Raft the Mightly Futaleufu Multi Sport Adventure in Patagonia

January, 2013

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This 9-day multi-sport adventure trip combines class 4-5 whitewater rafting on the Futaleufu, hiking and horseback riding, flyfishing, daily yoga classes and mountain biking! Each year we team up with our international river rafting partner, Bio Bio Expeditions Worldwide, one of the original outfitters on the Futaleufu with the most comfortable base camp on the river and we are able to offer this trip to Outdoor Adventure Club members at discounted rates.

The Futaleufu, located in northernPatagonia, is without a doubt one of the world's best kayaking and rafting rivers.The rapids on the Fu can be big, powerful and fun! They range up to Class IV and V. Its azure color and frothy white water are the stuff that make up some of the most continuous rapids on a river anywhere. It is a large volume river with huge holes and powerful hydraulics, yet with skillful navigation and aerobic paddling, rafts bust through the white water and crest the peaks of mighty wave trains with pure pleasure.

Trip Itinerary:

Day One: Arrive in San Carlos de Bariloche in Argentina. Typically this means flying in to Buenos Aires, Argentina and connecting to San Carlos de Bariloche. You will be greeted at the airport by your guides. Spend your first day in Bariloche atthe luxurious lakefront Hotel Villa Huinid and have a chance to unwind from your tripshopping, swimming or exploring Bariloche. In the evening we will gather for a group welcome dinner at one of our favorite restaurants where you can indulge in an Argentinean steak off the parilla.

Day Two:   After breakfast, we will board our private vehicles and begin the drive to Chile. This is a beautiful drive through both Nahuel Huapi Park and then Alceres National Park which is full of the ancient Alceres tree- the South American equivalent of the redwood. We will drive through the frontier, guacho towns of Esquel and Trevelin that were settled a century ago by Welsh farmers. This region of Patagonia wade made famous by Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid! The terrain alternates between lush forest and emerald green valleys, aquamarine lakes, and the windswept plains of the Patagonia steppe. In the afternoon, we will reach the remote, rugged rain forest as we get our first glimpse of the Futaleufu river and then follow it down stream to our basecamp. On the way to camp, we pass a few farms that are carved into the ancient rainforest allowing us a glimpse of frontier living, Chileno style. We arrive at our multi sport Adventure Base Camp where your private tent bungalow on a raised platform, complete with river views and comfortable beds, will be waiting for you.

After a short hike or a swim, you may want to soak in the riverside hot tub or enjoy a hot shower. Then, we gather in the sunset bar for our first welcome happy hour. We will introduce the entire river crew and go over the week’s agenda. After happy hour, a hearty dinner will be served. It does tend to cool down quite a bit when the sun sets below the peaks so we dress warmly in the evenings.

Day Three: Wake up on the banks of the Fu and enjoy your first morning in camp. We rise with the warmth of the sun and have breakfast around 9 am. A pre-breakfast yoga class is available on our customized yoga platform with river views! Mornings tend to be crisp and dewy so prepare to dress warmly - a fleece is perfect. Today is a river day. We will launch our rafts from base camp after a thorough safety briefing. In a safe eddy a short distance downstream, we’ll do a set of practice rescue drills. This allows the crew in each raft to hone their skills and prepare to raft as a team.

We use a cataraft combined with ace safety-kayakers as part of our “safety net.” Each raft is captained by a highly trained and intuitive river guide, who guides the boat from a stern-mounted oar frame. The advantage to the oar frame is greater control in pointing the bow straight through bus size holes and 15-foot high “haystack” wave trains. Don't think that being in an oar boat means you're just along for the ride, though. Like most OAC rafting trips you'll be part of a paddling team that needs to work together to maneuver your raft through the river. This style is appropriate for high volume, rivers with strong currents, like the Futaleufú.

The first section that we raft, from camp down to Puente Futaleufú (the Futaleufú Bridge), is only 10 km, but offers more rapids per kilometer than anywhere else on the river. It is the perfect warm-up run and it is non-stop fun! The rapids of note are “El Cojín”, the Cushion, and “Mundaca”, a local family name.

