My Top 10 kayaking Rivers of the world
As we head off kayaking during the season here in Base Arlberg, Austria, I am often asked what are my favourite rivers I have kayaked. It is certainly not an easy question to answer as I have kayaked on 5 continents and have completed first descents on 3 of them including a few solo first descents.
So what makes a river so special that it becomes one of my all time favourites?
For it has to be a mixture of the following: the quality of whitewater, scenery, remoteness, sometimes the challenge to just get there, friends who I have made a descent with and of course the local people and culture.
So here is my “current” Top 10 kayaking Rivers of the world...
1. Rio Apurimac - Cusco, Peru
The mighty Rio Apurimac in Quechua (the native Inca language) means “The God who Speaks”. For years the river had been a barrier/border for the Inca Empire and the upper reaches are much discussed as being the source of the Amazon.
I have had the privilege of working 6 seasons rafting, safety kayaking and trip leading on the commercial section of the Apurimac. The quality of whitewater is incredible not just on the commercial section but the Black Canyon above and also on the upper reaches from where the Rio Velille enters. Further downstream is the Acobamba Abyss section of the Apurimac, commonly known as the Abysmo to the local Peruvian whitewater community. It is a canyon so deep, so remote and at the limit of what was possible to navigate in a kayak. When John Blake and myself kayaked the Abysmo back in 2008 the river had only been successfully completed by a handful of kayakers. Not only did we have to deal with rapids of Class 5 and upwards but there were also huge problems at the time from the Shining Path Guerrilla movement and Narco traffickers!
Based out of Cusco, which is known as the centre of the universe to the Inca Empire, it is renowned as the party town of Peru and one really good friend of mine described it as Babylon! The guides that have worked on the Apurimac seem to be the best I have ever seen around the world and of course spending 3-4 days in a stunning canyon only makes that bond more special.
To me the Apurimac IS my favourite river in the world!
2. Chandra - Himachal Pradesh, India
The region of Lahaul is set in some of the most spectacular scenery the Himalayas has to offer. With its more famous neighbour to the north, the Tsarap Chu River and Zanskar Gorge in Ladakh, Lahaul has actually one of India’s whitewater gems - The Chandra.
We base ourselves out of Manali, Himachal Pradesh a hillside town developed by the British during the Raj and set in some outstanding mountain scenery. The people of the Kullu valley are Hindus but also follow their old rituals and devti’s (local gods) with many festivals throughout the year, with the most important one of Dusshera happening in the Autumn. It is where all the villages bring down their gods from the mountains to the city of Kullu for around 2 weeks of celebrations and worship.
To get to the Chandra River, it is a 6 hour jeep ride over the notorious Rohtang Pass where the road winds in and out over the 4000m pass before heading steeply down to the Lahaul Valley. It is the scene of many an old school Bollywood Film and even some sketchy North American lorry drivers! Though as of late 2020 there is a tunnel that you can use if you do not want to drive over the pass.
The put-in of Chhatru is around 3500m and the river starts with a bang! Long pushy rapids at altitude makes it hard work. Throughout the 5 day kayaking expedition, the Chandra has some fantastic whitewater and the scenery in the valley is outstanding with hanging glaciers, big waterfalls and the odd village along the river banks. The take-out is at the confluence of the Bhaga where the river now becomes the Chenab and heads through a deep gorge into Jammu and Kashmir and onto Pakistan!
Of the top 10 rivers I have kayaked, the Chandra is the one I have only kayaked once! However, it made a huge impact on me and I am longing to go back and kayak it again!
3. Sanna - Tirol, Austria
Austria is well known for its mountains, culture and especially its skiing. With some of the worlds best and prestigious ski resorts, it is not just the backdrop that makes these resorts so famous but the snow that regularly falls. St.Anton am Arlberg is renowned for all of this as it receives some of the most snow in the Alps and has the terrain to match.
So with so much snow and ice up in the mountains it gives Austria huge whitewater kayaking potential from Spring right through to Autumn.
The Sanna is an Alpine Classic, it is the shortest river in the Alps but over its 7km journey it provides some quality technical whitewater with longer rapids and because of its gradient you get a pushy feel. Of all the rivers I have kayaked, the Sanna is the one I have kayaked the most. I lived in the Sport Camp Tirol campsite on the banks of the Sanna for 3 years and even now I live just 15 minutes from the put-in.
