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Whitewater Rafting in Chile:
Futaleufu Rafting: Full Futaleufu River Executive Rafting
(5 Days from home
, 4 Full days on the river)

The Futaleufu Executive Rafting trip is ideal for private groups, VIPs, and family reunions. You will save time with a charter flight that awaits your group when you arrive early in the morning at the Puerto Montt airport in Chile. An hour-long flight over the spectacular Andes takes you to a remote airport just minutes from the put-in on the Futaleufu. After the end of your fourth rafting day, a late afternoon charter flight awaits to return you to Puerto Montt for your connection to Santiago and the overnight flight to your home country. This set-up drops two days of travel time and has you boarding your raft on the Futaleufu less than 24 hours after departing your home town. This trip gives you four full days on the Futaleufu and keeps you from work and family for only five days. For the executive trip, we also offer the custom filming of your group in this spectacular setting. Our team can be equipped with drones, GoPros, and shore-based cameras to make your group a 20 to 30 minute film that will be a keepsake memory forever.

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We descend the entire whitewater portion of the Futaleufu River in four action-packed days. This is full-on rafting, as we do at least two sections of the river each day. During your stay, you will descend from 1100 feet above sea level near the border with Argentina to just 210 feet above sea level near Lago Yelcho. This trip is for those who have limited time to see and experience the Futaleufu River. We know that you will not want to leave after just four days, however in that time you will have the opportunity to see the entire Futaleufu River.

The Eco Campo Tres Monjas, or your accommodation during the trip, is located on a white sand beach at the confluence of the Rio Futaleufu and the Rio Azul. The RiverNest Cabins are hidden between the river bank and the riparian forest, and each cabin is accessed by a private sand trail and surrounded by exotic Patagonian trees. After dinner, you can enjoy a campfire on the beach as you watch the moon rise between the impressive spires of Tres Monjas peak. At camp we have a sauna, flush toilets, a drying room for your river clothes, a dining lodge, and a selection of hot showers - including an exotic outdoor shower masterfully hidden between natural boulders. On this week-long trip, you will be able to play hard during the day in the Patagonian wild and return to the comforts of sit-down dining, a cozy stove, a sauna, and a warm bed. Rafting in Chile does not get any more exciting, wild, and comfortable than this.

Day by Day:

Day 1 Saturday: Depart your hometown at midday
Overnight flight to Santiago, Chile.

Day 2 Sunday: Travel to Futaleufu and raft to Campo Tres Monjas
Welcome to the warmth of summer in the Southern Hemisphere with an early arrival in Santiago.  Grab your bags, clear customs, and change terminals. Board the first flight arriving in Puerto Montt at around 9:45 am. There, you will be met by a charter flight representative who loads your luggage into the charter plane. Board your waiting flight and arrive in Futaleufu in one hour. Your ExChile trip pick up point will be where the charter flight lands. The river, guides, and rafts will be waiting thirty minutes away from the airport. Our first day on the river will be on the introductory Las Escala section. After our guides introduce you to safety and paddling skills on the river, we will encounter a section of mild class II water flowing through the Las Escalas valley. A couple of hours later, the river shows its wild side and we encounter Zeta and Throne Room, two of the most challenging (Class V+) rapids on the Futaleufu. We will study and portage both rapids.  After the portages, the action starts with the section called "The Wild Mile," which contains Tres Islas (III), Roller Coaster (III), Honorable Mention (IV minus), Wild Mile (IV minus), and the climatic “Thing.”  The excitement continues until we get to the confluence of the Futaleufu and Azul Rivers. We take out on the unspoiled beach at our Campo Tres Monjas, where a stunning Patagonian peak stands guard.  You will be given a tour of the trails leading to the sauna, showers, gear drying shed, bathrooms, and dining hall. This idyllic spot will serve as the take-out and put-in for your activities for the rest of the week's adventures.  This setting is arguably one of the most stunning on the river. Relax in the sauna and prepare for a sit-down meal.

