Arroyo Claro Lodge, built in 1999, is located in the beautiful Carrileufu Valley, tens miles south of the small village of Cholila, in the heart of this wonderful trout fishing country. The Carrileufu River is within easy walking distance of the lodge.

The Rio Rivadavia and El Canal spring creek are also nearby. The authentic post beam lodge has four spacious guest rooms, each with private bath. The food and wines are exquisite. The Andes Mountains make the perfect backdrop to this idyllic setting.

Your host at Arroyo Claro Lodge is Jorge Graziosi. Having founded his fishing and hunting outfitting service, Safaris Acuaticos, in 1968, Jorge Graziosi is today one of Argentina’s most experienced outfitters.

Safaris Acuaticos designs each fishing itinerary to suit the size of your group and time of year. On extended stays, Safaris Acuaticos dedicates a portion of your trip to fishing the Esquel area, a one hour drive south of Cholila. Here, guests are accommodated in hosterias (European-style inns) or in the lodges near the rivers. There is always the option to float a river for a period of days, and Safaris Acuaticos provides all necessary camping equipment for river overnights.

Safaris Acuaticos uses a variety of accommodations in the Esquel area including Hosteria Cumbres Blancas. From there, clients fish the Rio Grande (also known as the Futaleufu), the famous spring creek, Arroyo Pescado, the Nanty Fall and other nearby rivers. The scenery will remind you of Silver Creek in Idaho, but the fish are not as sophisticated-they take dry flies tied by humans.