On our Class 3-4 kayak courses we spend a lot of time on the Sanna, improving on fundamental skills and working on advanced techniques.
For me, the Sanna is just fun to kayak, be it in a creek boat, river runner or playboat you can always find features to play on!
4. Alaknanda - Uttarakhand, India
The Alaknanda river is formed high up in the Indian Himalayas where it cuts its way through the mountains on its way to the confluence of the Bhagirathi river. From here it forms the mother of all rivers - the Ganges!
It is a medium to big volume river in the heart of the Garwahl Himalayas and has different sections and grades. I base myself at the stunning Shivanandi River lodge on the banks of the river just upstream of Rudraprayag. It is a beautiful place where Shalabh (the owner) gives a river education and technique training to young Indians, in return the potential kayakers/guides help out around the lodge and cook for anyone coming to stay. It has changed the lives of quite a few local mountain boys!
I try to make it to the Alaknanda river every year, depending on what season I go to India to kayak I always like to celebrate a festival with the local kayakers in the villages. Be it Holi (the festival of colour) to Diwali (the festival of light) there is always something to celebrate and absorb in the amazing Hindu culture of the Indian Himalayas. Of course India is on the other end of the scale when it comes to food, vehicles, roads and the madness that can only happen in India but that is one of the big attractions of heading there.
The various sections of the river offer some fantastic whitewater with some huge holes to be avoided, big waves to be surfed, long rapids and of course if you come in the Autumn then you get 100 days of sunshine once the monsoon officially ends.
I have led trips to the Alaknanda and the surrounding rivers for the past 13 years, it is one of our most sought after overseas kayaking adventures.
5. River Inn - Tirol, Austria & Engadine, Switzerland
The Inn is the biggest volume of river in the Alps and has been the training ground for many Himalayan kayaking pioneers, past and present! What is great about the Inn is that there are sections of river for everyone, from touring to whitewater for Beginners, there is an abundance of class III for the intermediate kayaker and enough sections for the experienced river runner to stay entertained!!
Its headwater are up at the Maloja Pass in Switzerland and on its way to the Danube the River Inn cuts a path of some 500 Km in length travelling through Austria and Germany.
Swiss Inn
In Switzerland the area is known as the Engadine. A beautiful valley in the South- Eastern Alps and of the 4 official languages in Switzerland Romansch is the most widely spoken. Translated from Romansch, Engadine means “The Garden of the Inn”.
The Upper Engadine has wide open Alpine meadows and is renowned for the amount of annual sunshine it receives. St Moritz - the notorious ski resort for fur coats and luxury shops is situated up in the Upper Engadine Valley. Once the Inn reaches the village of S-chanf the open meadows give way to deep gorges with steep walls and the river starts to take on a rather wild look and path all the way to the Austrian border!
The Engadine is geologically an unstable area. It is very similar to the Himalayas but obviously not on such a grand scale. However when it does rain and hail stones come down you can expect some landslides or movement in the area. Over the past few years there have been landslides including pieces of road falling down into the river making new rapids on various sections of the River Inn in Switzerland.
Without doubt, the Giarsun Gorge is my favourite section of the River Inn. It is absolutely stunning with great whitewater and this section of the River Inn is what I use as a benchmark to any river I paddle in the world!
A couple of runs on the Giarsun Gorge is a fantastic day of fun alpine kayaking!
Austrian Inn
As the Inn arrives into Austria it goes through its final deep gorge. The Finstermünz is the border of Austria and Switzerland and the valley is squeezed by huge vertical walls. Sunlight is short and the area is notorious for landslides and avalanches. The Toesens Gorge, Inn Shoot and Landeck Gorge are BIG and bouncy sections. From the city of Landeck there are 3 major rivers flowing into the Inn: the Sanna, Pitzbach and Oetz, which gives the Imst Gorge so much extra volume that cannot be matched anywhere else in the Alps! These Big water Alpine Classics have left their mark on this region of Austria and also on me as I have made it my home! I have been living here in Austria for the past 23 years and if you ever get the chance to come on one our courses, you will see just why I live here. The people, culture, scenery, food and lifestyle just add to why you should kayak some of Europes premier whitewater!
