La Villa de Maria Behety Lodge

La Villa de Maria Behety Lodge, on the historic Estancia Maria Behety sits on Tierra del Fuego’s lower Río Grande and offers quick access to some of Argentina’s best Sea Run Brown Trout fishing. Only six anglers per week enjoy private access to over 30 miles of river and countless pools. Fly fishing the lower Río Grande often means long casts with double-handed rods. This section gives guests the first crack at sea-lice-fresh, aggressive Sea Run Browns from the Atlantic.

La Villa is the sister lodge to the larger Estancia Maria Behety Lodge, owned and operated by the Menendez family. Expect old-world charm in a restored historic home, single-occupancy rooms, and veteran Argentine sea-trout guides.

La Villa de Maria Behety Lodge lies within the historic, 275,000 acre Maria Behety ranch on the lower Río Grande, just downriver from Estancia Maria Behety Lodge. The beautifully restored, historic mansion was designed for anglers and offers modern comforts including single-occupancy rooms, en-suite bathrooms with walk-in showers and Jacuzzi tubs, a billiard room, reliable internet, an open bar, and a 9,000-bottle wine cellar featuring top Argentine varietals.

The lodge is limited to six anglers per week, each enjoying a private room and quiet, small-group atmosphere. Guests indulge in professionally prepared cuisine paired with fine Argentine wines.
Beautifully appointed and intimate, La Villa’s service reflects the Menendez family’s long-standing commitment to excellence.

The 32 river miles on the Maria Behety ranch are shared between La Villa de Maria Behety’s six rods and Estancia Maria Behety’s twelve rods, where guides and anglers rotate beats to ensure privacy and equal access.
This is the widest section of the Río Grande, where a double-handed 13–14 ft rod in the hands of a persistent, skilled caster can be highly effective. A Skagit line with a variety of tips helps counter the wind, cover more water and reach the appropriate depth.

The season runs late December–mid-April: historically, early weeks bring tide-bright runners and lots of fish movement river levels and conditions are steadier mid-season and late season brings fewer hook-ups but heavier fish. Conditions can change quickly at any time. When levels rise and the water colors, increasing tip density and fly profile helps (dark leeches/intruders). During clear, calm spells, your guide may suggest scaling down to small nymphs (e.g., Copper Johns or TDF Taxis) and lengthening leaders.
Since Sea Run Browns are most active during the morning and evening, 4.5-hour morning and evening sessions are broken up with a four-course lunch and siesta back at the lodge. Head guide Diego Motter and two fellow guides are veterans of the Río Grande and La Villa and rank among the friendliest, most capable guides in Tierra del Fuego.

Read More on the Rio Grande and Sea Run Brown Trout fishing…

LA VILLA DE ESTANCIA MARIA BEHETY LODGE
(7 nights/6 days fishing)

Saturday:    Arrive Buenos Aires (EZE). Transfer to the domestic airport (AEP) and fly to Rio Grande (RGA). The La Villa de Maria Behety staff will pick you up and transfer you 30 minutes to the lodge. Cocktails and dinner.

Sun-Fri:    Six days fishing for Sea Run Brown Trout on the lower Rio Grande.

Saturday:    Check out. La Villa de EMB Lodge will transfer you back to the region airport for your flight to Buenos Aires.

Rate: $8,900-$11,500/angler
Included: Lodging in single rooms, meals, open bar, guided fishing, loaner rod, and transfer to/from the Rio Grande Airport.
Not included: Flights, terminal tackle, license (~$300), transfers to/from Ushuaia (~$250/passenger/leg, paid onsite) and services in Buenos Aires, Ushuaia and Rio Grande.

With over 26 years organizing trips in exclusively Chile and Argentina, we make travel planning efficient and worry free. We’ll give you the domestic flights you need for your lodge dates and our travel team ensures your international flights connect smoothly. If preferred, we’ll even have our team in Buenos Aires meet you when you land.

• After an easy overnight flight, anglers land at the Buenos Aires Ezeiza International Airport (EZE) on Friday and transfer 45 mins to their hotel. If you have at least four hours between your international and domestic flights in Buenos Aires a hotel overnight is unnecessary.
• On Saturday, anglers will transfer to the Buenos Aires Jorge Newbery Domestic Airport (AEP) and fly 3 hours south to Rio Grande (RGA) or Ushuaia (USH) depending on flight schedules.
• Anglers staying at La Villa de Maria Behety Lodge are picked up at either the Rio Grande or Ushuaia Airport and driven 30 mins or 3 hours to the lodge.
• On Saturday,  La Villa de EMB Lodge will transfer you back to the regional airport for your flight to Buenos Aires and home.