Finding gold in Peru
Alexander Gowda spent a month in Peru on self-supported kayaking expeditions with a small crew of friends. They slept on the ground, hiked heavy boats into remote canyons, drove thousands of kilometers on rough roads, and paddled rivers cutting through some stunning landscapes. Peru quickly revealed itself as one of the most unpredictable places the team has ever paddled, with surging flows, long approaches, police asking for bribes, rangers chasing kayakers, political upheaval, and too many sand flies and spiders. Felix Lalonde captured the journey beautifully, and Alexander offers a short account of the people and rivers they discovered.
Expedition kayaking is hard work—but it pays off in unique paddling, stunning views, and good times.
« We spent a month in Peru on kayaking expeditions: sleeping on the ground, hiking heavy boats, driving for days, and trying to learn as much as we could from the Peruvian rivers and culture »
We spent a month in Peru on kayaking expeditions: sleeping on the ground, hiking heavy boats, driving for days, and trying to learn as much as we could from the Peruvian rivers and culture. Peru proved to be one of the most unpredictable places we’ve ever paddled. Surging flows, rough roads, police asking for bribes, rangers chasing kayakers, presidential destitutions, sand flies, spiders…
Peru’s nature is raw and powerful, but heavily exploited. Rivers and mountains feel vulnerable, at the mercy of gold mining and power companies. Most of the wealth goes to a few, while the rest rely on a threatened ecosystem, living much the same way they did before gold held any value. Most people are considered “poor” in Peru, but no one starves. The food is good, cheap, and plentiful. Did you know Peru has over 4,000 different types of potatoes?
If you’re going to Peru, pack long pants—because of the sand flies—and be ready to adapt and solve problems every single day. Logistics are tricky, but it’s absolutely worth it.
On our trip, we drove almost 7,000 km and paddled the Cañete, Colca, Cotahuasi, Urubamba, Apurímac, Lucumayo, Salcantay, and the Sacsara. Peru’s rainy season is in the summer, so go in the springtime.
The Cañete River flows past the village of Lunahuaná (population ~4,300), where over 100 rafting companies operate. Most raft guides and kayakers live here, creating a solid, welcoming river community. The upper sections of the Cañete are well worth checking out. This area also produces much of Peru’s world-famous pisco.
The local river guides made us feel completely at home. Big shout-out to Perú Kayak Adventures and its founder, Pedro Peña, one of the pioneers and a true pillar of the Peruvian kayaking community. If you’re looking for beta, definitely reach out to him.
In the Arequipa region lie two of the deepest canyons in the world. Next to the Colca Canyon (3,200 meters) is the Cotahuasi Canyon, which is deeper (3,535 meters), although the former is longer, stretching over 200 kilometers. In these, we found gorgeous gorges and quality whitewater. Make sure to look into the story of the Polish explorers who completed the historic first descent of the Colca almost 50 years ago.
The Urubamba River is truly special. Flowing through the Sacred Valley and past Machu Picchu, it offers many sections and endless kilometers of incredible rapids. The upper “Chilca” section lies near Ollantaytambo, about 90 kilometers from Cusco. The lower sections can be accessed from Santa María.
Park rangers don’t allow paddling the Machu Picchu stretch—the section in between. Apparently, 5,000 tourists a day is fine, but a few kayakers a year are too many.
Side note on Machu Picchu
We connected with locals who shared a different story of Machu Picchu than we are used to. The Incas abandoned the site so Spanish conquerors wouldn’t find it. Fast-forward 500 years, and around 5,000 people visit the ruins every day. Private and foreign companies run the buses and trains. You almost don’t even need to walk. Locals don’t see a single sol from it, and most guides are foreign.
The Quechua people are trying to change this situation, but they aren’t taken seriously by the government and continue to be neglected. If you still want to go to Machu Picchu, at least hike the entire Inka Trail—and talk to and support the locals along the way.
« Who said there weren’t waterfalls in Peru? »
Santa María brought warmer weather, day runs, fun kayaking, and a forgotten gem: the Sacsara. Who said there weren’t waterfalls in Peru? The Apurímac is considered Peru’s must-run river. Heavy rain and high flows made “El Cañón Blanco” great fun, but ultimately forced us to skip the infamous “Abismo.” For rafting or kayaking around Santa María or Cusco, contact Julio Baca or Alonso Campana.
Peru has a tight, passionate, almost family-like kayaking community that just wants to grow. It’s well worth meeting—and becoming part of. There are a lot of rivers left to explore and keep coming back for.
There truly is gold in those rivers and mountains.
Words: Alexander Gowda
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