We pick you up at Temuco airport and bring you back to our Lodge on the outskirts of Pucon. Situated on a stunning lake and with the Villarrica Volcano towering above the town, Pucon has a reputation as one of the worlds best kayaking destinations. However, it is not all Class 5 whitewater and huge waterfalls. Pucon has some fantastic Class 3 whitewater on its doorstep. From the medium volume Lower Trancura to the technical Upper and Lower Liucura, there is plenty of kayaking in and around Pucon to work on technique and gain kilometres of river time! If you come later in the season, rivers have lost a lot of their power and volume. This means some of the Class 4 rivers such as the Upper Trancura and Upper Palguin will be a great option if confidence is high!

Within a days drive of Pucon you can find some fantastic Class 3 whitewater. The Lower Truful Truful starts with a punch as you put-in right below a waterfall. There are continuous rapids for the first few kilometres before chilling out with great views of the valley and the snowcapped Llaima Volcano. The Lower Fuy provides some great waves kayaking on a river with crystal clear water. If the energy levels are good then we can do another lap! The Rio San Pedro is often regarded as a mini Futaleufu. It has probably the clearest water we have ever encountered. You can just roll over and see the volcanic rock, river bed and fish as you float on bye. The action soon picks up and we kayak some big waves and rapids with the feeling that we are in the middle of nowhere. It can also make a great mellow, 2 day self-support multi-day trip. The Rio San Pedro is a firm favourite of the whole team!

Why us?

David, Steve and Mati form a fantastic partnership that not only gives you the opportunity to kayak amazing rivers in Chile but you will also get a distinct flavour of the region, its people and customs. David and Mati’s knowledge of Chile’s rivers is second to none! Both David and Mati work for the prestigious University of Pucon teaching the whitewater part of their outdoor education degree. With our experience in leading and running kayaking adventures, you will not find a better team to give you an introduction to the Kayaking Mecca that is Pucon! Want to know more about Steve, David and Mati, then please check out Our Team page.

Experience Required

You should have some experience of kayaking Class 3 whitewater such as the Imst Gorge and the Toesens Gorge sections of the River Inn in Austria. Your roll does not have to be 100% however we do expect you to try to roll more than once and wait for a t-rescue before exiting your kayak. We kayak for around 4-5 hours a day and though you do not need to be an Olympic athlete you should have a certain amount of paddle fitness and stamina. If you are undecided about the Class 3 tour, you can always look at our Pucon Classic Class 3-4 Trip later in the Chilean Season (March), just get in touch and we can help you with any questions.

Chile Kayaking Season

Of course we are in the Southern Hemisphere so everything is the opposite. Spring in Chile is October/November, Summer is December/January/February and Autumn is March/April. Expect higher water levels and maybe ½ a grade harder in October and November. December and January are medium water levels and then by mid-February/March the levels have dropped and so the strength of the river and holes etc.

Group Composition

Our ratios are extremely low be it in the Kayak School, India, Peru or Chile! The ratio of the group is no more than 1 guide to 3 clients! We will also not take more than 6 clients on this trip! This gives you plenty of whitewater action with the opportunity to become a much more all rounded confident kayaker! This is why we like to keep our group sizes small

Accomodation

From 2020 we will be based from our brand new Lodge on the flanks of a mountain in Pucon. In 2018 we bought just under 10,000m2 (1 hectare) of a mixture of woodland and meadow. We have an unbelievable north-side view out over the valleys to Llaima Volcano in the distance. On the south-side we can see the snowcapped Villarrica Volcano from our living room windows. The Lodge has central heating, bedrooms that go out to a terrace, en-suite bathrooms and upstairs is the open plan kitchen, dinner, living room with a breathtaking views and a balcony to chill out on. Of course there is a drying room to make sure our kit is ready for the following days kayaking.

Food & Drink

Food can be a real highlight in Chile. Markets are full of vegetables and fruits of the season. There are some great restaurants in Pucon serving Spanish and German influenced cuisine. Back at the lodge we cook authentic Indian curry with different flavours and nothing too spicy! Also let’s not forget the Chilean asado - a grill laden with various meat, sausages and we have even some great vegetarian alternatives as well! Our water is from a mountain spring and David will have a cold beer waiting for you at the take-out. Our coffee is roasted in Pucon and tastes amazing and of course Chile produces some quality red wine.

Extensions

If you would like to extend to make it a 12 day (or even longer) trip then just let us know. We have options to kayak in Argentina on the stunning Rio Alumine in Spring and early Summer, head south to the Rio Petrohue or north up to the Rio Bio Bio. Just let us know when you get in touch.

Dates & Prices

Tour Dates

We have tours planned on the following dates:

• 03-14 March 2024 (12 Days)

No dates to suit your plans? Just let us know through the contact form, we are pretty flexible here at the Kayak School trying to give you more of a chance to make that dream trip to Chile.

Tour price

Pucon 12 Days:  EUR 2750.- including full board (3 nights not included)

Contact us about the trip