Chili River Rafting: 2024 Updated information about Chili River Rafting in Arequipa, Peru from itineraries, prices, FAQs and more!

Chili River Rafting brief summary:

Located just 20 minutes from the beautiful city center of Arequipa, is this heart-pumping rafting adventure on Arequipa’s best-known river, the Chili River.

  • Experience the adventure of rafting down the amazing Chili River!
  • Ranked by Tripadvisor as the best outdoor activity to do in Chivay, Arequipa.
  • Safety and a fun time guaranteed!

Below we have created our extensive guide on Chili River Rafting in Arequipa based on our expert local knowledge, having helped transport over 250,000 travelers here since our formation in 2013.

Chili River Rafting guide contents:

  1. Detailed Tour Information & What’s Included – Breakdown of the Chili River Rafting.
  2. How to get to the Chili River – Transport information.
  3. What to bring and wear for the Chili River Rafting? – Be prepared for your tour.
  4. Chili River Rafting FAQs – We answer your frequently asked questions.


Ready to experience a thrilling adventure in Arequipa's Chili River? Book the Chili River Rafting now!

Detailed Tour Information & What's Included

Peru Hop does not operate any river rafting in Arequipa. To see Peru Hop’s recommended operator for this tour read below.

Chili River Rafting in Arequipa

Price: $22 USD

Times: 08:00 am, 11:00 am or 2:00 pm

Duration: Aprox. 3 hours

Meeting point: Pick-up from hotels and hostels in central Arequipa

Special deal for Peru Hop Passengers: Tours booked via Find Local Trips allow date changes up until the evening before your tour begins at no extra cost.

Minimum age: 8 years old – must have parents permission
Maximum age: 70 years old – Medical proof of optimum health status


Itinerary

Before the tour begins, there will be a safety briefing and tips and tricks from the instructors so that you can get the most out of the rafting experience.

Once you begin, you will slowly speed up; first enjoying a lovely float through the beautiful Chilina Valley and then working your way up to experience the full force of the rushing waves. With the help of your teammates, you will need to work together to tackle the river. Veering past giant rocks and rafting at extreme speeds, while the serene, surrounding views of nature pass you by is the perfect combination for any outdoor adventurer.

Rafting down the river will take approximately 45 minutes (1h15m from July to December).

After completing the river course, you will head back to Arequipa’s main square.


Included

  • Professional guide and instructor
  • Equipment (raft, helmets, pants, paddles, rescue line, life jacket and wetsuits)
  • Private transport (to and from your accommodation in Arequipa)
  • Snacks (water and cookies )

Not included:

  • Gratatuity
  • Photos of the river rafting – 10 soles (not available from January to March)

Ready to experience a thrilling adventure in Arequipa’s Chili River?

Book the Chili River Rafting now!

How to get to the Chili River

The Chili River is located just 20 minutes from the city center of Arequipa. You will need to take a tour to enjoy the river.

You have 3 options to get to Arequipa:

  • Flight to Rodríguez Ballón International Airport
  • Public bus
  • Peru Hop bus

The quickest way to reach Arequipa is by plane but this means you will miss seeing everything along the way. The airport does not receive international flights so this option is only available to those already in Peru. Upon arrival, take a taxi for a 30-minute ride to Plaza de Armas where most hotels and hostels are located.

Public buses from Lima take roughly 17 hours to reach Arequipa with no stops. Although you can find some comfortable buses, usually being the most expensive ones, it is a long journey and you will miss all of the things to see along the way.

Peru Hop has buses to Arequipa, as well. The bus passes include stops where you can choose to hop off along the way to Arequipa. Our stops from Lima to Arequipa include Paracas, Huacachina and Nazca. If you take a Peru Hop bus From Cusco to Arequipa you can choose to stop and hop off in Puno.

What to bring and wear to the Chili River Rafting?

  • Swimwear
  • Change of clothes
  • Towel
  • Sunscreen

Chili River Rafting FAQs

How physically fit do I need to be?

You don’t have to be super fit.

What is the level/difficulty of rafting and how much time will we spend in the water?

You’ll run a 6 km section with rapids up to class IV (intermediate) with an approximate floating time of 1.15 to 1.30 hours in the river. The tour takes a total of around 3 hours in the beautiful Chilina Valley

Is it true, that rafting can get dangerous during the rainy season (December – April)?

If there are heavy rains, which happen mostly in February and March, the water level can get really high. In that case, rafting will not be possible due to the rapid waters.