TOP10
Steve Brooks - My
rivers of the world
As we head off kayaking during the season here in Base Arlberg , Austria , I am often asked what my favourite rivers I have kayaked are . It ’ s certainly not easy to answer as I have kayaked on five continents and completed first descents on three of them , including a few solo first descents .
So what makes a river so special that it becomes one of my all-time favourites ?
It has to be a mixture of the following : the quality of whitewater , scenery , remoteness , sometimes the challenge to get there , friends who I have made a descent with and of course the local people and culture .
So here are my ‘ current ’ top 10 rivers of the world …
1 . Rio Apurimac – Cusco , Peru
The mighty Rio Apurimac in Quechua ( the native Inca language ) means ‘ The God who Speaks ’. For years the river had been a barrier / border for the Inca Empire , and the upper reaches are much discussed as being the source of the Amazon . I have had the privilege of working six seasons rafting , safety kayaking and trip leading on the commercial section of the Apurimac .
The quality of whitewater is incredible not just on the commercial section but also on the Black Canyon above and the upper reaches from where the Rio Velille enters . Further downstream is the Acobamba Abyss section of the Apurimac , commonly known as the Abysmo to the local Peruvian whitewater community . It is a canyon so deep , so remote and at the limit of what was possible to navigate in a kayak . When John Blake and myself kayaked the Abysmo back in 2008 , the river had only been completed by a handful of kayakers . Not only did we have to deal with rapids of class V and upwards , but there were also huge problems at the time from the Shining Path Guerrilla movement and Narco traffickers !
Based out of Cusco , which is known as the centre of the universe to the Inca Empire , it is renowned as the party town of Peru , and one really good friend of mine described it as Babylon ! The guides that have worked on the Apurimac seem to be the best I have ever seen around the world , and of course , spending 3-4 days in a stunning canyon only makes that bond more special .
To me , the Apurimac IS my favourite river in the world !
ThePADDLER 141