White water rafting on the Trancura or Liucura rivers has been a stock "must-do" activity in Pucón for decades now! The first commercial descents began waaaaay back in the early 1990's, with Sol y Nieve among the first to offer those rivers to tourists.

As a result, rafting has become one of the most traditional, and best loved, activities around Pucón. The international white water kayak and rafting competitions that are hosted every year attract experienced competitors from across the globe proving how inviting, and challenging! the waters really are.

But of course you can go white water rafting in many other destinations so why choose Pucón?

Here are our 7 top reasons why!

#1. Really close by! Just 30 minutes after leaving your hostel or hotel and you will be at the river edge getting kitted up and ready to begin your river experience!

#2. Experienced Sol y Nieve guides:Their love of the water is evident; you can see it in the shine in their eyes. They seem to live for the river and they just love sharing that passion with you.

#3. Amazing volcano views: Every curve of the river affords glimpses of the omnipresent Villarrica volcano and other surrounding mountains making the whole experience perfectly unique.

#4. Year round options: Trancura Alto (Upper Trancura), the high river, is a high adrenaline Class IV+ option usually available between October/November to May/June. During the season when the water rushes down from the mountains, the Alto becomes a torrent of rapids which turn it into true white water and therefore it is even off limits for those with heaps of experience. During those months, the Liucura, or Trancura Bajo (Lower Trancura) offers a year round option with rapids which range between Class 2 and Class 3.

#5. A perfect family experience: because you don't need any prior experience for the lower river it is great option for families. You do however have to be able to swim and be a minimum age of 14.

#6. Bird life! An added extra on these excursions is the presence of various bird species that feed from the river and nest in the trees on the banks. The surprisingly large Ring Necked Kingfisher can often be seen gliding gracefully across the surface of the river in search of a fresh catch.

#7. Well maintained equipment: Sol y Nieve prides itself on the quality of the equipment offered in all excursions. In the case of rafting you will get a wetsuit, neoprene boots, life jacket, helmet and of course the all essential paddle. Also included is return transport to the river edge, your bilingual guide, insurance, coffee and snacks at the end of the trip. All you need to get together is a change of clothes, swim gear, sun protection and a towel.

So there you go! 7 reasons why Pucón's local rivers are a great option for that white water river experience. You will find many operators offering discounts, combos and attractive prices, but do take care to look out for that value added element that is hard to put a price on, good old experience. And Sol y Nieve sure does have a lot of that!

Check out our reviews on Trip Advisor here as well as why we believe our Sol y Nieve guides are the best for making your rafting trip an unforgettable experience!

For reservations and further info please drop Sol y Nieve a line here.
Happy planning!

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