Río Usumacinta trip Chiapas Mexico

14th March 2025

7 Day Wild SUP + Raft Supported River Descent

+ 2 day-trips

(tours of Palenque ruins, Agua Azul, or the Chocoljá)

All-inclusive package with Charlie Head 

£2500 pp

The all-inclusive package includes the standard main river descent

(transport, rafts+group gear, food, guides, permits, security)

Airport transfers

(pickup and return to Villahermosa airport)

4 nights hotel in Palenque

(w/breakfast, double occupancy)

Three restaurant dinners, and the bungalow first night in Frontera + restaurant dinner

All personal gear rentals desired, up to 4 canned beverage per day (chilled), and two additional day trips to Palenque ruins and to Agua Azul/Shumuljá.  

general information about the trip to help you plan

We have teamed up with the Legendary Rocky Contos of Global Grand Canyons to offer you this River descent trip of a lifetime. On this page you will find information you need about the trip and plenty of links to more info and further reading.

To SUP the Usumacinta with Charlie's crew you will be provided with a digital offline ready guide with useful reminders and maps + all the equipment and training you need to make the most of this exciting river SUP descent. An adventure of a lifetime with conservation objectives towards saving this majestic river and many waterways like it all over the world.

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To sign up for the trip you’ll need to review general information and then do the following

1. Pay £500 pp deposit to secure place

To do this, go to the PAY DEPOSIT page.

Final payment is due no less than two weeks before the trip and we will provide you with payment details via email - If you have already done this please skip to number 2 -

2. Fill out the INFO FORM

click INFO FORM (fill out what you can now - you can save and make changes later)

3. Sign the LIABILITY WAIVER

You will need to read and agree to the Assumption of Risk liability waiver form before the trip

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(1) Tentative itinerary/plan

Day 0: March Arrival to Palenque.  We will make sure you get to Palenque this day. ✈ Pick up from Villahermosa airport, could be in bus/taxi/van.  Hotel in Palenque. Hotel Chablis or similar

Day 1: March USU - Rendezvous morning at Hotel Chablis.  Drive to Bonampak & visit (~3.5 hr). Continue to Frontera, finish rigging, orientation, cabin.

 𓄢 Frontera (km 0)   

Day 2: March USU - Morning paddle to Yaxchilán (~3 hr); lunch, then set up camp and visit the ruins. 

𓄢 Yaxchilán (km 20)   

Day 3: March USU - Paddle through Chicozapote (II-III) to Big Springs and to El Playón.

𓄢  El Playón (km 65) 

Day4: March USU - Lagoon hike in morning; lunch, then Arroyo Jersalén, Caribe (II+), and Cenote Tumbado.

𓄢  Piedras Negras (km 79) 

Day 5: March  USU LAYOVER DAY. Morning hike through Piedras Negras. Then additional hiking or relaxing/swimming at beach camp.

𓄢  Piedras Negras (km 79) 

Day6: March USU - Paddle to and visit Cascada Busiljá; big rapids in first part of the Gran Cañón de San José (LaLinea, Baluarte, Whirlpool).

𓄢  Madero (km120) 

Day 7: March USU - Paddle through final rapids of Gran Cañón (SanJosécito, SanJosé). Possible cave stop in Boca del Cerro. Derig, back to Palenque.  Hotel in Palenque 

March PALENQUE RUINS:  After breakfast, head to Palenque archaeological zone. Dinner at Don Mucho's with fire show. Hotel in Palenque

March AGUA AZUL/SHUMULJÁ: Raft the Shumuljá and see the magnificent final Cascadas Agua Azul (option to kayak AguaAzul). Hotel in Palenque

March Flights out of VSA: ✈ Transfer to Villahermosa for flights out.     

Note:  The tours of Palenque ruins, Agua Azul, and the Chocoljá are sometimes scheduled before and sometimes after the main trip (Chocoljá may sometimes replace AguaAzul).  

