Rio Maranon 2022
In June 2022, ten of us traveled to Peru to raft and kayak a 182 mile stretch of the Rio Maranon. A major tributary of the Amazon, the Maranon is similar in difficulty and character to Arizona’s Grand Canyon. It has many difficult rapids and is in a very deep canyon. The Maranon is free flowing, although dams have been proposed on parts of it. There is a major effort by the local people and the river outfitters to fight the dams which has been successful to date. The climate in June is hot and dry and the bottom of the canyon is a desert. The trip had originally been scheduled for 2020 but like many other trips, it was delayed due to Covid.
Participants were Rich Henke, George Lowe (kayak), Paul Hauser (kayak), Gary Kelly, Steve Cochrine, Tina Sun, Mike Berglund, Alex Jacocks, Terry Turner, and Bruce Turner. All are friends of mine. We flew to Lima and then to Trujillo where we spent 2-3 days exploring local ruins and preparing for the trip. We then took a van (13 hours on a challenging road) to Chagual where we started the 13-day float. The trip was run by Rocky Contos of SierraRios, a very impressive outfitter who runs exciting river trips all over the world. http://www.sierrarios.org/index.html We had 4 rafts, 2 kayaks, and several inflatables which people could use for portions of the river. Many of the rapids were too difficult for me in an inflatable but I did spend 8 days paddling.
Most of our individual gear was rented from SierraRios. The leader Ariel and rowers Freddy, Cuchito, and Johnathan were very competent and the trip was organized and run extremely well. Good food, great camps, and a very interesting cultural experience since unlike the Grand Canyon, people live along the river. We visited and had some meals in villages and learned a lot about their way of life.
After the take-out, Rena flew to Peru to join me and we traveled around Northern Peru for an additional 2 weeks. A second Smugmug gallery describes that portion of our Peru trip.
https://adventureplus.smugmug.com/TravelForeign/Northern-Peru-2022/
This gallery has images of the Rio Maranon raft trip, including the pre-trip activities. I have photos of all our 12 camps. The photos have captions and will provide a “slide show.“ Three videos follow the photos. The 9 topo maps at the end show the locations of our camp and other points of interest. The images were taken with an iPhone 13 Pro Max and an Olympus TG6 waterproof camera.
A detailed itinerary of both the river trip and and my travels with Rena is below. Probably more detail than you need.
ITINERARY
DAY - DATE - ACTIVITY
1 - Tue 5/31 - Fly LA to Lima via Mexico City
2 - Wed 6/1- Arrive Lima 6AM, fly to Trujillo w Gary, visit Chan Chan w Gary, Mike, Alex, Rocky - Naylamp Hostel 1
3 - Thu 6/2 - Visit Trujillo and Huacas del Moche w Gary, Mike, Alex - Naylamp Hostel 2
4 - Fri 6/3 - Pre trip meeting - Naylamp Hostel 3
5 - Sat 6/4 - Van from Trujillos to Chagual (KM 210), 13 hr bus ride on challenging road - Hotel California
6 - Sun 6/5 - R1 - Camp KM 233 (23 Km )- IK1 solo
7 - Mon 6/6 - R2 - Camp KM 263 (30 Km) -IK2 w Terry
8 - Tue 6/7 - R3 - Camp KM 287 (24 Km) - Hike in morning, see Muro Paso waterfall in afternoon - IK3 solo
9 - Wed 6/8 - R4 - Camp KM 307 (20 Km) - Hike to tombs - IK4 w Terry+Tina
10 - Thu 6/9 - R5 - Camp KM 323 (16 Km) - SamoSierra rapid - Class 10 on Grand Canyon scale
11 - Fri 6/10 - R6 - Camp KM 357 (34 Km )- Near Balsas (dinner in Balsas)
12 - Sat 6/11 - R7 - Camp KM 382 (25 Km) - Lunch in Mendan - IK5 w Steve
13 - Sun 6/12 - R8 - Camp KM 410 (28 Km) - Tupac Grande
14 - Mon 6/13 - R9 - Layover Day - Hike, lunch in Tupac Grande
