Day 1: Arrival in Cajamarca:

Most people fly to Cajamarca (there are also overnight buses available). If you arrive early, you can spend the afternoon tasting Cajamarca’s famous cheese and chocolate. We meet at 6 p.m. in the hotel lobby for a group welcome dinner and orientation.

Day 2: From Cajamarca to Balsas, the river entrance:

We depart by bus at 8 a.m. from Cajamarca, and we will arrive in Balsas before noon. This calm section is perfect for practicing rafting commands and safety procedures. We will arrive at the camp to give instructions on how everything will work during the trip (kitchen, bathroom, handwashing station, dishwashing area, etc.).

Day 3: Hike to Mendan:

A hike to pre-Inca ruins and tombs with an impressive panoramic view; we will explore the ravine with fruit and coca crops, then we can cool off in a reservoir. We will arrive in Mendan early in the afternoon, spend time with the community, and then have dinner with one of the local families.

Day 4: Visit to Emer’s Cacao:

We will paddle 10 km of fun rapids to Tupen Grande, hike to the village waterfall, have lunch at a local family’s home, and continue rafting in the afternoon until reaching the camp after the San Lucas rapid (III+).

Day 5: Rafting Day:

Canyon section, the deepest and narrowest part of the Canyon; we will pass the site where the mega-dam Chadín II is planned to be built, run the Playa del Inca (IV) and Magdalena (IV) rapids, and camp before Lin Lin (IV).

Day 6: Marañon Libre Conservation Area:

Lin Lin (IV) in the morning; we will paddle other fun Class III rapids before reaching the camp after the Saura rapid (III+). In this section, we will begin to observe the rapid change in vegetation as we move deeper into the jungle.

Day 7: Road to the Marañon:

We will arrive at the camp for an early lunch, and later in the afternoon we will hike to waterfalls with natural pools of indescribable beauty. (These 10 km can be completed the day before, allowing for a full rest day if the group prefers.)

Day 8: Puerto Malleta:

We will stop to admire a large cave, then continue floating as we take in the incredible jungle landscapes and enjoy the last rapids before entering the wide Bagua valley. We will arrive in Puerto Malleta at approximately 2 p.m., where transportation will be waiting to take us back to Cajamarca, arriving around 10 p.m.

Day 9: Departure or Extension to Chachapoyas:

This itinerary includes broad and conservative time margins, which will allow us to maintain a flexible program according to the opportunities that arise in the communities and the group’s preferences throughout the trip.