Coyhaique, Chile
Cinco Rios Lodge
Classic Waters: brown and rainbow trout on the Rio Simpson and the rivers and lakes around Coyhaique, with boats, floats, and walk-and-wade days for up to 12 anglers.
Classic Waters
Rio Simpson
Boats + lakes
Coyhaique, Chile
Cinco Rios Lodge — Classic Waters on the Rio Simpson
Cinco Rios Lodge is the Classic Waters base on the Rio Simpson outside Coyhaique. Up to 12 anglers stay in six rooms and fish jet-boat, float, and walk-and-wade days on rivers and lakes within about an hour of the lodge. Sister ranch Estancia del Zorro runs the Intimate Waters week; Best of Patagonia splits time between both. Angler Adventures books Cinco Rios Lodge and helps plan the travel.
A 2½-hour flight south from Santiago along the Andes brings you to Coyhaique, in Chile’s Region XI. The Aysén district breaks into islands, fjords, and channels here. Glacier water fills deep lakes, then runs out through reed-lined channels, wild rivers, and canyons that hold healthy populations of resident brown and rainbow trout.
Classic Waters keeps you at Cinco Rios all week: private and public rivers including the Simpson, Azul, Paloma, and Mañihuales, plus lakes Pollux, Frío, and Castor. Jet boats and rafts open water that walk-and-wade anglers cannot reach. Estancia del Zorro, the same operators’ ranch lodge, is the Intimate Waters sister page for private spring-creek fishing.
The Coyhaique area has numerous grasshoppers and 11 beetle species, so big terrestrials bring up fish almost anywhere. Summer evenings on the Simpson offer match-the-hatch fishing, and the clearest rivers and lakes offer sight fishing.
Fly Fishing at Cinco Rios Lodge
Cinco Rios Lodge runs a 7-night, 6-day fishing week that starts and ends on a Saturday. A typical week has two jet-boat days, two float days, and two walk-and-wade days:
- Jet boat: one day to the lower Paloma River and the mouth of the Claro, and one day to the Rio Azul and the Elizalde outlet
- Float: four floats on the Simpson, two on the Mañihuales, one on the Paloma, and one on the Aysén
- Walk and wade: the Simpson, Nireguao, Emperor Guillermo, Humeles, and Pica Flora, plus small rivers that see few anglers
- Lakes: Lago Pollux and Lago Frío for browns and rainbows of 30 inches and more
Each pair of anglers fishes with one guide, who travels with a 4WD vehicle, a trailer, and an inflatable raft. The lodge keeps jet boats on specific rivers to save travel time.
Fly Gear for Cinco Rios Lodge
- Rods: nine-foot 5- and 6-weights
- Lines: floating
- Flies: attractor dries, small flies for selective trout, and streamers
- Waders and boots: bring your own
Most fishing is done with a single fly. A small fly shop at the lodge stocks local patterns.
A Classic Waters Week
Fly overnight to Santiago and connect to Balmaceda on Saturday morning. The Cinco Rios team meets you at the airport, and the lodge greets you with a Pisco Sour, a tour, and a program orientation.
Sunday through Friday are six full days of guided fishing on private and public water: floats on the Simpson and Mañihuales and jet-boat trips on the Paloma and its connected lakes. After breakfast the following Saturday, you transfer back to Balmaceda for the flight to Santiago.
Bring your own rods and reels. The lodge keeps only a small selection of loaners.
Staying at Cinco Rios Lodge
The lodge was built on the bank of the Rio Simpson in 2007 and looks out over the Simpson valley. Up to 12 anglers stay in six guest rooms. Each room has two king beds, a private bath, a sitting area, a deck, and space for gear.
The great room has a rock fireplace, and meals are served family style. The Happy Trout Bar pours a rotating selection of beers on tap. Upstairs there is a lounge with satellite TV and the fly shop, and the lodge also has a conference room.
The kitchen cooks with beef from Estancia del Zorro, herbs from the garden, wild morels, and Pacific fish, with Chilean wines at dinner. A typical plate is Chilean lamb with morel risotto.
Cinco Rios Lodge 2026–2027 Rates
Cinco Rios Lodge offers two 7-night, 6-day programs at the same rate. Classic Waters stays at Cinco Rios Lodge all week. Best of Patagonia splits the week between Cinco Rios Lodge and Estancia del Zorro.
| Program | Lodges | Length of stay | Rate per person |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classic Waters | Cinco Rios Lodge | 7 nights / 6 days fishing | $7,950 |
| Best of Patagonia | Cinco Rios Lodge and Estancia del Zorro | 7 nights / 6 days fishing | $7,950 |
Rates are per person in USD, based on double occupancy and a shared guide, and are subject to change.
Angler Adventures services are free. Call 860-434-9624 or send a message to start planning your Cinco Rios Lodge trip.
What the Cinco Rios Lodge Rate Includes
Included in the Classic Waters Rate
- Seven nights at Cinco Rios Lodge, double occupancy
- Six days of guided fishing with a shared guide
- Transfers to and from Balmaceda airport and the lodges
- All meals, beer, wine, and alcohol
- Fishing license
Not Included at Cinco Rios Lodge
- International and domestic flights
- Travel insurance
- Meals, transfers, and hotels in Santiago
- Fishing equipment: rods, reels, lines, and flies
- Gratuities
Getting to Cinco Rios Lodge
Cinco Rios Lodge is on the outskirts of Coyhaique, in Chile’s Aysén region.
- To Santiago: most travelers connect through New York, Atlanta, Miami, Houston, Dallas, or Los Angeles to an overnight flight to Santiago (SCL).
- To Balmaceda: a domestic flight of about 2½ hours takes you south along the Andes to Balmaceda (BBA).