At take-out, we meet our vehicles for a 20-minute ride back to camp. Those who would prefer a “lower body” workout to complement their paddling are welcome to run back or ride one of our mountain bikes from take-out to camp. When we get to camp, you can choose to go fly-fishing, try out a kayak, practice yoga, nap in a hammock, enjoy the sauna, have a massage, go for a hike or soak in the hot tub. Taking a hot shower, either indoors or under the big sky, feels very luxurious while camping in the remote wilderness of northern Patagonia! Of course, for the hardy, the river provides a cold bath and refreshing swim.

As the sun sinks behind the mountains, enjoy a game of chess or cards at the sunset bar. Every late afternoon is “Happy Hour” with an open bar stocked with beer, wine, soda, and juice. Then, we gather together in the open-air kitchen/dining area, the “Galpon”, for a candlelight sit-down dinner featuring fresh locally-grown produce and fresh-baked breads. After dinner, enjoy the campfire and the stars before retiring to your cozy tent on your private platform. The sound of the river will lull you to sleep and send you off dreaming of the next day of adventure in Chile.

Day Four: Officially, day two of our rafting extravaganza. Our aim is to settle into a river rhythm that will be utilized in order to successfully raft the next few sections the Fu. After breakfast, we will launch our rafts from camp and have lunch on the river. After we pass the Puente Futaleufú (yesterday’s take-out), we immediately round the corner to meet a big stomping continuous cascade of waves known as “Mas o Menos”, translated, “More or Less”. This is a good stepping stone towards our first true blue class V technical rapid, “Casa de Piedra” (House of Rock) which is right around the next corner. We will get out of our rafts to scout this massive boulder choked rapid from the banks of the Fu. It is formed like a series of water wheels that channel all of their fury into a final churning pit with a dragon’s back highway through it; that is, if you hit it on line.

After this rapid, we will run the remaining class 3 and 4 rapids as our hearts resume beating at their normal rates. We will drift into a nice long calm section that offers perfect fishing from the rafts as well as a great place to get into some hard shell kayaks. The next three miles we will have a floating happy hour and reach our take out spot just above Lago Yelcho. Upon return to camp, we will continue to celebrate the day, enjoy the spa and get ready for another fabulous dinner prepared by our jovial crew and talented chef.

Day Five:

Today we become experts at navigating our very own river crafts, known inflatable kayaks or IK's. We venture up canyon to the source of the Rio Espolon as it cascades out of the Lago Espolón to find gin clear water and gentle class 2 and 3 rapids that offer a perfect learning opportunity to become a great captain of your own boat.

If there is interest, before we paddle we will have a chance to stroll around the quaint little town of Futaleufú There is something deeply satisfying paddling your own boat down river, knowing that your destiny is in your own hands. Of course our highly trained guides will be there to coach you, watch over you and provide safety should you need to be rescued. The Rio Espolon is one of the major tributaries to the Futaleufu river and flows into the Fu right above the Inferno canyon which is where we take-out in the early afternoon. For those ready to try out a hard shell kayak, this is the perfect class 2-3 river to do it on!

Day Six: Surf and Turf up and down the Rio Azul valley!  After breakfast we take a short drive to the stables where we will find our trusty steeds saddled up and ready for adventurous riding.  After a safety briefing, we ride alongside some local expert equestrians and our own river guides who will gladly join the posse up a glorious, pristine side valley where the Rio Azul flows unhindered from its glacial headwaters. After a 3 hour ride, we stop for a picnic lunch and then trade in our saddles for paddles to test our talents on the challenging and fun Class 3 and 4 Rio Azul, a significant step up in difficulty from the Rio Espolon.  This is a full biathlon day and you will be glad to return to camp, enjoy the soothing hot tub, a cold beer or glass of wine as you wait your turn to get a well deserved massage!

