Accommodations & Meals

The Lodge – Where You Stay

The estancia was built with the stunning views in mind. It sits on a cliff 150 feet above the Paraná River, and each of its 10 spacious rooms looks out over the river valley. Every room has two queen beds, a private bath, heating and air conditioning, and a private patio where the morning arrives over the water.

The lodge has the feel of a small luxury hotel with the warmth of a private home. After a day in the field or on the river, the spa upstairs is ready for you — a steam room, dry sauna, massage rooms, and an indoor Jacuzzi, all facing the river valley. Evenings center on the living room and its full bar, with comfortable places to settle in, a fire during cool nights, and hors d’oeuvres appearing as the sun drops behind the cliffs.

Practical comforts are all handled. Wi-Fi keeps you in touch with home at no charge, laundry is done for you daily, and your gun is cleaned and stored for you each evening in the lodge’s gun room.

Food and beverage

A long day of hunting or fishing will conclude with a return to the lodge to enjoy a relaxing evening. An inviting fire in the living room fireplace and full bar will help set the evening in motion as you begin sampling a diverse array of hors d’oeuvres. Estancia favorites include pepper-stuffed dove breasts wrapped in bacon and grilled over wood coals, pigeon breast “milanesa” (tenderized, breaded & fried), fried perdiz legs, and local cheeses and cold cuts. Argentine wines are famous throughout the world, and the Estancia boasts a selection of some of Argentina’s finest labels.

Argentines eat dinner quite a bit later than Americans are used to, allowing for a lengthy cocktail and social time before dining. Dinner is served on china and a linen tablecloth in the Estancia dining room and always features a three-course gourmet meal. The grass-fed beef is among the finest quality in the world and is complemented by the Argentine interpretation of classic continental game dishes. The gourmet chef is well-versed in a number of specialties and takes pride in showing off an array of Argentina’s rich culinary heritage.

Fishing

Golden Dorado Fishing (best September–April, fly or spin): Some of the finest freshwater Dorado fishing in the world is on the estancia grounds, within walking distance of the lodge — a five-minute walk, and you are at the boats.

The Golden Dorado is a highly prized game fish that hits like a Wahoo and leaps like a tarpon. Argentines affectionately call them “golden tigers.” Once you feel the first strike, you will understand why. Many guests fish spinning tackle; others enjoy the challenge of a fly rod, and both work beautifully here.

What makes this fishery special is the water itself. You fish the Paraná River system in the vast maze of streams and lagoons on the fringe of the river, far from the shipping channels. The diverse waterways mean a different experience each day: casting from the boat on open water one morning, working a quiet bank the next, or wading a small stream where the Dorado hold in the current. You fish from well-equipped 20-foot skiffs, and the guides know exactly where the fish are holding.

An average day yields Dorado in the 8–10 pound range, with fish into the mid-to-high 20s on a great day. And because the seasons in Argentina are opposite of ours, the September–April season falls squarely in the region’s warm, comfortable months — days on the water here are genuinely pleasant, not endurance tests.

All fishing equipment is provided at the lodge at no additional cost. And there is a lovely end-of-day ritual worth knowing about: after a day on the river, with a drink in hand, you can spend a few minutes at the lodge’s fly-tying bench making your own flies — and your guide will happily walk you through it if you are new to tying.

You can also shape the day however you like: fish all morning and shoot doves in the afternoon, fish a full day with a shore lunch, or alternate fishing and shooting days across the week. Swapping a half-day dove hunt for Dorado fishing costs nothing extra.

Hunting

Entre Ríos quite literally means “between rivers,” and the province draws on three major water systems. That combination of rich farmland, marsh, and forest is what fills the sky here: extraordinary numbers of dove, duck, perdiz, and pigeon, year after year.

Dove Shooting (September–April, unlimited harvest): High-volume dove shooting is what put Argentina on the map, and this region holds dove numbers as impressive as anywhere in the country — the local population has grown enormously alongside the spread of soy, corn, and sorghum fields. Shooting over 2,000 rounds in a day is not unusual.

Your guide arrives ahead of you and has everything ready: a natural blind built at the right spot, an unlimited supply of shells stocked beside you, a stool, and cold beverages on hand all morning. Hunts take place at the roosts or in fields near feed lots, morning or afternoon, and the fields are a short 20–30 minute drive from the lodge.