- To the lodge: the Cinco Rios team meets you at the airport for a short road transfer, included in the program.
Meals, transfers, and hotels in Santiago are not included. Angler Adventures can help plan those.
Trout of the Coyhaique Rivers
Brown trout
(Salmo trutta)
Wild browns live throughout the Simpson, Paloma, and Mañihuales systems and the lakes around Coyhaique. They come up for big terrestrial dries, and lakes Pollux and Frío hold browns of 30 inches and more.
Rivers & lakes · Up to 30+ inches
Rainbow trout
(Oncorhynchus mykiss)
Rainbows share the same rivers and lakes. Summer evenings on the Simpson bring match-the-hatch fishing, and a single run on the small streams can give up 6 to 12 trout on small dries and nymphs.
Simpson & small streams · Dries and nymphs
Off the River at Cinco Rios Lodge
- Bird watching around the Rio Simpson: Andean condors, ringed kingfishers, eagles, ibis, torrent ducks, and parakeets.
- Photography and hiking in the Simpson valley, among bamboo, fuchsia, lupine, and giant rhubarb.
- On the drive to the rivers, you may meet huasos moving cattle or sheep along the road.
- Evenings by the rock fireplace or at the Happy Trout Bar.
Cinco Rios Lodge FAQ
What fish can I catch at Cinco Rios Lodge?
Wild brown and rainbow trout. Fish run from foot-long trout on the small streams to deep-bellied fish of 30 inches and more in lakes such as Pollux and Frío.
How many anglers does Cinco Rios Lodge host?
Up to 12 anglers in six guest rooms. Each room has two king beds, a private bath, a sitting area, a deck, and space for gear.
What does a fishing week at Cinco Rios Lodge look like?
The program is 7 nights and 6 fishing days, Saturday to Saturday. A typical week has two jet-boat days, two float days, and two walk-and-wade days, all within about an hour of the lodge. Two anglers share one guide.
What is the difference between Classic Waters and Best of Patagonia?
Classic Waters keeps you at Cinco Rios Lodge all week and fishes the Coyhaique rivers by raft, jet boat, and on foot. Best of Patagonia splits the week between Cinco Rios Lodge and Estancia del Zorro to add private spring creeks and small streams. Both are 7 nights and 6 fishing days.
Do I need to bring my own fly rods?
Yes. The lodge keeps a small selection of loaner rods and reels, but anglers should bring their own gear, including waders and boots. Most anglers fish nine-foot 5- and 6-weight rods with floating lines. A small fly shop at the lodge stocks local patterns.
How do I get to Cinco Rios Lodge?
Fly to Santiago, then take a domestic flight to Balmaceda in the Aysén region. The Cinco Rios team meets you at the airport, and the road transfer to the lodge is included in the program.
When is the Cinco Rios Lodge season?
The 2025–26 program weeks ran from early November to mid-April. Angler Adventures confirms open 2026–27 weeks for your dates.
Plan Your Cinco Rios Lodge Trip
Book now, get a quote, or ask about fly fishing around Coyhaique.
The lodge is located on the outskirts of Coyhaique and overlooks the picturesque Rio Simpson valley. Cinco Rios was a converted hosteria until 2007, when a brand new lodge was built right on the bank of the Rio Simpson. The new lodge can accommodate 12 anglers in 6 spacious guest rooms, each with their own private baths and 2 Kingsized beds. Cinco Rios Chile is owned by Montana lodge owners Jay Burgin and Mary Jacques and their Chilean partner Sebastian Galilea.
The variety of rivers and lakes accessible from Cinco Rios is astounding and includes Rios Simpson, Manihuales, Aysen, Paloma, Blanco, Deseques, Pica Flora, Nireguao, Emporer Guillermo, Humeles, Azul and Megote, lakes Pollux, Frio and Castor and many small rivers and spring creeks, which see little to no fishing pressure.
This fishing is as varied as the selection of waters. The Coyhaique area is home to numerous grasshoppers and 11 beetle species. Casting big terrestials will bring up big fish almost anywhere. Summer evenings on the Simpson offer match the hatch fishing similar to the US. Floating faster sections of the remote rivers requires pounding the banks with dries and wets. The smaller streams can be waded or walked upstream, casting small dries and nymphs, which can produce 6 – 12 trout out of a single run or pool. In the clearest rivers and lakes you will find sight fishing opportunities as challenging as New Zealand. The trout come in all sizes according to the waters you fish, from foot long chunky fish to deep bellied 30 inchers.
Cinco Rios has been in operation since 2004, but Jay Burgin’s experience running fishing lodges and working with the Chilean people goes back to 1996, when he opened Paloma Lodge. Cinco Rios has continued it’s relationship with the guide staff from Paloma Lodge, insuring that Cinco Rios guests fish
with some of the best guides in Chile. Each of the full time guides at Cinco Rios several years of guiding experience in Chile and many more years in overall total guiding expertise.
Each two clients (or single angler paying the single rate) are assigned a guide, who comes equipped with a 4 wheel drive vehicle, trailer and an inflatable raft. Cinco Rios guides use Zodiak inflatable rafts with high back seats to ensure clients confort on the river and owns several new Jet boats which are strategically placed on specific rivers to help maximize fishing time.
The Rio Simpson directly in front of the lodge and the furthest river, the Paloma, is a 45 minute drive. The fishing options available are close to an even split between “walk and wade” streams and larger rivers that require float trips or jet boats to cover the water.
Cinco Rios operates a 7-night/6-day fishing package, which begins and ends on a Saturday. During your 6 days of fishing a typical fishing itinerary would be as follows (All the waters listed below are within an hour drive from the lodge and most are less than a half hour):
