Rafting the Futaleufu Through Patagonia, Chile
One of the most common questions every traveller is asked is if they have a favourite country. While I don’t have a favourite country, but I do have a favourite trip – rafting the Futaleufu river in Patagonia, Chile. The Futaleufu is the best white water rafting spot that you have never heard of. It is full of gorgeous cliffs, crystal clear water and white water big enough to make even the most experienced paddlers flinch. In 2018 / 2019 my family went to Chile to do a 7 day multi-sport adventure on the Futaleufu river with Futaleufu Adventures and we were blown away! This trip is one of the reasons why I think Chile is one of the best adventure travel destination. Here is an itinerary of our time on the Futaleufu and some tips so you can get a better idea of why it is such an awesome trip!
Contents
Table of Contents
7 Day Itinerary Rafting the Futaleufu
Day 1 – Arrival & White Water Rafting Training
The very first thing that you do when you arrive on the Futaleufu is do a dunk test – you must dump your boat. Certainly wakes you up! The water is cold, but they do give you wet suits. After you prove that you can flip your raft over again you start actually rafting down the Futaleufu. The section of the river that you paddle on the first day is relatively small white water, but not many tour companies go up this far. However even small Futaleufu has bigger waves than most rivers and we were blown away even on day 1.
Day 2 – Kayaking & Rafting
On the second day we started off doing a flat, but very beautiful portion of the river in kayaks before switching back into our rafts for some serious white water in the afternoon. The white water got significantly bigger in the afternoon and it was quite fun to paddle.
Day 3 – Trekking
On the third day we put away our boats and started trekking. Before you can even think about hiking you have to make it to the other side of the river and Futaleufu Adventure’s solution to this problem was a cable across one of the biggest sets of white water on the river. You use your harness and hands to pull yourself across the gorge and are encouraged to go upside down where they will inevitably bounce you above the river. A pretty fun way to do a river crossing.
The hike up to that night’s camp is not that long and you only have to carry your personal belongings, but it is very steep and it can get hot. It took us about 3 hours to hike up, but the campsite is worth it! This was probably one of my favourite camps sites. It is known as the Tree Top camp and as the name implies it is located entirely in the trees with walk ways between each cabin. On top of that it is located on one of the most beautiful lakes surrounded by mountains that I have ever seen!
In the afternoon you can chose to walk up to Condor Hill, which was a decent hike, but we didn’t see any condors. You can also rest at the camp, take out some of the kayaks or stand up paddle boards on the lake or hang out in the wood fire hot tub.
Day 4 – Trekking, Zip Line, Rock Climbing & Rappel
The was the craziest day on the trip and quite possibly in my life! You start with by hiking down back to the Futaleufu. When you get back to the river there will be a zip line across the river to get you back to the other side. But unlike most zip lines you have to jump off mid river and swim for your life through the white wash to get to your camp. Don’t worry there is a raft down river to pick you up if you can’t make it (or bring you back over to the other side to do it again!). Next up cliff jumping and a hot tub lunch to get you ready for the afternoon.
The afternoon starts with rock climbing / scrambling up the cliff that you have been camping in-front of. The climbing is really not that hard, although there are parts that require more effort everyone can do it. Once you’re on top of this massive cliff you can do a ridge walk attached to the cables on top.
The highlight of the day is the rappel, and let me tell you it was something! I am an entry level rock climber who regularly finds myself rappelling off cliffs and this was nothing like that. For one it is HUGE! They say it is 300 feet, but honestly I think it’s more. You have to stop half way down to switch ropes to reach the bottom. Don’t worry, while you might be rappelling they hold the safety rope so nothing can happen. Also although they really try to encourage you to do it, it is an optional activity. My mom scrambled down the same way we came up because she did not want to go off of the cliff. Although if you think at all that you can do it I highly suggest it!
Day 5 – Canyoneering & Rafting
After yesterday’s adventure day 5 was back to rafting the Futaleufu! The water got even biggest today, but we were more confident in out paddling. We also got a chance to got canyoneering / scrambling up a creek just beside the Futaleufu. I’m always a big fan of canyoneering and this was a pretty fun one. It was absolutely gorgeous, the water was crystal clear and there were several waterfalls to jump into.
Day 7 – The Big Rafting Day
While every day on the Futaleufu had big white water this last day was insane! We spent most of the day paddling through class 4 or 5 sets with huge waves and we absolutely loved it! At the end of the day you also paddle through a flat, but beautiful part of the river before pulling over to the shore and heading to their airport.
What You Need To Know About Futaleufu Adventures
The Boats
Futaleufu Adventure uses catamaran rafting boats with about 2-4 guests and 1 guide on each boat. This style of boat are harder to tip and easier to paddle, but they do take some getting use to. You sit on the edge of the boat, loop your feet into straps in the centre and paddle over the side. The guid sits in the back, steers and will let you know when to take cover on the inside of the boat so you don’t fall out. My family is pretty active canoe paddlers so switching to the raft was an adjustment.
The Campsites
The campsites are quite possibly the best thing about Futaleufu Adventures! They are relatively basic compared to some of the more luxurious camps on the river, but they are thoughtfully planned and beautiful. Each camp has several open aired cabins with two beds and mattresses in them. You are provided a sleeping bag, but not a particularly nice one so I’d suggest bringing a sleeping bag liner. The camps have no electricity, but if you need to charge something they can generally find a way to do it. The camps also have showers and toilets, but again relatively basic. The best part about the camps is that each one has at least 1 wood fired hot tub!
The People
The people and the staff were another great element of Futaleufu Adventures. Rob, the owner, is funny and knowledgeable about the region. He also makes sure to hire a mix of English speaking guides and local farmers or residents to make sure that they contribute to the local economy. All of the staff on the trip were super fun and made sure that we were happy and having a good time at all times!
