the RIO FUTALEUFU
patagonia chile
ITINERARY.
The itinerary we design for Patagonia changes each year - optimizing our opportunities to learn about & give back to the regions through which we’re traveling - creating real connections with the extraordinary people and landscapes. Once the group is established, we will meet to discuss logistics, explore options, then build a solid itinerary that maximizes the time we have available to explore.
All GOALS Patagonia expeditions are designed with intention to be:
Adventurous - challenging the mighty rapids of one of the world’s most revered rivers, while also exploring the region on horseback, in sea/whitewater/inflatable kayaks.
Educational - providing lessons about the region’s exceptional history, culture, traditions, and current environmental challenges.
Immersive - using trusted relationships built over time to offer authentic interactions with locals - in their homes, on their farms, etc.
Comprehensive - exploring several small cities throughout southern Chile, strolling markets full of hand made artisan crafts, visiting local schools and interacting with locals throughout the Futaleufu and Rio Azul valleys, exploring forested trails that lead to glacier-rimmed alpine lakes, etc. There’s never enough time to see and do all we want to in Patagonia.
For an example of the type of expedition GOALS is able to create using our connections in the region, please click here to review the 2020 itinerary.
COSTS & INCLUSIONS.
Cost: APPProx. $5500 - 6000, depending on itinerary specifics.
GOALS all-inclusive rates extend beyond the on-river experience. They also include all transportation (ground and air), lodging/campsites before and after the expedition, and all meals both on the river and on the road during our travel to/from the canyon. A detailed list of all inclusions (gear, government fees, supplies, etc.) is outlined below.
EXPEDITION COST INCLUDES:
Roundtrip international airfare and group travel planning from Denver to Puerto Montt, Chile.
*Note: in some cases, families may choose to use their own airline miles to reduce the cost. Contact GOALS if you’d like to explore this option.Ground transportation from the airport in Puerto Montt to Cochamo.
All lodging - in Puerto Varas, Cochamo, and Futaleufu.
2 days / 1 night of guided sea kayaking on the Petrohue River and the Reloncavi Fjord.
Local meals - asado’s, curanto’s, and other culturally inspired meals in and around Cochamo.
R/T small plane flight from Puerto Varas to Chaiten.
Ground transportation from Parque Pumalin to base camp on the Rio Futaleufu.
Lodging at basecamp in comfortable but rustic safari-style tent bungalows with comfortable beds, soft linens, and fluffy comforters. This is admittedly a bit more "glamping" than the traditional GOALS experience.
All meals at basecamp - from lunch on day 8 to breakfast on day 15 - featuring incredible hearty breakfasts and lunches, gourmet appetizers served in the wood-fired, riverside hot tub and culturally or geographically inspired dinners (we'll enjoy "Chilean night, Argentinian night, Indian night, Italian night", etc. - and even a traditional Chilean asado BBQ).
All activities at camp - including yoga, fishing, paddling kayaks and duckies, horseback riding, biking, and hiking.
Inspiring afternoon discussions and activities guided by the GOALS international curriculum aimed at strengthening connections to one other, to the planet, and to self using a more global lens than our curriculum delivered on rivers in the western US.
Guidance from local and international experts, whose knowledge of the area, relationships with locals, and river navigating skills are truly world-class. The caliber of care you are under is absolutely second to none.
An individual global travel insurance policy that covers the duration of this expedition.
An entirely new understanding of the Patagonia clothing tagline- “Live simply.”
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FROM GOALS.
We believe that cost should never prevent an interested child from experiencing a GOALS expedition, and work hard to raise money that is set aside to make sure that doesn’t happen. In addition to the financial assistance GOALS provides, we also encourage kids to fund raise for their expedition using our stand-alone electronic fundraising platform and GOALS fundraising events. Since 2010, GOALS has always provided enough financial assistance to make sure that every interested child / family could be involved. This is a record we are proud of, and intend to keep intact.
If you will require need-based financial assistance, please complete the general application for the expedition you are interested in. On that application, you’ll be asked if you plan to apply for financial aid. If you are accepted to participate in the expedition for which you are applying, GOALS will then send you an electronic financial aid application. After it is completed and returned, our financial assistance committee will provide the most generous offer possible - based on a variety of factors including GOALS financial aid reserves, parent and student contribution/fundraising efforts, household income, and additional financial commitments to programs and activities that advance your child’s personal growth.
Please contact GOALS if you have any questions.
SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION.
Click the button below to apply for a GOALS expedition on the Rio Futaleufu in Patagona, Chile.