Chile is home to countless incredible rivers, many of which I have paddled and even more which I have not. This list is, of course, entirely subjective and dependent on my own experiences; how I felt, who I was with, and how I remember. I still recall my first time down each one of these rivers like it was yesterday and with every day that passes, the sooner I will be in Chile exploring new rivers to amend this list.

A common theme with these rivers and descent is facing setbacks and exploring new ways to experience the river and the place it occupies. Improvising, discovering, and learning on each one of these rivers has defined my formation as a guide and as a paddler and something that I believe no amount of training or certification could replace.

Río Futaleufú

No list of incredible rivers in Chile would be complete without the Futa. My first time at the Futa we arrived after some serious setbacks including lost boats on the highway and a cancelled ferry. After a long night of travel, Breiner Matiz and I passed over the waters of the Futa in the pre-dawn hours of a cold morning. Breiner and I were both very excited and attempted to rest at the put in for until there was finally enough light to see. We put on at first light. The river was high and the day was cloudy but the sensation of paddling between the peaks and over the waves for the first time was incredible. I have returned to Futa many times since, once by hitchhiking with my gear from Argentina, and several times descending the river with my bare hands in lieu of my paddle to feel the river and try novel tricks. Each experience opens up more of the river, more friendships, and a greater appreciation for the area.

Captura de pantalla 2025-08-22 a la(s) 12.25.32.png

Río Captrén

It is just one drop, but the fact that it makes this list says a lot about it. Salto Captrén or Tomatita is about 45 feet tall and drops off suddenly but otherwise is a perfect pool to pool drop, My first time paddling Tomatita, I was not sure about the lip but I just focused on staying smooth and floating off in the right place and had a nice line. I always try to make the trip to Curacautín to run Captrén whenever I can. Despite the height, I have found it to be one of the cleanest and most forgiving drops I have ever paddled and it was instrumental in my progression toward bigger and more challenging waterfalls in Chile.

Río Fuy

Remarkably the Fuy resists any kind of classification even though the entire river is so short you can paddle it in just one long day. After a maze of rural roads and lake shores, the Fuy reveals itself. In the winter and spring, the size and power of the river rivals the Futaleufú and in the summer the electric blue water and tall waterfalls are dreamlike. Salto Puma, the 115-foot tall waterfall at the beginning of the middle section, is the tallest and most difficult waterfall I have ever paddled. The lead in and freefall are very technical but Salto Puma somehow remains the only waterfall taller than 100 feet hat has appealed to me.

The Upper Fuy is powerful but smooth. My first time down, I was following Lucas Varas and Breiner Matiz at a healthy flow. At one point I “boofed” over Lucas while he was surfing a hole. At lower flows, it retains the same quality and the same energy but becomes much more approachable.

The first time I came to Chile, I wasn’t sure if I would be around long enough to paddle the Middle Fuy. After the run-off subsides, the Fuy’s deepest canyon opens itself to paddlers. Josefa and I made our way to the Fuy hoping to paddle the middle section, but after waiting all day we did not have anyone to go with. After I had originally determined it was too late to put on, Breiner showed up keen to paddle and he lead us down the canyon at last light. When we got to the must-run 45-foot waterfall the intuition took precedent over a clear directions. I have spent many days running this section, sometimes with first-timers, sometimes with old friends, sometimes just with Josefa. Whether it is a stop on the way south or my final destination, the Fuy always stands out.

Río Florín

Lago Ranco holds a special place in my heart. Often overlooked today when kayakers visit Chile from abroad or even domestically, the lakeside, the endless possibilities on the east side of the lake, and the sunsets are what keep me coming back. The Florín was my inaugural river in the area. Spencer Beck and I drove up to the put-in on a cold October morning. We confirmed the water level visually and began the process of showing ourselves down. After a very narrow double-drop, the canyon consists of a 55-foot and 35-foot waterfall with a few nice rapids in between. One of my favorite memories was a speed run with Pedro Bakovic and Rafa St. Pierre. I crashed hard on the double drop but redeemed myself when we all followed each other, one after another, off the subsequent waterfalls.

