The Marañon, which means “Cashew”, is one of the principal tributaries of the Amazon. Its headwaters are in the high peaks of Cordillera Blanca and the Pasco watershed.

It is relatively easy getting to the put in for the Marañon. We chose to put on in the town of La Union in the Department of Huanuco with an elevation of 3200 meters. From Lima there are two good ways to get to La Union. The first is to follow the road to Huaraz and turn off at Pachacoto following the road past Pastoruri to the other side of the cordillera Blanca. Most of this road is paved and in good condition with bus service from Lima. The other way is through Huanuco and Chavinillo.

In La Union the put in is on a small, cold, unattractive tributary called the Rio Vizcara. We put on July 9, 2000 with a flow of 150 CFS. It is a one-day paddle of 25 KM to the confluence with the Marañon (elevation 3000 meters) where the combined flow is 800 CFS. Here there is a beautiful beach to camp with good trout fishing. Being just above town of Tingo Chica there is little firewood in this section so a stove is a good idea. This point could also serve as an alternative put in.

It is mostly flatwater for next 10 km downstream to town of Quivilla where you will find an old destroyed bridge signaling a 1 km portage past a sieve felled maelstrom. The trail on the left is very good making it an easy portage. Soon after putting back on the Rio Aco comes in on the left through a fissure in the massive canyon wall on river left. Approx 1 km below this there is another bridge that signals another 500 meter portage on the left. Although on a trail, the portage is more difficult as it involves lowering the boats back into the river. For the next two hours the river crashes through a canyon with class 3, 4 and 5 rapids and one portage. A good camp can be found at the beach formed by the confluence with Quebrada Sausa (Mamin) flowing down from Miraflores. Elevation is 2750 meters resulting a day drop of 250 meters in 20 KM.

Day 3

From camp it is only 1 hour to town of Chuquibamba. Here is the last opportunity to purchase any food and if you look around in town you can locate pasta, onions, garlic and carrots. For several Km’s below the bridge you will be passing gold dredges. A good camp can be found on the beach beside Quebrada Yanahuilca (elevation 2650 meters) which lies about 1 km upstream of the Rio Tantamayo confluence. Days drop 100 meters in 17 KM.

Day 4

River is now running 1000 CFS with cool green water. It is possible to paddle in a shorty. Just below camp and still above the Tantamayo confluence is a heavy 1-1/2 hour 300-meter long portage on river right. It is good boating for next hour and then there is a huge portage where the walls of the canyon come together and the river disappears in massive sieves. We called this one “Big Mama” and it took 3 long, tiring hours. At one point we got back in our boats and paddled through a tunnel in the rocks. Camps can be found just below the portage at elevation 2550 meters. Days drop 100 meters in 4 KM (almost all portaging)

Day 5

The morning starts off with a portage followed by class 5 rapids. Within 2 hours there is another massive portage. This one took 2-1/2 hours and involved carrying the boats high up a grass slope on river right, traversing the face and lowering them back to the river. The whitewater remains class 3-4 and 5 until the Quebrada Carpa enters on the right with 150-200 CFS of coffee colored water. Downstream a landslide blocks the river and requires a difficult portage right along the water on unstable sharp rocks. Below this the river has more class 5 rapids until camp was found on river left at 2435 meters. Days drop 115 meters in 7-1/2 KM.

Day 6

The first rapid out of camp is a portage on the right over razor sharp rocks. The lower part of the drop is a runnable class 5. The next two hours of boating are very good with the river entering a micro canyon with steep, vertical walls. At the end of the mini gorge the walls open up and you pass two-foot bridges. The boating is still very good until camp at 2275 meters, which lies just opposite the mouth of the Quebrada Molinoragra. Days drop 160 meters in 20 KM.

