CHILE LOCATION
Chile is located along the western coast of South America’s Southern Cone, between the highest peaks of the Andes Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. It is one of the longest countries in the world, stretching 4,300 km, and also one of the narrowest. Its average width is only 180 km. Chile has a variety of landscapes such as the Atacama Desert in the north – the world’s driest desert - the fertile farming valleys in the center, the fascinating Easter Island (Rapa Nui), the stunning southern Lake District, the Patagonia, and the isolated Tierra del Fuego. This explains Chile’s desert climate in the North, Mediterranean in the Central Region, and cool and damp in the South.

POPULATION
Chile has a population of 15.2 million (July 2003). The country is divided into 14 Administrative regions plus Santiago, the capital city (Metropolitan Region).

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE
Spanish is the official language of Chile. Many Chileans in the tourism industry and in major cities are able to speak English.

TRAVEL INSURANCE
Comprehensive travel, health, and cancellation insurance are strongly recommended to protect your trip investment and should be considered mandatory. Please consult with your travel agent and be sure to purchase a travel medical and cancellation insurance policy. Pleased note; deposits and final payments are non refundable unless a replacement angler is found as described in Nic Fin Outfitters Terms and Conditions. Therefore, please make sure you purchase the appropriate insurance policies that will cover your trip expenses in the event that unforeseen circumstances force you to cancel your trip

FLIGHT TO CHILE
You will arrive early Sunday morning to Santiago, Chile in time to catch Lan Chile Airlines or Sky Airlines and flight to Coyhaique (Balmaceda Airport).
This connection is easy with most major airlines. Guest should arrive around 2p.m. to 4p.m. Sunday afternoon and will be met by one of our guides or host at the Balmaceda Airport that services Coyhaique XI region Chile.

VISA
For US passport holders no visa is necessary when you travel to Chile, only a valid passport. When entering Chile at customs, you'll need to fill out a Tourist Card that allows visitors to stay for up to 90 days and will allow multiple entries. You'll need to show this Tourist Card to Customs when leaving the country as well, so be sure you don't lose it.

ENTRY FEE
Please be aware that the Chilean government requires that holders of US passports pay $130.00 US administration fee (payable in cash only) upon arrival at your port entry, which is valid for the life of your passports.

VACCINATIONS
No vaccinations are required to enter Chile.

TAXES
Hotels waive Chile's 18% sales tax applied to rooms when the guest shows their tourist card and pays with U.S. dollars. On flights leaving Chile, there is an airport tax of US$18, or the equivalent in Chilean Pesos. On domestic flights airport tax is included in the airline ticket.

CURRENCY AND MONEY EXCHANGE, CURRENCY AND BANKING
Chile’s official currency is the peso. Bills come in denominations of $500, $1000, $2000, $5000, $10,000, $20,000; and coins of $1, $5, $10, $50, $100 and $500.
Most internationally recognized currencies can be exchanged at commercial banks and foreign exchange agencies (casa de cambio) at rates set by the market.
They are common in the downtown areas, as well as in airports and shopping malls.

Chile does not have a fixed exchange rate. The exchange rate for Chilean Currency is
Approximately 500 Chilean pesos ($ or CLP) for 1 US $. Please check Chile’s Central Bank site for current information: http://www.bcentral.cl/eng/" http://www.bcentral.cl/eng/.

Banks are open from Monday to Friday, from 9:00 to 14:00 hrs.

ATM
All major cities and many smaller towns with a significant tourist economy have one or more ATMs. Some banks, however, charge rather exorbitant fees for international withdrawals, and per-day withdrawal limits are usually around US$300.

ELECTRICITY
Chile's electricity standard is 220 volts/50Hz. Electrical sockets have two openings for tubular pins, not flat prongs, so you'll need a plug adapter. Be aware at the lodge, we run electricity on a generator.

ANGLING ACCESSORIES
Bring your personal gear, rods and reels. Good rain gear is essential. We recommend Gore Tex waders with felt less (no studs) wading boots. Gore Tex rain jackets and a good hat. Dress in layers and be ready to change from hot to cold and wet to dry in any given day. The only constant to the weather in Patagonia, Chile is change. Bug spray is not always necessary but good to have for those rare occasions. Good polarized sunglasses and sunscreen are a must as the ozone layer is thin in South America. Don't forget your camera!

TACKEL, TIPPET AND FLY’S
When preparing yourself for your Fly Fishing adventure in Patagonia Chile, consider our guides will have all the basics covered. You can bring 1X, 2X, 3X tippet and nine foot 1X, 2X, 3X tapered leaders. Weight forward floating line is highly recommended.
A 7wt rod with 7wt or 8wt weight forward floating line is a great to all around set up in Patagonia Chile. If you can only bring one rod bring a 7wt, otherwise a 6-wt rod is also good to bring.
Good Gortex waders with felt less wading boots are highly recommended. Please no studs boots.
Dry Fly list
Any big foam rubber leg patterns, size: 4-10, Guides favorites dry’s: Size 4,6,8 brown and black Fat Alberts.
Streamers
Weighted Black Streamers, size: 4-8 and Weighted Flashy Streamers, size: 4-8 any colors. Guides favorites streamers: Black weighted streamers with purple flash, size: 4-8.
Other guides favorites: Big Bass poppers with rubber legs, size: 4-8

ACCOMODATIONS AND MEALS
Sunday until Saturday morning, guest will be staying in our beautiful Tamango Lake Lodge and fishing in or around Cerro Castillo area, were record Brown Trout are being caught every season.
Each room has a private bathroom with shower, fireplace and two queen size beds.
Breakfast, Streamside lunch, Dinner and Cocktails are prepared by our chef and of course all are meals are served with the finest Chilean Wines.

DEPARTURE
On the day of departure, a Nic Fin Outfitters driver will take you to Balmaceda Airport for your flight. There is no guided fishing scheduled on the day of departure. Depending on connecting flights, you may need to leave very early that morning, so we recommend packing the night before. Flights from Coyhaique (Balmaceda Airport) to Santiago should be coordinated with your international flights to the U.S.A. allowing sufficient time (three hours in advance) to check in to your international flight.

FINAL NOTE:
You can look forward to a relaxing and productive angling experience at Nic Fin Outfitters. If there is anything you need prior to departure, please don’t hesitate to ask.

Richard & Viviana Mullen,
Nic Fin Outfitters
Fly Fishing Lodge & Guide Service.
Patagonia – Chile