Get Ready for Rio Palena Lodge
SUMMER PLANNING GUIDE
Let’s Get Planning
Eleven’s Experience Team is here to help you design the perfect adventure. This guide outlines what to expect during your stay and how to prepare for your upcoming trip. We look forward to meeting you at Rio Palena Lodge, but until then, let’s start making some plans.
Getting Here
FOR INTERNATIONAL TRAVELERS
U.S. and British citizens entering Chile must have a valid passport. There is no reciprocity fee. U.S. and British citizens traveling to Chile for recreation, tourism, business, or academic conferences do not need to obtain a visa prior to their arrival in Chile. Citizens from other countries, please inquire. Upon arrival in Chile, customs will give you a small piece of paper that is titled “PDI”. Make sure to save that document for the duration of your stay, as you will be asked to hand it back to customs upon departure. We recommend that all travelers make copies of their passports and keep them separately.
FLIGHTS
With a variety of flight options and the likelihood of multi-day itineraries, our Experience Team is here to advise you throughout the booking process and help reserve any taxis and hotel rooms that your route may require.
1. Getting to Santiago:
• If you’re visiting Chile from another country, you’ll fly into Santiago (SCL)
• LATAM, a Chilean airline, as well as American, Delta, and United offer direct flights from many major cities.
• Most flights are overnight, so be sure to depart at least one day before your check-in date.
• Before booking, please send a draft flight itinerary to your Experience Team for review. Guests are responsible for booking their final itinerary.
2. Santiago to Puerto Montt:
• Recommended route: Take a commercial flight from Santiago to Puerto Montt (PMC). We recommend LATAM or Sky Airlines.
• Please aim to arrive in Puerto Montt between 11:00 am and 1:00 pm, as this window offers the best availability for connecting flights.
• Alternate option: Book a private three-hour charter flight from Santiago to Palena Airfield, located just 20 minutes from the lodge. This option allows you to bypass all subsequent air travel. Please inquire for detail.
3. Puerto Montt to Rio Palena Lodge:
• Recommended route: Take a private one-hour charter flight from Puerto Montt to Palena Airfield, only 20 minutes from the lodge.
• Charters accommodate up to eight people with limited luggage. For groups larger than six, we recommend booking two charters.
• Alternate options:
• Charter flight from Puerto Montt to Futaleufú (followed by a two-hour drive to the lodge)
• Charter flight from Puerto Montt to Chaitén (followed by a three-hour drive to the lodge)
• Commercial flight from Puerto Montt to Chaitén
GROUND TRANSFER
From Chaitén, Palena, or Futaleufú airports, our team will pick you up and drive you to the lodge
• One round-trip ground transfer per group is included. If your group requires two charters, both pickups are included.
recommended route
alternate routes
Santiago
Puerto Montt
Rio Palena Lodge
Puerto Varas
Chaitén
Adventures
Explore our guided adventures in Patagonia.
Adventures
HIKING
Explore the vast terrain of Patagonia with our knowledgeable guides, from leisurely waterfall hikes to heli-hiking across a just-discovered glacier. The volume of nature and the diversity of flora and fauna here is hard to beat.
WHITEWATER RAFTING
Ranked in the top five whitewater destinations in the world, the Futaleufú delivers an epic rafting experience just an hour away. Outfitted in dry suits and personal flotation devices, you’ll paddle the Futa’s adrenaline pumping Class 3–5 rapids with seasoned guides.
Half-day included in your stay. Full-day charged separately.
INFLATABLE KAYAKING
Whether you kayak the tranquil stretches of the Rio Palena right from the lodge or take on the Class-3 rapids of El Tigre, our kayaking adventures deliver action-packed fun for a range of skill levels.
NOT INCLUDED WITH YOUR STAY
STAND UP PADDLE BOARDING
Paddleboard through a deep canyon surrounded by waterfalls and rainforests, or enjoy the scenery and wildlife from the calm waters of Lago Negro. You can also add on fishing, hiking, or whitewater rafting for a full day of adventure.