Day 3 Monday: Rafting: Terminator Section and the Heart of the Futaleufu
Today has to be one of the most fun and action packed days of rafting anywhere on Earth. We take off from our sand beach at camp and head downstream to a couple of warm up rapids before the river takes on an extremely powerful nature with the longest rapid on the Futa, Terminator (Class V). Just below, we'll negotiate the hydraulic hole-filled Khyber Pass (Class IV+) and the Himalayas (Class IV), which has perhaps the biggest standing waves in the hemisphere.  After lunch, we run another complete section - Bridge to Bridge - which is the heart of the Rio Futaleufu.  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 - which has a must-see explosion hole - will keep you on your toes. The action is non-stop and the calm between the rapids is short. This is world class rafting at its best! Even our most experienced river runners tell us that they have never seen such continuous non-stop action. After the trip we return to our Campo and take advantage of our sauna and massage room to work out sore muscles you might have after a big day of paddling.

Day 4 Tuesday: Lower Futaleufu Rafting: The Heart of the Futaleufu and Casa de Piedra
We take off from the beginning of the Heart of the Futaleufu. This is the action-packed section from the day before that includes five miles of Class IV+ rafting action. As we begin our final section of river today, we will thread through the aptly named Mas o Menos rapid, preparing for the magical and daunting Casa de Piedra rapid. Casa - as the rapid is commonly referred to by our expert guides - is a long class V rapid appropriately named for the house size rock that must be navigated before we fly down through a maze of truck-sized holes and waves. The take-out is across the river from a spectacular cliff wall, and glaciers tower in the distance. We then return to the Campo and to the RiverNest cabins.


Day 5 Wednesday: Rafting Infierno to Campo
Infierno Canyon is the most demanding, committing, and hazardous section of the Futaleufu, and it is the highlight of our Patagonia rafting program! (It is also optional.) If you feel that you have rafted enough, however, a multi-sport activity (i.e. sea kayaking, whitewater kayak lessons, mountain biking, or trekking) can also be scheduled. To raft this section safely, the river levels must be ideal. You must also have rafted the "Bridge to Bridge" section with us and have met all of our safety requirements. We put in at the Río Espolon bridge and raft to the the confluence with the Futaleufu River. At the Gates of Inferno, we enter the "Infierno Canyon" with several consequential and continuous Class V drops. After an exciting morning of rafting in the Inferno canyon, the river widens with spectacular views of Las Escalas Valley. At the take out of Las Escalas, a vehicle will be waiting to take you to your charter flight back to Puerto Montt. Connect to Santiago and to your international flight back to your home country.

Day 6 Thursday: Arrive in your home country
Clear customs and connect with the first flight back to your home town around midday.







Accomodations:

Campo Tres Monjas

Interactive Map of Campo Tres Monjas

Condor Nest Ranch   

Price and Departure Dates

Length of Trip: 4 active days
Away from home: 5 full days
Price per Person: Single Occupancy 3,000 USD (if available)
Price per Person: Double Occupancy 2,600 USD

Scheduled Departure Dates: Activity Calendar


Included

Your described itinerary, guiding, instruction, specialized equipment, and all transportation from your trip pick-up point to your trip drop-off point, all accommodation (RiverNest Cabins are double occupancy), all meals, and wine with dinner. (To see the gear that we provide, please check the packing list of your activity.)

Multisport Choices:
If you have a scheduled multisport activity or if the river is too high to run, the group can decide to participate in the following activities: Beginning Kayaking / Inflatable Kayaking (Class II-III) / Trekking / Sea Kayaking / Mountain Biking.

Not Included

The charter flight from Puerto Montt directly to Futaleufu is extra, and the price is based on the number of people in your group. A professionally produced film of your group is also optional, and the film price is based on the number of people in your group.

All pre and post-trip enroute transportation, food, and hotel(s).

Once you are on an ExChile trip, you should incur no extra expenses unless you’d like laundry services, massages, gifts, or alcohol beyond what is included. If you would like to add multisport activities that are not listed as options on your itinerary, we are happy to cater to your wishes, though these activities may be subject to an additional charge. These additional activities include fly fishing, horseback riding, and canyoning.