Day 7

Whitewater starts right off the bat with a bid rapid and continues for an hour through 4+ rapids. The pace of the river slackens to flatwater as it enters a huge walled canyon for 4-5 km. At the confluence of the Quebrada Tamiajalian the river goes nuts with several km’s of class 5 rapids. Everything is runnable but is difficult and dangerous. Quebrada Pagay enters on the right and this signals a change to class 4 for the raining section down to the bridge and the Rio Putchka which enters on river left with 250 CFS of warm water. Below this the river mellows out for the remaining three hours to camp at 2000 meters. Days drop 275 meters in 30 KM.

Day 8

Huge paddling day. Nine hours on the river with only short breaks. The Rio Tantamayo from Pomobamba brought in 500 CFS bumping the flow up to over 2500 CFS. There is good whitewater mixed with flatwater in both open and boxed in canyons. Camp is at 1770 meters. Days drop 230 meters in 90 KM.

Day 9

The 15 KM stretch to the bridge and Rio Rupac is good and fast taking only 1-1/2 hours. From here it is 10 km or another hour to where the canyon opened and haciendas can be seen along river where a very dirty colored river enters on the right. A nice rest spot is at the Rio Actuy that enters very clear on the left one hour downstream. The river is wide here but moves swiftly and 45 minutes later the Rio Cajas flows in dirty on the right. An hour later the Rio Mayas flows in on the left and signals the beginning of a heavy big water section that drops over 100′ until it mellows out by San Pedro. In 2 km there is another heavy section of whitewater where the left wall is vertical hard rock. There is a mandatory 100-meter portage on the right and then big water action continues for another hour until a great camp is found under fruit groves of Matibamba at 1420 meters. Days drop 310 meters in ??? KM. The river is now around 3500 CFS.

Day 10

Within 1 KM from camp is the biggest whitewater of the trip. Huge rapids continue below Mogon for 2 hours (or 20 KM) until things mellow out. The final 25 KM to Chagual are on swift moving water with one more good rapid just above takeout at Chagual. From here the best way to get out is to fly to small airplane from Chagual to Trujillo but you will not be able carry your boat. Another option is the bus to Huamuchuco but we were unlike enough to arrive on Tuesday when there is no service. The road is absolutely deplorable but we hitched a ride in a slow moving truck from the mine to Huamachuco arriving 17 hours later. The same truck carried our boats and us to Trujillo where we arrived an additional 12 hours later.

There are multiple sections of the river one may chose to run depending on time and ability. The fact that a paved road follows the majority of the river allows for easy access and unlimited bail out opportunities. In the Canyon Del Pato 100 km below Huaraz the water is taken out of the river for a hydroelectric project. This 10 km dewatered stretch is a mandatory portage.

The town of Huraz lies at 3000 meters. From this point one can put on at just about any point along the river’s descent to the Pacific Ocean. A description of the length and gradient (highlighted in green) of each section follows:

To airport at Anta 25 km to 2791 meters 9 m/km

Anta to Carahuasi 10 km 2600 meters 18 m/km

Carahuasi to Mancos 15 km 2450 meters 10 m/km

Mancos to Caras 20 km 2200 meters 12.5 m/km

Caras to Sucre 16 km 2000 meters 12.5 m/km

Sucre to Bocatoma (exit pipes) 15 km 1850 10 m/km

Canyon Del Pato 10 km 1200 meters Portage 65 m/km

to Rio Tablachaca 65 km 500 meters 11 m/km

to Pan American Highway 65 km 15 meters 8 m/km

Usefuls maps:

Santa 20-H, 19-H, 18-H, 18-G, 18-F

There are three ways to get there from Lima. The first is to follow the Pan American highway to the Southern beaches and follow the river up from its mouth. The problem with this route is that it passes through several Pueblos Jovenes and there are several police checkpoints where they want money to let you pass. The best way is to follow the Northern route through La Molina to Cieneguilla. There is a third route between the other two but I am not sure how to do it.

There are two distinct sections of the river. The lower one is in a canyon and is much more difficult than the upper. This section is a class 5 low water run and should be avoided at medium to higher flows. A possible takeout for the lower run is the town of Cieneguilla at 325 meters. A put in can be Puente Santa Rosa De Chontay which is 13 km upstream or at Puente Balconsillo de Aviyay that is an additional 4 km upstream at 850 meters above sea level. The majority of the action lies between these two bridges.

