– Kayaking down Futaleufú flat water, crossing the Yelcho Lake and down the Yelcho River to Chaitén
– Pacific Ocean – Patagonia Chile
– Trip Cost usd 800  (does not include air fairs)

More information & Reservations:
Email: info@gradosur.cl
Mobile & Whatsapp: +56 9 44070503 +56 9 93805359

General Descripction: This Andes to The Ocean kayak trip navegates the old water route used by the locals to connect Angentina’s border with the town of Chaitén by the ocean before the road opened. It starts below the white water of the Futaleufu River, enters the Yelcho Lake and ends in Chaitén viejo following the Yelcho River.
Safety: Through the expedition, there is boat with off-board engine for safety. It also carries extra gear, food and items that might fit in your personal kayak. With good weather, this kayak trip is fairly easy, but with wind extra safety for the kayaks is always welcome.
following on the closest road there will be a 4×4 and trailer with vhf radio contact as a back plan.
Important is to know that though the trip takes part in remote areas, there are locals and small boats that use the same waters.
Route & Weather: Patagonia in summer bring nice warm weather (even hot days). However, it is also possible that it might show usthe rainy and cold face as well in the same trip.
Trip starts at Puerto ramirez, the old port used back at the beginning of the 1900s. This is the area where big rapids end and flat waters of the river start. Though navegating the moving water is not challenging, kayaking experience makes it a lot easier.
The Futaleufu river opens into the big Yalcho Lake that offers amazing view with waterfalls, glaciers and steep fjords. With good weather it is easy to navegate across and follow the itinerary. It is important to know that with wind it gets choppy  and phisically demanding. Sometimes, we plan our departures early in the morning is we know (using weather reports) that the day will be windy just to avoid extra work and stay on schedule. If, on the contrary, there is no way around windy days, we might even consider to simply stay at the same campground and wait for the right moment to resume the trip.
Rain does not complicate the trip. It does make it a bit uncomfortable for those not used to the outdoors and rain. But good gear, including a good tent and warm clothes make the big difference.  We bring big tent for meals and cooking and for the group to hang out.
Where the Trip Starts: The trip starts in the small town of Futaleufu in patagonia, 7 miles from the border with Argentina.  This means that people might have to arrive one day earlier that the trips date. For how to get there, we can assist people with logistics and reservations for local transportation.
Where the Trip Ends: The trip ends in the ocean town of Chaitén. We can help schedule a bus ride, airplane ticket or trip on the ferry boat to Puerto Montt.
Price and What is Included: The cost covers all local ground transportation, lodging before and after the trip according to itinerary. It also includes guides, kayaks and gear, and of course all food during the trip. For safety reasons a kataraft with a offborad engine follows us (mother boat).
Not Included: The cost of trip does not include air fares or local transportation in/out of Patagonia.

Itinerary Day by Day:

Day 01. Saturday 15 February:
Saturday is arrival Day. Participants must be in Futaleufu any time during Saturday. The idea is to have our firts dinner together and start the trip that night with a final check about the trip and gear. To help participants to get to Futaleufú, we assist people as much as we can with local transport and connections.
Option A: Bus fromPuerto Montt to Chaitén. The BIMODAL route. It takes a day to get to Chaitén. It is a great trip through the fjords. Then, extra 4 hours to Futaleufú by local bus or charter van or our company vehicle.
Opción B: A 45 minutes direct flight to Chaitén from Puerto Montt airfield La Paloma (a small 6 or 8 seater plane) Then again, extra 4 hours to Futaleufú by local bus or charter van or our company vehicle.
Option C: A bus through Argentina that takes about 8 hours including paperwork at border crossing. The bus leaves from Puerto Montt but people can schedule to board in Osorno.
Note: we can help coordinate all these options since we know the schedules and have the contacts.

Day 02. Sunday 16:  The Trip Begins – Lower Section of Futaleufu River to Monita Island – Lago Yelcho
After breakfast, we start getting ready for the trip. We double check personal gear and also gear that we provide people with. make sure that the fitting of kayaks is perfect and radder works. Check every piece of equipment and make sure everything is going to fit in the kayak – tent, sleeping bag, clothes, extras, water, etc.
At around 1pm we drive to the river with all gear. We prepare to get into our kayak with everything we need for the trip. Lunch by the river.
By 4pm we start kayak trip. First stretch takes the group to a beautiful natural campground on the western side of Isla Monita in the Yelcho Lake.
This is a beautiful stretch of the river. We only paddle for about 3 hours. A great and mellow way to start this trip.
Night at campground. Dinner prepared by Grado Sur Exp.

