We run kayak tours on lakes and on the first fjord of Patagonia. Our sea kayaking trips start from our base in Ensenada, 44 km from Puerto Varas, next to Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park.
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A sea kayak, or touring kayak, is long and stable, made for paddling distances on calm water such as lakes, estuaries and fjords. There are no rapids: you follow the shore at an easy pace, with time for the landscape and the birds. The guide teaches the technique before you set off. To learn white water technique, see our river kayak lessons.
The half-day tour takes place on Lake Llanquihue, the second largest lake in Chile, very close to our base.
Our transport drops us about 12 km from Ensenada, toward the village of Las Cascadas. Before setting off, the guide gives the safety and technique instructions, and we practice them on the water. Then we paddle toward Ensenada and enter hidden caves, where you can see the shapes the lake has carved into the basalt rock.
We then keep exploring the lake along the western edge of Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park, with its typical flora and fauna: dense coigüe forest, murta and notro shrubs, and many birds, such as the kingfisher, the black cormorant and the chimango caracara (tiuque).
The Reloncaví estuary is the first fjord of Patagonia and marks the start of southern Chile. It is our full-day kayak tour.
Our transport takes us from the TerraSur base in Ensenada to Ralún. There, the fresh water of the Petrohue River, the same river as our Petrohue River rafting, mixes with the salt water of the Pacific Ocean. After a short talk on the key kayak techniques, we start paddling toward Cochamó.
The valley opens and the fjord shows its landscape: Yate Volcano, thick green forests, snow-capped mountains and volcanoes, and clear streams and waterfalls. You can see birds such as the kingfisher, the torrent duck and the black cormorant. Before reaching Cochamó, a village known for its big granite walls, we stop for a picnic on a beach.
It costs CLP 160,000 per person. It starts from Ensenada, a 1-hour drive, and you paddle on Lake Rupanco with views of Osorno Volcano: from Puerto Rico to Salto del Calzoncillo and Las Gaviotas, with a picnic and hot springs.
Multi-day trips are quoted for each group and need a minimum of 4 people. For the crossing into Argentina you need a passport or a Chilean ID card.
A kayak crossing of the Andes through Lakes Tagua-Tagua, Las Rocas, Inferior and Puelo, in Argentina. Minimum 4 people.
It combines kayaking on Lake Rupanco, horseback riding, hot springs, trekking and the crossing of Lake Todos los Santos to Petrohué. Minimum 4 people.
The tours include transfers from the base in Ensenada to the starting point, a bilingual guide and gear: kayak, wetsuit and neoprene booties, windbreaker jacket, life jacket and spray skirt. Food is not included; a snack can be ordered separately.
Swimsuit, towel, sun protection and a cap with a visor. The base has changing rooms and bathrooms.
The guide gives the safety and technique instructions before setting off, and on Lake Llanquihue you practice them on the water before the trip begins. TerraSur is a direct operator, with specialized guides and up-to-date certifications. We have more than 20 years of adventure travel in southern Chile.
The tours are for ages 14 and up; under-16s need written permission from a parent or guardian. A minimum of 2 people is needed, and 4 on the multi-day trips. Being able to swim and some basic paddling experience are recommended.
If you are looking for kayaking in Puerto Varas, our tours start in Ensenada, on the same Lake Llanquihue.
From Puerto Varas, take Route 225 (Ruta 225) to the base in Ensenada, about 45 minutes by car. In summer and on weekends, allow 10 to 15 minutes more. From there, our transport takes the group to the starting point.
Sea kayaking price: CLP 60,000 per person for the Lake Llanquihue caves (half day), CLP 120,000 for the Reloncaví Estuary and CLP 160,000 for Lake Rupanco (full day). Multi-day trips are quoted. The price includes transport from our base and does not include food. Trips depend on the wind: if paddling is not possible, we change the route or the date, or refund the payment. When Lake Llanquihue is too windy, the alternative route is the La Poza lagoon. To book, message us on WhatsApp with your date and group size.
To learn the Eskimo roll and how to read the current, there are river kayak lessons. And to paddle on your own on the lake, you can rent a kayak or a SUP board by the hour. More ideas in things to do in Ensenada. On the river you can run the rapids in a ducky, an inflatable kayak.
Barlovento is the same company, at the same base: you can camp by the lake and paddle out from where you sleep. For schools, we also organize school trips.
No. Sea or touring kayaking is done on calm water, in a long, stable kayak. River kayaking is done in rapids and is taught in the kayak lessons.
The guide teaches the technique before setting off, and on Lake Llanquihue you practice on the water. Basic paddling experience and being able to swim are recommended.
Kayak tours are from age 14. Under-16s need written permission from a parent or guardian.
We kayak on Lake Llanquihue, through its caves, and on the Reloncaví estuary. All tours start from Ensenada.
It is a full-day tour, from Ralún toward Cochamó, with a picnic on a beach.
The Lake Llanquihue caves cost CLP 60,000 per person; the Reloncaví Estuary, CLP 120,000, and Lake Rupanco, CLP 160,000. Multi-day trips are quoted.
The price includes transport from our base in Ensenada to the starting point. You make your own way to the base.
Bring a swimsuit, a towel, sun protection and a cap with a visor. The paddling gear and the wetsuit are included; food is not, but a snack can be ordered separately.
Each tour needs a minimum of 2 people, and 4 on the multi-day trips.
The route can change with the wind. If paddling is not possible, we change the route or the date, or refund the payment.