6. Rio Palguin - Pucon, Chile
Coming off the Volcano Quetrupillan the Rio Palguin makes a huge statement for such a small volume river. It has become world renown for its waterfalls, drops and slides that brings kayakers to Pucon, Chile. The first rapid on the Upper Palguin is a fantastic place to train on, the locals have put a bamboo ladder so you can climb back up and run it how many times you like. Though the hole at the top looks really intimidating, it is a nice smooth boof if you get the line right!! The rest of the river is pretty similar with a must run drop, slides and of course some big waterfalls, the tallest one is so photogenic. The water is crystal clear and the scenery is very jungly. The Middle Palguin has changed over the years due to the frequent earthquakes that happen around the town of Pucon. The Lower Palguin is another sweet little section, different to the Upper but still great fun. With rapids such as 3 Tontos (3 idiots) and Auto boof, what is not to like about the Lower even with a small portage that has to be made.
One of the other reasons that I love the Rio Palguin so much is that it is just a short drive from our home/lodge situated on the flanks of the Volcano Villerica.
7. Rio Futaleufu - Patagonia, Chile
A landscape painted by God!
This is the Rio Futaleufu. The main whitewater sections are situated in Chilean Patagonia and it is one of the most impressive rivers I have ever paddled. The emerald green waters just add the abundance of whitewater and of course add to this the culture of Patagonia, the Futa leaves its mark on every kayaker who visits. Though it can be quite difficult to get there, it is certainly worth the effort. Big waves, huge holes make it a river runners paradise. When the river is pumping you really get to feel its power and by the time it drops towards March you will find so many waves to surf and play on.
Chilling out by the side of the river, fishing, making a typical Asado Patagonia, drinking local mate tea while watching condors soaring above you makes the Rio Futaleufu one of the best kayaking destinations on the planet!
8. Colca Canyon - Arequipa, Peru
The Colca Canyon is written in the folklore of whitewater kayaking, ever since the first descent was made by the Poles! It is twice as deep as the grand canyon (in North America), with sheer cliff walls in certain parts, rapids that are constantly changing and the ever present danger of rockfall. Sometimes it can be a deep dark and intimidating place way down in the gorge but to me it is one of my favourite rivers in the world, an extremely special place where I have made 4 successful expeditions!
At 3296 metres deep and in some parts near vertical cliff walls the Colca Canyon is a spectacular canyon. It is just 100km (as the condor fly’s) north of the Peruvian southern city of Arequipa. Just to get to Huambo (the nearest village of the Lunar Canyon section of the Colca) will take you over a 4300m pass in a public bus. The first 3 expeditions we had to use donkeys to carry all the equipment some 7 hours down to the river but now there is a road getting built for tourism so it will be a lot easier to access this stunning place. From Canco it is 70km of remote pool drop rapids from Class 3-5 plus a couple of portages thrown in! It is not uncommon to have a rock fall coming down while you are kayaking and camps have to be carefully chosen, otherwise you could be waking up to a shower of rocks and rubble falling down on you. On the first descent the Poles were wearing their helmets when they slept.
What makes the Colca Canyon different to most rivers of the world is that the first team to take on the Canyon each year will be basically doing a first descent. My second time down the Colca gave us 5 new rapids than the previous year and the last time (fourth) in 2015 was a huge new landslide/rockfall rapid. This is all down to the instability of the canyon!
If you are an expedition kayaker then the Colca should really be on your bucket list, it is amazing!
9. Cotahuasi Canyon - Arequipa, Peru
Situated in southern Peru the Cotahuasi Canyon is said to be the deepest canyon in the world. Well over twice as deep as the Grand Canyon and with way more whitewater than its North American counterpart, though not as famous as its sister - the Colca Canyon one valley to the south, the Cotahuasi Canyon is an amazing place and should be high on the list of rivers to kayak in Peru!
It is an overnight bus journey from Arequipa to the village of Cotahuasi and it is worth staying at least a night there. I have had some wild times in Cotahuasi village! The first time it was Peruvian independence day and we met up with some girls who came to visit the village from Arequipa. We were invited to a bull fight where no harm came to the bulls, well except for their hearing as they had to constantly listen to the village band blasting everything well out of tune! The bull fighters were their owners and as soon as the event came to an end, the cattle was taken back out to work the fields. The night was a huge party and we ended up walking the 7 hours to the river the following morning with some mega headaches!