Day 03.  Monday 17: From Isla Monita to Puntilla Or Correntoso River Beach.
Lake Yelcho is a stunning place. It is also a big challenge especially if there is wind and waves. If that is the case we need to start early. Breakfast at 6 or 7am and paddling at 9am. If weather is good we can relax and start later. But keep in mind that if weather is bad we might have to start even earlier that 9am.
First we paddle from Monita Island to La Puntilla. We rest here for an hour or so and take the time for lunch.
Later, we get back in our kayaks and cross the section to Correntoso River beach, one of the kost beautiful places in Patagonia. 
From this day on, our ‘mother boat’ is very important to give paddlers assistance if needed or just be there to make people feel safer.
Afternoon by the beach.
Night at Campground.
Dinner prepared by Grado Sur Exp.

Day 04. Tuesday 18: From Correntoso River Beach to Puerto Cardenas – On to Campground by Yelcho River
After breakfast, we get ready for our day’s paddling. We need to be in the water with our kayak by 10am, unless weather says otherwise.
First stretch all the way to Puerto Cardenas, about 3 hours paddling.
Lunch at Puerto Cardenas.
After lunch, we need to understand that we go back into a river again and paddle following guides instructions.
Lake Yelcho is great. There are two places where other rivers get into our mai river and that means some trees that we need to keep in mind as we paddle.
Our campground for the day is just below the second river feeding the Yelcho.
Afternoon at Camp
Night at Camp
Dinner prepared by Grado Sur Exp.

Day 05. Wednesday 19. From Río Cardenas to Camp ground just below El Amarillo River.
Río Cardenas is a great place to camp. We can relax in the afternoon and rest.
The next stretch is river and we need to be careful with currents and logs sitting in the river that we need to navegate around, so following the guide’s instructions and line is very important.
Today we paddle for about 4 hours. Once we get to our campground we rest and enjoy the afternoon and what is our last day and night of the trip.
Night at campground.
Dinner prepared by Grado Sur Expediciones.

Day 06. Thursday 20: LLegada a Chaitén Viejo – Fin de la Travesía.
Hoy nos levantamos tarde, pues desde este campamento a nuestro destino final son solo unas 2 a 3 horas. En este día se hace el último tramo río Yelcho hasta Chaitén Viejo, un simple embarcadero usado por la comunidad para actividades madereras, agricolas o simplemente para desplazarse de una rivera a la otra del río. Aquí nos espera el vehículo Grado Sur Expediciones. Organizamos y cargamos todo el equipamiento y vamos a nuestras cabañas en Chaitén. Noche en cabañas. Cena en Chaitén.

Day 07. Friday 21:  Trip Back to Puerto Montt and ON Home.
– Breakfast at hostal.
– Trip back to Puerto Montt dependeing of the option to travel.
– Connection back home.

What to Bring in This Trip.
It is hard to predict the weather for Patagonia, but February has always offered windows of better weather. That is why we plan our trip mid February. However, we need to come prepare for the worst. There expression ‘there is not bad weather, but bad equiopment’ make stotal sense in this trip.
Our experience has shown us that “Andes to the Pacific” kayak trip could a great adventure with great views and scenery and great sandy beaches. However, it can turn into a big challenge with rain and wind. So it is key to come prepared for those two scenarios.
– Wet Suit (provided by Grado Sur Exp)
– Layers – upper and lower body
– Wind-stopper or rain gear for paddling
– Extra rain gear to wear during campground hours.
– Water shoes soft sole to operate radder in kayaks.
– Extra shoes to wear while camping.
– Tent good for rain with extra floor cover
– Sleeping bag & mattress
– Dry Bags to keep everything dry. Though kayaks have acrgo compartments, they are not 100% waterproof
– Sun block, hat and sun-glasses
– Buff (wool hat) or similar in case of cold weather
– If needed paddling hand warmers. a kind of paddling gloves that help keeping hands warm
– Warm clothes to wear at night during camping hours
– Mosquito repelant (Important)
– Headlamp and extra batteries
– Small personal bottle for shampoo, soap
– Toilter paper in plastic bag
– Preferred Snacks  (Cereal bars, dry fruits, others)
– Water bottle (suggested bottle with buit-in water purifyer)
– Small fistAid kit and personal medications if needed. Anti-inflammatories (We cannot provwith anyn kind of medicine)
– If you take medications and supply of that med for the trip

More info & Sign Up: info@gradosur.cl / pablo@gradosur.cl
Mobile Oficina: +56 9 4407 0503
Otros teléfonos de contacto:  +56 9 9380 5359