Rafting and kayaking in Bolivia are relatively underdeveloped, but the country offers almost limitless rivers for white water adventures. In fact, Bolivia hosts many uncharted challenges that more conventional rafting countries such as Ecuador and Costa Rica just can’t match. Luckily for those new to the sports, there is also now a growing amount of organized kayaking and rafting springing up around the country.

Where to go
Bolivia’s best known white water site is the Río Tuichi, on the Eastern side of the Andes. It’s a wild, fast-flowing river with Class II to V rapids, which runs through the stunning scenery of Madidi National Park. The waters flow past canyons, mountain ranges and lush tropical forest, giving you the opportunity to see a vast array of wildlife on your journey. Rafting along the Tuichi River is normally offered as part of a multi-day tour with four days rafting combined with hiking and four-wheel drive.

The Río Grande can be found in the tropical lowlands of Santa Cruz. This river offers class II and III rapids, making it ideal for beginners. It snakes through canyons and greenery, past huge rock formations, to sites such as the Devil’s Canon and the Rocky Heart. Multi-day tours can normally be arranged in Cochabamba.
Rafting and kayaking from Villa Tunari in the Chapare region can also be organized in Cochabamba. Here you can do one or two-day trips combined with other activities such as trekking and rappelling.

The Yungas near La Paz offer a wealth of rafting and kayaking opportunities as well. In the Parque Nacional Cotapata, in the northern Yungas, the Río Coroico, Río Huarinillas and Río Unduavi provide excellent intermediate rafting. There’s good kayaking along the Río Coroico and also in the southern Yungas along the ríos La Paz, Bopi and Tamanpaya.