The Pucón to Futaleufú road trip is an all time paddling adventure from the Araucanía region to the Patagonia. Axel Hovorka and Josefa Sepulveda Fernandez will lead guests down each river focusing on guest’s safety, confidence, and technique. The trip covers 850km through the heart of Southern Chile by river, land, and sea. Paddlers will paddle waterfalls and big water and relax between lakes and mountains. Axel and Josefa will meet with each guest to design each trip around each guest’s experience, preferences and goals.

This trip is for paddlers who want to immerse themselves in Southern Chile and paddle in a comfortable and supportive environment. Paddlers with some previous class III-IV experience will appreciate the progression of rivers.

The rivers of Southern Chile run all year long. We offer this trip from December through March. In the earlier months (Chilean spring), guests should expect higher water levels. This does marginally increase the difficulty of the paddling on the trip, especially for paddlers used to paddling in places with lower volume rivers, though this is somewhat neutralized by the increased options for rivers we have during this period.

The Chilean summer combines optimal water levels with sunny days, though the weather in the south is always unpredictable. Between January 15 and February 15 is considered the high season for tourism in Southern Chile. There is still plenty of breathing room during this time, especially outside of Pucon.

After mid February-early March, the tourism, heat, and water levels begin to wane. This is the friendliest time to explore the South if you are just warming up to Class IV. With still great water levels and, often, great weather conditions, this time of year is a great time for paddlers looking for a good way to start off the North American/European season.

The road trip typically involves paddling class III and class IV rivers. Paddlers from the West coast United States and Canada will be comfortable and thrilled by the amount of water in the rivers and the clean waves and features. East Coast USA and European paddlers will have the opportunity to learn and enjoy a new style of paddling.

For paddlers with significant experience on class III and a confident roll, this trip can be a good place to step up to class IV whitewater in a very supportive environment.

The trip covers a large swath of Chilean rivers ranging from waterfalls to high volume big water. Both Axel and Josefa have extensive expertise in both domains. Their first priority is ensuring the guests have a safe and enjoyable experience every single day on the water. Aside from paddling the new rivers and experiencing Southern Chile, a major goal of the trip is for guests to leave feeling more confident and skilled on the river. Prior to the trip, Axel and Josefa will meet one-on-one with each guest to understand their paddling experience and goals. From there, they will modify the itinerary and scope of their guiding specifically to each guest. Some days, the focus on the river will be getting to know the rapids while others will center around building confidence, reading the water, and improving technique.

Southern Chile is known for its raw natural beauty and generosity. As we travel between rivers guests will see and learn about Chile’s history, culture, and breathtaking landscape. Accommodations will vary; in Pucon we stay at a lodge with volcanic views, while we travel we will stay in locally operated rustic cabañas, and in Futaluefú we will stay on a riverside Patagonian ranch.

All meals and snacks are provided during the trip. We strive to combine local cuisine with guest’s preferences. Most meals will be prepared in-house but we will have the opportunity to go out and experience local offerings.

The road trip is a custom offering meaning that the itinerary is variable. For most guests the most streamlined arrival is booking an international flight to Santiago de Chile then a domestic flight to Temuco. The trip ends in Futaleufú in the Chilean Patagonia, guests can book a flight from Esquel, Argentina to Buenos Aires then return home from Buenos Aires. 

A deposit of $2000 secures the booking for the trip. The full payment of the trip is due six weeks prior to the first day of the trip. If the trip is booked less than six weeks before the first day of the trip, the full amount is due upon booking.  After we meet and decide on a plan, we will send you the pertinent payment details.

Because of the logistical complexity of the trip, Chile Kayak Adventures is not typically able to issue refunds. We evaluate each case on an individual basis and can sometimes offer substitutions or rescheduling. For this reason, we ask guests to purchase a comprehensive travel insurance policy that protects your investment in the flight and the trip.