Chile Week of Rivers Colorado Whitewater

A whitewater kayaking trip guaranteeing instruction for beginner, intermediate and advanced kayaker group destinations daily. CW members will vacation riverside on the Rio Trancura, Chile’s epi-center of whitewater rivers AKA the heart of the Lakes and Rivers District. This trip means CW beginners and intermediates can enjoy kayaking the same week as advanced kayakers on skill appropriate sections with professional instructors.

Epecially for Beginner and Intermediate Kayakers to progress to the next level. Check out Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced sections in our Chile Rivers Guide. 

Dates FEB 18 – 25 (Recommended CW Members Week)
*CW members may register for any 2022 – 2023 Calendar trip. Discounts are based on total cumulative CW members for calendar trips. CW members are required to pay initial deposit, a balance greater than $500 shall remain on CW invoices to to cover calculated CW members discount. CW discounts shall be applied to all registering members upon final payment prior to trip. 

Colorado Whitewater Member Discounts

# CW Participants	CW Member DISCOUNTS	CW Board Member DISCOUNTS
6 – 9	$200/member	$300/BOARD MEMBER
10 – 14	$300/member	$400/BOARD MEMBER
15+	$400/member	$500/BOARD MEMBER

 

“Am I good enough to kayak in Chile?” We often hear this and shake our heads. It’s akin to the person who wants to get in shape saying, “I’m not strong enough to go to the gym.” You go to the gym because you want change, and the hardest part is first going. Joining a kayak trip with PKR is more than an adventure vacation. It’s a week or two of progressive kayak instruction on proper whitewater features. Of course, our team is trained on safety and river knowledge. More impactful is the application of skills lessons to fun and challenging features.

About Your Host 

David Hughes formerly was an international freestyle and extreme kayak race competitor, founder and director of Go Huge Kayaking’s New River Acadmey. As an instructor David coached and led kayakers down their first waterfalls with names such as Pat Keller (Runnerup World Champ/Green River Champ), Rush Sturges (World Champ/Film Producer), Brad Ludden (founder First Descents/Runnerup World Champ), Emily Jackson (World Champ), Jason Craig (World Champ), Jordan Poffenberger (World Champ), Tino Specht (Nat Geo, Redbull Filmographer), Katie Kowalski (Partner Ottawa Kayak School/Canada National Champion), and Andrew Holcomb (National Champion), Dustin Urban (Runnerup National Champion), Ali Wade (Runnerup World Champ), Hannah Farrar (Bronze World Champs), and a long list of national champions. Today, David boldly proclaims he has led more people down waterfalls than anyone in the history of the world. At his ripe age living in the world’s best waterfall destination who could argue that? In 2007, with kayaking trips savings David bought Pucon Chile’s best whitewater location as a whitewater training and class base for global kayakers.

Today, David continues his academic aspirations via co-developing a Patagonia study abroad semester with Colorado Mountain College and the Universidad de la Frontera and a vision for institutional river sustainability curriculum. US summers are lived along the Arkansas River instructing ACA and SRT courses, teaching CMC students to kayak and raft guide, introducing kayaking to First Descents cancer fighters, lead instructing for RMOC, and volunteering with whitewater clubs. As the proud owner operator of Pucon Kayak Retreat David teaches instructors how to teach progressions to students in a way that they continue to progress kayaking throughout the year. Needless to say David is a passionate career kaayker. KEEP KAYAKING.

Who should whitewater kayak the Chile Week of Rivers? 

Combat Proof Guarantee. Each kayaker will learn and progress with student-centric instruction on appropriate level river features.  You will be provided safe challenges, exploration, whitewater accomplishments and skills foundations that will help you develop for years.

For Beginner Kayakers (min 2 per). Rolling and river running fundamentals on class II to III with daily instruction and features. Itinerary follows closely the Rolls and Rivers program mixed in with intermediate river sections.

For Intermediate Kayakers (min 2 per). Progress your skills, improve river running confidence, practice advanced boat and paddle mechanics all while paddling Chile’s beautiful III to III+ rivers. Heck, you might even run a clean waterfall. Follows closely Pucon Classics Intermediate program.

For Advanced Kayakers (min 2 per). Kayakers will step up established fundamentals and apply to more challenging river features. Lessons include: boat scouting/leading; waterfall protection, safety, and art of flight lessons; and advanced skills river challenges and applications. Kayak group leadership lessons offered upon request.

Full Group Activities. Meals and lessons happen at your Rio TRANCURA riverside home where you’ll laugh at your failures and celebrate your accomplishments nightly. Mornings offer instructional lessons to apply to the day’s features and challenges. Some rivers like the Rio San Pedro all will paddle: beginners in inflatables, intermediates with kayak or inflatable options, and advanced will charge the big waves and stouts. Hot springs, hikes, Pucon tours, and other options are available.

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Tentative Intermediate Itinerary

*Due to water levels, skills, and group needs the following itinerary is subject to change and is a best prediction of the itinerary.
Links to sample Beginner Kayak Chile Rivers and Advanced Pucon Classics itineraries. 