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While most rafting expeditions have certain elements in common (rafting and kayaking, SUPing rapids, riverside camping, dealing with the elements), Sacred Maya River Usumacinta Descent has some unique aspects that endear it to those who experience it.

We camp at and tour two major Mayan sites, that are only accessible from the river (Yaxchilán and Piedras Negras), passing through a jungle rainforest with the highest concentration of howler monkeys in the world! Which is the reason the Mayan named it “Usumacinta” which means “ Sacred Monkey River”, it is also the biggest river in all of Mexico/Central America.

The calls of wild monkeys, and the vibrant colours of the native birds make this an unforgettable adventure through the heart of the jungle paddling along this majestic river, surrounded by the warmth of the jungle climate. We Relax on expansive beaches, explore ancient Mayan ruins, and enjoy comfortable camping conditions throughout our journey. The river offers a perfect mix of excitement and tranquillity, with thrilling rapids over the last two days, navigating through half a dozen Class III rapids within the stunning Gran Cañon de San José. Get ready for an adventure like no other!

Because of the warm, easy and relatively comfortable nature of the trip and length (142 km/88 miles; 7-8 days; class III max), this trip is ideal as an initial rafting expedition and makes for an exiting SUP and Kayak experience.

For the SUP element with Charlie we require that you be a proficient paddleboarder with experience or booked in for sufficient lessons beforehand. You can however raft only if you so wish. Please fill out the INFO FORM with the details of your skillset. Any competent participant in the group can elect to be in charge of rowing a raft or paddling a kayak, IK, SUP or packraft (subject to capability of the participant and availability of  Boats in Chiapas)

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• (3) RENDEZVOUS & DEPARTURE:

   We will depart Palenque at 8 am on 10 Dec 2024 

• from our Gear Storehouse 

  (this is Miyaya’s house, located at Avenida Hidalgo 137 and almost catty-corner to Hotel Lacandonia which is located at Calles Allende and Miguel Hidalgo  01-345-0057; see attached map).

  If many in the group are at a particular hotel, we can swing by for a pickup.

• The day before departure, it is a good idea to stop by the storehouse to get any rented extra drybags and select PFDs and other items.

• If you have bags/gear/items that you prefer not to take on the rafting part of the trip, you can leave them in Palenque at the storehouse - or alternatively in the shuttle van in Frontera.

• The journey from Palenque to Frontera requires close to 4 hr of easy driving, but it takes even longer with the stop for brunch (~45 min) and the visit to Bonampak (~2.5 hr), so we’re not usually arriving until late afternoon.  

  The rafts should be mostly set up when you arrive, but there are always adjustments and more things to do to finish rigging, and others can make sure they're comfortable with SUP and their kayaks/IKs.

• Usually launch is scheduled for the following morning, after a night camping by the boat launch or in a bungalow nearby.

• If visiting Bonampak and staying in a bungalow, a group restaurant dinner is usually scheduled the first night.  

• The following morning we have breakfast by the rafts, have safety and first aid talks, and usually paddle the first 20 km to Yaxchilán camp by noon (spending the afternoon touring the ruins).

• (4) END-OF-TRIP on March 2025

  We should be at the take-out by 2 pm and will have lunch (plan to spend 2 hr here helping get gear up, eating lunch, etc), with guests getting back to Palenque by 6 pm that evening for a shower.

• We often will meet again for a restaurant dinner though guides get back later due to all the derigging so may not be available.

• The following days we plan for the group to visit the ruins at Palenque and/or Agua Azul and we usually plan a dinner at Don Mucho’s (8-11 pm) at El Panchán to enjoy the live music, dancing and fire show!

• Those doing just the basic 7-day River descent fly out the day after the river descent ends, however our all inclusive day-trips continue below. 

• All inclusive: Day Trip to Palenque ruins:   On March 2025

  We are planning a visit to the Mayan archaeological zone of Palenque, the most visited site by the town of Palenque. A full tour of the site and museum usually takes 4-5 hr.  If you haven’t been there before, this is a must-do if you’re visiting Palenque. If scheduled the day after the Usumacinta trip, participants often like to sleep in during the morning a bit and get to the ruins after having a late breakfast.   