15 - Tue 6/14 - R10 - Camp KM 444 (34 Km) - Big rapid day - four 4’s
16 - Wed 6/15 - R11 - Camp KM 476 (32 Km) - Lin Lin rapid, swim in pools - IK6 w Mike
17 - Thu 6./16 - R12 - Camp KM 488 (12 Km) - Palaguas rapid, Rio Silaco - IK7 solo
18 - Fri 6/17 - R13 - Takeout at Puerto Malleta KM 501 (13 Km) - IK8 solo - Drive 2 hr to Jaen - Hotel Betania
19 - Sat 6/18 - N1 - Rich bus to Chachapoyas, Rena arrives from Lima - Chacha Backpackers 1
20 - Sun 6/19 - N2 - Visit Hiancas, see Mirador Canon del Sonche - Chacha Backpackers 2
21 - Mon 6/20 - N3 - Chacha Backpackers 3
22 - Tue 6/21 - N4 - Gran Vilaya Trek 1 - Pueblo de Los Muertos, Carajia, camp at Huaylia Belen
23 - Wed 6/22 - N5 - Gran Vilaya Trek 2 - Long trekking day, La Pirquilla ruins, Congar GH
24 - Thu 6/23 - N6 - Gran Vilaya Trek 3 - Drive, visit Marco ruins, stay at Roger’s family house near Kuelap
25 - Fri 6/24 - N7 - Gran Vilaya Trek 4 - Kuelap, horse ride, see tomb, Chacha Backpackers 4
26 - Sat 6/25 - N8 - Chacha Backpackers 5
27 - Sun 6/26 - N9 - To Leymebamba - private car, stop at Ravish, Yerbabuena market, Kenticomba Inn 1
28 - Mon 6/27 - N10 - Leymebamba - Visit museum, Kenticomba Inn 2
29 - Tue 6/28 - N11 - Private Car to Cajamarca - El Portal del Marques Hotel 1
30 - Wed 6/29 - N12 - Cajamarca, Otuzco, Nikoles Puga Museum, Historic Plaza de Armas- El Portal del Marques Hotel 2
31 - Thu 6/30 - N13 - Apolonia Hill, Fly Cajamarca to Lima
32 - Fri 7/1 - N14 - Leave Lima early morning for LA via Mexico City
KM = Distances in kilometers = River days
N = Northern Peru days
IK = Rich’s days in inflatable
Total Distance - Chagual to Balsas Bridge = 93 miles, Balsas to Puerto Malleta 89 miles, Total = 182 Miles (294 KM)
Read MoreParticipants were Rich Henke, George Lowe (kayak), Paul Hauser (kayak), Gary Kelly, Steve Cochrine, Tina Sun, Mike Berglund, Alex Jacocks, Terry Turner, and Bruce Turner. All are friends of mine. We flew to Lima and then to Trujillo where we spent 2-3 days exploring local ruins and preparing for the trip. We then took a van (13 hours on a challenging road) to Chagual where we started the 13-day float. The trip was run by Rocky Contos of SierraRios, a very impressive outfitter who runs exciting river trips all over the world. http://www.sierrarios.org/index.html We had 4 rafts, 2 kayaks, and several inflatables which people could use for portions of the river. Many of the rapids were too difficult for me in an inflatable but I did spend 8 days paddling.
Most of our individual gear was rented from SierraRios. The leader Ariel and rowers Freddy, Cuchito, and Johnathan were very competent and the trip was organized and run extremely well. Good food, great camps, and a very interesting cultural experience since unlike the Grand Canyon, people live along the river. We visited and had some meals in villages and learned a lot about their way of life.
After the take-out, Rena flew to Peru to join me and we traveled around Northern Peru for an additional 2 weeks. A second Smugmug gallery describes that portion of our Peru trip.
https://adventureplus.smugmug.com/TravelForeign/Northern-Peru-2022/
This gallery has images of the Rio Maranon raft trip, including the pre-trip activities. I have photos of all our 12 camps. The photos have captions and will provide a “slide show.“ Three videos follow the photos. The 9 topo maps at the end show the locations of our camp and other points of interest. The images were taken with an iPhone 13 Pro Max and an Olympus TG6 waterproof camera.
A detailed itinerary of both the river trip and and my travels with Rena is below. Probably more detail than you need.