It is all pass shooting, and it can be wonderfully sporty. Because the birds keep coming, you can pick your shots — steady incoming birds for warming up, then the crossing and quartering shots when you are ready. There is no bag limit and no clock to watch; the only limit is your own desire to shoot. Many guests find their shoulder calls the day, and the field barbecue at lunch gives it a proper rest.

Mixed Bag Hunting (May–August): When the cast & blast season ends, the lodge turns to a full mixed bag program — duck, dove, perdiz, and pigeon — and each species is a different kind of day.

Duck hunting here has a magic to it. You leave by boat before dawn, and your guide builds a natural blind on the water’s edge and sets the decoys while the sky is still dark. Bird boys sit with you and call; you will hear wings beating close enough to make the hair stand up. Your primary bird is the large, majestic Rosy-Billed Pochard — the royalty of Argentine ducks — along with fast, beautiful teal of several kinds and the occasional tree duck or pintail. The limit is 15 ducks per hunter per day, and the duck fields are 30–50 minutes from the lodge.

Perdiz hunting is classic upland shooting over pointing dogs — German Shorthairs and Brittany Spaniels from the estancia’s own kennel, two guns per dog. Unlike quail, perdiz sit in singles and pairs in the grass of the open pampa, so every point is its own small drama. The rolling green pastures stretch as far as you can see, and the occasional giant hare flushing up is part of the fun. Fields are just 10–20 minutes away.

Pigeon hunting is a full-day event with its own rhythm. You are posted in your own blind before first light with decoys set, and when the Blue Rockys and Pica Zurros start coming to the decoys, the shooting begins. Midday, your field assistant walks you to a barbecue in the field, with hammocks strung for a siesta before the afternoon flight. The limit is 100 pigeons per hunter per day.

If your travel dates fall in the northern summer, this mixed bag program is the version of the trip to plan — and we arrange it the same way.

Pigeon add-on: During the September–April season, you can also swap a half-day dove hunt for a half-day pigeon hunt for an additional fee. Ask us and we will build it into your itinerary.

Cast & Blast Day in the Field: The day begins with a big homemade breakfast. Then it is a short drive to the dove fields, or a five-minute walk to the boats if it is a fishing morning. Lunch is a barbecue in the field or back at the lodge — your choice, and you can vary it day to day. Afternoons are flexible: more shooting, more fishing, or a rest. Evenings unfold slowly — cocktails on the patio, a late dinner, and conversation that lingers.

Full details are in the pre-trip planner we send after booking.

Seasons:
Mixed Bag (Duck,Dove,Perdiz,Pigeon)- May through August
Cast & Blast (Dove and Dorado) – September through April
Dove Only – September through April availability

Activities

Guests who do not shoot or fish are welcome here. There are plenty of amazing in-house experiences right at the lodge that expose you to Argentina’s rich culture:

• Spa and massage — steam room, dry sauna, and massage rooms overlooking the river valley
• Cooking lessons — learn how to prepare marinated perdiz, duck legs, Oriental duck casserole, and more from the chef
• Wine tasting — the sommelier shares the lodge cellar’s Argentine labels before dinner. Find your favorites and then enjoy them throughout your stay.
• Riding horses and walking tours of the property. Take in the spectacular scenery of the riverbeds and fields of the region.
• Tango and folklore shows — One of Argentina’s most well-known attractions. You don’t even have to leave the lodge – they can bring the experience right to the living room!

Beyond the property, we happily arrange touring before or after your hunt: Buenos Aires city tours and tango shows, Mendoza wine country, Iguana Falls, or Patagonia. We work with the finest hotels in Buenos Aires and have ground staff there, and we can arrange specialized sommelier, culinary, and historical guides for customized itineraries anywhere in Argentina. Allow us to plan your entire stay.

Length of Stay / Itinerary

Most guests build their trip around a 4-night / 5-day stay, alternating dove shooting and Dorado fishing days or species during a mixed bag hunt — but every itinerary is customized. Some guests fish all day with a shore lunch; others hunt all day with a field lunch; many alternate. You can also extend into Mendoza, Buenos Aires, or Patagonia before or after your time at the lodge. Tell us what you would like the week to look like, and we will arrange it.

