6 Kayak Trips in Chile Worth Booking

1.Guided Kayak Trip on Liucura River

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 87 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $75Our pick

Join KayakinChile for a three-hour guided kayak trip on the Liucura River near Pucón. Guides including Guillermo, Gio, and Lorenzo lead small groups through calm water, white-water rapids, hidden waterfalls, and views of Villarrica Volcano. Sit-on-top kayaks, wetsuits, helmets, shoes, transport, and instruction are included.

“Guillermo is the best guide in Chile. Fun, knowledgeable, entertaining, and easy on the eyes! Great equipment too. We were the Dream Team!”

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2.Tour Guiado en Kayak por Rio Maullin / Medío dia en Pto. Varas

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 47 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $115

Meet Cahuil Adventure in Llanquihue for a guided kayak trip from Lake Llanquihue into the Maullín River. Guides including Philippe, Steve, or Andres provide instruction, safety gear, local stories, snacks, and a photo record. Finish with pizza and craft beer after about two and a half hours on the water.

“We had the best day of our trip so far! The river and its surrounds were lovely - clear, deep water as well as shallow parts with interesting flora, a steady current, beautiful surrounds and lots of birds to watch. Phillipe was a great guide with lots of info about the habitat and guidance about kayaking in this area. Between him and Steve the whole activity was a pleasure - really nice to chat with them at the end over pizza and a beer. Highly recommend this day trip.”

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3.Kayak through the Sunken Forest of the Maullín River

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 41 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $95

Spend about four hours kayaking through the flooded native forest of the Maullín River near Llanquihue. Felipe, Camilla, Esteban, Benjamin, or Fernando may guide you through the birdlife, plants, river route, and forest’s formation. Kayaks, safety gear, snacks, brunch, drinks, and transport are included.

“This was an excellent half day kayak experience. We paddled in a beautiful area with lots of different birds to see and gorgeous scenery. Our guide Filipe was excellent. He had lots of knowledge about the birds and plants, which was very interesting. The instruction on paddling and steering technique was helpful and the advice on the route to take on the faster water was so helpful. We felt safe and supported. It really was a brilliant afternoon.”

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4.Marble Chapels Kayak Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 33 reviews · from $60Best value

Meet Cormorán Expediciones in Puerto Río Tranquilo, ride 6 kilometers to Bahía Mansa, and paddle open fishing kayaks to the Marble Tunnel, Chapel, and Cathedral. Mai, Magdalena, or another local guide leads the small group, provides neoprene gear and photos, and explains how the caves formed.

“Excellent tour by Mai with extra tips she provided us and awesome photos she took of us and shared. We really enjoyed the explanations of the environment and nature and science. Would recommend. Very safe”

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5.Sea Kayaking the first fjord of Patagonia

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 32 reviews · 1 day (approx.) · from $110

Start at Ko’KayaK near Ensenada at 8:30 am for an easy-paced sea-kayak trip on Reloncaví Fjord. Guides such as Catalina, Paula, Paz, and Richard provide instruction and safety gear. Paddle to a family farm for a traditional lunch, then continue toward Cochamó before returning by transport.

“My husband and I are not complete kayak beginners, but that really doesn't matter, as with Richard's instruction anyone can do it. The gloomy day still provided the journey with a distinctive beauty through the fog. We were kept nice and warm with wetsuits and dry jackets. The rustic farmhouse lunch was fabulous and like a step back in time, but the hospitality of these beautiful people was gold. Our only minor criticism was that we spent a little too long over lunch. We really would have enjoyed kayaking a bit longer. As I said MINOR! What really made our trip memorable, was the close interaction with sea lions we…”

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6.Puerto Rio Tranquilo: Kayak Tour to the Marmol Chapels

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 24 reviews · from $75

Paddle across Chile’s largest lake to the Capillas de Mármol with a certified Spanish or English-speaking guide. ChileAndes provides the kayak, safety gear, bay transfers, sanctuary entry, and about 90 minutes on the water. Guides such as Gabi and Jose have led trips praised for clear instruction, strong English, and helpful photography.

“Gabi was an amazing guide and the entire tour was spectacular.”

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