Patagonia is unlike any place in the world! Its wild and rugged landscape of towering peaks, hanging glaciers and pristine rivers provides one of the most spectacular scenery on the planet.
This harsh environment has not only carved its way through the terrain but also made an impact with the people who live in the region. The locals have a distinct culture and language (accent/dialect) and are super friendly. They love to sit down and talk about their life in such a remote and wild region over a Maté, a green tea that is sipped through a metal straw (bombilla). However, it is not just talking about how they live and cope with the 4 seasons that can happen in any one day, the local Patagon’s as they are called are interested in where you are from and your journey to reach Patagonia.
Patagonia where time just seems to flow with the river!!
This is an incredible adventure and a journey into the heart of Chile’s Patagonia, from the world famous and stunning Futaleufu River down to the rarely visited and paddled Rio Figueroa, one of Chile’s hidden gems. You will cherish with fond memories fantastic whitewater, incredible scenery, great food and a warm welcome from the local Patagon communities.
This is a kayak trip like no other, a one of a kind. This is OUR Patagonia Kayak Road Trip!
Tour Overview
We come and meet you at the airport in Esquel in Argentina and it is just a couple of hours drive over the border, into Chile and the stunning Futaleufu River. In the afternoon we settle into our cabañas (wooden cabins), fit out our kayaks then relax in the evening with maybe a chance to see the mighty Condor soaring above us.
The next 6 days will be spent kayaking the world class Futaleufu River. Known by the locals as a landscape painted by God you will get to know and paddle various sections of this famous river. We warm up with some laps on the Macal section to get used to the volume and gradient of the Futaleufu, then throughout the week we kayak sections such as Bridge to Bridge, Bridge to Casa de Piedra and Terminator through the Himalayas.
Our itinerary is certainly not fixed and we remain flexible depending on the groups abilities, water levels and weather. So wether it is a classic section of the river to an afternoon of surfing and running big waves through the Himalayas there will always be an option to kayak as our team have spent plenty of time down there themselves kayaking, exploring and understanding just what a kayaking trip to the Futaleufu river is all about!
On Day 8 we leave the Futaleufu and head south further into Patagonia to the less visited and kayaked Rio Figueroa.
Starting at Lago Verde close to the border of Argentina the river makes it way towards Lago Rosselot. Throughout the next 4 days we kayak different sections that cut through wild canyons, with Class 3 and 4 rapids and one Class V which can easily be portaged. The slightly more technical Rio Pico, a tributary of the Rio Figueroa is also an option if the levels are good.
In the evenings we can head to the river to try and catch some of the salmon that comes up to the headwaters, this area is renowned for its world class fishing!
On Day 13 we make our way back to the Futaleufu River and if all goes well we can bag a quick lap or section of the Futaleufu before heading back to Argentina the following day for you flight back to civilisation from Esquel.
Practicalities
Why us?
We are a professional kayak school based in the heart of the Austrian Alps. Our kayak school has been operating for over 14 years and some of us have over 30 years of experience in teaching kayaking, leading expeditions and exploring some of the remotest places on the planet. We are extremely proud of our Team here at Kayak School Arlberg, their coaching and guiding are second to none, we do not employ any kayaker or someone who is trying to extend their holiday, this is what our guides and instructors do for a living and they love it! Some have represented their country at canoe slalom, others are assessors and trainers for Paddle UK but what stands out the most is their love of whitewater kayaking. All of our guides/instructors/coaches are fully qualified through either Paddle UK (formally British Canoeing) or the American Canoe Association so whether you are looking to improve your technique while in Patagonia or getting tips on how to nail that move or keep that line our team of coaches and guides will be more than happy to share their knowledge with you!
Our Patagonia Kayak Trip is run by Chileans Josefa and Mati plus Steve (the boss) is also part of the crew.
To find out more about professional and World Class Team just follow the link.
Experience Required
You should have plenty of experience of kayaking Class 3 and Class 4 whitewater such as the Sanna, Landeck Gorge and the Lower Oetz in Austria at good levels. Your roll should be good. Chile’s river classifications tend to be solid so if the majority of rivers you are kayaking are Class 3(4) then we suggest you check out our No Stress Pucon Kayaking Class 3 Trip. We will be kayaking for around 4-5 hours a day so though you do not need to be an Olympic athlete, you should have a certain amount of paddle fitness and stamina.
