Río La Venta offers one of the most unique river trips in the world. Paddle through a vertical-walled limestone canyon with challenging rapids, caves, springs and ancient human remains. Experience some of what central Chiapas has to offer and get a taste of what the splendor of the Sumidero Canyon was about. This trip is generally run as a self-support IK/kayak trip in the dry season (Nov-Jan) where everyone carries their own camping gear on their boat, but the trip can be done with rafts in the higher-water rainy season (Jul-Oct).

GENERAL TRIP INFORMATION:

Río La Venta is a small tributary of Río Grijalva, the second largest river in Chiapas. Río La Venta flows through a protected reserve with the unique "ocote" coniferous trees that were utilized by the ancients for firestarting material and incense. This river starts in the higher more arid areas of Chiapas near Tuxtla Gutierrez but does not drain the city so is relatively clean.

Our journey will traverse most of the length of Río La Venta in IKs, kayaks and rafts. We will spend 6 days paddling down the ~100 km of river to Presa Malpaso, passing through challenging rapids of class III and IV difficulty, and portaging around three class V-VI boulder jumbles. In fact, the river passes through a cave of 300m length! In general, this trip is best suited to kayakers with class III or IV (solid roll required) or to raft paddlers.

TENTATIVE ITINERARY:
The itinerary is modifiable, especially if you make your deposit early and/or your group consists of most people on the trip. Please describe what you'd like to do, and we may make changes. Otherwise, this is the planned schedule.

DAY 0: everyone meets in Tuxtla; welcome dinner; HOTEL (included)
DAY 1: drive to Cascada Aguacero; hike down to river; camp; ~0 km
DAY 2: Cascada Conchuda; relatively easy rapids; class III; ~15 km
DAY 3: Explore some side caves; into Rocky Rapids section; class III-IV; ~15 km
DAY 4: Pass Barranca Cascada; Ponedora portage; through Cueva del Río; class III-IV(P); ~15 km
DAY 5: Derrumbe(P); White Wall Gorge (IIIs); class III-IV(P); ~10 km
DAY 6: paddle out to Presa Malpaso; arrive to Encajonado camp; ~20 km
DAY 7: motorboat ride out on reservoir; ride back to Tuxtla; HOTEL (included)
[ END TRIP at Tuxtla]

TRANSPORTATION
The price includes getting you from Tuxtla to the river and back to Tuxtla from the take-out, as well as one night hotel before and one night after the trip. Tuxtla Gutierrez is a the capital of Chiapas and a medium-sized city of ~600,000 with many hotels and restaurants and with an airport with regular flights to Mexico City and Tijuana. Tuxtla is also only 1 hr drive from San Cristóbal de las Casas, the most charming colonial city in Chiapas and definitely worth a stay of an extra day or two. There are numerous other attracions in the surrounding area, including caves, waterfalls, coffee plantations, the Cascadas Agua Azul, and the ruinas de Toniná.

Tuxtla Gutiérrez (TGZ) is the airport that serves Tuxtla and all of Chiapas, and is approximately a 30 min drive from the main city. You can find flights into here from AeroMexico, Volaris, VivaAerobus, Interjet, and US-carriers with code-share partnerships with AeroMexico (i.e., United, American, AlaskaAir, Delta).

CONTRIBUTION
This trip is being run to increase appreciation of the river and help preserve this unique natural resource. We welcome everyone: raft passengers, raft paddlers, raft rowers, kayakers, IKers, and guides. The pricing policy has been carefully considered and takes into account the costs associated with running the trip, the services offered, and what other outfitters charge for similar long multi-day trips. Our contribution schedule can be viewed at:

Contribution guidelines: General

Trips of similar length offer a guideline for the pricing on trips not listed. We strongly encourage potential participants to offer the general contribution rate if possible. Special discounts are sometimes offered to folks on our email list, so you are encouraged to sign up (Email List info).


RESERVATIONS
Trips are scheduled based on those interested to join - many dates are possible in the main season (Nov-Jan). If interested in joining a trip, start a discussion by sending Rocky a note (rocky@sierrarios.org) stating how you found out about the trip and a little background info about you and your paddling experience and what dates might work for you. Once you get the go-ahead from Rocky, you will need to provide a deposit to reserve your place on the trip. The balance must be received prior to trip commencement. See PAYMENTS for payment options.

A trip will definitely occur with a minimum of 4 participants. Other launch dates can be arranged for groups of 4 or more. For small groups wishing to minimize costs by sharing some expenses, we can list the additional launch date here tentatively to see if others might be interested in joining to make a full trip.

CANCELLATIONS:
We reserve the right to cancel the trip 2+ months in advance. This generally will occur only if there are not enough folks signed up (<12). If we cancel the trip, all deposits and payments will be refunded. 

If you must cancel, you'll get your money back if you find someone to take your place on the trip. If you don't find someone, we may allow much of the payment to be applied to a future trip (at our discretion). The amount depends on the circumstances surrounding the cancellation.


