River trip in Chile

Recently, our family went on a week-long white water rafting trip in Patagonia, Chile. The trip was in Rio Futaleufu, the Everest of Rivers. Since this was an overnight trip, we stayed in four different camps over the course of the week.  Each one was different, some large with rapids on the sides, some small with ponds.

Our first morning at the first camp

The first camp was one of the hardest to get lost in (although I got lost twice). There was a central eating/fire area, next to the roaring river.

The main area at camp

Facing the river, you go left and find yourself walking through the woods past cliff dwellings one, two, three and four.

The outside of a cliff dwelling

Inside a cliff dwelling

Then, you pass the wood hot tub, then a small sign telling you that you're in the right place.

One of the wooden hot tubs at camp

Then, there are cliff dwellings five, six, seven, and more.  Retracing your steps, you find yourself back at the dining area.  If you face your back to the river, you walk down a small path, leading to bathrooms and showers. That's most of the camp, at least what I can remember.  Oscar and I shared one cabin, open to the river on one side. Even though the river was loud, I eventually got used to the fierce sound.  I liked that camp, mostly because it was small, and easy to get around in.

Me in my cliff dwelling

The second camp that we stayed in was called Cave Camp.  As you probably guessed, there was a big cave at the camp.  The main eating and fire area was next to the river, though.  On one side of the fire, was the hot tub and two cliff dwellings.  On the other side of the fire was an elaborate set of stairs and rocks, leading to the rest of the cliff dwellings. Behind those cliff dwellings was a huge mass of rock, facing the river.   The mass included a stone hot tub and a little bridge.

Me and my mom walking on the bridge at Cave Camp

Walking past the fire again, you can follow a path to a map of the camp.  Turning left at the map, you follow three bridges, hanging over a lagoon, to the cave. We didn't spend much time in the cave, because it was dry out the two nights that we spent at Cave Camp.  After passing the cave, you go up two flights of wood stump made stairs to the bathrooms.  That's the tour of Cave Camp.

Signpost at Cave Camp

Cave Camp was probably the largest camp. Everything was very spread out, but homey and close together at the same time. The size probably explains why the walk to the restrooms was ten minutes long.

The view from one of the bathrooms

The third camp that we stayed at was the treehouse camp.  After a night in the caves, we hiked up a hill for three hours, ending at the smallest camp.  There was a central gazebo with a fire, and wooden planks leading to another fire and hot tub, on the dock of the lake.  Next to the gazebo, a stairwell led to a cluster of tree houses, each as if it was a spoke on a bike wheel.  Behind the gazebo, a few paces up, there was a bathroom.  Tree houses was probably my favorite camp.  Besides learning how to paddle board, I liked how you couldn't hear the roaring of the river at night.

My mom

The last camp that we stayed at was the one that I remember the least.  Our family had cliff dwellings next to the river, under a hill.  Up on the hill were three picnic tables, and a bathroom.  On the other side of the hill was an eating area, a fire, a kitchen, and a hot tub.  Those are basically the places that I went in the last camp.  Somewhere around, though, there were more cliff dwellings, and other bathrooms.

The picnic area at the last camp

The last night at that camp, we had lamb, sizzling by the fire, for a good ending to the trip.

The biggest lamb lover in the family

Oscar and his cordero

 Even though we did other things on the rafting trip, I found that looking at all of the different camps was a highlight of the trip.  I'm sure that when I look back at our eight month trip, I will see this part as one of the high points.