Rafting and Kayaking

Good kit is vital for every trip.

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Typically, you will be carrying your water-bottle, fleece or wind stopper jacket, rain jacket & trousers, your camera and other small miscellaneous items in your daypack, and use zip-lock waterproof bags for anything you bring onto the kayak.

You'll also need plenty of strong suncream (factor 50).

For camp, a pair of Chacos or similar sandals - trainers are also okay, a pair of river shorts or swimming costume, long-sleeved business shirt to wear under your life jacket if it gets hot, a baseball cap fto keep sun off, wide brimmed sunhat, sunglasses, chums for fastening your sunglasses to your head, nalgene or similar water bottle, carabiner for fastening water bottle to your kayak, thermal top for cooler destinations, medium weight / heavy weight Capilene or polypropylene is the best, waterproof sunscreen and lip balm SPF15 minimum

For evenings and around camp: Lightweight long trousers, lightweight long-sleeved shirt, fleece jacket, underwear, glasses or contact lenses, disposable lenses are ideal, toiletries, toothbrush, toothpaste, biodegradable soap and shampoo, moisturiser, hand wipes, a 3-season sleeping bag, travel pillow, small pack towel, headlamp or head torch and spare batteries, shoes or boots for wearing around camp and on hikes, insect repellent, any medication you may be taking, gloves, warm woolly hat especially if going in winter.

Optional Items: Your favourite book or a journal for recording your memories, sketchpad, photographic or video equipment. We recommend a cleaning kit as sand gets everywhere. Bring a spare memory card or plenty of film. Also bring spare batteries for your camera, waterproof disposable for the "action" on the raft shots, swiss army knife, an iPod or other music preferences.

If you are bringing a camera, include plenty of film or digital cards with enough megabytes for hundreds of pictures and spare batteries. Please note, film and digital cards are difficult to find and often expensive to purchase in Patagonia.

If you are concerned about airport security x-ray machines and your film, then consider adopting the travel style of many professional photographers -- separate your film from their black canisters. Put your film in plastic or net bags to be easily hand/visually inspected. Then you can combine your film and canisters on reaching your destination. If your film has clear canisters, this is not necessary.

Stuff sacks are great for sorting your gear. Use different sizes and colours to differentiate the contents in your duffel bag/backpack.

 

Official papers

Valid passport, airline tickets, photocopy of passport & driver's licence.

 

Casual city clothes

Bring a few outfits for city wear. These can be left in a luggage storage room at your hotel.

 

Luggage 

Large back pack (60 – 80 litres) or suitcase , to carry all your non-kayaking gear when you are out and about

Daypack (23-35 litres) to hold water-bottle, rain gear, warm jackets, lunch for the day camera, etc.