Day Seven: We will have an early breakfast in camp then travel 25 kilometers up the road to Rio Espolon to launch our rafts for the Inferno Canyon day! On the Rio Espolon we have a chance to warm up on this low volume river before it joins and helps form the mighty Futaleufu as it gets squeezed intothe narrow Inferno canyon. This upper canyon requires aggressive class V paddling and is potentially the most intense section of white water on the river. Many other options exist for those who choose not to participate in Inferno Canyon.

Five distinct rapids form a narrow sinuous river passage creating a wet surge and a "full on" adrenaline rush. The fourth rapid was until recently the smallest of the 5, but due to road building debris landing in the river, has now become nearly impassable at most water levels and requires a walk around and "lining" the rafts through it.  As we come out of "Exit", the last rapid, we enter into a long calm. The current remains swift and we cruise many miles downstream arriving at the mandatory portage around the fierce "Zeta" rapid. We have lunch on the rocks as the crew "ghost" boats the rafts through this treacherous rapid.

After lunch, our first obstacle is "Throne Room," a class V+ rapid for kayaks, a ghost boat rapid for rafts. By walking around this rapid, we get a great bird's eye view of an almost 'river wide' hole that could destroy a raft. Back on board our rafts, we are dealt a Royal Flush; a continuous class IV corridor of rapids does not let up until we get to our take-out spot at the Rio Azul footbridge. The rafts are left for the night, tethered on shore.

Early evening is spent in camp getting ready for the evening festivities. Blanca and her partner Umberto, locals from a nearby farm, prepare a very special treat for us. They merrily prepare a delicious dinner called "Curanto" that is typical of the south of Chile and the island of Chiloe.  We spend the evening by the bonfire on the beach singing and dancing the night away.

Day Eight:

Today, we must be mentally and physically well prepared for the river. We call it the "summit day" as we aim to top our already great paddling days with the best day of white water in the world. After a nutritious breakfast, we head up river to the footbridge where we left the rafts yesterday. As our day on the river begins, the blue glacial run-off from the Rio Azul River merges into the Fu from the right. The views of the snow capped mountain peaks and jagged ridges of the mountain "Las Tres Monjas" (translated, "the three Nuns") are absolutely breathtaking.  A six-kilometer stretch of warm-up rapids leads us to the longest and toughest rapid that we will raft, "The Terminator." We scout and study our line, then we take the plunge and drop in. "Left turn, right turn, dig it in — hard forward!" are a few of the commands that might be heard.  The next three miles are non-stop rapids. After an aerobic workout, we pump through the enormous haystack wave train known as the "Himalayas".  Just when we need it, a calm returns, we float gently into lunch, served at our base camp.

After lunch, we return to the river to complete the last task for the day, tackling as much white water as possible. We raft the whole section of river from camp to below Casa de Piedra. At take-out, cold beers and tea are waiting.  We make a triumphant return to camp to celebrate our days spent exploring Futaleufú valley and river.

For the evening's festivities, Rolando and Nelli will prepare a typical Chilean Asado — lamb roasted over a bed of coals, ensalada, potatoes and farm fresh bread. We toast the river and give thanks for our safe passage. Under a bright starry sky, we will spend our last night together as a group on the banks of the mighty Fu with the guides and crew.

Day Nine: An early start gets us out of bed. After loading up your personal gear, our bus and transport will take you to Bariloche to catch your flight to Buenos Aires. An afternoon flight returns you to Buenos Aires for an evening arrival where you transfer to the international departure lounge, pass through customs and shop for duty free wines. We hope when you board the airplane you will look back upon your time in Chile and the friends you have made and think of the beauty of the Futaleufú River and Patagonian wilderness. Ciao amigos, Ciao Ciao Chile.

A note on weather:
The Futaleufú river valley attracts many types of weather patterns year round. The Pacific Ocean feeds its moist climate with frequent storms. The sunny months are usually December through March; however, when packing, think of cold and wet weather as well as sunny and warm weather and you will be a happy camper. Plan ahead and bring warm clothes and a good rain shell. This also means that the river level can change dramatically if an unseasonal “tormenta” or rain storm passes through. We will only raft when the river is at a safe level.

