Day 1 Saturday: Arrival and Introductions
Arrive at either of our entry points in Puerto Montt, Chile or Esquel, Argentina, the gateway to Patagonia. Connect with our representative and travel to the remote riverside town of Futaleufu, surrounded by majestic mountains. You will find your accommodations at our comfortable inn and town cabins, and unwind from your trip with a hearty welcome dinner at the Futaleufu Adventure Center. Here you will spend the week enjoying the comforts of our native wood lodge while rafting Chile 's greatest river.

Day 2 Sunday: Kayaking and Mountain Biking
We'll have a great start to this Chile rafting week with a beautiful moderate mountain bike ride alongside the pristine waters of the upper Río Espolon. Then over the river on a footbridge and up to Devil's Throat, a breathtaking and still un-run Class VI cascade at the watershed of the Espolon River. Below the falls, we'll enjoy lunch and then trade our mountain bikes for sit-on-top kayaks and paddling gear. In double or single crafts, we will tour the Espolon and enjoy its transparent waters, ideal swimming areas, and easy rapids - the perfect introductory run. The trip is one big loop that brings us to our take-out, minutes from the lodge, where pisco sours and dinner await us.

Day 3 Monday: Rafting the Corazón of the Futaleufu
In the morning we will raft Chile's most action packed section of whitewater - a virtual whitewater power storm! This section, from the Zapata swinging bridge to the Puente Futaleufu, includes five miles of Class IV+ rafting action. Rapids such as "Entrada", "Pillow", "Tiburon", and "Mundaca" with its must-see explosion hole, will keep you on your toes. In a calmer section below the rapids, we will do some swim training in preparation for the more intense rapids coming up. At the end of the "Corazón" section, the river picks up energy as the canyon walls turn into vertical cliffs and huge glacier crowned peaks rise above. Here, we find "Más o Menos" (Class V-) and our first optional and authentic Class V rapid of this raft trip, "Casa de Piedra". Spend the afternoon soaking up the chilean culture in this secluded alpine village or participate in one of the numerous multisport activities from our lodge. Patagonia rafting at its best!

Day 4 Tuesday: Horseback riding in Las Escalas Valley
One of our highest rated activities program. We go back in time and horseback ride through the 'trails of neighbors'. It is a network of narrow trails that locals travel on foot, oxcart or horse that lead to the valleys and isolated villages. A full day out in the 'Last Frontier' in Patagonia. You will enjoy the sheepskin saddle and the wood stirrups and a chance to run it in an open field. Experience all this while rafting Patagonia’s world famous Futaleufu river. You will be using more muscles than you think.

Day 5 Wednesday: Raft Chile's Infierno Canyon
This is the most demanding, committing, and dangerous section of the Futaleufu. The highlight of our Patagonia rafting program! To raft this section safely, the river levels must be right, you must have previously rafted the "Corazón" section with us and met all of our safety requirements. We put in at the bridge on the Río Espolon and soon arrive at the confluence with the Río Futaleufu. At the "Gates of Infierno", we enter the "Infierno Canyon" with several serious and continuous Class V drops. After an exciting morning of rafting in the canyon, the river widens with spectacular views of the Las Escalas Valley. After a section of gentle water, the river returns to its wild side and we encounter "Zeta" and "Throne Room", two of the most ferocious rapids on the Futa. We will portage both. After the portages, we get into the action section called "The Wild Mile Home", which contains continuous Class III and IV rapids. We arrive at the Río Azul under the sentinel of the Tres Monjas peak. This is the take out for the "Inferno Canyon" section - Futaleufu River rafting at its best! After a snack and beers on the beach, we hike up a short trail and drive back to the lodge and all of its comforts.

Day 6 Thursday: Rafting the Terminator & Trekking
More of this fantastic Futaleufu whitewater. This section offers some of the best Rafting in Patagonia. You must have previously rafted the "Heart" section with us and met all of our safety requirements. After a morning hike, we put in at the confluence of the Futa and the Río Azul, and enjoy a warm up on a beautiful stretch of river that winds around the Tres Monjas peaks. Then, the river takes on an extremely powerful nature, with the longest and largest rapid on the Futa, the "Terminator" (Class V). Just below, we'll have to negotiate the hole filled "Khyber Pass" (Class IV+) and the Himalayas (Class IV), with perhaps the biggest standing waves in the hemisphere.

Day 7 Friday: Trek to the Tres Monjas Spires
Depending on the weather we have two options. Rappelling into the canyon gorge and trekking to the most powerful rapid the Throne Room or starting very early and climbing to the base of the dominant Tres Monjas peak and return. This is the perfect ending to our weeklong Chile rafting multisport week. We take out and return to our accommodations at the lodge or camp, for our going-away dinner 'fiesta', live local music, and a video review of our raft Chile week.

Day 8 Saturday: Departure
Today we wake up for an early breakfast and drive back to Chaiten, Chile and your flight to Puerto Montt, or relax for a couple of hours and take our shuttle to Esquel, Argentina. As you catch a final view of the Futaleufu Valley; surrounded by hanging glaciers and snow capped mountains, take a moment to reflect upon all of the amazing sights and experiences of this past week. After all these years we are still stunned that views like these exist. If you think you'll be itching for another adventure, a very popular alternative way to get to Chaiten is to travel it by water! We offer a 6-day guided sea kayaking trip that takes you from the end of the whitewater all the way down to Chaiten via the Lower Futaleufu, Lago Yelcho, Río Yelcho, and the Pacific Ocean. Two rivers, one large lake, and the enormous ocean, all surrounded by pristine Wilderness and unlimited postcard views.

PRICE: $2995.00 USD

Included: All meals, lodging, transportation, rafts, guides and river gear while rafting in Chile with us. Round trip transportation between Futaleufu and Chaiten or Esquel. See the Chile Rafting packing list for specific details. The actual program for your individual Futaleufu Rafting trip will vary according to the desires and skill level of your group, weather, or other factors.

	Experience Needed: None Physical Challenge: Medium High Cultural Experience: High Lodging: Lodge Comfort Rating:  High Days away from home: 10 Days with us: 8 Max Trip Size: 16 Price: $2995.00 USD Region: Futaleufu River Valley, Patagonia Chile Lakes, Rivers, Sites Visited: Chaiten, Futaleufu Village, Rio Espolon, Rio Futaleufu, Rio Azul, Las Escalas Valley