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Day 1 (SAT)

Arrival to Temuco Airport (ZCO) between 11 AM to 5 PM.
Boat outfitting, orientation and welcome.
Potential afternoon river run or activity pending time. Welcome dinner to Pucon Kayak Retreat.

Day 2  (SUN) Skills Assessment on Lago Villarrica and Rio Tolten Chile Kayaking 

AM – Beginners & Intermediates. Rio Tolten & Lago Villarrica (I to III). Rolls and Strokes at Lago Villarrica plus river run.
Advanced Kayakers. Skills assessment Lower Trancura laps.
PM – Rio Tolten (II to III) Plus Artisan Ice Cream

Day 3 (MON) Liucura Wave to Rio Trancura Confluence Chile Kayaking

AM – Kayak Theory Lesson. Beginners. – Liucura Bridge to Wave; Intermediates/Advanced – Liucura Wave to Quelhue Bridge.
PM – Beginners. Trancura Delta and roll practices; Intermediates/Advanced – Lower Trancura

Day 4 (TUE) Lower Maichin Canyon Plus Multi-Sport Activity 

AM – Mirador Laguna Leona Hike
PM – Beginners. Lower Maichin (II to III) Canyon; Intermediates/Advanced. Maichin Canyon.

Day 5 (WED) Turbio Lava Falls, Swimming Holes, and Liucura Play Wave to Trancura Confluence

AM – Beginners – Middle Trancura; Intermediates/Advanced – Upper Trancura
PM – ALL. Liucura Play Wave to Trancura Confluence. Surfing is our favorite way to gain confidence with boat control and combat rolling.
For the afternoon we’ll drive the group to overlook Lago Caburgua with vistas of two volcanos.

Day 6 (THU) Travel Day – Rio San Pedro Chile Kayaking

AM – Full Day Road trips are big days and often the group favorites. An early breakfast followed by won of the most scenic drives circling volcanos, lakes and rivers.
Travel Dinner. *Guests are responsible to cover this cultural dinner estimate at $US12 to $US20.

Day 7 (FRI) – Farewell Celebration Chilean Asado 

AM – ALL. Optional Palguin clean ten foot waterfall. Yes, we even have a safe option for beginners and intermediates to try a clean waterfall in kayak or inflatable kayak. Advanced kayakers have option to run the basalt canyon.
PM – Pucon tour and shopping.
Afternoon – Farewell Chilean Asado Celebration

Day 8 (SAT) – Airport Transfers. Morning lap time permitting. 

AM – Pack your bags. If time permits you can charge a last lap.

PM –Temuco Airport (ZCO) Departure Flights Between 11 AM to 5 PM.

KEEP KAYAKING.

What’s Included.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Appetizers & Dinner
• Kayak Rental
• Airport Transfer *per scheduled times
• Riverside Base & Lodging
• World’s Best Kayak Instruction
• Daily River Transports

Not Included.

• Optional dinner out at group chosen cultural, favorite cafe, or travel meal
• Alcohol
• Optional multi-adventure activities such as massage therapy and hot springs

 

Tentative Trip Itinerary

*Due to water levels, skills, and group needs the following itinerary is subject to change and is a best prediction of the itinerary.

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Day 1

Arrival to Temuco Airport (ZCO) between 11 AM to 5 PM.
Boat outfitting and welcome.
Potential afternoon Lower Trancura (II to III+) run pending time.

Day 2

AM – Load for Rio Tolten & Lago Villarrica (I to III). Rolls and Strokes at Lago Villarrica

PM – Rio Tolten (II to III)

Day 3

AM – Kayak Theory +PLUS Liucura Wave to Trancura Confluence (II to III+)

PM – Lower Trancura (III to IV) or Trancura Delta (II)

Day 4 Travel Day -San Pedro, Fuy, Blanco, or Truful Truful 

AM – Full Day Road trips are big days and often the group favorites. An early breakfast followed by won of the most scenic drives circling volcanos, lakes and rivers.

Day 5 

AM – River Section or Mapuche Indian Presentation on the state of Rio Trancura Headwaters vs. hydropower.

PM – Lower Maichin (II to III) Canyon.

Day 6 – Travel Day – San Pedro, Fuy, Blanco, or Truful Truful 

AM – Full Day Road trips are big days and often the group favorites. An early breakfast followed by won of the most scenic drives circling volcanos, lakes and rivers.

PM – Thursday nights are scheduled for a guest dinner at won of our favorite Chilean cafes. We’ll take time to explore Pucon’s shops, eateries, and have a cerveza or artisan ice cream.
*Guests are responsible to cover this cultural dinner estimate at $US9 to $US12.

Day 7 – Group Option, Farewell Celebration Asado & Video

We’ll gauge the group energy and discuss kayaking or multi-adventure options for the final day. Some may want to try a clean waterfall for a grand finale. Others may want to get redemption on a section. We’ll celebrate the week’s accomplishments Chilean style with a grand fire and asado.

Day 8 – There’s still time to get in one last run. 

AM – Optional Morning Lap or Pucon souvenirs and crafts shopping.

PM –Temuco Airport (ZCO) Departure Flights Between 11 AM to 5 PM.

KEEP KAYAKING.