Important Travel Information:
Destination Location: Our base camp is located in the heart of Patagonia in Southern Chile. You will fly to Bariloche, connecting through Buenos Aires. After a stay in the lakeside town of Barlioche, we will then travel into the Futaluefu River valley to begin your adventure.

Is This Trip For You?
This trip is designed to let you get the most out of your Patagonia experience, including: rafting, kayaking (hard shell and inflatable), hiking, fishing, horseback riding, mountain biking and relaxing.

Our base camp was developed with comfort in mind with amenities like private tent platforms with beds, hot showers, wood-burning hot tub, sauna, massage studio, yoga platform, and the Sunset Bar.

We've had everyone from first-time rafters to those wanting to raft all of the great rivers of the world.

Guides:
Our Futaleufu guides are some of the most experienced on the planet; they are recognized around the world as some of the best in the business. They are leaders in the field of whitewater and swift water rescue instruction; they travel the world teaching other less-experienced rafters the latest techniques in whitewater rafting and rescue; they are all class V kayakers and class V rafting guides with experience on rivers in the USA, Peru, Chile, Africa, and Nepal. You will be in good hands with our crew! Our guest to guide ratio is always very low to make sure everyone gets plenty of personal attention.

Food:
While in Bariloche, we stay in a beautiful, fun, centrally-located hotel and enjoy meals at delicious local restaurants serving fresh, modern interpretations of traditional Chilean fare. At our base camp and Cascada camp, we gather for hearty family-style meals in our “galpon”. All meals are festive occasions, served up as gourmet fare that may feature fire-roasted lamb, freshly caught fish, and traditional cuisine infused with a little international flare. Everything is cooked daily on the premises. Vegetarians will love the abundance of locally grown vegetables and we can cater to any dietary requirements.

Transportation:
You are responsible for getting yourself to Bariloche, Argentina. We book all of our South American travel with a company called Americas Travel. Cesar and Marcelo there are more than happy to help you with your booking. They can be reached at 1 888 703 9955.

After your arrival in Bariloche, all transportation is included in the trip price.

Accommodations:
While in town, we stay in a lovely, centrally-located hotel close to all of Bariloche’s offerings, shared rooms. At our camps, we feature private wood tent bungelows, each with a roof and seating area overlooking dreamlike river vistas. Inside your tent, a comfortable bed awaits you - single and double mattresses are available.

Every morning, as you designate, hot coffee or tea is brought to you as your morning wake up call.

Money:
The local currency is the Peso (Argentinean Peso and the Chilean Peso). Right now the exchange is 531 pesos to the dollar in Chile and approximately 3 Argentinean Pesos to the dollar (for the latest rates, check:www.xe.com/ucc). There are ATM machines in the airports. You are responsible for lunch on day one. Other expenses to consider are tips, telephone calls and shopping. Tips are dependent on each individual but an average tips is 10% of the trip cost.

Please do not book airline tickets for this trip until you have been confirmed on the trip.

Pricing: (2013 Pricing Subject to Change)
OAC Member: $3,100 (Your trip must be paid in full 60 days in advance to obtain the OAC member rate.)
Non-member: $3,200

Deposit: A $600 deposit is required to reserve your spot. 50% payment is due 120 before your trip. Full payment is due 60 days before your trip.

Cancellation Policy: If you must cancel a trip we will refund your fees less the following fees: If you cancel 90 days or more in advance of your trip: $200; If you cancel 60-89 days in advance: $400; If you cancel 30-59 days in advance: 50% of trip fees Inside of 30 days: 100% of trip fees.

Sign up for the Raft the Mighty Futaleufu Multi Sport Adventure Trip:

Please fill out the registration form below and pay the $600 deposit using the PayPal button.

Registration Form

Let us know if you have any questions about this trip. Please send inquiries to Richard@OutdoorAdventureClub.com or call 415-377-1195.