The upper run is a class 3-4+ run and can be done at higher flows at which time the water is usually brown and ICE cold. The takeout for the upper section is the same as the put in for the lower section (Puente Balconsillo de Aviyay). There is a house at the bridge and it has a Pacay tree. In March the tree has pods with inedible seeds and sweet, white, “cotton candy-like” fruit. To get to the put in drive upstream 7 km and look for what appears to be a reasonable approach to the river (as an option continue upstream to bridge at Antapucro which has   elevation of 1000 meters). Be careful on this run of trees. In places the river smashes through islands in the flood plain many of which are filled with both live and dead trees.

After the run try to save some time to visit “La Mesa de Piedra” restaurant in Cieneguilla which serves the local favorite “Pachamanca” which is a combination of meats and vegetables wrap in leaves and cook with hot stones under the earth.

Useful maps: are:

La Molina 1:50,000  1546 25J(IV)

Antioquia 1:50,000    25J(I)

The Cañete Rivers offers boating for both novices and experts alike. With year round flows and it’s proximity to Lima it has become one of the country’s commercial rafting centers and has been the training ground for most of Peru’s kayakers and rafters.

Buried in one of the Upper Cañete’s rapids

Flows in the rainy season can be several hundred cubic meters per second (> 5000 CFS) and in the middle of the dry season a paltry 5 CMS (150 CFS).

The whole river corridor is paralleled by a road, which at the time of this writing (1997) is paved up to Pacaran. Kilometer signs indicate the distance from the Pan American Highway and are sometimes (but not always) visible from the river.

Small falls on Upper section

Commercial rafting and the bulk of the day runs are centered around the town of Lunahuana at KM 34. The various sections of river are as follows:

Lunahuana to Paullo Class 3 day run from KM 34 to 27
Catapalla to Lunahuana Class 3 day run from KM 39 to 34
Pacaran to Catapalla Class 3-4 (5) day run from KM 55 to 39
Catahausi to Pacaran Class 4-5 day run from KM 82 to 55
Magdelena to Catahuasi Class 5-5+  four-day run from KM 127.5 to 82

Only the upper stretch from Magdelena Del Rio to Catahuasi is described in any detail. There is a small window to run this section of the river Late March/April at the end of rainy season. The radical stretch at KM 87.5 is not runnable at this time but becomes a great steep creek run at lower flows in July. The river contains an abundance of Class five whitewater in a beautiful semi-open canyon. Long stretches of radical whitewater are followed by calm stretches. Water is cold from Andean snowmelt with warm days and cool nights.

Getting dropped from bus near Magdelena in 1997

There are no hotels on the trip. There is a hostal in Pacaran that costs 10 soles per person and some restaurants. While in Pacaran ask around for the local distillery of Pisco. The owner will give you a free tour and as much Pisco as you can handle. From Lima a bus or car needs to be taken South on the Pan American highway for approx 100 KM to the mouth of the Cañete river valley. The road then climbs the river valley for 128 KM. The bus destination is Yauyos. There are two companies that travel Lima-Yauyos, “Expresso Yauyos” and “Empressa san Juan de Yauyos”. The price is approx. 10 soles with an additional 5 for kayaks, which can be strapped onto the roof rack. The put for the upper stretch is at KM 128 in the village of “Magdelena Del Rio” which is 128 KM upriver from the ocean. This is the point where the road no longer parallels the river. The bus climbs away from the river to the town of Yauyos one thousand meters above the river so it is important to get off here, as it is the last possible place. Much of the river can be viewed on the drive up and at any point you can get off when you decide you have seen enough. Travel time is 11 hours from Lima in bus. The takeout is in Pacaran at KM 55, which lies at 1650′ of elevation. From here a micro can be taken to Imperial for 5 soles and then a bus to Lima for 6 soles. An alternative is to continue downstream on the class three section to LunaHuana at KM34.