If you are not too sure you have the right experience for our Patagonia Kayak Road Trip then just get in touch. Our team have kayaked all over the world and so we will have some idea of your experience and ability once we have spoken to you.
Patagonia Kayaking Season
Since we are in the Southern Hemisphere, everything is the opposite. Spring in Chile is October/November, Summer is December/January/February and Autumn is March/April. Our Patagonia Kayak Trip can run from Christmas through to March!
As it is Patagonia the weather can be unpredictable, you can and should expect 4 seasons in a day. We have had beautiful sunny days with little wind to classic Patagonia storms that set in for a few days!
Group Composition
Our ratios are extremely low, be it in Austria, India, Peru or Chile! The ratio of the group is no more than 1 guide to 3 guests! We will also not take more than 6 guests on this trip! This gives you plenty of whitewater action with the opportunity to become a much more all rounded confident kayaker where you can see the guide or instructors line down the rapid and with such small group sizes you also feel secure and have more contact to your guide/instructor! This is why we like to keep our group sizes small!
Accomodation
We spend our nights in Cabañas (wooden cabins). They are the perfect place to relax, get a good nights sleep and of course when it is raining or the wind is howling, there is plenty of space for everyone to chill out before enjoying their meal! If it is cold and rainy then we light the log fire to make the cabin nice and toasty, it is also an ideal way to dry out our thermals and kayaking kit ready for the following days kayaking! There is nothing better than putting on dry, toasty kit before heading out in the Patagonia weather!!
There is no need to rough it on our trips!!
Food & Drink
Food can be a real highlight in Chile. Throughout the Patagonia Kayak Trip we eat extremely well with a mixture of cuisines from Europe, South America and also India. Our curries are renowned with our guests and though not spicy they contain amazing flavours and are a real highlight. Also let’s not forget the asado Patagon - a local sheep that has been carved open and is cooked over a fire throughout the afternoon and evening. It is full of flavour and a real treat. However, if you are a vegetarian then we have some flavoursome options that are roasted over the fire! The spring water is so pure and is extremely refreshing. We also have different tea options and we take our freshly roasted coffee down to Patagonia from Madd Goat Coffee Roasters in Pucon, one of our core partners in Chile.
Beer and wine can also be purchased on the way to the Futaleufu or in the village itself.
Transport
We have our own 4x4 pick up truck that will be our main workhorse on the Patagonia Kayak Trip, depending on the group size we may have an extra vehicle to make life a little more comfortable on those Patagonia roads. If we use just one vehicle we have a small dirt bike (motorbike) that we do the shuttle with!
Kayaks and Equipment
We have a bunch of kayaks out in Chile and paddles for you to use. We teach a modern, dynamic style of kayaking and so our equipment represents that. With various models of kayaks from Waka, Spade and Zet available and our paddles are either from AT or Striebel Designs/Spade.
For more information about our kayak and paddle models just get in touch. We have kayaks that fit even the smallest paddler to some of the biggest!
Kayak and paddles are included in the price of our trips!
Dates & Prices
Tour Dates
We have tours planned on the following dates:
09 - 22 February 2025
No dates to suit your plans? Just let us know through the contact form, we are pretty flexible here at the Kayak School trying to give you more of a chance to make that dream trip to Chile.
Tour price
The cost of our Patagonia Kayak Trip is EUR 4000.- per person
Like we said we guarantee to run our trips with just a minimum of 2 persons, however if there are 4 people or more then the price will be cheaper.
Included in the price is:
• All coaching and guiding from fully qualified and extremely experienced Expedition Kayakers and Instructors / Guides
• Full Board Accommodation - Rustic wooden cabins (cabañas) based on 2 people sharing and wholesome, healthy meals cooked by ourselves.
• Private 4x4 truck and fuel throughout the trip
• Transfer to and from Esquel Airport in Argentina.
• Modern whitewater kayak and paddle.
Not Included in the price is:
• Visas & permits, passport and vaccination charges
• International Flights
• Medical & Kayak Insurance, laundry, personal clothing and any items of a personal nature
• Medical expenses or Emergency evacuation charges
• Alcohol for the duration of the trip
• Domestic Flights or Bus Journeys
• Excess baggage charges both international and domestic