• All inclusive: Day Paddle to AguaAzul & Shumuljá:  On March 2025 

  We are planning an excursion to Río Shumuljá and Agua Azul, which is the second most popular site visited out of Palenque (1.2 hr drive).  While most people just visit the main concession area of the Agua Azul falls, we will plan a rafting day trip as well (see video below 🔎 pinch zoom on mobile).

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• The Shumuljá involves rafting ~16 km of class II-III river with one class IV+ rapid (the IV can be walked/portaged).  Río Shumuljá is the river that AguaAzul empties into and a trip on it allows you to see the most spectacular part of the Agua Azul casacadas with the 5 big final falls (Bolom Ajaw -  see AguaAzul video).

• Possibility to stop at the general concession area on the way to the put-in or from the take-out. The final falls is a place most tourists do not see - but it is easily viewed and visited while paddling down the Shumuljá.

• It’s also possible to kayak the main falls of Agua Auzl (class IV and V kayakers only; ~4 km down to Shumuljá where we meet with the rafting group; early start recommended) Subject to capability.

• (5) MEXICO ENTRY & VISA:   All international visitors to Mexico must have a valid passport with expiration date >6 months after entry to Mexico.  Mexico welcomes tourists from the USA and Europe and issues temporary tourist visas upon arrival good for up to 180 days at a cost of ~$30USD.

  The tourist visa charge is usually included with international flight tickets if arriving from another country.

  Tourist visas are picked up upon arrival at the first international airport in Mexico.

  
  
  

•  You are allowed to enter the country with personal items without any duty, including 1 set of sporting goods and a personal set of electronic items (laptop, cell phone, etc).

  
  
  

• The currency is the MeXican Nuevo peso (MXN), currently exchanging at ~18 MXN/USD (as of Jun 2024). The peso exchange rate has fluctuated between about 15-23 MXN/USD in the past several years. There are ATMs available at the airports and in most cities that allow visitors to withdrawal the equivalent of up to $200-300USD cash at a time (usually in MXN).  You can also exchange money at Casas de Cambio (available in most border towns and major cities) or at banks (Banco Azteca or Bancomer in Palenque - requires showing your passport; limit usually <$500USD). Some vendors in cities accept Visa and Mastercard, but some will only take cash (MXN or USD, but the exchange rate they calculate is often not as good as the bank rate).  

  
  
  

• Covid-19:   Covid is not much of a concern these days for travel between the USA and Mexico. No vaccination cards or Covid tests are necessary to enter Mexico and no vaccination cards or Covid tests are needed to reenter the US (at least for US citizens).  However, it is still possible to get Covid, the flu or other infectious diseases. Please do not join the trip if you are suffering from Covid or another highly contagious infection (and wear a mask if you are in public).  If this happens to you - or something else unexpectedly arises causing trip delays, disruption or cancellation, you should have a travel insurance policy that will cover you cancelling the trip.  

  
  
  

• (6) PALENQUE - HOW TO ARRIVE:

  Getting to Palenque:  You are responsible for booking your flights and getting to Palenque. It is best to search on www.google.com/flights or www.kayak.com  or www.rome2rio.com

• The largest airport close-by is Villahermosa (VSA), which is 1.6-hour drive from Palenque.

• We provide airport transfers to Palenque from VSA airport  

  Note: If you live in the Southern California area you can take advantage of flights based out of Tijuana (Volaris, Interjet, VivaAerobus, AeroMexico), which can be much lower cost than originating your flight in the USA. There is cheap secure parking near the airport on the Tijuana side or you can cross in the CrossBorderExpress bridge-tunnel.