The last visit we hired motorbikes and went for a ride further up the valley, the views are stunning and all along the upper reaches of the Rio Cotahuasi are hot springs and it is so nice to soak away those aches and pains from previous river expeditions or just the overnight drive!
Again this area is also not immune to the modernisation and what was originally a 7 hour trek with mules to carry your kayaks, is now a one hour bus ride to the put-in. Once you start kayaking it is not long before you leave civilisation and step back into the world of the Inca Empire. There are no beaches to camp on in the Cotahuasi Canyon, instead their are terraces built by the Incas where they could live away from the invading conquistadors of the Spanish army. It is certainly worth going to walk around the camps as we have seen human skulls and bones, textiles and pottery plus if you keep an eye out you maybe lucky to see condors soaring way above you.
The whitewater is fantastic and keeps flowing into each rapid rarely flattening out. The river cuts through several box canyons which also provides plenty of action and tests your technique. One is called Centimetre Canyon as the route through the gap in the rocks at the bottom of the rapid is just wide enough for the kayak!
Unlike its southern sister the Colca, the Cotahuasi has less of an intimidating feel, hardly any rockfall and so it is best to add an extra day on your expedition so that you can go exploring from your camp or just sit, look around and enjoy the changing of the colours on the canyon walls as the light begins to fade! It is such a great trip and I cannot highly recommend enough.
10. Tsarap Chu & Zanskar - Ladakh, India
Few places on earth can match the grandeur and sheer magnitude of the Zanskar Gorge. Known as the Grand Canyon of Asia, it is sandwiched between two mountain systems - the Karakoram to the north and the Himalayas to the south. The whole region is full of amazing sights - strange gompas perched on soaring hilltops dwarfed by snowcapped mountains.
I base myself out of Leh, the capitol and Stanzin’s home. Ladakh is a Tibetan Buddhist region and it reminds me very much of Tibet with the overriding difference that the people are free. Free to travel, free to worship and free to say what they like without a communist government controlling everything!
Just to get to the Tsarap Chu river takes you over two passes at 5300m, the water is a silty brown from the glacier sediment and the put-in for the river is at 4280m! Running rapids, portages, scouting and even surfing waves puts huge strains on your lungs when kayaking on the roof of the world! After a few days you get to Phuktal Gompa, a monastery carved into the cliffs above the river. The Buddhist monks are always pleased to meet kayakers and offer plenty of butter tea to help keep your energy levels up. From Phugtal Gompa down to Padam has the best whitewater on the expedition and it is certainly a rollercoaster of a ride!
Once the Tsarap Chu meets the Stod River it then becomes the Zanskar and within a couple of hours you enter the Gorge. What follows are 3 days of big waves, stunning canyon scenery and navigating a 4m wide gap. Things have changed recently with a road being built so there are now new rapids formed from the sharp rocks that have been blasted out of the canyon wall.
The Tsarap Chu and Zanskar Gorge is one of THE best river expeditions in the Himalayas and should be on any expedition kayakers list and this river expedition Stanzin is always keen to lead!
There are quite a few rivers that did not make my list but came very close such as:
Beas Gorge in Himachal Pradesh, India
Tons River in Uttarakhand, India
Pindar River in Uttarakhand, India
Zambezi River in Zimbabwe/Zambia, Africa
White Nile in Uganda, Africa
Rio Upano, Ecuador
Rio Mishualli, Ecuador
Rio Alumine in Patagonia, Argentina
Soca River in Slovenia
Oetz River in Tirol, Austria
Lech River in Tirol/Vorarlberg, Austria
Rio Petrohue, Chile
Tamur, Nepal
Marsyangdi, Nepal - before the dams
Of course, I love travelling, exploring and having an adventure and when life gets back to normal I look forward to kayaking more rivers, visiting countries, regions and areas that I have been so looking forward to visiting and of course with so much time on my hands this Winter I have been getting the maps out to see what the next adventure brings.
If you have a personal favourite or a recommendation then let me know, I just may come and visit to go kayaking!
Steve Brooks
