Reasons to go

  • From whales to glaciers, fjords to lakes, kayaking gives you a far more intimate view of the scenery and wildlife of Patagonia
  • No experience is necessary to take to the water, though more technical trips are available for seasoned kayakers
  • As the region is peppered with lakes, rivers and streams, you can fit kayaking into your itinerary just about anywhere
  • Spend a morning paddling, or take on a more adventurous multi-day trip

Kayaking in Patagonia

Where can I kayak?

Illustrated Guide

Top 3 places to go kayaking

1. Lake Districts: Wild and adventurous kayaking. Kayakers from around the world come to the Futaleufu river in Chile, known for its strong currents and deep blue waters created by glacial sediment. Across the border, Argentina is lush and green and full of remote kayaking locations. Find out more.

2. Torres del Paine: The national parks in central Patagonia are fabulous for dramatic scenery and shorter kayaking trips. Here you'll be able to kayak amongst fjords, glaciers and icebergs, with mountains as your backdrop. Find out more.

3. Aysen: A region full of waterways, kayaking is one of the best ways to see its treasures. Try sea kayaking, visit the remarkable marble caves and cathedral, or pick one of the winding, remote rivers to explore. Find out more.

Putting the kayaks in on the Baker River, Aysen Patagonia

Putting the kayaks in on the Baker River

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What our customers think of Patagonia Kayaking Tours

Patagonia Kayaking Tours trips scored 4.4/5 from 77 reviews

The kayaking is great fun even in a gale, and you get a better perspective of the lake from a quiet boat. The instruction and attention to safety was first class and the cup of tea at the halfway point was most welcome! Read the full review

Travelled: March 2023

Chris Gibbs - UK

Kayaking on the La Leorna River was SO great and a fantastic way to see more of the Patagonian landscape. I highly recommend this - the guides were fun, super knowledgeable, and very keen on our safety the entire time. One of the other main highlights of the trip! Read the full review

Travelled: March 2023

Zeah Venitelli - USA

Paddling to the hot springs; after two days of paddling on the water, we entered the last fjord and it felt like time stopped. We slowly passed by groups of curious and playful sea lions and made our way to where the river meets the ocean. We had to pull our kayaks through the low tide and made it to our destination. After we set up camp, we enjoyed the hot springs as it began to rain. It was magical. Read the full review

Travelled: February 2023

Kelsey Freeman - USA

Kayaking Serrano River was amazing. I've never been so close to a glacier while on the water. Read the full review

Travelled: February 2018

Jan Reichelderfer - United States Of America

Kayaking up close to a sea lion colony and walking amongst the burrows of thousands of magellanic penguins were absolute highlights. Read the full review

Travelled: December 2017

Jo McGrouther - Australia

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What a great way to end our trip. The kayaking was challenging enough and rewarding and better than expected.

Travelled: November 2017

Steve and Jenny - Australia

The river canyon we paddled was challenging and beautiful, with plenty of excitement for an amateur paddler. Our guide was wonderful, and provided a perfect experience for what I was looking for.

Travelled: February 2017

Kevin - Pennsylvania

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Kayaking down the Rio Serrano was the highlight - I truly felt like we were in the wilderness because we didn't see any other people!

Travelled: January 2017

Mary - South Dakota

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The kayaking in Patagonia was tremendous. Continually beautiful. There is something about being on the water that I just absolutely love.

Travelled: December 2016

Anne -

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Kayaking the Baker River is something I would never go to Patagonia and miss doing. It's an incredible experience! The logistics were great, planned out and flawless. The food was beyond our dreams! We could not have had a greater time on our kayak portion of the trip.

Travelled: November 2016

Julie and Nic - Hawaii, USA

Review:

Types of Kayaking Trips

Day trips

You don't need any kayaking experience to jump in a kayak for a day and get a whole new perspective on the scenery. Whether you make it the most adventurous day of your trip, or just a day to rest your legs after some serious hiking, kayaking can take you places that you simply can't get to otherwise. 

The best places to kayak for a day are in Torres del Paine, where you can kayak up to the towering wall of a glacier and reach out to the icebergs floating beside you, the lake districts where the lakes and rivers are pristine, or Ushuaia and Valdes where penguins and sealions await.

Patagonia Kayaking Tours

Kayakers paddle past a huge iceberg on Lago Grey, Torres del Paine

2-4 day river tours

Kayak by day and wild camp wild by night. Multi-day kayak trips are open to novices as well as more experienced kayakers; all your equipment and food will be provided so you can just focus on the scenery.

The beauty of these longer kayaking trips is getting well off the beaten track. Discover tiny hidden coves and islands, and drift through fjords completely hidden from the nearest road or walking trail. What these areas lack in people they more than make up for in wildlife - consider the Chilean Fjords for up close encounters with whales, and Peninsula Valdes to arrive at hidden beaches teeming with sealions and penguins.

Patagonia Kayaking Tours

Kayak expeditions

Experienced sea kayakers will be looking for a more meaty challenge, and Patagonia will not disappoint. Audacious and infamous routes include kayaking to Cape Horn, a remote exploration of the Chilean fjords, kayaking deep into the Pumalin national park.

These trips tend to be longer days with even more remote routes, and strong winds can make for challenging conditions. The rewards are more than worth it to see untouched Patagonia.

Kayaking crystal clear waters in Pumalín Park, Patagonia, Chile

Kayaking crystal clear waters in Pumalín Park

Where to go Kayaking in Patagonia

Kayaking in Aysen

Kayaking in Aysen

Aysen's rivers are forces of nature; immense bodies of water that carry glacial melt from the ice cap to the ocean. Kayaking along these rivers gives you access to some wildly …

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Tierra del Fuego

Tierra del Fuego

Tierra del Fuego is a region of moss-covered forests, craggy mountains and winding fjords, with adventure enough to set any explorer's soul alight. 

Discover More

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