Río Melipué

Russell Henry had access to a vehicle. The modest Kia Morning reflected our modest budget for the expedition. After some paddling in Pucón, we loaded our kayaks onto the Kia via Russell’s roof bars which he had fabricated himself in a hardware store parking lot and started driving south. Our plans were vague and rather than concrete plans, consisted more is aspirations in finding a first descent or, at the very least, some lesser known rivers near Lago Ranco. We started the morning with a descent of the last canyon of the Río Pillanleufú. Off the river before noon, we were keen for more and began driving around Lago Maihue looking for more rivers. We encountered some road construction near the small lakeside village Rupumeica Bajo. The construction crew asked us where we were headed but we barely knew ourselves. I was driving and Russell fumbled around on his phone’s satellite map and pointed at the Río Melipué.

This was our first encounter with the river. The road to the Melipué was impassible but from the satellite imagery the river looked unbelievable. Steep gradient, waterfalls, canyons, and lots of rapids. Unable to drive to the river, we opted to paddle on the lake to arrive at the nearby mouth of the Melipué. When we began to walk upstream from the mouth of the river, we found ourselves in a manicured fundo, a massive contrast from the otherwise rural Los Ríos region. The houses were the largest and nicest I had ever seen in Chile, hidden at the back of Lago Maihue. We strolled through the establishment asking the workers as many questions as we could and eventually we came face to face with the fundo’s manager. We expressed our desire to run the river and after much reassuring and convincing, he agreed to let us paddle the river and even to provide us the logistical support we needed to take out inside the fundo. We then walked through a resident’s yard to paddle the last kilometer of the river before crossing the lake back over to our vehicle.

The quality of the whitewater and the beauty of the river was only matched by the potential the rest of the section contained. I could not believe it was real. Russell and I studied the maps of the river as best we could for the next day. We drove all the way back around the lake and half way around Lago Ranco before veering back into the mountains. If the landscape didn’t give it way, the signage made it abundantly clear we were deep into Mapuche territory and the fundo at the mouth of the river was a mere enclave. As the sun was setting, I sent out a few messages and was unable to confirm that anyone had paddled the Melipué but one paddler did recognize the river not by its name but rather the drainage and his indication was clear. Go.

We woke up in the dust on the side of the dirt road between Riñinahue and Rupumeica Alto. We slowly made our way to the bridge over the Río Melipué and put on the river. What ensued was one of the most rewarding experiences I have ever had in a kayak. Waterfalls, portages, blind rapids, and one of the most beautiful rivers I had ever seen. Each corner was filled with mystery and wonder. The Melipué is a special river and a sensitive place and perhaps the minute details of the river are best saved for another article or another descent.

Río Gol Gol

On the way up Paso Puyehue, just before the border checkpoint, lies the put-in for the classic section of the Río Gol Gol at Salto Los Novios. The Gol Gol always has enough water to paddle but is typically a spring time run. The Gol Gol is a short but very steep section and the waterfalls progressively get bigger culminating in the final 50-foot Salto del Indio.

My first time down was at high water and the last time I paddled the Gol Gol, I lost my paddle in the landing of Salto del Indio and chased it through the river’s borderline unrunnable lower canyon before hiking out in the dark through the woods. The drops are clean inviting but the river can be equally feverish and treacherous. Running these big drops with clean lines, understanding the geography of the river, showing my friends down, and the epic on the lower canyon are all experiences that make the Río Gol Gol one of the most stand-out sections I have ever paddled.

