph. Anglers will usually spend at least a couple of days experiencing this style of fishing for larger trout with Rex and his crew of Chilean and American guides. All of Rex’s guides return every season, are bilingual, and are extremely knowledgeable of the area and the fishery.

The lake fishing with La Posada de los Farios is certainly not to be overlooked or dismissed. Anglers and guides ride via horseback into with the ranch’s own private lake or to the nearby Lago Torres. After riding into either lake, anglers depart in hard bottom boats in search of surface feeding trout. The average sized fish is a solid 17-22 inches caught on large surface attractor patterns. However, there are MONSTER fish caught every season on the lakes; especially if you are willing to throw streamers. The lake fishing is a cool experience that all guests should partake in. The 1.5 hour horseback ride through fantastic old growth beech tree forests and the consistency of highly visual dry fly fishing is well worth the trip.

Depending upon the conditions, a trip down to the coastal fjord rivers is a unique option for the most intrepid guests….it is worth the drive for the scenery alone. The easy drive to one of the nearby national parks is stunningly beautiful, and the coastal Fjords of Chile can offer some of the best BIG fish opportunity found anywhere. Although this program is impractical all season because the conditions need to be just right, the lodge can communicate with radio to caretakers in the area to determine river conditions and clarity. Assuming everything is right, anglers and non-angler alike travel down to the Fjords and plan on spending one night and up to two days fishing for chiefly sea-run rainbows that average a solid 5-10 pounds (with some much larger). There are also regular chances for big browns, kings, silvers, and Atlantic salmon, not the mention the indigenous robalo… a voracious, shallow running, crab eating species that is also wonderful in the frying pan!


The quaint, 60-year old building used by La Posada de los Farios in an incredibly stylish “old-school” Patagonian ranch house. It is certainly not the Ritz, however fits perfectly in the spirit of the personable atmosphere that makes La Posada de los Farios an intimate, family-run operation. Each of the three bedrooms is equipped with a private bath, varying bed configurations, and plenty of storage for gear and luggage. The delicious meals at the lodge are served family-style and of course include numerous fine Chilean wines. A farewell “asado” or Patagonian outdoor barbeque is prepared at the end of the week by local gauchos, and a wood-fired hot tub is a wonderful spot to relax after a long day on the water. The setting at the lodge in the Cisnes Valley in jaw-dropping beautiful, and we really cannot envision a more pleasant atmosphere with stunning scenery for an intensive trout trip.


6 Angling Guests per week.
Additional non-anglers can be accommodated


Anglers first travel to Santiago, Chile (SCL) via direct overnight flight (9 hours from DFW) from several U.S. cities including Miami, Houston, New York, and Dallas/Ft. Worth international airports. After an early morning arrival the next day, travelers connect on to Balmaceda Airport in southern Chile with Lan Chile Airlines on a three hour flight with one brief stop in Puerto Montt en route. Upon arrival into Balmaceda, guests are collected and driven to Coyhaique for lunch and onward 3.5 hours to the lodge. Air charters can also be arranged from Balmaceda to an airstrip closer to the lodge.

Many guests will prefer to overnight in Santiago on the way down to relax after the long plane ride and see the city. Another option is to push southward to the town of Puerto Montt halfway between Santiago and Balmaceda. The nearby port town of Puerto Varas is a very pleasant and affordable venue to get over jet-lag and hang out before making the onward 1 hour flight to Balmaceda the next morning. Please ask us for details if you are interested.


La Posada de los Farios is not exclusive to one week itineraries and will host guests on trips as brief as 3 nights and 2 days contingent upon availability. However, we strongly encourage anglers to consider spending a minimum of 6 nights / 5 days of fishing with Rex to realize the complete experience. The 7 night / 6 day package is really preferred.

Day 1
Afternoon (red-eye) departure from the United States to Santiago Chile. Arrival into Santiago the next morning .

Day 2
Upon arrival into Santiago, guests commute via an early flight from Santiago on to Balmaceda, Chile with Lan Chile Airlines. From Balmaceda, anglers are met and driven approximately three and one half hours to the lodge.

Day 3 - ?
Fishing Days!

Departure Day
Following a leisurely morning hanging around the lodge, guests are returned to Balmaceda in order to catch the afternoon flight to Santiago in time for the late evening connection on to the United States. Travelers arrive home early the following morning.


November and December are considered early season and equate the late Spring early summer in the Rockies. Water conditions and river flows have peaked and are stabilizing, and rested uneducated trout are abundant after the winter.

January through mid-March are the peak summer months in Patagonian Chile with warmer temperatures and the lengthiest days with dry fly fishing with terrestrial patterns as the chief style of fishing. Later in March through May marks the end of summer and early fall. By mid April the leaves begin to change and cooler temperatures are prevalent.


Trout fishing is the predominant activity at La Posada de los Farios. However, the scenery and atmosphere at the posada is extremely welcoming to non-angling companions who want to tag along. We encourage non-anglers to join anglers on a float trip down the Cisnes, take a horseback ride into one of the lakes, or join Rex on a visit to one of neighboring subsistence farms for some local cultural interaction. The coastal trip is also offered and can be done as a day trip or combined with some fishing for the non-angling companion as well. There are some excellent trails to hike within the National Park the most popular being a short trail the Hanging Glacier overlook.


2008 - 2009 Season

(based on shared room / shared guide)

3 Nights / 2 Days………………………$1995
4 Nights / 3 Days………………………$2530
5 Nights / 4 Days………………………$3040
6 Nights / 5 Days………………………$3530
7 Nights / 6 Days………………………$3950
8 Nights / 7 Days………………………$4300

(based on single room / private guide)

3 Nights / 2 Days………………………$2500
4 Nights / 3 Days………………………$3165
5 Nights / 4 Days………………………$3800
6 Nights / 5 Days………………………$4415
7 Nights / 6 Days………………………$4940
8 Nights / 7 Days………………………$5375

*Note about fishing the coast: Guests who opt to explore the coastal fjords fishing have the option of returning to La Posada de los Farios each evening, for which there is no additional cost or, the recommended option of staying overnight on the coast at the cabins in Queulat National Park or in a local hosteria near to the coastal fishing destinations. Anglers who choose to overnight on the coast will incur a $150 per night/per person charge, to cover lodging and meals. The charge will be paid directly at the lodge. Again, staying overnight on the coast is strictly optional but, highly recommended.


Accommodations at La Posada de los Farios as outlined; Full days of guided fishing; All meals and beverages including wine, beer, Pisco Sours, and bottled water; Applicable ground transportation


Round-trip Airfare to/from Balmaceda, Chile; Use of fishing equipment and flies; Fishing Licenses; Gratuities; Hard Liquor other than Pisco; Items of personal nature including telephone calls; Laundry service; $100 Chilean Entry Fee; Airport departure taxes; Meals, Hotels, Ground Transportation and other travel expenses before and after the fishing portion of the trip in Puerto Montt or Santiago; Air charters to/from the lodge when applicable.


A fifty percent non-refundable deposit is due at the time of booking to secure your reservations with Cinco Rios, Chile. The remaining balance is due 60 days from arrival. Please note that Tailwaters Travel is subject to the cancellation policies of the guides and lodges which it represents. Deposit is non-refundable unless written cancellation is received 60 days or more prior to departure. However, please note that a $100 handling fee will be charged to all customers to process all cancellations. Refunds or credits cannot be issued for fishing time lost due to inclement weather. Receipt of deposit and/or final payment is acknowledgement that registrant has read and accepts the cancellation/refund/responsibility clauses.

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