Rafting in Hua-Hum River

A beautiful day and feeling like making contact with the Valdivian nature led us to go on a rafting adventure along the Hua Hum River. As hours passed, we discovered that such activity would include much more than that, as the vertiginous rapids, in addition to the incredible possibility of enjoying them with the entire family, would give us beautiful memories. The setting for the adventure is located 30 kilometers from San Martín de los Andes, within a spectacular environment across which the Hua Hum River runs between steep banks, with milky turquoise waters, typical from thaw, heading for Chile and ends with a different name into the Pacific Ocean. We went on the travel agency shuttle to Hua Hum –“hole in the sky” in the mapuche language– thus starting the excursion. During the journey, we observed that the vegetation around us started to change. We passed from the Andean Patagonian forest onto a more perennial and brighter area characterized by the large amount of rainfall during the year, known as the Valdivian forest.

We went on the travel agency shuttle to Hua Hum –“hole in the sky” in the mapuche language– thus starting the excursion. During the journey, we observed that the vegetation around us started to change. We passed from the Andean Patagonian forest onto a more perennial and brighter area characterized by the large amount of rainfall during the year, known as the Valdivian forest. We were about to cross the Andes on board a double prow raft steered by expert rowers that would lead us across rapids, thermal waters pools and all the splendor of nature. José Luis –our guide– took advantage of the moment of concentration to tell us about what we were about to do. “Rafting is a team sport, in which all the members of the raft crew row and move their weight with coordination in order to cross the rapids and stay afloat. The standard amount of people on the boat ranges from six to eight, according to size.” To make us feel calm, he told us that he is familiar with every detail of the river and that he himself would be leading the movements of the craft. We got into this fluvial stream in the Lake Nonthué outlet. We arrived. We made out an aged wooden pier and headed towards it. Standing on the rustic wooden boards, we watched the crystal-clear quiet waters of the lake. The Andes mountain range, reflecting on them as if they were a looking-glass, granted the ideal setting to rest our senses. A call from our guide interrupted the moment of beholding. We had to listen to the safety chat. A five-minute talk was enough for us to learn the commands and thus guide the craft in the direction José Luis would indicate. We were provided with life preservers, oars and dry jackets. As the degree of difficulty was between II and III, it was not necessary to wear a safety helmet. Besides, the rafts that would transport us have been authorized by the National Prefecture and are equipped with rescue bags in case somebody falls overboard. We set sail. We left the Nonthué behind and in a few minutes we were on the waters of the Hua Hum River. “The morphology of this river causes it not to present any hydraulic absorbing effect downwards, or to retain people at the bottom. Furthermore, in the areas where there are rocks, it is very difficult to crash violently into them” –our guide explained– “so it is turned into an ideal torrent to enjoy rafting with the family, as it practically does not present any kind of risk” –he added. The Hua Hum, its turquoise or emerald waters, the deep greenness around it, are images that we will keep forever. The river changed in every turn. Little by little we got deep into the sheer cliffs. We breathed quietness. Coihues, myrtles, ferns, nalca leaves, aljabas, ñires and lengas seemed to multiply everywhere as we advanced. Almost without noticing, we passed by the milestone that marks the boundary with the neighboring country. During the eight kilometers of adventure, we went through five rapids and four pools. The terma rapid was the most beautiful. There we had a swim. Water games, splashing, turns, jumps and screams turned the quietness of the place into a very amusing group experience. The voice of our guide indicated that we had to continue. Torrent ducks, herons and a kingfisher greeted us as we passed by. We soon passed by the cabeza del indio rapid (Indian head) and, some kilometers ahead, we came across the piedra tumbadora, where the adrenaline reached its culminating point. We gladly went through the natural way running between steep banks till the end of the tour, three kilometers before reaching Lake Pirihueico, in Chile. The group arrived safe and sound and the hurrahs were repeated unceasingly. We unassembled the raft in the blink of an eye and soon started our way back to San Martín de los Andes, previously passing by the customs and migrations office to carry out all the corresponding proceedings. It was still a splendid day and everybody was more than pleased by the experience they had just gone through. Meanwhile, the Hua-Hum River continued its solitary course to its end in a sequence of rivers and lakes, passing by the Calle-Calle River in the city of Valdivia, to finally culminate in the infinite waters of the Pacific Ocean. Undoubtedly, Hua-Hum is a synonym for rafting and adventure in Patagonia.