Although the Futaleufu is world famous for its technical big water, there are many tributaries, sections and features in the Futaleufu river valley which are ideal for paddling school classes and beginner kayak lessons. There also several other rivers with-in two hours. There is an indoor pool one hour away just across the border in Argentina and hot springs 3 hours away near the volcano Chaiten. For beginning whitewater kayakers and sea kayakers, our kayak school offers three types of paddling courses that vary in intensity. Our New Kayaker Week focuses exclusively on kayaking, with a single day off for a multisport activity of your choice. Our Learn to Kayak Multisport Week combines kayak lessons with a greater emphasis on multisport activities. Lastly, for those who want to intensify their time on learning how to roll a kayak, or improve their kayak roll, we offer kayak rolling clinics from our paddling school.

Day by Day:

Day 1 Friday: Depart your home town
Fly to Miami and connect on an over night flight to Buenos Aires Argentina. Welcome to the warmth of the southern Hemisphere in summer.

Day 2 Saturday: Travel to Trevelin, Patagonia Argentina
Early morning arrival in Buenos Aires. Change airports and catch another flight to Bariloche, or Esquel Argentina. From Bariloche, a luxury bus will take you on a beautiful drive along the Patagonian lakes and mountains to Esquel. IF you fly direct to Esquel you can arrive in Trevelin with some time to enjoy the area. Trevelin, Argentina is a charming mountain village gateway just 45 minutes from Futaleufu River in Chile. Trevelin is serviced by ground transport (Bus or private taxi) from the Jet ports in Bariloche (4 hrs) or Esquel (40 min). Check into a hotel in this charming village and walk to one of several superb restaurants. Unwind, relax, and get a good nights sleep before the start of you trip 9:00 am the next morning.

Day 3 Sunday: Trip Pick up, Into Chile, Secret Lagoon
After breakfast you are picked up for the 45 minute drive to the border with Chile. Here we become familiar with your kayaks, equipment, and safety procedures. We put in at the blue secret lagoon on the edge of the Pristine Rio Espolon. We introduce you to the kayak strokes, the roll and all the fundamentals. After lunch we actually get our first taste of moving water on the easiest part of the Espolon River. After this first day on the river we take out at a gravel bar, and drive to Campo Tres Monjas your home for the week and where you will meet Afterwards, we drive our Eco Camp Tres Monjas, find your luggage, settle in and enjoy a gourmet meal before heading to bed.

Day 4 Monday: Secret Lagoon and Rio Espolon
We're headed back to the secret blue lagoon on the edge of the pristine Rio Espolon. We'll spend more time practicing our rolls in the comforts of the lagoon and once our confidence is built up, head off into the Class II/III moving water. We will practice the ferrying technique, crossing the Espolon several times, as well as strengthen our ability to identify river features such as tongues, waves, holes, and eddies. As the finale of the day we meet your first real rapid, Three Rocks class 2+. The take out is just after this rapid. Afterwards, we arrive at our Eco Camp Tres Monjas where we settle in and enjoy a gourmet meal before heading to bed.

Day 5 Tuesday: Multisport Day
Today you'll have a choice of activities to choose from including trekking, horseback riding, mountain biking or rafting the heart of the Futaleufu.

Day 6 Wednesday: Rio Espolon focus on Ferries/eddies/turns
We will practice the ferrying technique, crossing the Espolon several times, as well as strengthen our ability to identify river features such as tongues, waves, holes, and eddies. We will get our first chance to surf our first standing wave, on a completely safe part of the river. We return to the Espolon and we will repeat the previous section and continue on into the lower Espolon with its surfing waves. We will solidfy our Ferries, eddy turns and start on our jet ferry techniques. The more adventurous and quick learners have the option to try out thier kayak rolling skills in whitewater. We return to Campo Tres Monjas for a sauna and after kayaking happy hour.

