Every spring, Chile’s Andean rivers come to life. We start in Santiago, Chile’s capital, and work our way south to Pucón in the Araucanía region. We will visit both the Río Claro and Pucón. On the Claro, we will paddle through tight gorges and perfect waterfalls. As we work our way south, we can stop at a few different rivers like the Río Tena and Río Biobío.

We will arrive in Pucón with perfect, healthy water levels and plenty of options.

Throughout the trip, we will focus on running waterfalls. There are a lot of misconceptions in the paddling world about this aspect of the sport but we have paddled hundreds of waterfalls ourselves and are excited to share what we have learned with you.

We invite paddlers enthusiastic about paddling the iconic Río Claro and the rivers of Pucón to join us. If you are interested in paddling steeper river and waterfalls with spring-time water levels, this is the trip for you. Class IV skills are nice to have, but a Class III paddler with a growth mindset and a desire to progress into more advanced whitewater will appreciate the support, instruction, and mentorship we offer.

We offer this trip during the late spring time in Chile. During the month of November, the weather is warm at the Northern rivers in Chile and there is still plenty of runoff. The most sensitive river is the Río Claro, which can be hard to predict, but when planning international travel, November is still the best time to plan for this this river.

Each destination we visit on this trip has a few different options in terms of the difficulty of whitewater but most of them are Class III or Class IV. We will not paddle any formal “big water” on this trip, but the spring levels mean that the rivers will have water. For paddlers from Europe or the Eastern USA, this will be a novel style.

We will run many waterfalls on this trip. Unlike rapids, waterfalls do not fit neatly into a rating system but rather are judged subjectively based on feeling and reading water. We have lots of experience in kayaking waterfalls and all that goes into it and facilitate the process according to your background and goals.

The trip covers a large swath of Chilean rivers ranging from waterfalls to river running. 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.

As we travel between rivers guests will see and learn about Chile’s history, culture, and breathtaking landscape.

Accommodations will vary; at the Río Claro, we stay at a riverside lodge complete with a wood-burning hot tub (tinaja), while we travel we stay in locally operated rustic cabañas, and in Pucon we stay in a house with European flair on the side of the volcano Villarrica.

We travel together in our own vehicle during the trip, from the river to our accommodation and wherever else we may visit.

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 what is offered locally.

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 (SCL). We will meet you at the airport and commence our trip. Our trip concludes in Pucón. We will drop you off Aeropuerto de la Araucanía (ZCO) where a short domestic brings you back to Santiago’s international airport. We will help you coordinate the smoothest possible arrival and departure.

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. 

Because of the logistical complexity of the trip, we cannot typically 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.