The 15 Most Booked White Water Rafting Tours in South America

1.Arequipa: Chili River White Water Rafting with Hotel Pickup

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 329 reviews · 3 hours · from $20Our pick

Take a three-hour rafting trip from Arequipa into the Chilina Valley. After gearing up, you’ll tackle 6 kilometers of intermediate rapids on the Chili River with guides such as Daniel, Elmer, Luis, or Kevin. Expect cold water, clear instructions, scenic views, and a possible rock jump. Transport costs 20 soles extra per person.

“This was so fun! My partner and I have never done white water rafting before but it was really fun. The guides were great and made us feel very safe. Would definitely recommend!”

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2.12-KM River Rafting Tour in the Andes

★★★★★★★★★★3.9 · 94 reviews · 2 - 7 hours · from $35

Ride 12 km of the Mendoza River through the Andes with a professional Spanish or English-speaking guide. You will paddle through advertised level 3 and 4 rapids, though water levels can make the ride gentler in winter. Juanpi has earned praise for his friendly instruction. Hotel transfers are optional, and the rafting itself lasts about one hour.

“Activity was thrilling for a beginner. The guide was clear, informative, friendly and lots of fun. However they made a mistake with our booking and had us down for another day so we were not picked up in the morning. They did send an Uber who drove like a maniac but got us to our destination on time. The wait time after the activity to go back to our accommodation was a little too long however we filled the time nicely by having lunch at a beautiful hotel next door and being in nature was lovely and meeting other travellers was pleasant.”

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3.Rio de las Vueltas Rafting Experience – El Chalten

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 92 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $120Top rated

Join Comarka Rafting in El Chaltén for a 3-hour descent of the glacial Río de las Vueltas. Guides such as Loli, Tomás, Mateo, and Tommy lead you through calm water and class III to III+ rapids, with Fitz Roy, Cerro Torre, Andean forest, and steppe views along the way. Gear, return transport, and hot drinks are included.

“My three (teenage) kids and I had an amazing time with Loli as our guide and Tomás as our safety kayaker. We went on the last day of their season. It was cold, snowing, with a bitter (and rare) South wind blowing in our faces... but they provided us with wetsuits (including gloves and boots) and plenty of layers of warm clothing, and lots of encouragement, and a thrilling experience! Our hands and especially our feet were really cold by the end, but the hot drinks and tasty pastries in the van at the end helped take care of that. I think that on any other day of the year,…”

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4.Rafting in the Maipo Canyon

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 83 reviews · 150 minutes - 8 hours · from $35

Head from Santiago or San José de Maipo to the Maipo River for a guided class 3 and 4 rafting run. You get a wetsuit, helmet, safety gear, hot showers, tea or juice, and about 30 digital photos. Guides including Santiago, Felipe, and Daniel offer clear help in English and Spanish.

“Amazing tour, well worth it, guides and facilities were exceptional, our first time rafting and a memory we'll cherish!”

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5.Day rafting experience from Tena with lunch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 78 reviews · 7 hours (approx.) · from $90

Join Raft Amazonia at 9:00 am for a roughly seven-hour run down 27 km of the Jatun Yaku River. You’ll pass jungle and local villages, tackle class III rapids, swim when conditions allow, and stop on a beach for lunch. Equipment, photos, and a safety kayaker are included.

“The guide and the experience was great. The rafting and the views were great. Lunch was wonderful and l think everyone had a great time . How do l get the photos that they?”

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6.Rafting & Zip line Urubamba River 1 Day

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 75 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $79

Spend about eight hours with Mayuc River Rafting on the Urubamba River, with hotel pickup, equipment, a professional guide, a safety kayaker, lunch, hot showers, sauna time, and a short zipline ride. Guides including Amerigo and Anderson have earned strong praise, though equipment and meal quality can vary.

“Wow!! So incredible! The river was beautiful, the lunch was yummy, the videos turned out great, and the zip lining was so fun! Highly recommend. Americano and Anderson did a wonderful job hosting us.”

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7.Adventure and Fun River Rafting in Baños Ecuador

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 68 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $35

You’ll spend about five hours rafting near Baños, with a guide showing you how to handle the rapids before and during the ride. Ivagatours supplies a wetsuit, shoes, helmet, and life jacket, then returns you to town after lunch. The route includes the scenic Ruta de las Cascadas, and groups are limited to 15 people.

“We had an amazing time rafting. It was the first time for our teenagers and they absolutely loved it. It was exciting and the surroundings were beautiful. The guides were friendly, professional, and very experienced.”

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8.Arequipa: Chili River Rafting

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 60 reviews · from $34

Raft 6 km of the Chili River near Arequipa with a bilingual guide such as Paco or Jhon. After hotel pickup, safety training, and equipment fitting, you will spend about 1 hour and 45 minutes on the water, passing volcanic rock, pre-Inca terraces, and volcano views. The trip suits beginners, though rapid strength can vary.

“This activity was great. The river was a lot of fun with Paco and the number of rapids. There was also a chance to jump 4m off a rock into the river. The only improvement I would say is the extra cost of the photos should be made apparent when booking the activity so the appropriate cash can be brought to pay or the photos could be purchased online beforehand. The photos and videos were fantastic and sent through within hours of the activity finishing.”