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• (7) PALENQUE - WHERE TO STAY:

  This ALL-INCLUSIVE package includes 4 nights hotel stay in Palenque at one of the nicest hotels - usually Hotel Chablis or comparable hotel such a Maya Tulipanes (double occupancy; single supplement possible). This will be automatically booked and paid for you; rooms generally have two queen beds; hotel has a pool and hot tub.  Breakfast included.  These hotels are located in the La Cañada part of town within easy walking distance of the centro and plaza.  The cabañas in Frontera are booked at Nueva Alianza or Escudo Jaguar and generally have 2 beds or 3 beds (1 bedroom).  See a few details of the hotels below.  

• Hotel Chablis (LaCañada, Palenque) 01 800 714 4710; www.booking.com; Calle Merle Green No.7, La Cañada; www.HotelChablis.com.mx; wifi; AC; ventilador; pool/hot tub; quiet; very nice 

• Hotel Maya Tulipanes (LaCañada, Palenque) 01 800 714 4710; www.booking.com; Cañada #6, La Cañada; https://www.mayatulipanes.com/; wifi; AC; ventilador; pool/hot tub; quiet; very nice 

• Nueva Alianza: (Frontera): close to the river - downstream side of boat ramp; https://www.hotelnuevaalianza.org/  Cel. 52 916 108 0433

• Escudo Jaguar: (Frontera): close to the river - upstream side of boat ramp; https://escudojaguarhotel.wixsite.com/escudo-jaguar/locacion  Cel. 52 916 108 0433

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• (9) Maps:  If you haven’t done so already, it’s a good idea to download (and maybe print out) the maps to the river, which you can access at the following link:   

•  You’ll want the Usumacinta0, Usumacinta1 and Usumacinta2 - these files are ~1.8 MB each and are sized to be printed on 8.5X11” paper. These will also be in your digital guide.

• Dropbox link for maps

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• 10) WHAT TO PACK Your main personal camping items should not be excessive and should all fit into one large 110L drybag (and NRS Bill’s Bag or similar) and a small ~10L day-bag (for more immediate-access day items). Raft captains can bring extra if they wish and carry on their raft. Those renting PacoPads and camp chairs can store them open on the rafts (no need to put in your bag). Tents that are rented can sometimes be stored in a separate drybag as well. When deciding clothing to pack, consider that this is lowland tropical rain forest so it will generally be warm, but you should be prepared for cooler weather and rain - a rain jacket is appropriate on the raft and in camp.  Also please bring repellent as the biting midges often bite at the put-in and take-out (and don’t forget sunblock and lip balm).  Items that you do not want to take on the river can be left safely in Palenque (at our gear storehouse) or in the shuttle vehicle (usually returning to Palenque) - or at Hotel Chablis.

•  Also, please minimize cash and valuables that you bring on the river - but do account for a possible tip to the guides at the end - the usual recommendation is 10-15% of normal trip cost if you are happy with the service - it is best provided to Miyaya at the take-out or in Palenque the evening the trip ends and will be distributed the following day to the guides. 

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general River items - to bring

1 Swim shorts (or swimsuit) - what you'll generally be wearing on the raft on warm days

1 Raft Shirt - for the raft: e.g.: t-shirt or lightweight long sleeve button shirt for rafters
1 Raft Pants - [optional] lightweight pants to wear on raft; perhaps waterproof pants (not as important on hot weather/warm water trips)
1 Chacos/Tevas (or other amphibious shoe) - main footwear for the raft/kayak
1 Smartwool shirt - mid-weight long sleeve shirt - polypro/merino wool (wear w/paddle jacket)

1 Jacket (for when it might be raining/cold; this can be same as the Paddle Jacket listed below) 
1 Hat any kind is nice to have when on a raft

1 Sunglasses (with retainer) - nice to have on raft
1 Water bottle preferably with a carabiner to clip onto a raft
1 Sunscreen (a great inexpensive option is NoAd SPF30)

1 Lip balm  

Camp items - to bring

1 pants (jeans or polyester light pants for camp)

1 shorts (cotton types are fine)

1 shirt - light long-sleeve button-down (good to keep bugs off and not too hot  - e.g. BuzzOff)

