Rafting the Chimehuin River

We drove north again along the same route as yesterday, but not nearly as far on the washboard road. Our river guide, Javier, met us and got us suited up into wetsuits and lightweight jackets and helmets. Sadly, Nick wasn’t feeling well this morning and wasn’t able to join our rafting adventure.

The first thing we noticed was how incredibly clear and turquoise the river water is. Last winter was a drought year, so the water level is down from normal years. It was still exciting with some class 2-3 rapids and some short flat areas where we could stop paddling around rocks and admire the scenery.

At one point, we pulled up to a safe eddy in the river, where we were invited to jump off a rock, swim out to a calm spot, then ride the current to shore. The days have been getting a little cooler since we’ve been here and Darryl and I didn’t feel like getting that wet. Mark, Terri and Erin were willing to take the plunge, though!

We saw a native kingfisher, but no other wildlife, really. Lanin Volcano came into view for us, though! After a total of a couple of hours on the water, we landed at a grassy sunny spot where we could change into our dry clothes, relax and enjoy another excellent lunch prepared by AndesTrack’s chef, Jorge.

As we drove back to town, we stopped at Junin, a small, less-touristic town (more for the locals), just so we could buy some special Argentinian cookies called alfajores. They are a sandwich cookie with dulce de leche filling and a chocolate coating. What was unique to Junin about these cookies is that they are made with pine nut flour. The shop owner was happy to talk to us about the process of harvesting and grinding the flour and to tell us more about the Araucaria tree. Very special!Read more