Rafting the Wild Futaleufu River

PanAmerican Travel Services arranges multi-day river rafting trips on the Futaleufu River in Southern Chile. We can also arrange your flights, as well as pre- and post-trip extensions to other parts of Chile and Argentina. These trips can be completed without any prior river experience. Expert guides, support teams, and the best possible food and accommodations compliment your expedition.

Our partner is Earth River Expeditions, Chile’s most reputable and experienced river expedition company. The most popular group-basis itinerary (eight-days / seven-nights) is as follows:

Day 1 (Puerto Montt to Chaiten): Upon your arrival in Puerto Montt, Chile in the late morning, transfer to the half hour charter flight over fiords to the small fishing village of Chaiten. There, you spend the night in a hotel. In the evening, you meet the rest of the group for a welcome dinner. Note: flights from the U.S. to Puerto Montt, Chile are not included.

Day 2 (Puerto Montt to Rio Futaleufu): Boarding a comfortable Mercedes bus, we drive an hour and a half to the trail head. Disembarking, we hike for two hours, reaching an area where a glacier meets a rain forest. After lunch we drive an hour and a half to the lower Futaleufu River where we begin training by doing a flip drill and then running a series of Class 4+ rapids. A short drive from the take out and a half mile hike takes us to the Terminador Camp, the first of four stunning private camps complete with two miles of private river front, swimming holes, hand-hewn wooden cliff dwellings, cliff-side hot tub and masseuse.

Day 3 (Rio Futaleufu to Cave Camp): This morning we drive to the put-in on the upper river and run the wild, sheer walled Class 5 Inferno Canyon (Class 4 participants ride horses or hike around on a beautiful trail). In the afternoon we raft down to the private 1,000 acre Cave Camp, the most exotic and diverse river camp in the world. Cave Camp features a river carved stone hot tub, native stone shelters with fireplaces, crystal clear swimming / kayaking ponds, private beaches and dramatic wooden cliff dwellings all set around Zeta Rapid, the most spectacular on the river.

Day 4 (Cave Camp to Tree House Camp): This morning, we do a dramatic Tyrolean traverse (crossing by pulley on a rope) between sheer granite walls over Zeta Rapid and then hike three hours up to the Tree House Camp with its deep, ten-acre lake and old growth forest. In the afternoon there is an optional hike up to the tree house / canyon overlook where a group of condors may be seen soaring in the canyon thermals. We spend the night in hand crafted tree houses suspended 35 feet up in the old growth canopy with views of the lake and snow-capped Andes through the trees.

Day 5 (Tree House Camp to Cave Camp): In the morning we hike down to the river where we take a 250-foot zip line back across the river (shooting down an angled rope on a pulley). After a soak in the stone hot tub and lunch on the smooth ledges above Zeta Rapid, we have the option of a rock climb the 300' Torre de los Vientos (Tower of the Winds) and venture out on the Knife Edge for a stunning 360-degree view of the river and surrounding canyon. On the way down we do the two-stage, 300’ Grand Tower rappel of the sheer north wall (self-lowering by rope) to the bottom (There is an optional 100’ rappel off the back side). The evening is at the Cave Camp in stone shelters or cliff dwellings.

Day 6 (Cave Camp to Mapu Leufu Camp): In the morning we run a series of long, Class 4+ rapids down to Mapu Leufu Camp. (Participants not wishing to run Class 5 Terminador Rapid will get out here, where we spend the night). The next hour and a half will be spent running the river’s most challenging Class 5 section, including the Terminador and Himalayas rapids. We then take out and hike 1.5 miles back upstream to the mouth of the Rio Blanco slot canyon where we spend the rest of the afternoon Canyoneering. (Rafts are rolled up and brought back upstream by ox cart to the Mapu Leufu Camp, which allows us to run this incredible Class 5 stretch again the next day.). After canyoneering, we take a manual cable car across the river to Campo Mapu Leufu. This 300-acre camp sits on a 120-foot cliff over the river and includes cliff dwellings, cliff-side hot tub, kayak pond, side creek with waterfalls, flush toilet and hot showers.

Day 7 (Rio Futaleufu / Campo Mapu Leufu): *Today is one the most impressive commercial rafting days in the world boasting over 20 major rapids including Terminador, Himalayas, Mas O Menos and Casa Piedra. In the early afternoon we take out and drive half an hour back to the Campo Mapu Leufu trailhead. A half-mile hike takes us into the camp’s interior. That evening we have a farewell dinner celebration in the form of a traditional Chilean Asado (roasted sheep over a fire). *OPTION: Class 4 participants have the option of hiking on a trail around short sections of the bigger rapids.

Day 8 (Chaiten to Puerto Montt): The morning is free to take rafting lessons, go on a hike to an old growth forest and two lakes or relax in the hot tub. In the afternoon we drive three hours to Chaiten where we take the short scenic flight back to Puerto Montt. There you can connect with your flight to your next destination.

Contact PanAmerican Travel Services at 800.364.4359 for departure dates and pricing.

This package includes: 50-foot motorized support vessel and crew; all transportation according to the itinerary, for round trip Puerto Montt - Puerto Montt; all meals from lunch on Day 1 to breakfast on Day 8; services of expert guides and support personnel; fully-equipped fiberglass sea kayaks with spray skirts, paddles and accessories; full camping gear, except for personal sleeping bag and pad; one night at Mechuque Guest House and one night in Altue’s Sea Kayaking Lodge (based on double occupancy) with wooden-fired hot tub facilities.

Degree of Difficulty: The trip is not especially rigorous and requires no prior experience with kayaks. You must know how to swim and be in reasonably good physical condition. A positive attitude towards open-air activities is very important. This is a trip for the person who enjoys participative tourism in a natural setting, and who understands that during our trip we may encounter variable weather and tidal conditions that will require modifications in the itinerary.

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