ITINERARY
DAY - DATE - ACTIVITY
1 - Tue 5/31 - Fly LA to Lima via Mexico City
2 - Wed 6/1- Arrive Lima 6AM, fly to Trujillo w Gary, visit Chan Chan w Gary, Mike, Alex, Rocky - Naylamp Hostel 1
3 - Thu 6/2 - Visit Trujillo and Huacas del Moche w Gary, Mike, Alex - Naylamp Hostel 2
4 - Fri 6/3 - Pre trip meeting - Naylamp Hostel 3
5 - Sat 6/4 - Van from Trujillos to Chagual (KM 210), 13 hr bus ride on challenging road - Hotel California
6 - Sun 6/5 - R1 - Camp KM 233 (23 Km )- IK1 solo
7 - Mon 6/6 - R2 - Camp KM 263 (30 Km) -IK2 w Terry
8 - Tue 6/7 - R3 - Camp KM 287 (24 Km) - Hike in morning, see Muro Paso waterfall in afternoon - IK3 solo
9 - Wed 6/8 - R4 - Camp KM 307 (20 Km) - Hike to tombs - IK4 w Terry+Tina
10 - Thu 6/9 - R5 - Camp KM 323 (16 Km) - SamoSierra rapid - Class 10 on Grand Canyon scale
11 - Fri 6/10 - R6 - Camp KM 357 (34 Km )- Near Balsas (dinner in Balsas)
12 - Sat 6/11 - R7 - Camp KM 382 (25 Km) - Lunch in Mendan - IK5 w Steve
13 - Sun 6/12 - R8 - Camp KM 410 (28 Km) - Tupac Grande
14 - Mon 6/13 - R9 - Layover Day - Hike, lunch in Tupac Grande
15 - Tue 6/14 - R10 - Camp KM 444 (34 Km) - Big rapid day - four 4’s
16 - Wed 6/15 - R11 - Camp KM 476 (32 Km) - Lin Lin rapid, swim in pools - IK6 w Mike
17 - Thu 6./16 - R12 - Camp KM 488 (12 Km) - Palaguas rapid, Rio Silaco - IK7 solo
18 - Fri 6/17 - R13 - Takeout at Puerto Malleta KM 501 (13 Km) - IK8 solo - Drive 2 hr to Jaen - Hotel Betania
19 - Sat 6/18 - N1 - Rich bus to Chachapoyas, Rena arrives from Lima - Chacha Backpackers 1
20 - Sun 6/19 - N2 - Visit Hiancas, see Mirador Canon del Sonche - Chacha Backpackers 2
21 - Mon 6/20 - N3 - Chacha Backpackers 3
22 - Tue 6/21 - N4 - Gran Vilaya Trek 1 - Pueblo de Los Muertos, Carajia, camp at Huaylia Belen
23 - Wed 6/22 - N5 - Gran Vilaya Trek 2 - Long trekking day, La Pirquilla ruins, Congar GH
24 - Thu 6/23 - N6 - Gran Vilaya Trek 3 - Drive, visit Marco ruins, stay at Roger’s family house near Kuelap
25 - Fri 6/24 - N7 - Gran Vilaya Trek 4 - Kuelap, horse ride, see tomb, Chacha Backpackers 4
26 - Sat 6/25 - N8 - Chacha Backpackers 5
27 - Sun 6/26 - N9 - To Leymebamba - private car, stop at Ravish, Yerbabuena market, Kenticomba Inn 1
28 - Mon 6/27 - N10 - Leymebamba - Visit museum, Kenticomba Inn 2
29 - Tue 6/28 - N11 - Private Car to Cajamarca - El Portal del Marques Hotel 1
30 - Wed 6/29 - N12 - Cajamarca, Otuzco, Nikoles Puga Museum, Historic Plaza de Armas- El Portal del Marques Hotel 2
31 - Thu 6/30 - N13 - Apolonia Hill, Fly Cajamarca to Lima
32 - Fri 7/1 - N14 - Leave Lima early morning for LA via Mexico City
KM = Distances in kilometers = River days
N = Northern Peru days
IK = Rich’s days in inflatable
Total Distance - Chagual to Balsas Bridge = 93 miles, Balsas to Puerto Malleta 89 miles, Total = 182 Miles (294 KM)