1 T-shirt (cotton based is fine)

1 Fleece/sweater

3 Underwear 
1 Sock pair (use if you end up being cold - or to protect from bug bites; or if you have dry shoes)
1 Camp shoes (these can be the same as your river shoes or a different dry shoe)   [river shoes generally can be used on hikes]

1 Headlamp (plus extra set of batteries)
1 Toiletries pouch (with toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, nail clippers, comb, razor, deodorant, shampoo, lotion)

1 Ziplock with TP/tissue/lighter

1 Medicine bag (any special items for you: anti-fungal cream, anti-flue, antibiotics, anti-malarials)

1 Pocket-knife (remember to check it if flying)
1 Book (something to read or write like a journal; Kindle works well)
1 Camera or smart phone (can use cell phone as camera and to take notes) 

1 Sunscreen (SPF 10 or above - to protect skin from sunburn)

1 Repellent (REPEL recommended; important for comfort in some camps)

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below items are included with

* all inclusive package *

1 Drybag (such as Bill'sBag 110L or 65L or the NRS Duffel) - all your personal gear should fit in this

Tent (a 2-person tent can be used by an individual - the best types have excellent ventilationt)

Pad/chair (e.g. Therm-a-rest mattress + chair kit) or Paco Pad+chair;

Sleeping bag on warm trips, a 40°F or sometimes 50°F bag is fine

Special paddle items included with this ALL-INCLUSIVE package

1 PFD (Personal Flotation Device or "life jacket") - must be type III or type V; a high-flotation type is recommended (~21 lb flotation)

1 Paddle jacket/Drytop/Drysuit (if you’ll be in a kayak or IK and you’ll be splashed with cold water a lot or swimming, a drysuit is best)

1 Helmet (paddling type - WRSI or similar - not needed on main Usumacinta) 

1 Sprayskirt (if kayaking) 

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SPECIAL PADDLING ITEMS TO BRING

• Personal safety gear (if you are in charge of a raft or kayak or SUP, please bring a throwbag/biner & tow line)

• and if you are in charge of a raft on a class IV or V river, bring a flip line
  
  

  TRIP CONTRIBUTION DOES NOT INCLUDE

• Flights to/from Villahermosa 

• Restaurant meals - some restaurant meals will be at your own cost 

• Tips to guides - suggested to budget 10-15% of full trip price (provide directly to guides, or to Miyaya at end dinner for distribution)
  

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  TRIP CONTRIBUTION INCLUDES

  transport from Palenque to the river and back to Palenque or Frontera after the trip

  food on the river trip (starting from drive to put-in until lunch at take-out)

  boats: rafts, kayaks, inflatable kayaks, oars, paddles, all rigging

  group camp gear: kitchen, tables, tarp, toilet, pin kit, first aid, satellite communicator

  park entrance fees - Frontera, Yaxchilán, Piedras Negras

  guides - to coordinate, row rafts, safety kayak, prepare meals, wash dishes, etc

  security - local guides; security boat at times; (we make sure our groups remain safe from robbery/assault)

  storage - of your bags while on the river trip  

  personal paddling gear (PFD/helmet/drybag) - included RENTALS: please indicate on INFO FORM

  personal camping gear (tent, pad, sleeping bag) - included RENTALS: please indicate on INFO FORM

  liquid beverage (beer, wine, Coke, Sprite) - you can get up to 5 cans/day/person - request on the INFO FORM

  hotels - we will arrange at Hotel Chablis 

  restaurant meals - three restaurant dinners are included 

  airport transfers - we will arrange  

  additional day-trips - Palenque ruins, AguaAzul/Shumuljá, Bonampak (unless otherwise indicated)
  
  
  

• (11) FOOD/DRINK/ITINERARY

   We like to make sure everyone is happy with the food offered during the trip. On the Info Form, we ask you to list some food/drink preferences and restrictions. General foods that are available are

•  Breakfasts always have coffee/tea/milk/juice and cereals/fruit/yogurt available, but several mornings we also will prepare something different like oatmeal, eggs/potatoes/bacon, pancakes, or French toast.