Day 7 Thursday: Rio Espolon and Surfing wave
We're headed down the Espolon again today but today we will ignore the upper and spend more time on the perfect standing waves of surfing rapid. This is a beautiful class room, pristine water, ideal eddies, glassy waves, and gorgeous mountains sourrounding us. There is even a great rock bank to get out and eat lunch and sun on. If you were to design a teaching spot you could not come up with anything better. After lunch we descend into our most challenging rapids yet on the Class 3 lower. Tonight when we return to Campo Tres Monjas we are pulling out all the stops with a huge asado or open pit gill. We'll enjoy a fantastic last night at the camp with , Patagonian lamb and outstanding company.

Day 8 Friday: Multisport Day/on to Trevelin, Argentina
Today you'll have another chance to choose from a variety of activities before heading off to Trevelin, Argentina and the end of your trip with us in Patagonia. Our vehicles will be waiting at the end of today's activity. Our luggage will join us as we make our way toward the border on our way to Trevelin. Check into your hotel, take a shower and change clothes before enjoying your last night in Patagonia. There are several outstanding and reasonably priced restaurants in Trevelin that we can recommend. Relax, recover and look back on the exciting week of kayaking before heading back the following morning.

Day 9 Saturday: Return to Capital City
Depending on your connections you are now are in Argentina ready for an early departure in a cab from you hotel to the bus station in Esquel for the trip to Bariloche and your flight back to Beunos Aires. A private transfer can be arranged direct from your hotel to the airport in Bariloche. If you have a flight from Esquel you have the morning to enjoy and buy gifts in Trevelin before your 2 pm flight to Buenos Aires and the connection back to your home country.

Day 10 Sunday: Return home

 

Accomodations:

Eco Camp Campo Tres Monjas

Price per Person: $2295.00 USD

Special Flexibilities: Exchile will be flexible to make your trip a total success. The actual program for your custom trip will vary according to the desires and skill level of your group, weather, or other factors. Patagonia has constantly changing weather patterns that might affect what day is best for a certain activity. If a certain part of your trip is not possible due to danger risks and weather extremes, our experienced guide staff will work with you to figure out the best possible option to substitute for the weather complications. If you have any concerns, please feel free to ask us more about the situations and what is guaranteed on the trip.

Included:Your described trip, guiding, instruction, activity equipment, local transportation, shuttles, all meals, wine with dinner, accommodations at our eco-camps, cabins, ranches or lodges, from your trip pick up point to your trip drop off point. See the packing list of your activity, for the specific clothing that is required.

Not Included: En-route transportation, lodging, and food from your home town to the border with Chile and Argentina or other trip pick-up point. Laundry services, massage, additional alcohol are available but not included. You can reserve on our web page a pre-trip and post-trip hotel in Trevelin that includes the shared transfer to and from the border.

You can also ask our travel agent to prepay private ground transports between airport and from the airport to Trevelin, for an additional charge. Expediciones Chile is not financially responsible for your travel complications getting to your trip pick up point and from the drop off point, HOWEVER, we will be relentless allies in offering our services to help solve any issues that you may encounter.

	Season: Nov 15- March 30 Off Season the first two days rolling practice in warm pools October 15th to November 15, March 30th to April 15th Experience Needed: Desire to learn Physical Challenge: Moderate Cultural Experience: Medium Nature Experience: High Comfort Rafting: Moderate to High Max Trip Size: 10 Min Trip Size: 2 Region Visited: Patagonia Argentina and Chile Lakes, Rivers, Sites Visited: Espolon, Azul, Futaleufu, Palena, Corcovado Direct Line, USA: +1.208.629.5032 (7am/5 pm mst) Toll Free, USA: +1.888.488.9082 (7am/5 pm mst) Travel Consultant 1 Travel Consultant 2

Also offered at the Patagonia South Kayak School: Beginning Kayak Instruction, Intermediate Paddling Instruction, Advanced Paddling School Courses. How to Roll a Kayak clinics and private kayak lessons.

Downloadable pdf: Kayak School