BIKING
Pedal along a quaint old road past cattle and sheep on your way to Tranquillo Valley’s turquoise waters on an easygoing bike ride that starts at our Palena Camp. You can also couple this activity with inflatable kayaking.
WALK AND WADE FISHING
The lodge’s location along Rio Palena allows you to fish for rainbow and brown trout as soon as you arrive. With a variety of other nearby stretches, your guide team will suggest all the right walk and wade options for your skill level and preferences. We also offer casting instruction on our large lawn or pond to help guests tune their skills.
FLOAT FISHING
With two anglers and one guide per boat, you can float upper and lower Rio Palena, sections of Rio Futaleufú, Lago Yelcho, and its nearby inlets and outlets. Jet boats, rafts, and drift boats are all used to maximize your time fishing. Our favorite is a full-day float on the lower Futaleufú and into Lago Yelcho.
NOT INCLUDED WITH YOUR STAY
HELI-FISHING*
Join your guides on a scenic flight into the backcountry to cast to rainbows, browns, and brookies on high-country rivers like Rio Azul, the upper Tigre, and Rio Tranquillo, as well as remote lakes like Lago X and Lago Rosas. We can access both walk and wade options and floatable sections by helicopter. *Heli-fishing is included at some locations and available for an additional fee at others—ask the Experience Team for details.
HELI-ACCESSED GLACIER HIKING*
Land on one of the various glaciers in the surrounding high country, where your guides will help you suit up in crampons and trekking gear to traverse with confidence. Depending on the location, you can also explore ice caves, glacial cold plunging, and stand-up paddleboarding in drysuits.
HELI-ACCESSED STAND UP PADDLEBOARDING*
Reach a hidden alpine lagoon by helicopter, where a glacier frames the crystal-clear water. Early in the summer, stand-up paddleboard beside floating ice, or hike and swim around the lake as the season warms.
HELI-MOUNTAINEERING*
Fly out to Los Condores Ridge and gear up for a Class-4 scramble in the high cordillera, where a spine of solid granite extends to the top of Mt. Gabriel. Watch for condors as you take in the panoramic views of the Andes, then rappel back down for your heli pickup.
SCENIC FLIGHTS
Flying is a mind-blowing way to experience the immensity of Patagonia and the Andes. With a few different route options, you’ll see glaciers and high cordillera lakes untouched by humankind. This can be paired with a peak picnic and a fine bottle of wine.
HELI-APRÈS
Looking to add a special experience to your trip? Take your adventure up a notch by enjoying cocktails, wine, and chef-prepared après on a beautiful overlook high up in the Andes mountains.
CUSTOM HELI-ADVENTURE
If you’d like to mix and match the available heli-experiences, our Guide Manager can customize a personalized adventure for you. Pricing will be dependent on the magnitude of the adventure.
WELLNESS OFFERINGS
Unwind with a rejuvenating yoga session or a soothing massage, available indoors or outdoors. Book your wellness treatment upon request.
We’ve got you covered with all the essentials for guided adventures—helmets, harnesses, crampons, gloves, hiking poles, ice axes, neoprene booties and socks, drysuits, wetsuits, lifejackets (PFDs), backpacks, and more.
NOT INCLUDED WITH YOUR STAY
*UP TO TWO HELICOPTER-ASSISTED ADVENTURES ARE INCLUDED IN YOUR STAY, UNLESS NOTED OTHERWISE.
PRICING GUIDE
Fly Fishing
With wide-reaching access and an expert guide team, our full- and halfday float and walk/wade trips cater to all levels of anglers. Target big browns, rainbows, and brook trout on a variety of fisheries, like Rio Palena just outside the lodge. Along with many other rivers and lakes, some of which are accessed by helicopter, you’ll enjoy the access and beauty of “Futa Camp,” our private put-in that doubles as a riverside lunch outpost.
PRICING GUIDE
Frequently Asked Questions
WHAT FLIES ARE RECOMMENDED?
