Patagonia for Two: Why This Is the Couples Trip You Didn't Know You Needed
By Emily Brinker, Cheer(s) Captain, The Speckled Trout
I married a fisherman. I knew what I was getting into when I said yes. What I did not expect was to find a trip where the avid angler and the leisurely angler both come home calling it the best week of their lives.
In November 2024, Eric and I traveled to northern Patagonia, Argentina, with The Speckled Trout Outfitters. We stayed at Spring Creek Lodge outside Junín de los Andes, a collection of private cabañas nestled along the legendary Chimehuín River. From the moment we arrived, greeted with cocktails, a charcuterie spread, and a view of snowcapped Lanín Volcano from the dining room, we knew this was going to be an epic trip.
Your Trip, Built Around You
About a month before departure, we received a preference sheet, not a packing list, but a full menu of experiences. How many days of fishing? Float fishing or wade fishing? Horseback riding? A culinary class? A farm-to-table dining experience? Art studios? Shopping? Hiking? A lake day?
Each of us built our own itinerary. Eric loaded up on fishing days. I mixed it up; some fishing, some exploring, a scenic float, a horseback ride through the Andes. The flexibility was everything. Nothing was locked in so tightly that we could not adjust on the fly (no pun intended), and neither of us felt as though we were tagging along on the other's vacation.
That is what makes this trip remarkable for couples: the freedom to pursue entirely different adventures during the day and come back together at dinner with stories worth telling.
The Overnight Float
A highlight of our week was the overnight float and camp on the Chimehuín River. Eric fished the entire way downstream. I floated, Kindle in hand, Andes on either side, with absolutely no agenda beyond watching the scenery unfold.
When we arrived at camp, everything was waiting. Tents. Plush sleeping cots. A bathroom tent. A full bar under twinkle lights. A whole pig roasting slowly over an open fire. This was not roughing it. This was extreme glamping, Argentine style. We ate and drank under a sky so full of stars it felt like we were in a planetarium.
The next morning, we both fished on the way out. I caught my five fish, which was exactly my goal, and then I handed the rod back and enjoyed the ride while Eric continued doing what Eric does best: being the BowHog.
A Word About the BowHog
If you are not familiar with this term, allow me to introduce you. A BowHog is the person who claims the front of the boat, supposedly the prime position for the best fishing opportunities. We coined the term at The Speckled Trout Outfitters, and it is meant with nothing but love. The BowHog is someone who seeks epic adventures, goes all in, and whose mission is to have the time of their life while making sure everyone around them is having an equally great time. Eric is the original. It is literally in his email signature.
If that sounds like your person, this is their trip.
The Food, the Wine, the Culture
If you know us at The Speckled Trout, you know that food and hospitality sit at the center of everything we do. Patagonia delivered on that in ways that felt deeply familiar.
All meals at Spring Creek Lodge were included for our group, along with a full bar! Dinners were unhurried and generous: asado over open coals, salads adorned with edible flowers, local Malbec that made every evening feel like a celebration. I took a cooking class where we made empanadas from scratch and mixed chimichurri to taste. One evening we gathered for a wine tasting that taught us to read the entire region in a glass.
For our group, these experiences were woven seamlessly into the week.
Evening entertainment varied, local musicians one night, traditional dancers another, wine education the next. Each evening had its own character, and every night was an authentic glimpse into the heart of hospitality found in Argentina.
Beyond the River
On a day when Eric was waist-deep in the Chimehuín, I rode horseback through the Andes with a local gaucho who matched each rider to the right horse and taught us to sit deep and look where we wanted to go. We crossed rushing creeks, climbed steep trails, and finished by running through open grasslands with Lanín standing in the distance. It was exhilarating.
Another day brought a visit to an art studio in downtown San Martín de los Andes, followed by shopping through the charming lakeside town. I also spent time at Avataras Meliquina, an organic farm and culinary cooperative on the shore of Lake Meliquina, where we enjoyed a multi-course, farm-to-table dining experience overlooking the lake. Every dish was crafted from produce grown on the property, and the hosts walked us through each course with warmth and genuine pride in their craft.
Eric, meanwhile, was fishing Lake Tromen at the base of Lanín Volcano, a remote mountain lake where browns, rainbows, and brook trout rise with the kind of confidence that makes an angler's heart race.
We compared notes at dinner. That is the rhythm of the trip, and it is a good one.
The Lodge Itself
Spring Creek Lodge sits directly on the upper Chimehuín River and serves as home base for the entire week. Guests stay in spacious cabañas, each with two private bedrooms, a shared bathroom, a living area, and a wood-burning fireplace lit by the Lodge Team each morning and evening. There is a communal gathering space with comfortable seating, appetizers, and drinks waiting each afternoon. Dinners were over the top. From Argentine steak to pit-roasted lamb, homemade pasta, and incredible desserts.
We woke each morning to crackling fires and steaming coffee. By 9 a.m., guides were ready and waiting with plans tailored to whatever we had chosen for the day. The staff accommodated dietary needs with grace, and the guides brought equal parts expertise, patience, and humor to every outing.
The Travel Is Simpler Than You Think
When someone says Argentina, the instinct is to think it sounds far. It is an overnight flight! Settle in, get some sleep, and wake up in Buenos Aires. From there, travelers connect to Chapelco Airport near San Martín de los Andes, followed by an approximately 25-minute transfer to the lodge. Transportation from Chapelco Airport is fully coordinated through our partner, SET Fly Fishing. Once you arrive at Spring Creek Lodge, every detail is handled. You do not think about logistics for the rest of the week. You simply show up and live.
We Are Going Back
Eric and I loved this trip so much that we are returning November 14–21, 2026, and bringing a group with us through The Speckled Trout Outfitters. Twelve spots are available.
The trip includes seven nights at Spring Creek Lodge, six days of guided fishing or your choice of curated excursions, all meals, a full bar, guides, local transportation, a fishing license, and all fishing gear. Pricing is $7,500 per person.
Whether you are the angler, the BowHog, the scenic floater, or the person who came for the empanadas and the horseback riding, this trip has room for you. I promise you will both come home happy.
Visit our website for full details, or reach out to us directly.
