Our Guided Custom Trips:
Two Weeks of Chile Rivers: Futaleufu week + Pucon Week
Class II-III-IV
Kayak the Futaleufu River System, the Rio Espolon, Rio Azul, and Rio Futaleufu based out of Campo Tres Monjas on the Futaleufu. One full day of travel and you will be in Pucon at the Kayak Hostel. The next day you can start paddling the rivers in this area. The Rio Trancura, Rio Liucura, Palguin and Rio Fuy. Call our office.
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(Minimum group size 4) |
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Futaleufu week + two days on the Rio Manso in Bariloche
Class II-III-IV
Kayak the Futaleufu River System, the Rio Espolon, Rio Azul, and Rio Futaleufu based out of Campo Tres Monjas on the Futaleufu. One full day of travel and you will be at your hotel in Bariloche. Your Kayak Base for the next two days of kayaking on the Rio Manso. Call our office.
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(Minimum group size 4) |
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Rio Puelo International Crossing of the Andes from Argentina to the Pacific
Class I-II-III-IV, and V
The lakes, rivers and fjords of the Puelo drainage start in Parque Nacional Lago Puelo near El Bolsón, Argentina. After crossing the first two lakes you will cross the remote roadless border with Chile. A class II river drains the lakes and within six kilometers it is pinched through a narrow spectacular Class IV-V Canyon. Another six kilometers and we enter a tamer class III-IV canyon called “El Porton”. From the from the finish of El Porton, one can paddle sea kayaks through the lakes and Class II-III minus whitewater to the ocean. Parque Nacional Pumalin is on river left. This is one of the most beautiful sections of the Andes. The accomplishment of a complete water crossing of the Andes and the country of Chile.
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(6 days)
(Minimum group size 8) |
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Threatened Rivers of Patagonia:
Río
Fuy - Choshuenco Chile
Flowing
into Lago Panguipulli, this river is one of
the best steep runs in Chile. This crystal-clear river tumbles down the Andean
hillsides in a series of pool-drop rapids, including
five impressive waterfalls. There are also several
world-class Class III play sections along the
way. This river is a steep creekers paradise
overlooked by the snowcapped Choshuenco
Volcano.
During the days of paddling, we select the
appropriate section for your trip, usually
starting with
the easiest sections and climaxing to the most
challenging. The shuttles are very short,
giving
us plenty of time for post-paddling activities
such as horseback riding, guided dory
trips,
trout fishing or relaxing at the beach. The
base camp for the Río
Fuy is the
town of Choshuenco,
population 1000. We stay in a small inn
and dine on hearty Chilean
food. This modest, friendly village is located
on the volcanic, black sandy beaches
of Lago Panguipulli.
Section One:
Lago Pirehueico to Las Leonas Falls
This
action-packed Class IV run of the Upper
Fuy begins on the tranquil
waters of Lago Pirihueico. In a lush tropical
setting with dense trees and overhanging vines,
the river falls away from the lake with pool-drop
rapids continuous enough to keep you on your
toes. There is a small play hole about halfway
down the run and several surf waves just upstream
of Las Leonas Falls which marks the end of
Section One. There you may opt to take out,
leaving
the waterfalls and Class IV stretch of Section
Two for another time... or continue on downstream.
Section
Two:
The Falls of the Upper Fuy
With five impressive drops,
Section Two is the steep creeker’s paradise
stretching from Las Leonas Falls to where
the
river meets the road. This Class IV+ kayak
run begins in a small pool just above Las
Leonas Falls - a
10 meter drop - that can be run or portaged.
Immediately below the plunge there is another
3 - meter drop
followed by two kilometers of assorted falls
and steep slides. This is an adrenaline-charged
section
of whitewater.
Section
X:
Beneath Section Two
there is a few kilometers of flatwater. Then
the rapids pick up into an unrunnable section
that leads into the overwhelming spectacular
Huilo Huilo Falls, a 35-meter drop into a clean
deep pool. This unrunnable drop is in a stunning
fern and forested setting with
good access to views and a great swim in the
pool below. For the next few kilometers there
are
numerous unrunnable falls over 10 meters in
height before the river mellows out into Section
Three.
Section
Three: Put-in
to First bridge
The Middle
Fuy,
a Class IV section, starts off with a bang.
The
put-in is within sight of the most difficult
drop of this section, a 3-meter ledge drop
right
into another rapid. The remainder of the run
takes us through a boulder-strewn river bed
with countless eddies to catch and holes to
surf. With Class IV/V kayakers this section
will usually be run in conjunction with Section
Four.