If you would like to enjoy some touring before or after your hunt, we will happily assist you.  Wonderful additions to this trip include Mendoza wine country, Patagonia, Iguazú Falls, and Buenos Aires.

Travel Details & Location

You will fly into Buenos Aires and connect to Santa Fe or Paraná, where the lodge staff meets you. The transfer from Paraná is about an hour; from Santa Fe, about an hour and a half. Charter flights directly out of the international airport are also an option for groups at additional cost, and we will make those arrangements for you.

Internet & Communications

You will have Wi-Fi and a land line available for you use

Changing Generations

There is a part of this trip that many guests end up remembering as much as the hunting, and it has nothing to do with birds or fish.

About two miles from the lodge, Sister Teresa runs a school for underprivileged children, where they receive two meals a day and a good basic education. She also supports the local orphanage in Hernandarias. Every bit of it — including the construction of the school itself — has been built through donations.

This outfitter has been part of that work for years. The majority of the game birds taken at the lodge go to Sister Teresa’s school and the orphanage, so the doves and pigeons from your hunts are genuinely feeding local kids. The outfitter also makes cash donations, and any guest who would like to contribute to her work is warmly invited to do so — Sister Teresa has opened a bank account specifically for those who wish to help with the school and orphanage.

Many hunters have visited her at the school and count meeting her among the highlights of their trip. A few U.S. dollars go a long way for these kids, and the visit is an easy, meaningful addition to any day at the lodge.

Rates

2026-2027 Rates

• Cast & Blast (September–April): $950 per night
• Dove Only (September–April): $950 per night
• Mixed Bag (May–August): $1,500 per night
• Private room: additional $450 per night

Please call for pricing details.

Trip Insurance & Cancellation Info

Trip insurance is highly recommended to protect your investment on this trip. We will assist you with trip insurance upon booking. See links at the bottom of this page for the two providers we suggest for our clients.

Family Expeditions, LLC confirmation and refund policy:

If your trip is more than 90 days out from date of departure, a 50% non-refundable deposit confirms your reservation and must be received within 10 days of booking to confirm your dates. All trips must be paid in full at least 90 days prior to the departure date. If your trip date is within 90 days, FULL payment for the trip is required. All payments to Family Expeditions are non-refundable. Should you need to reschedule or cancel your trip, we will do everything in our power to assist you in finding a suitable substitute or transferring your dates per the lodge/providers/government requirements. Trip insurance protects your investment!

FAQ

When is the best time of year for cast & blast in Argentina?
September through April. That is the season for both high-volume dove shooting and the best Golden Dorado fishing on the Paraná. From May through August, the lodge offers its mixed bag hunt instead — duck, dove, perdiz, and pigeon.

Can I do a mixed bag hunt at this lodge?
Yes. From May through August the lodge operates a full mixed bag program — duck, dove, perdiz, and pigeon. If your dates fall outside cast & blast season, that is the trip we will plan for you.

How many guests can the lodge accommodate?
Up to 20 hunters, and a buy-out for 10 gives your group exclusive use of the estancia.

What can I expect from a day here?
Mornings in a natural blind with an unlimited supply of shells and doves passing in waves, afternoons on the river casting for Golden Dorado — or the reverse, or a restful afternoon, depending on the day you would like. Lunch is a barbecue in the field or back at the lodge, and evenings unfold over cocktails and a three-course dinner.

What is there for non-hunters and non-fishers?
Plenty. The spa has a steam room, dry sauna, and massage rooms; the lodge offers cooking lessons, wine tastings, riding horses, and walking tours, and some evenings feature tango or folklore shows in the living room.

Do I need to bring my own gun or fishing gear?
No. The lodge provides loaner guns and all fishing equipment at no additional cost, and the staff will match equipment to your preferences.

How do I get to the lodge?
Fly into Buenos Aires and connect to Santa Fe or Paraná. The lodge staff meets you at the airport — the drive is about an hour from Paraná and an hour and a half from Santa Fe. Charter flights are also an option for groups, and we will arrange all of it.

How far in advance should I book?
We recommend planning 6–12 months ahead, especially for groups wanting exclusive use or peak-season dates. Contact us and we will check availability for your dates.