Rafting on the Mendoza River, Pure Adrenaline

In Mendoza, man does not live by bread alone. The grape harvest and everything it involves are one part of the great attractions in this province where adventure sports, among which rafting stands out, have been recently added up.

The Mendoza River, classified as grade 3 year round and going up to grade 4 during the summer months, lays out real dreamed-of sceneries for those who wish to enjoy a different kind of thrill.

The guides were ready to give us some practical tips about rafting and safety. Then, after we were provided with helmets and life vests, we got on the rafts waiting on the shore.

With a very pleasant temperature and a charming sky, we started to paddle feeling calm and following the guide’s directions. In the meantime, we watched how the other rafts started to face the first rapids in this singular water course.

There are plenty of rapids on the Mendoza River but some of them are better-known than others because a name has been given to them so that everyone could share their emotions about the same spot. El Laberinto (the Labyrinth), Picoli, Concejal, la Piedra Mala (the bad rock), la Muralla China (the Chinese Wall) and 31 are the most popular.

As we floated down the river, we could hardly believe the expression on the faces of all the adventurers, or the look in their eyes.

As we moved on, we watched a sequence of rock formations that generate adrenaline even in the quietest people. The thing is that rafting is a thrilling sport that unveils what each of us has inside.

Farther ahead, a range of hills caught our eye filling the tour with an unusual majesty and vastness. A constant in the Mendoza River.

Some of these hills are called Cocodrilo (Cocrodile), el Mirador (the Viewpoint) and el Calavera (the Skull). The guides pointed at them as soon as they were spotted. La Aforadora and la Curva de Guido, where there is an abandoned station, are part of a tour that captivates everyone who gets on the raft until the moment they step on solid ground.

The group screamed in bliss at every drop. Adrenaline only decreased in the backwaters, which gave us a rest before the next fall.

A unique experience in a really fascinating province.