A Whitewater guide to the rivers of chile

Rio Llancahue (Lower)

Jared Seiler dropping the “Suavemente” aka “Purty Thirty” at the start of the Lower section. The Rio Llancahue located on the southeastern slope of Volcan Villarica is reached via Conaripe.  It is roughly an hour and a half drive from Pucon. It is easily found by following signs to the famous hot springs “Termas Geometricas”. [...]

Rio Blanco del Enco

Flowing off the Western flank of Volcan El Mocho (2422 meters) in Chile´s 14th Region de Los Lagos is a fun, springtime, steep-creek. The river is fed by crystal clear snowmelt with a short springtime season. The class 3-4 creek is very steep with average gradient of 42 m/km (210 FPM) and requires very little [...]

Rio Curacalco

A Native Mapuche word perhaps meaning ¨rock magic¨ Cura-rock, Calcu-witchcraft Located in the comuna de Cunco, Region de la Araucania, Chile´s 9th region… A low elevation run flowing off the north western flank of the permanent snowfields of Nevados de Solipulli with adequate water levels in the winter-early spring months from August to mid October [...]

Rio Cato

The Rio Cato is mellow, class 3, low elevation drainage in Chile´s south central Andes located immediately to the south of it´s more famous neighbor the Rio Ñuble. The beautiful valley makes up for the lack of challenging whitewater and boat hiking is the only means to get up the river. To arrive from Chillan [...]

Rio Chillan

The crystal clear water flowing of the Western Flank of the Nevados de Chillan Volcano (3212 Meters above sea level)are perfectly matched with basalt sluiceways, making for fun class 3-4 kayak run. The Rio Chillan is a winter and early spring run in Chile´s 8th Region. We ran the river in late October with around [...]

Rio Ñirementum

The Rio Ñirementum is a journey deep into Chile´s traditional Mapuche culture. The river is within the boundaries of the Cañicu Indigenous clan, one of several in the Queuco valley in the country´s 8th Region. The name means ¨place of foxes¨. Puente Ñirementum This walk in creek is only runnable in winter or early spring [...]

Rio Quillaleo

One of many overlooked tributaries of the Bio Bio in Chile´s 8th Region. The Quillaleo (pronounce Ki-yah-leh-yo) is an upper tributary of the Huequecura, which enters the Bio bio downstream of the Queuco confluence. Rio Quillaleo The Quillaleo has its headwaters in the Cordillera Tricauco with the most outstanding peak being the snowcapped behemoth Cerro [...]

Rio Codihue

A fun creek run flowing off the Cordillera Huerere into the Northwestern corner of Lago Colico in Chile´s 9th Region de la Araucania. The roadside run is low volume with good gradient, and crystal clear water flowing through a still predominantly native forest. Codihue is a local Mapuche (Mapudungun) word meaning ¨place of rocks¨ Class [...]

Rio Perez

Following the road from Villa O´higgins to Lago Christie close to the Argentine border, you will have to do a rivercrossing that requires a 4×4. Rio Perez will be on your left, and it is easy to scout from the road. The section is short, and with a messy 20 meter drop easily scouted from [...]

Rio Bonito

The Rio Bonito is a new classic in Chilean creek boating. Although short, the river packs a hell of a punch in its 2 km canyon. The river is born at the base of Cerro Puntiagudo (2190 meters) and flows into Lago Rupanco. Typical drop on Rio Bonito The water is crystal clear and the [...]

Rio Pilmaiquen

Big volume, warm water playboating in Southern Chile. Draining Lago Puyehuehue, the river forms the boundary between the 14th Region de los Rios and the 9th Region de los Lagos. Easy logistics and a nearby town make for a fun day of boating. Hike in to Pilmaiquen From Ruta 5 take the Osorno exit and [...]

Rio Coihueco

A class 3 run through a seldom visited part of Southern Chile. Flowing off the snowfields of Cerro Puntiagudo, the Coihueco provides for some spectacular scenery and a nice day of mellow whitewater in the Region de Los Lagos. To reach the river from Ruta 5 take the paved road to Puerto Octay. From here [...]

Rio Blanco de Coihueco

A small class 3 creek with its headwaters in Parque Nacional Vicente Perez Rosales in Chile´s 10th Region de Los Lagos. Flowing north off the snow capped peak of Osorno (2652 meters), this small volume creek offers an interesting option while in the Lago Llanquihue area. Put in Rio Blanco de Coihueco To reach the [...]

Rio Iculpe

A new classic flowing off the northern flanks of the Puyehue Volcano (2240 meters) in Chile’s Region de Los Rios. The river feeds into southern shore of Lago Ranco. Fields Marshall below first drop This small volume creek has easy access and requires little water to make it runnable. The volcanic riverbed provides for multiple [...]

Rio Hueinahue

The Hueinahue makes a bold statement 7.5 KM before it enters Lago Mahuie. Here the river tumbles over a spectacular bedrock falls before joining the Rio Remahue and flowing into the lake. The Rio Remahue (which contains about two thirds of the combined flow) makes an even bolder statement plunging over 200 meters just above [...]

Rio Pangue

Most people think of the Bio Bio River drainage and envision the three large dams choking a once magnificent river. While true, smaller volume, free-flowing, whitewater opportunities are still abundant in the Bio Bio watershed. Once such gem is the Rio Pangue which has remarkably easy logistics. This creek run flows of the Southern flank [...]

Rio Las Truchas

The Rio Las Truchas is one of the few multi-day river trips in Chile and features both outstanding whitewater and spectacular scenery. It is an upper tributary of the  Ñuble River (see separate description) and needs to be run with spring and early summer snow melt so best from late September to mid/late November with [...]

Rio Curaco

Draining Lago Colico in Chile’s 9th region is a continuous, friendly class 2-3 whitewater river best run in winter or early summer only when lake is full at peak snowmelt. Since the river is lake fed its volume changes very little in summer even after large rainfall. The river is very clear and not so [...]

Flying To Chile With Kayaks 2011

For 2010 – 2011 kayak season here is the latest information on flying with kayaks: (Thanks for Stacy Ann Mcbain and Jeff Robinson for collecting this info) Delta – not accepted American -not accepted Horizon – not accepted Air Canada – not accepted Continental, United and US Air have policies: Continental Kayaks Continental Airlines will [...]

Rio Caunehue

A short burst of paddling in the Futrono Zone. Best during highwater springtime run off or after periods of sustained rain. Caunehue whitewater This short class IV+ stretch is on the northern shore of Lago Ranco just east of the town of Futrono in Chile’s recently created Region XIV aptly called Region de Los Rios. [...]