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→Season 2025/26
==Season 2025/26==
* <span style="background-color:aqua;">'''2025-11-28 to 2025-12-02 / 5 days / Packrafting / NOBO / RP (partial) + Option 8 (Rio Ventisquiero) (partial)'''</span>
Day 01: we got the 8AM bus from Puerto Montt to Lago Tagua-Tagua (7000 CLP), ferry (1340 CLP) and the bus to Primera Coral (2000 CLP), arriving at about 3PM. We followed Option 8 alongside the Rio Ventisquero on a 4x4 track. We stashed our food where the train meets the river for the first time -41.99928, -71.93188. The side stream Rio Correntoso at -42.01706, -71.94015 was a little too deep to ford so we used the packrafting to ferry across. After the crossing the 4x4 trail ended and the trail was tricky to follow. Eventually you’ll find yourself in farmland at -42.02391, -71.95023 with lots of barbed wire fences. We made the mistake of descending down to the river to camp.
Day 02: The farm is very easy to navigate - you should head straight for the gate by the building at -42.02519, -71.94891, then exit the farm through the gate at -42.02704, -71.94878. This then joins a very good trail which continues all the way along Rio Ventisquiero. We didn’t quite get all the way along the GPX track, deciding to get on the river at about the 15km point: -42.01938, -72.05608. The paddle down Rio Ventisquiero was absolutely stunning. Mostly grade 1 rapids, with a couple of easy grade 2 sections. Very little wood in the river made the paddle stress free. After picking up our food stash we continued to the confluence and on down Rio Puelo to a camp at -41.96241, -71.91332, which was secluded but just sand so pegs had to be reinforced with rocks. We got Entel 3G coverage at this camp site.
Day 03: The Rio Puelo was beautiful, but lots of wood in the water meant we were kept on our toes. We exited the river as indicated and found a relatively well defined trail. This continued as far as the farmland at -41.88868, -71.96327. After that the trail was very difficult to follow and very overgrown. We made use of our machete and made very slow progress for a couple of hours. Gradually the trail got better but we only managed to get about half way through this section before calling it a day. We found an excellent camp site next to the big rapid at -41.85605, -71.98205.
Day 04: We put in directly after the main rapid at -41.85389, -71.98136. There were three other rapids to portage:
1: -41.85020, -71.97891, grade 3.
2: -41.83783, -71.97900, grade 3.
3: -41.83532, -71.97799, grade 2.
We portaged #1 on the rocky beach on the left. This was simple, but the large rocks made portage difficult.
Rapid #2 is not visible on our satellite images, and we believe is it newly formed from landslides from the creek on the right of the river. It was easily portaged on the right. We needed to paddle hard to ferry across to the beach above #3 on the left.
Rapid #3 is at the start of the right channel of an island. There is also a smaller rapid at the start of the left channel. You should portage the rapids from the island. We portaged #3 on the left or the right channel. On inspection, both channels around the island would have been ok to paddle, but visibility down the right channel was better, so that’s what we chose.
After these rapids, the rest of the days paddle was very relaxing in comparison. There was quite a bit of wood in the river, but as the river widened be became easier to avoid. We reached the ferry terminal at 18:00 and waited for the 19:00 ferry. It wasn’t until the next morning we realised we were at the wrong location, and the ferry terminal was 5 minutes walk down the road.
Wrong location (toilets): -41.69748, -72.11422
Correct location for ferry: -41.69885, -72.11884
We slept in the unmanned building at -41.69748, -72.11422 which made a great shelter for the night, and had lights, flushing toilets, running water and power outlets.
Day 05: we got on the river at a great spot 500m from the ferry terminal at -41.64383, -72.17079. The river is straightforward apart from the rapid section as mentioned in the waypoints. We almost had a disaster and lost a paddle where one of the streams was blocked with wood. After an hour of searching we eventually found it. I don’t have any recommendations for a safe route through this section. There are several rapids, max grade 2+, but very shallow and rocky. The shallows were rocky and covered in algae, so very slippery.
The waypoint instructions to stay right is a good plan, but would involve lots of hauling your raft over rocks. Some of the rapids might be possible to paddle depending on your boat and water levels. Take care because there’s a lot of wood in this section!
After the rapids, the river widens and is much more relaxing. We exited the river and finished the section at -41.65247, -72.30067. We missed our bus so stayed overnight in an outstanding cabin in Puelo at -41.66261, -72.29580 for 40k CLP (https://maps.app.goo.gl/B8nh4TJS3Tw5aXFq9 WhatsApp: https://wa.me/56996127975).
* <span style="background-color:aqua;">'''2025-11-30 to 2025-12-02 / 2,5 days / Packrafting / SOBO / OP (02A) / 02D / RH / 22S / Daniel.s'''</span>