Río Puelo

The Puelo has only had road access for less than 20 years. Deep in the Patagonia Verde and far off the beaten path, the Puelo is like taking a step back in time. Electricity is scarce in the village of Llanada Grande and non-existent beyond it. The landscape is largely unadulterated and the river runs strong. Josefa and I left from Lago Ranco to explore the Puelo. After hours of dirt roads nestled between the mountains and the ocean, we veered a left turn and boarded the ferry to cross Lago Tagua-Tagua. The other side of the lake is remote. We passed the world’s southernmost vineyard and the confluence of Argentina’s Río Manso. After camping at our friend Nacho Pardo’s emerging campground known as Pasarela Puelo, we started the next day with our maiden descent of the Puelo’s upper canyon. The rapids on the section are big, easily Class IV-V, with plenty of volume and gradient. The moves are well defined and the force of the river catapults you down. It is my favorite style of paddling; lots of water yet still very technical. I never wanted it to end, each run I found new lines and learned the style a little more. Showing new paddlers down, rallying down with a big crew, or a quick evening solo run, I can always depend on the Puelo’s canyon to be unique every time.

Río Puesco

In the spring, the uppermost reaches of Pucón’s Río Trancura, known as the Río Puesco, come to life. The Puesco has become my default section in Pucón, packed with continuous Class IV-V boulder garden sections. The rapids are challenging and constantly push me to improve my conditioning, memory, and technique. Despite being a full section, I am almost never content with one lap and spending the whole day running laps on the river with friends then enjoying the riverside brewery nestled between the peaks is the norm.

Río Claro

Deep canyons, narrow lines, and big waterfalls; the Río Claro is truly a river of dreams. It is a serious undertaking but the drops are clean and the scenery is unique. My first trip to the Río Claro was with Spencer Beck. After a long drive north from Pucón, we spent two days paddling all the major sections culminating in the beautiful but rarely run 75-foot Salto La Leona.

When we put on for our first run of the 22 Saltos section I was astonished by the clear water and perfect waterfalls. I trusted the features and had clean lines all the way down. When we arrived to the lip of Caracol, the iconic twisting 40-foot waterfall in the Garganta del Diablo section, few words were exchanged and we followed each other off, one after the other. I rounded the corner and came flying off the the final part of the drop. I landed flat and took a massive impact. I try to avoid landings like this, but the excitement got the best of me. I shook it off and we continued through the narrow slot drops finished out the canyon.

The next day, after some stretching and attempts to recover from my hard landing, we set out eyes on Salto La Leona. The waterfall pours out of one of the Claro’s most isolated canyons. The lead-in to the waterfall in another challenging 15-foot that crashes into a wall. The “thread-the-needle” line is razor thin and barely visible when scouting the entrance from above. I agreed to go first while Spencer waited below. The canyon above was dark and I had to enter with some blind faith. Fortunately, I made the line through the lead-in perfectly and had a smooth run over the falls.

I am super grateful to have paddled most of this river and have returned several other times to share parts of it with friends but I am still waiting for another opportunity to run the whole river again.

Río Baker

The Río Baker is Chile’s largest river by volume and the farthest south I have been in the country but, for me, the journey to the Baker and learning to paddle it is what makes it one of my favorites. Josefa and I met Spanish kayakers Adam and Laro on Facebook days before beginning the long journey south from Pucón. We crossed the border between Chile and Argentina many times paddling incredible sections together in both countries on our way to the Baker. After more than a week of travel, we arrived. Adam and I were keen to paddle while Josefa and Laro preferred to rest after the long days of travel. Adam and I put on the massive Class V big water river, neither of us having done it before. In the third rapid, I misjudged the entry and ended up swimming. Adam rescued my gear single-handedly while I hiked down to the takeout.

The four of us spent the next week acclimating to the sheer size and power of the three canyons of the Baker. The section was long and every single run constituted flip and surfs but we each learned to accept the force of the river. It was not mastery but there was improvement and on my final decent of the Baker, I felt infinitely smoother and more humble. The conditions seemed right to attempt the “portage” rapid in third canyon and with the right combination of precision and improvisation, I floated right through.

The Chile season is now just right around the corner and I am very excited to see what new rivers are out there, host new paddlers, and share some of my favorites. If you would like to discuss coming and paddling with us in Chile this year, drop me a line at axel@chilekayakadventures.cl or explore our webpage to see all we have to offer.

My Top 10 Favorite Rivers in Chile