• Lunches are typically sandwiches (with lunchmeat, tuna, avocado, lettuce/tomato/mayo/mustard/cheese, or PB&J; you can usually choose what you want to make), burritos (make your own from flour tortillas or tostadas, beans, chilorio, cheese, cabbage, salsa, etc), or a rice-based meal, and always have trail mix, chips, cookies, and fruit available.  

• Dinners usually start with an appetizer (e.g., chips/salsas, crackers/cheese/pesto, rice crackers) and then a main course.  For dessert there will always be chocolate, cookies, and hot chocolate available and sometimes special items like pudding/flan or Dutch-oven brownies or cake. Snacks are available throughout the day. 

• Meat is usually optional in all meals (for example, fajitas can leave out the chicken for folks who don't want it; tamales can be veggie or chicken; lasagne will have a vegetarian pot; on turkey night, a can of lentils can substitute for meat).  For gluten-sensitive participants, we generally always have corn tostadas to use instead of bread for sandwich lunches and plan to have gluten-free alternatives.  However, because gluten-free spaghetti and lasagna noodles (and bread) aren’t available in Palenque, we sometimes ask participants to bring these items with them where possible. 

  
  

• Liquid beverages:  For drinks, there will be unlimited coffee, tea, milk, hot chocolate, gatorade, iced tea, horchata, and other powdered drink mixes. Up to 4 liquid beverages are included per day (such as beer, wine, soft drinks and juices). We generally have ice in one or several big coolers to chill these drinks.  

  
  

• Please Indicate your selection on the INFO FORM (beer, red wine, white wine, Coke, Sprite, juice, sparkling water, etc).  

  We are tentatively planning the following menu. Please let us know if you have suggestions/preferences other dinner options we sometimes include are

• turkey/potato/corn/gravy/soup

• Chinese stir-fry /chile relleno/beans

• salad/guacamole

• spaghetti /garlic bread/Indian curry/lentils

•  Meat will often be prepared separately

  Breakfast: always available are: coffee, tea, milk, cereals, and fruits. Sometimes we'll have yoghurt and orange juice. Many mornings we'll prepare something special such as oatmeal, pancakes, breakfast burritos, french toast, or eggs, toast, hash-browns, bacon and/or sausage.

  Lunch: Items typically available are trail mix, dried fruits, energy bars, chips (crisps), cookies, and sandwiches. Sandwiches can vary: ham/turkey, cheese, avocados, tomatoes, lettuce, mustard, mayo; later maybe tunafish; always PB&J. Sometimes something different will be prepared (tabouli, pasta salad, chicken cous-cous, burritos, or various leftovers).

  Dinner: Meat will always be prepared separate and there are always appetizers. While almost anything is possible, typical dinners are the following:

  
  General (turkey, steak, and/or salmon; mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, gravy)
  Mexican (tamales, chile rellenos, tacos, or burritos; with beans/tortillas/guacamole; chips/salsa or soup to start)
  Italian (pasta with marinara or pesto sauce; sauteed squash/chorizo/meat/parmesan; salad or soup/garlic bread)
  Indian (curried vegetables, lentils and/or various Tasty Bites; couscous or rice)
  Chinese (rice and stir-fry veggies/meats; raman soup appetizer)
  Thai (panang or curry with vegetables/meats; rice; tom yum soup appetizer)
  Greek (kebabs, falafel, dolmas, pita and/or rice; olives, feta, Greek salad)
  Peruvian (lomo saltado/ají de gallina/estofado with rice/soup)

  Desserts: There will always be some form of sweet to eat – cookies, chocolates, flan, brownies, etc. On trips with large rafts, we will bring a Dutch Oven and often prepare brownies, cookies, cakes, and/or corn bread.
  
  

• ALCOHOL/DRINKS

  
  A standard range of prepared beverages is provided on all trips, usually consisting of milk/tea/coffee/juice/hot cocoa in camp, and Gatorade, iced tea, other drink mixes, or sodas in the afternoon and evening. Alcoholic beverages and canned beverages are not included in the quoted rates for trips. However, we can carry some for you - in general there will be a standard "alcohol/drink addition" that can be selected and paid for on a trip [usually including wine, canned beer and sometimes cocktails, though other canned beverages are possible]. On trips with large rafts, we will likely have a dedicated ice cooler to chill some general drinks and canned beverages (though on longer trips, ice may completely melt away).
  