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9.4-Day Inca Jungle Adventure, Mountain Biking, Rafting and Zipline

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 60 reviews · 4 days (approx.) · from $378

You’ll cross from the high Andes to the warm Urubamba valley by bike, raft, foot, and zipline, then reach Machu Picchu after a forest hike and train ride. The small group is capped at 15. Expect basic hostels, long walking days, and extra costs for Machu Picchu entry, buses, hot springs, and optional Huayna Picchu.

“Really enjoyed the Adventure Hike, lots of pros with only a few cons, see below breakdown of the 4 days (I travelled early June 2024), some tips and a packing list of what to take. Day 1, Bike and Raft: Bike was great fun, very easy/beginner friendly as mostly downhill but get to pick up some speed while catching the views. Rafting was excellent with a few decent rapids. Accommodation was terrible, very basic shared hostel with only cold water shower (not ideal after rafting), food was average but didn't go hungry. Day 2, Hike: I'd class myself intermediate hiker and I found it pretty easy, there's a few hills…”

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10.River Rafting & Canopy in the Andes Mountain Range

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 57 reviews · 6 hours - 510 minutes · from $53

Join English or Spanish-speaking guides for a 12-kilometer rafting run on the Mendoza River, followed by four canopy sections above the water. The base lies about an hour from Mendoza on Ruta Nacional 7. Choose hotel transfers or reach Río Aventura Mendoza independently by bus. Bring dry clothes, a towel, sunscreen, and cash.

“Het raften was geweldig. Enorm aardige en bekwame gidsen. Het ziplinen was enigszins saai. 3 korte stukjes over de rivier. Je moet daarna ook zo’n 3 uur wachten totdat de rest klaar is met abseilen voordat de bus terug naar Mendoza vertrekt maar je zit dan wel op een mooie plek aan het meer”

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11.Rafting experience on the Rio de las Vueltas in Patagonia

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 49 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $120

From Comarka Rafting in El Chaltén, you travel to the Río de las Vueltas for a three-hour descent. Paddle through 6 km of calm water beneath Fitz Roy, then tackle 10 km of Class III and III+ rapids. Neoprene gear, safety support, return transport, snacks, and drinks are included.

“Incredible experience rafting on the rio de las vueltas. The guides were professional and highly skilled. They provided all the necessary equipment to keep us warm. They also brought good jovial energy to make the journey fun and explained the different landmarks as we navigated down the valley. We saw the fitz roy from the river as well as condors soaring in the skies! They also give you photos and videos after the trip. I think this makes a good introduction to rafting if it is your first time.”

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12.Cusco Rafting and Zipline Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 47 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $100

Spend about eight hours beyond Cusco with Bamba Travel, rafting the Vilcanota River through Class III to IV rapids, then warming up with lunch and a sauna before two ziplines. Guides such as Juan Carlos, David, Anderson, and Victor have earned praise for clear instruction and calm safety work. Pickup and equipment are included, but bring swimwear, a towel, and dry clothes.

“We had a great time white water rafting with David! He was a very patient instructor and great guide for our 7 mile rafting experience. We learned some great techniques, and he led our celebrations each time we conquered a challenging rapid. It was wonderful that they provided wet suits, jacket, and water shoes. The sauna and lunch afterward was a great wrap up to the rafting experience. The zipline wasn't as well set up. But, what a deal just with the rafting and lunch. A great way to experience another part of Peru!”

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13.Extreme Rafting in Baños de Agua Santa Level III and IV+

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 45 reviews · 5 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $40

Join Turismo Ecuador 24 for a 5.5-hour rafting trip from Baños to the Pastaza River. You’ll ride private transport along the waterfall route, learn paddle commands from professional guides, tackle Level III and IV+ rapids, and finish with a meal and return to town. The group limit is 28 people.

“The rafting itself was really fun, however we felt cheated by the photos. Our group had 3 boats and the photographer mainly stayed in the front with the first 2 boats while we were always in the back like 50m behind them. The reason for this is because I guess we were the safety boat so like we would pick anyone up if they fell off their boat, not really sure. Anyway we didn’t get a lot of photos, the ones we got were low quality. So would recommend bringing your own go pro or something”

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14.RAFTING AVENTURA

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 41 reviews · 3 hours · from $58

Meet at Floripa Rafting in central Florianópolis, then ride to Santo Amaro da Imperatriz for 5 km of river action and 14 rapids. Guides such as Franco, Javi, and Giva lead small groups in several languages. Expect rock jumps, a natural water source, fruit snacks, and optional professional photos and GoPro videos.

“Loved the guide he was super cool and lead us through some of the coolest rapids I have ever seen in the jungle. Huge adventure! Can’t speak highly enough about it!”

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15.Rafting Azul a Macal – Futaleufu River

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 40 reviews · 7 hours (approx.) · from $175

Spend about seven hours rafting the Futaleufú and Rio Azul area with Bochinche Expediciones. Certified guides such as Daniel, Nico, and Flo have led past trips, while small groups, Class V life jackets, wetsuits, lunch, and private transport keep the day practical. Expect powerful rapids, cold water, and spectacular scenery.

“We came to Futaleufú specifically for rafting and it did not disappoint!”

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