Section
Four: Concrete
bridge to the Wooden bridge
The Lower Fuy – a Class
III+ section at certain levels, is a playboaters/paddlers
paradise. It begins at an awesome play spot
and then runs downstream through a boulder
garden
with countless eddies and surf waves.
Section
Five: Wooden
Bridge to Lake
The Lower
Fuy, a less intense
Class II/III section, takes us on the last
leg
of the Rio Fuy’s journey from Lago Pirihueico to
Lago Panguipulli. The river widens as the
gradient
levels off offering amazing views of the surrounding
volcanoes. This is the perfect warm-up run
for
the Class III and IV sections of the Fuy. There
are plenty of places to practice surfing,
ferries, eddy catching
and combat rolls. At the confluence with the
lake we will paddle the short distance back
to the sandy beach near our inn.
Río
San Pedro - Chile
It
is a fun-filled and action-packed Class
III/IV big water run with numerous play waves
and a
retentive play hole. The water is warm and
crystal clear, enabling you to carefully
inspect the
unique lava flows. The river
is only a few feet deep in certain places,
in others the bottom disappears
out of sight. The base camp for the Rio
San Pedro is a small hotel in the town of Panguipulli, with
a population of around 10,000 locals, this
charming village is famous for its Festival
of Roses and
its beachside setting. It is just big enough
to have an authentic Chilean night life.
Río
Enco - Chile
This Class II/III river flows
between two beautiful lakes, a few kilometers
paddle
across the open
lake from our hotel in Choshuenco. Although
the water is big, the routes are clearly defined
and fun to paddle. There are plenty of good
play spots. We usually incorporate the Rio
Enco in trips with Class III/IV paddlers.
Río
Neltume - Chile
Flowing
from the warm and clear Lago Neltume, this
Class II/III river is a short tributary of
the Rio Fuy. With
a shallow shore put-in, it is ideal for working
on our rolls and tuning up our forward strokes
before the two kilometer long Neltume. This
section of rapids is drop/pool, which does
require some
precise maneuvering and technical paddling.
Río
Manso - Bariloche, Argentina
Born
in the huge glaciers of the Tronador
Volcano in the Argentinean national park of Nahuel
Huapi, the Río
Manso flows into
several large clear remote lakes
heading towards Chile, where
it eventually joins the Rio Puelo. The
three sections of the Manso offer
Argentina's
best
whitewater. One of these sections is always
optimum for running no matter what
the skill of the
group.
San
Carlos de Bariloche
is the gateway to the Rio Manso. Bariloche
is a rather large Patagonian city, most known
for
its ski area and the stone-cathedral: the Aspen
of Argentina.
Section
1: (Class
III+)
The upper play stretch, Manso
Medio, has 6 kms of fun rapids, surfing waves
and fun holes. There is at least one big drop
that will get your attention. This stretch
can be done in a full day or in a half day.
Section
2: (
Class IV/V)
La Cascada is 23 kms of very
steep, a small river with numerous spectacular
runnable drops and even more spectacular unrunnable
falls. This section is a remote run along
the heavily forested border of Nahuel Huapi National
Park—totally
inaccessible except by river or air. You will
be in a section of earth most humans have
never seen. After being challenged all day
in a tight canyon environment, our day ends
dramatically as the river eases in difficulty
and flows into the open and peaceful Lago
Steffen surrounded by high Andean mountains.
This requires an hour of paddling across the
lake to our waiting vehicle. Our lodge for
this section is a rustic log ‘hospedaje’
at the put-in.
Section
3:
(Class III/IV)
“Manso a la
Frontera”
is a great run for Class III/IV paddlers. This remote frontier section
is a 15-km stretch of the Rio Manso, bordering
the Nahuel Huapi National
Park until it meets the border of Chile.
This day we paddle a small, narrow and intimate
canyon with strange but beautiful rock formations.
Challenged and awed, we ride the Manso till
we meet the border of Chile. Here we load
our kayaks on horses and hike out to an Argentinean
Estancia. Our Argentinean-Swiss Hosts will
prepare our dinner as we prepare for a good
night's sleep in our tents under the stars.
We drive 3.5 hours through the Patagonia
steppe
south towards Esquel.
Rivers of Pucon,Chile:
Rio Trancura: Upper
Class: III, IV & V
Rio Trancura: Lower
Class: II, III and III+
Rio Trancura: Delta to Lago Villarrica
Class: II – II+
Rio Liucura: Bridge to Wave
Class: II – III
Rio Liucura: Wave to Lower Rio Trancura Bridge
Class: II – III
Rio Liucura: Play Wave
Class: II+
Upper Palguin
Class: III – IV
Rio Maichin: Lower Canyon
Class: II – III
Upper Palguin
Class: III – IV
Rio Puelo Expedition Map
Argentina - Chile