Kayaking & rafting in the Chilean Lake District

The crystal waters of Lake Todos los Santos in Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park are perfect for exploration by kayakers of all abilities. The ability to get out on to the water offers the chance to explore parts of the park that are inaccessible by road or hiking trails. The views from the lake of Osorno and Puntaguido Volcanoes are never less than awe-inspiring. 

Those with a little kayaking experience already can take to the waves to explore the waters around Reloncavi Fjord by sea kayak, at the gateway to Pumalín National Park, looking for dolphins and sea lions and paddling to waterfalls that tumble straight into the sea from sheer mountain walls. 

A combination of a rainy climate and seasonal glacier meltwater makes the Chilean Lake District a great destination for whitewater rafting, not least because you’re generally rafting against a stunning backdrop of one or more volcanoes. In general, the rivers run faster here than in the Argentine Lake District – the rivers we list here all have Class 3 to 4 rapids. Conditions are at their best for rafting from December to March.

For those staying near Puerto Varas, the Petrohué River in Vicente Pérez National Park offers excellent rafting below the Saltos de Petrohué falls and under the constant gaze of snowy Osorno Volcano.

From Pucón, the most accessible rafting is to be found on the Trancura River as it drains into Lake Villarrica. Its lowest reaches are the quietest, but the whole river can be closed in the winter due to high and unpredictable water.

For connoisseurs willing to travel a couple of hours from Pucón, possibly the best rafting in the Chilean Lake District is to be found on the River Fuy near Panguipilli on the Seven Lakes Circuit.There are three distinct runs here through thick temperate rainforest, each broken up by sheer waterfalls as the river descends to Lake Pirihueco.