Stunning location
PADDLER 99
I was back in Pucon , Chile escaping a winter of relatively poor snow conditions at home in Austria . Our lodge on the flanks of the Villarrica Volcano was coming along nicely , and we were looking forward to welcoming our first guests to the lodge for a week of Class 3-4 kayaking . The madness of February around Pucon was over , and next on my kayaking calendar was the Mariman Extreme Kayak Race at the beginning of March .
I had managed to take photos in 2022 and had put a small article together for The Paddler last year , and Santiago ( the organiser ) was keen for me to be involved again this year .
Stunning location
Santiago originally developed the race to highlight not only the stunning location but also to show there was more to the Trancura River than just the rafting companies pumping down all the tourists that visit Pucon , which is one of the main adventure capitols of the Southern Hemisphere , not just in South America .
The River Trancura originates from the stunning Lanin Volcano on the Chile / Argentine border . As it makes its way down towards the Villarrica Lake , where the town of Pucon is situated , it picks up the volume with rivers such as the Maichin ( my personal favourite around Pucon ), Palguin ( a steep creek made famous by its abundance of waterfalls ), plus the outflow of the Caburgua Lake via the Carrileufu River and finally the Liucura River . The Lower Trancura is a Class 3 ( 4 ) popular section of whitewater .
The Upper is a pool drop in character with steeper drops , amazing snowcapped volcano views in the background , and plenty of green vegetation along the banks of the crystal clear water . As you kayak down the Upper section , the drops and rapids become steeper and more challenging until you come to the hardest one , the Mariman . The rafting companies portage their clients around , and if they are lucky and the levels are perfect , they get to watch the kayaks run the rapid waterfall along with the tourists who have paid to hike in and watch it from the viewing platform on the other side of the river .
PADDLER 99