Old lady in doorway of where we stayed Magdelena 1997

On our first descent in March 1997 (high water El niño year!!!)  we had an estimated flow of 1200 CFS. A summary of the trip is as follows:

Day 1 Magdalena (6720 feet above sea level) KM 127.5 to KM 120 (6040 feet elevation) 620 feet drop in 7.5 km or 132 feet per mile average. One radical 5+ rapid at KM 120

Day 2 KM 120 (6040 feet elevation) to KM 111 (5320 feet elevation) 820 feet in 9 km or 24.6 m/km average or 125 FPM average with individual sections approaching 40 to 50 mpk.

Day 3 KM 111 (5320 feet elevation) to KM 103 (4640 feet elevation) 980 feet in 7 km (52 m/km) or 260 FPM average gradient. This stretch is basically one continuous class 5 rapid we called Santa Rosa. There is heinous rapid just below a bridge called Puente Colonia that should be portaged.

Day 4 KM 103 (4640 feet elevation) to KM 86 (3600 feet elevation) 1040 feet in 17 km (18.5 m/km) or 92 FPM average gradient. The morning starts out with mellow flatwater paddling then explodes into a class 5 fury for remainder of day. At KM 87.5 it becomes ultra wild with 400 FPM gradient. We portaged 500 meters of this section along the road then put back and ferried across river to make camp.

Day 5 KM 86 (3600 feet elevation) to KM 55 (1650 feet elevation) 1950 feet in 31.5 km (20 m/km) or 100 FPM average gradient. The stretch just above and below the bridge at KM 85 is pretty robust. After passing a village the river mellows out but soon leads into another class 5 rapid. Below this and to the town of Catahuasi it is very mellow water. At Catahuasi the river drops a few hundred feet in an explosive 1 km stretch. Below town of Catahuasi a stream enters on the left. From here to Pacaran it is a marathon 4-hour paddle session through one class 5 canyon and numerous 4+ sections.

They started their journey in Mollepata where they hired porters. The route they followed is the new “alternative” to the heavily used  traditional Inca Trail. The route traverses up through spectacular country and past the base of Salcantay a spectacular 6264 meter (20,671 feet) peak. The journey was so impressive that Gian Marco has purchased land at the takeout where the river joins the Urrubamba. Soon trekkers of the Machupichu circuit will be able to complete their last day of descent in rafts.

Diego Valsechi on Santa Teresa

The put-in for the river is where the Quebrada and Rio Tortora joins the Santa Teresa. The elevation at this point is 2750 meters above sea level. The takeout is 23 KM downstream at 1500 meter. The river drops an incredible 1250 meters in 23 KM for average of 54.5 meters per KM or 275 FPM.

The run from the upper stretch takes 2 days and starts out with a day of beautiful class 4. The second day steps up in intensity with at least two portages.

The boys estimate the flow at takeout of 800 CFS and feel the season will be June-early November.

Typical rapid on Santa Teresa

Nearby rivers include the Vilcabamba, Urrubamba, Lucomayo, and Ocobamba. The river is on the way back to Cuzco for those returning from 7 day Paucartambo trip.A road reaches the takeout from the direction of Quillabamba. From Cuzco one takes road to Ollantaytambo in Sacred Valley then up and over pass on recently paved road towards Quillabamba. When the road reaches the Urrubamba you need to cross bridge and turn upstream, cross over Vilcabamba and continue approx 20 KM upstream to town of Santa Teresa.

Most people attempting to run this river are encouraged to start from the takeout and hike upstream. Animals and/or porters should be available locally to help with gear.

Hiking in to the Santa Teresa beside the mighty Salcantay 6264 meters (20,671 feet)

Looking down the Santa Teresa Valley

Gian Marco who curently has an adventure travel company in arequipa might even be willing to guide you and/or help with logistics. For additional info see link to Cusipata.

Click here for a topo map – MACHUPICHU.PDF 1.47 MB

Topo maps are in Adobe PDF format, you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view.
CLICK HERE to download a free copy.

