The views from the Napo River are of the same jungle we trekked through yesterday, but this new perspective makes them seem even wilder. The species of trees and plants easily number in the tens of thousands, and the texture that such diversity paints along the banks of the river is other worldly. At times we find ourselves lost in our raft games led by our guide, George of the Jungle, a.k.a. Jorge de la selva. These games include getting stuck on rocks, surfing, spinning in circles, being human hood ornaments and more. At other times, we navigate exhilarating rapids. And then at others, we pause, and we get to look around, take in our surroundings, and try to absorb as much as we can, not including inhaling the water through the rapids.
Raftin’ & Ridin’
On our first full day in Chile, we pack our things and head off to Cajon del Maipo, a stunning gorge that starts just 25 km southeast of Santiago. We head off early because we have a date with the Maipo River at 10am, and we are not confident that we won’t get lost along the way.
After experiencing the Maipo river at its highest level of the year and therefore at its fastest, we grab a quick bite to eat and continue on to horseback riding along side of the Maipo gorge.