Flies are selected and provided by your guides, but here are a few favorites if you’d like to bring your own:
DRIES: A variety of Chernobyl style patterns and Fat Alberts #6-12. Parachute Adams #12 – 16.
NYMPHS: Copper John’s (copper, black, red) #10-16. Rubber Legs (black, brown with black legs) #4-8).
STREAMERS: Beadhead Wooly Bugger (black, olive, black/olive) Dolly Llama (black/white, olive/white) #2-4. Gummy Minnow (clear, pearl) #2-6.
IS FLY FISHING GEAR PROVIDED?
We provide all equipment, including industry-leading rods and reels, waders and boots, nets, and flies. Our fleet of gear includes: Thomas and Thomas Fly rods, 6-weight and 7-weight Avantt, 7-weight Zone, 200gr and 250gr Excosset, Abel Vaya fly reels 7/8s; Fishpond and Rising nets, Patagonia waders and boots, Simms Taco wading bags, and Montana Fly Company flies and custom-tied flies.
If you’d like to bring your own gear, check out our packing list for recommendations.
WHO WILL BE GUIDING MY TRIP?
Eleven’s group of highly trained, passionate guides makes your Patagonia experience. We ensure that our guides deliver the highest level of safety, experience, and industry knowledge. Beyond their qualifications, their enthusiasm in getting to know your angling style and sharing the native resources makes your trip not only dialed but also personal.
Wellness
Take relaxation to the next level by adding a wellness treatment to your trip.
Wellness Offerings
All wellness offerings are priced separately.
SWEDISH
Slow, rhythmic strokes calm the nervous system and release stagnant toxins, creating balance and tranquility in the body, mind, and spirit.
60 minutes | 90 minutes
DEEP TISSUE
A targeted variety of therapeutic massage techniques restores blood flow and alleviates chronic pain, injuries, and fatigue.
60 minutes | 90 minutes
YOGA
Eleven’s in-house yoga classes are highly customizable. Our knowledgeable instructors will adapt the practice to align with guests’ abilities, needs, and comfort levels.
60 minutes
PRICING GUIDE
Food & Drink
Enjoy an all-inclusive experience that focuses on locally sourced ingredients and Chile-inspired cuisine.
FOOD
Breakfast, lunch, après, and dinner are included and served daily, and we are happy to cater to dietary preferences and restrictions as noted in your guest information form.
Each chef-prepared meal focuses on seasonal ingredients that are thoughtfully prepared and locally sourced. Dishes are served either plated or familystyle, and deliver an authentic culinary experience true to Chile and Patagonia’s traditions. Guests will also experience one customary Chilean-style asado BBQ, a special outdoor evening that many guests remember as the trip highlight.
DRINKS
Rio Palena Lodge includes a curated selection of beer and wine included with your stay. For those interested in cocktails or premium liquors, our onsite bartender is happy to craft drinks from our Chilean-inspired cocktail menu or pour reserve labels, both available at an additional cost.
If you have specific preferences for beer, wine, or liquor, please share them with your Experience Team during the pre-trip planning process.
Preparing for Your Trip
Check out the essential information needed before you go.
Packing List
DON’T FORGET TO PACK:
Passport
Wallet with Chilean Pesos, cash, and cards
Prescriptions and medications
Cell phone
International adapter
Batteries and chargers for devices
Personal toiletries
Small backpack
Camera
CLOTHES YOU’LL BE GLAD
YOU PACKED:
Comfy clothes for the lodge
Casual dinner wear
Warm layers for chilly summer nights
Thermal base layers
Long sleeve fishing shirts
Fleece tops
Puffy jacket
Windbreaker
High-quality rain jacket
Rain pants and quick-dry pants
Bathing suit
Socks (thin hiking socks and thicker wool socks)
Comfy shoes for the lodge
Light hiking boots (Gore-tex recommended)
Sun gloves and fleece gloves
Sun protection (sunscreen, lip balm, sun mask, and gloves)
Polarized sunglasses (two pair) and Croakies
NOV-DEC: MAR: JAN-MAR: 45° - 65°F 7° - 18°C
- 55°F
Fly GearFishing List
All gear is provided, but here is a list of suggestions if you’d like to bring your own.
