Day 1
Today our group convenes in Puerto Varas, a charming German-founded town at the southern end of the Chilean lake district. Depending on your time of arrival, you can spend this day any number of ways - whitewater rafting on the Rio Petrohue, hiking on the flanks of Volcan Osorno, fly-fishing or simply enjoying the town and the splendid views across the lake. In the evening, the group meets for a welcome dinner before retiring to our comfortable guesthouse.

Day 2
A short flight south in a twin-engine plane brings us to the coastal village of Chaitén, where we board our van for the drive south through the temperate rainforests of Chilean Patagonia. Along the way, we cross the mighty, emerald-blue Rio Palena, which comes surging west out of the Andes from its headwaters in Argentina. At the beginning of the 1900's, hardy settlers first colonized this broad valley, rowing upriver from the coast. Our destination on this day is a charming guesthouse situated on a hilltop overlooking the Palena valley. Upon arrival, we'll have time to stretch our legs and enjoy the view before preparing to hit the river the next morning.

Day 3
Loading our gear into our Boreal Designs single and double kayaks, we slide into the waters of Lago Rispatron, which receives the chalk-blue waters of the Rio Figueroa. After a brief in the lake, we head downriver on the Rio Risopatron - a sizeable river in its own right - before entering the main flow of the Palena. The river flows through open country, past active homesteads; in the afternoon we take out and camp near the home of a local settler who provides us a delicious lamb asado - a fitting welcome to the wilds of Chilean Patagonia.

Day 4
Today we break camp and continue downriver, helped along by the Palena's powerful current. An easy day -- by early afternoon we arrive at our next campsite, a white sand beach directly across the river from a virgin hotsprings, with the glaciated peak of Volcan Melimoyu looming above us. Life doesn't get much better than this!

Day 5
Leaving our idyllic campsite behind, we continue on towards the Pacific, as the Palena gradually loses its current and passes through immense oxbox curves. In the afternoon, we leave the main flow of the river and enter a narrow channel, overhung by dense vegetation, which leads us to the protected waters of the Pitipalena estuary. We camp on the shores of the estuary, surrounded by massive peaks rising straight up from the water's edge.

Day 6
An easy paddle brings us out to the mouth of the estuary and the idyllic village of Raul Marín Balmaceda. Accessible only by boat, this remarkable village is built on a broad sand spit between the mouth of the Palena and that of the estuary - all told, it contains a general store, one restaurant, a police station, a guesthouse and a couple of cabanas. As we arrive at the town's beach, pods of porpoises swim alongside to greet us - in 2002 they actually gave us a show straight out of Seaworld, as a group of sixty or more buzzed by the beach, leaping from the water in groups of five or six at a time! Tonight we stay in comfortable rustic cabins in the village.

Day 7-8
For two days we'll explore the stunning marine environments of the estuary and the Pacific Ocean beyond. Weather permitting, we'll head to the offshore islands to visit sea lion colonies and kelp goose rookeries, or head up the estuary to visit more hotsprings near the base of another glaciated volcano; otherwise, we'll explore the area in day trips, returning to our cozy cabins and feasting on fresh seafood at night.

Day 9
All good things must come to an end, and today is the day. After a morning free to enjoy the absolute peace and isolation which envelops this tiny village far beyond the reach of the modern world, we board our charter aircraft for a flight direct from Raul Marin's local airstrip to Puerto Montt, for the transfer back to Vicki Johnson's, our home away from home. A farewell dinner wraps it up, though the hardy may opt to check out Puerto Varas' friendly and late-burning nightlife.

Day 10
End of program.

Price includes:

• Guides
• one and two person expedition kayaks;
• kayaking equipment (PFDs, paddles, etc);
• all meals during trip;
• group camping equipment (tents, utensils, etc)

Price does not include:

• Airfare
• Additional nights & travel