TRIP LEADER(S):
(1) Rocky Contos is a potential trip leader. He is fluent in Spanish, explored nearly every river in Mexico, solo kayaked the entire Jataté-Lacantún-Usumacinta in early 2010, has led >15 trips on the Usumacinta, >5 on the Lacanja, and several on LaVenta (as of 2021), wrote the guidebook to Chiapas and the guidebook to the Sierra Madre Occidental, and is preparing guidebooks for the rest of Mexico. In Mexico, he has >100 first descents covering ~8,000 km of river and ~55,000 m of drop. He also discovered the most distant source of the Amazon and made the complete first descent of the entire river and all the headwater streams. He has paddled over 150 multi-day journeys on rivers, with dozens in the range of 5-22 days. While attaining his Ph.D. in neuroscience, Rocky worked as a kayak instructor and guide for UCSD's Outback adventures from 1993-1996 and gained valuable trip planning skills for large groups. Although primarily a kayaker, Rocky started rafting in the mid-1990s in order to introduce more people to the wonders of river travel. Since then and throughout his years as a postdoctoral research associate, he organized numerous large group raft and kayak expeditions. He will captain a raft or safety kayak as necessary.

(2) German Arroyo (pronounced "Heir-mann") is a bilingual raft guide from Mexico City who has been guided raft trips in Mexico for >15 years. He's guided the Usumacinta >20X, Mulatos-Aros >5X, and also many other rivers in Mexico. He will be paddling an IK on La Venta or rowing a raft (if the water levels are high).

3) Uriel Valdez (Mexican guide), sometimes trip leader or co-leader, is a bilingual raft guide from Cuernavaca who has helped guide the Usumacinta >8X times and has guided La Venta as well. Uriel will be found rowing a raft or kayaking.
(3) Safety kayaker. Other guides and safety kayakers to be determined.

FOOD/ALCOHOL/WATER
(click here)

CHORES, TOILET AND BATHING
(click here)

WHAT TO PACK:
(click here)

KAYAKS, IKs, and RAFTS AVAILABLE FOR THIS TRIP
(click here)

HEALTH
Several folks on the trip, including Rocky, are trained in wilderness first aid, and we can provide medical attention to injuries.  We will have one major first aid kit and one minor kit.  Our first aid kit will have some pharmaceuticals such as ibuprofen, anti-allergy pills, immodium, and possibly antibiotics, but if you think you might suffer from something in particular, please bring yourself (especially a dose of ciprofloxacin or similar if you can get it easily).  Probably the most common ailment folks suffer from sometimes is gastrointestinal distress or traveler's diarrhea.  You should try to minimize chances of suffering from it by avoiding potentially dirty foods before and during the trip. If you do end up suffering diarrhea, vomiting, nausea more than a day, you might consider taking ciprofloxacin for a few days  (this generally makes the problem go away quickly).

For more information on recommended vaccinations and other health issues, visit the CDC page for travelers and select your country to visit: in this case "Mexico".  Anyone traveling to Chiapas should be vaccinated against Hepatitis A. You might consider Rabies and Typhoid immunizations as well. 

SAFETY
The violence in Mexico surrounding the drug war has been in the news a lot in the past three years. The violence is generally restricted to drug traffickers (narcos) and those associated with them, including law enforcement. As such, we are not likely to be harassed or molested in any way related to the drug war. For further discussion of the drug war and safety concerns, click here. Note that Río Lacanjá, in particular, is one of the safest in Mexico as it flows through a biosphere reserve with no drug activity and nobody around. This river has never experienced the assaults previously common on the Usumacinta and never had suspicious residents stopping tourists (like on the Jataté and various other rivers in Chiapas and Guatemala).

The other aspect of safety is prevention of accidents. It is of utmost importance that you take all precautions necessary to avert injury, sickness, and complications while on the trip. As guides, we are there to help get you safely to the river, down it, and back out, but cannot guarantee against accidents. You must accept the responsibility for what happens on the river if you are in control of your craft. If you are concerned about the whitewater or other aspects, it is your responsibility to make appropriate decisions whether to run the rapid or not and to stay close to someone who can watch and oversee you (if you desire that level of protection). If an accident occurs, we will do all in our power to help you, see that proper care is rendered, or evacuate you if need be. Rocky is trained as Wilderness First Responder and will administer appropriate emergency medical care if needed. We will have two basic first aid kits available. We will also carry a SPOT device for emergency communicaton and/or a satellite phone for emergencies and changes of plan.

WATER LEVELS AND WEATHER
The dates of this trip coincide with generally medium levels on Río La Venta, allowing for good progress and filling in the rapids well. Although this river can fluctuate, the average flow in Oct-Nov in the past has been ~40 cms (1200 cfs) midway through. In general Oct-Nov is the end of the rainy season with a good amount of sunshine and warmish temperatures, but it can always be wet and cool. In general, highs will be 25-30oC (78-86oF) and lows 10-20oC (50-68oF), but it can be cooler during rainy weather.

.A FEW COMMENTS FROM PAST PARTICIPANTS:

"Just wanted to say thanks again for the awesome trip. I've never been on a jungle river before and now I can't wait to do another one. A really incredible experience." [2012 Lacanjá trip]
Sam Morrison, guide for R.O.W. in Idaho and kayaker on Lacanjá

"Hi Rocky, Thanks again for a sensational and unforgettable trip. You did such an amazing job organizing. I especially am psyched to have met you and to have another kayak friend/guide to work with. You guiding me off the waterfall was a big highlight... Erik." [2011b Usumacinta trip]
Erik Weihenmayer, blind mountaineer/author and budding kayaker (see www.TouchTheTop.com )