For reasons I can not grasp the river was not run until August 2007. August of 2007 was a low water month with a flow of 400-600 CFS of very cold water. I would guess that the ideal time to run the river is mid May to early July and an ideal flow would be 1200 to 1600 CFS.

The Velille can be found on the Topegraphic map labeled Cuzco at 13 degrees 56′ latitude and 71 degree 53′ longitude.

There are two distinct ways to reach the river from Cuzco. We took both so will describe each one. The first way is to leave Cuzco and travel 61 KM to Paruco (1-1/2 hours). Just before reaching the plaza veer to the right and follow the Rio Paruro to the Apurimac. (note last several km of Rio Paruro look runnable).  Cross the Puente Huarancalla and climb several hundred vertical meters until you come to a “Y” in the road. The left fork follows the Apurimac and goes to Colcha but take the right fork and start climbing towards Ccochirhuey and eventually to Acha. From Acha it is a 45 minute descent to a bridge over the Velille River called Puente Jaralacho. From Paruro to this point it is 64 km  (4-5 hours) making the overall trip from Cuzco 6-1/2 hours.  The elevation of the river here is 2860 meters above sea level and there is good camping on other side of the bridge.

Our return trip was via a different route. From the river we returned to Acha then to Pilipinto then Acos, then Acomayo, Sarasaca and finally down the Pumacanchis River to cross the Chuqicahuana Bridge over the Vilcanota. From here we  followed the paved road for 86 KM back to Cuzco. The return route took 6 hours.

On my trip Piero Velutino and myself camped with our families then in morning recrossed the river and walked up road towards Occotuna. At the first major bend in the road to the right we took a trail and began boat hiking our gear up river until we reached some flatwater among the cliffs approximately 30 minutes later. We boated back to our camp at the bridge which was 2-3 km with 50 meters of drop or roughly 20 m/km. We had 2 scouts and no portages on what felt and looked like a mini Apurimac.

We need to return and run the river from the bridge to the Apurimac which is another 12 km and 260 meters of vertical drop

This classic foto was taken on the first descent of Pumacanchis on July 5, 2007

To reach the river from Cuzco follow the paved road to Urcos 47 KM away. From here it is approximately 40 km to Puente Chucicahuana. (Bridge over river on turn to Acomayo). Here the elevation is approximately 3450 meters. Follow the road for 3 km to the river’s exit at Laguna Pomacanchi. This is the put-in.

The first 1 KM is basically flatwater then the bottom falls out with the river dropping 260 meters in a little over 2 km or roughly 650 feet per mile.  The travertine ledges make the run feasible even with the extreme gradient. One particularly burly drop is at the bridge which crosses the river about 500 meters up from the Vilcanota.

You need a good rainstorm to get this river flowing. The logical takeout is the confluence with the Vilcanota River, however,  an attractive option is to continue downstream on the Vilcanota. There is a description of this river on the site as well with takeout options.

The river can be run starting high at the Inca ruins of Vilcabamba elevation 2850 meters. From here the upper stretch runs to the swinging bridge above the town of Oyara (KM 28). Per Juanito Ugarte this low volume stretch is a definite two day minimum stretch.

Day 1 on the upper stretch begins in town of Huancacalle and soon enters the fits canyon they named “Canyon de la Sirena”. The second canyon is harder, pool-drop class 5 and reminds Juanito of the Palguin in Chile with several waterfalls and channelized rapids.

As the canyon opens the character of the river becomes continuous class 4-5 until the next village below Lucume. (possibly called Yupanca). From this point the river gets ultra continuous class five with boulder strewn rapids and some nasty sieves and portages. It reminds Juanito of the Puesco run in Chile at high flows. At the swinging bridge of Oyara is an easy takeout and cold beer up in town. October 22, 2005

The town of Oyara (estimated elevation 1650 meters)  is also the put in for the middle stretch of river. On October 26 we put on at this point and had approximately 450 CFS of crystal clear water. Within 1/2 KM two tributaries simultaneously bumped up the flow to 700 CFS. We boated to KM 22 and took out a side creek and hiked up to the road. The boating in this stretch was mostly read and run class 4+ and unlike most rivers was actually smalled than it appeared from the road.