RODS
We recommend two medium-fast to fastaction rods that deliver accuracy in the Patagonia wind.
9’ 6-weight
9’ 7- or 8-weight
REELS
Large arbor reels are best for quick retrieve and less line memory. We recommend 75 to 100 yards of 20-lb backing.
LINES
#7 floating line for 6-weight rod
#8 floating line for 7-weight rod
20–24’ integrated sinking line for your 7wt 200-250 grain
LEADERS
9ft. tapered leader 0X–4X
7 1⁄2 ft. 0X and 1X leaders with tippet
Tippet spools of 0X, 1X, 2X, 3X
10-lb Clear Maxima for streamers
EQUIPMENT LIST
Spools
Extra line
Leader and tippet material
Waterproof tackle bag
Dry/Waterproof bags
Floatant, pliers, forceps, nippers, hook sharpener, fly line dressing, and cleaning pad
Good to Know
CHECK-IN/CHECK OUT:
• Check-in time at Rio Palena Lodge is at 4:00 p.m. and check out time is at 10:00 a.m.
• Please note: Access to your room outside these hours is not guaranteed. Please communicate with the Experience Team to coordinate any conflicts with check-in and checkout times.
ELECTRICAL CURRENT:
• Throughout Chile, the power sockets are type C and L. The standard voltage is 220 V and the standard frequency is 50 Hz. U.S. Guests will require a voltage converter for 110 volt devices. Electrical sockets have two or three holes and accept round (European) plugs. You will need an adaptor for your U.S. plugs. We have adaptors at the lodge, but not converters. Please bring them for devices not already equipped. Most laptop computers and cell phones have chargers with converters, requiring only an adaptor.
LOCAL TIME ZONE:
• The time zone in Santiago, Chile and throughout the country is (GMT-3), which is U.S. Eastern Time +1 hour. Chile does change to and from daylight savings time with the U.S.
CASH AND CREDIT CARDS:
LOCAL LANGUAGE:
• Spanish is the official language of Chile. English is widely spoken in resort areas and in Santiago at international chain hotels. At the lodge, all hospitality staff and guides speak English.
TRAVEL INSURANCE:
• We highly recommend the purchase of trip cancellation insurance. The Sales Team can help you arrange trip cancellation insurance prior to your trip. Please let us know if you would like us to connect you with our preferred insurance partner, Global Rescue, to provide you with a quote.
CURRENCY EXCHANGE:
• The Chilean peso (CLP) is the official currency of Chile. The exchange rate does fluctuate and is currently inflated, so please check the exchange rate before you depart. Don’t exchange USD or euro before arriving in Chile. You can exchange at the airport, most hotels, banks (ATMs are available in Santiago and other cities), and exchange houses. Exchange houses (Casa de Cambio) usually give the best rates.
• Since foreign currency is not widely accepted in Chile, you will need Chilean pesos (cash) to pay for taxis and incidentals when you’re not at the lodge. It’s always good to have 50–100 USD in Chilean pesos. Credit cards are generally accepted in hotels, shops, and restaurants. Depending on your credit card, this is the way to get the best exchange rate. It is best to use MasterCard or Visa. AMEX is less reliable.
TAXIS AND GROUND TRAVEL:
• To ensure safety and avoid being overcharged, always take official taxis from the Santiago airport, which will charge you inside at the counter before your ride. Uber is not recommended due to legal stipulations.
GRATUITY:
• While gratuities are not expected at our properties, guests wishing to leave a tip for the Rio Palena Lodge team may consider 10% to 15% of their total stay cost. Tips for the lodge team must be paid by credit card, and the amount will be distributed among all staff who have contributed to your stay. Adventure and fishing guides accept cash tips.
General Tipping Standards:
• Taxis in Santiago: No tip or small change. Airport transfer drivers in Santiago and Puerto Montt: $10–20 USD per way. Porters: $1 USD per bag. Restaurants: 10% of bill.