Contingencies

Weather and River Flow: ExChile will work to make your trip a total success, though your trip itinerary may vary based on unforeseen circumstances related to weather, river levels, or to other unpredictable variables. Given that the weather in Patagonia and the water level of the Rio Futaleufu can change, some runs may be dangerous at certain points in time. However, our experienced guide staff will work closely with you to determine the optimal substitute option, if relevant. If you have any concerns, please feel free to reach out to ask us more about potential risks and options.

Transportation: If extreme weather diverts your direct charter flight between Puerto Montt and Futaleufu to the all weather airport of Chaiten, ExChile will provide ground transport between Chaiten and Futaleufu. This course of action will allow you to maintain the planned itinerary. ExChile and G & G Travel and Tours are not financially responsible for travel complications associated with your scheduled carriers beyond the charter flight. However, we will be your relentless ally 24/7 in offering our influence to help solve any issues that you may encounter en route. Our clients provide significant business for the transportation services that we recommended, and they know that we aggressively represent our guests in finding solutions while they are en route to ExChile trips. We also recommend purchasing travel insurance.

 
Experience Needed: None (Though it’s always helpful)
Physical Challenge: Moderate
Family Rating Rafting: Class 1-3 for 8-14 years olds ; Class  4-5 for 14-15 olds (With family permission)
Family Rating Multisport: Family Friendly
Season: December to March
Cultural Experience: Moderately High
Nature Experience: Very high
Comfort Rating: Glamping at Campo Tres Monjas
Max Trip Size: 16
Min Trip Size: 4
Region Visited: Remote Patagonia - Chile (Futaleufu) and Argentina (Trevelin)
Lakes, Rivers, Sites Visited: Rio Futaleufu, Rio Azul, Rio Espolón, Lago Lonconao, Lago Espolón, Secret Lagoon, Campo Tres Monjas
Chile Rafting Trip Calendar Trip Itinerary
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How to get to and From Patagonia (interactive):

Executive Option:
 
Fastest way to Patagonia and back.

From Santiago:
Fly in: Santiago - Puerto Montt - Chaiten - Bus to Futaleufu.
Fly out of: Chaiten - Puerto Montt - Santiago



Expediciones Chile Contact

Futaleufu Whitewater Rafting Chile
Adventure Travel in Patagonia, Chile Rafting & Argentina Rafting. Torres del Paine and FitzRoy trekking.

Patagonia Travel Guidebook
Chile & Argentina Patagonia travel information. Secrets of Patagonia Tour.

Kayaking Futaleufu Chile
All levels of whitewater Kayaking in Chile. Kayaking Futaleufu from our Eco Camp.
Patagonia Weather & Climate
Information about the the seasons weather and climate in Patagonia, Chile & Argentina.
Sea Kayaking Patagonia Chile
Sea Kayaking Patagonia from the Andes to the Ocean.
Yoga Travel Retreat Combine yoga with your favorite multisport activity with this yoga travel retreat.
Fly Fishing Patagonia
Fly Fishing Patagonia, Chile from our fly fishing ranch or lodge.
Eco Tours Patagonia Chile
Checkout our custom eco tours of the Futaleufu Valley that include bird watching and nature treks.

Kayak School Paddling School
Learn to roll a kayak at our kayak school. Receive world class kayak
instruction from our paddling school.

Rafting & Kayaking around the Globe
Expediciones Chile resource page to find other outfitters around the globe.
Trekking Patagonia Chile
Trekking Patagonia in Torres del Paine, Cerro FitzRoy and Los Glaciares National Parks.
University of Futaleufu
Checkout the instructional and corporate programs we offer.

Chile Horseback Riding, Patagonia
Chile horseback riding from the Andes to the Ocean experience the real patagonia


Travel Agent Information
Information on travel agent commissions and discounts can be found here.
Skiing in Chile The Andes Mountains have some of the world's greatest skiing. Skiing Chile, Patagonia and Argentina. Guide School Thinking about a guide job on the Futaleufu? Check out our whitewater guide school.
Canyoning Patagonia Chile
Canyoning and rappelling vacations in Patagonia, Chile.
Jobs at Expediciones Chile 
Whitewater Rafting and Kayaking Jobs and outdoor employment opportunities.
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