In mid November of same year Damen Millar and Nate Elliot put in around KM 22 and ran the Lower section of the river to its confluence with the Urrubamba (estimated elevation at takeout 1100 meters). Nate describes the run as follows:

Km 22-km 15 was good continuous class V. Its bigger than it looks from the road. Around km14, where the giant wall rises from river right, the river  drops into some more serious stuff. The entry rapid is a 20 foot waterfall off the wall over a huge hole. Directly below  the falls there are 5-6 more class V-V+  rapids before you hit the box canyon.

There are two unportagable, scout from the road 500′ above  rapids in the box. Luckily they went. You can see the box from the road. It is 1-2km above the bridge at km 12 or so. I think we left most of the really serious stuff around KM8-9. There are more good rapids after that but your through the hard stuff.

We portaged only once on the whole lower stretch and it was after the box and after seeing it from below I confirm it can be run

Lower Vilcabamba Canyon around km 13

Click here for a topo map – MACHUPICCHU.PDF 1.72 MB Topo maps are in Adobe PDF format, you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view. CLICK HERE to download a free copy.

Put in for the Lucumayo River

First drop on Lucumayo River

The easiest way to access the river is from the North via Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley or from the South via Quillabamba. There is regular bus service between Cuzco and Quillabamba but you will need to be paying attention so that you can jump out at the proper place to start your trip.

The road from Ollantaytambo to Abra de Malaga is paved 40 km stretch. From here the descent via switchbacks into Lucomayo drainage is unpaved and slow travel. I do not have the exact km but would guess it was approx 50 km from the pass to Inkatambo where the river was large enough to boat.

We ran the upper stretches of the river on October 26, 2005. The river had started to rise from initial rains at the beginning of the rainy season but was not “high”.

To reach the put in we stopped in the small village of Inkatambo and hiked down a trail to the river beside a church. At the river we crossed Puente Kur-Kur and put in on the opposite bank. At this point the river had a small flow of around 200 CFS (20 CUMECS). Within 100 meters a tributary entered the river and doubled the flow to 400 CFS.

The run was basically an ultra-continuous class 4+ run with volume steadily increasing as we went downstream. As the river reaches the foot bridge of Santa Rosa the action increases with some class 5 rapids. Soon after a concrete bridge called Puente Chilca Chilca the river enters a canyon with a distinct change in the character. Within the canyon it is at times impossible to scout and/or portage. A clear flowing tributary from the village of Huamanmarca enters the canyon on river right and provides an escape in case of an accident. (on our trip we had a broken kayak and this was the bail out point for one unfortunate boater).

As the canyon opens the river quickly returns to its former gravel bar character and within 2 km Puente Lauramarca comes into view. This was out takeout and was 10 KM downstream from put in. The run had taken us  2-1/2 hours. We were lucky enough to have a vehicle and a shuttle driver that drove down a secondary road and met us at the river. Puente Lauramarca is below the town of Amaybamba.

In the town of Amyaybamba is a restaurant called “El Chalan”. The owners are Betty Pinedo Giron and her husband Eliseo Sulca Becerra. Betty and Eliseo were our hosts for the evening. Not only did they serve us dinner and breakfast, but they also let us sleep on the floor of their restaurant which with the heavy rains in the evening was a welcome alternative to camping without a tent. Eliseo is the local Police officer and ran our shuttle for us. Eliseo can be reached via phone at 204086 (Ollantaytambo Comisaria) and encourages anyone visiting the area to contact him for help with logistics.

With higher flows this section would become dangerous and the section from Amaybamba down to the confluence with Urrubamba River would be become a great class 4-5 alternative.

I do not yet have a map of the river but would guess the 10 km stretch we ran dropped an average of 30 m/km or some 300 km in altitude

Click here for a topo map – URUBAMBA.PDF 1.69 MB

Topo maps are in Adobe PDF format, you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view.
CLICK HERE to download a free copy.