  

• WATER

  
  We will bring filters and treatment products and provide safe drinking water on the entire expedition. Our standard is a Katadyn Expedition filter (0.2 um ceramic unit). We always collect and purify CLEAR WATER. Rivers often run with a lot of silt and other contaminants and take more effort to convert to clear drinking water than many of the clear side streams. Arroyos with little or no habitation contain pristine water that is usually much safer to drink and doesn't clog filters. Thus we will usually collect water from springs and clear side streams. To assure clean drinking water, the most common method we use is to filter the water and then also treat with hypochlorite. However, we may also boil, use iodine, or use just filtration or just hypochlorite. Water will be transported in 5-gallon containers. You should bring your own water bottle (or two).

  
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• (12) HEALTH:  Information on health recommendations for visitors to various countries can be found at the CDC website (select the country to visit: in this case "Mexico" or "Guatemala").  After reading this, if you're concerned about specific health issues, you may want to pay a visit to your doctor to get any recommended vaccinations or other prescriptions. Note that anyone traveling to Chiapas should be vaccinated against Hepatitis A.  You might also consider getting vaccinations against Typhoid, Rabies,  Hepatitis B, and taking anti-Malaria medicine. [However, there usually are few mosquitos encountered on this trip and malaria is rare in this area - none of our guides or participants have ever contracted malaria from doing this trip, but everyone should take precautions against mosquito bites.] 

• For acute health problems, we will have one major first aid kit.  A trained guide (WFR or Wilderness First Aid training) or other person on the trip with medical training can provide first aid.  Our first aid kit will have some pharmaceuticals such as ibuprofen, anti-allergy pills, immodium, and antibiotics (more specifics listed far below), but if you think you might suffer from something in particular, please bring special medication yourself.  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 microbe-contaminated foods before and during the trip. If you do end up suffering diarrhea, vomiting, or nausea more than a day, you might consider taking ciprofloxacin for a 5-7 days (this often will treat the illness if caused by bacteria but will not treat a virus-induced illness; we will have some cipro in the med kit but you must not have had an allergic reaction to it previously and not have any contraindications).

  
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  There generally are few bug problems on the Usumacinta among those who take some sensible precautions

• sleep in a tent

• wear clothing that covers your body

• or put repellent on

• and don’t walk through grassy areas that might have ticks/chiggers.  

• The common annoying bugs are biting midges (jejenes) on some beaches, mosquitos (zancudos) in/near the jungle canopy, and chiggers (pilolillos) which are little tick-like bugs that hang out on grasses and attach to your legs then crawl up to your groin/abdomen where they often bite; they leave a very itchy welt.
  
  

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• (13) TRAVELER'S INSURANCE:  It is strongly recommended that you get a travel insurance policy that covers trip cancellation, emergency evacuation, medical treatment, theft, loss of equipment, and missed flights that might arise during your travel abroad. You can find such insurance policies through 

  WorldNomads

  WorldTrips

  Crisis plan 

• In general, on this river we'll never be very far from trails/roads out, so in the event of incapacitating but non-life threatening injuries, the plan will be to raft the person to the nearest point out and arrange a ride to the nearest city/hospital. On several days we generally have a support motor boat for security near our group and they can quickly evacuate anyone with a major problem.  With exceptional injuries/circumstances or life-threatening conditions, we may use a cell phone, satellite phone, or radio to contact the nearest government officials with access to a helicopter and request an air evacuation.  

• Global Grand Canyons LLC is not responsible for trip abortion or cancellation due to natural or poilitical circumstances, or for participant equipment loss, missed flights, evacuation or medical costs incurred for problems arising during the expedition. 

  
  
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• (14) BOATS/EQUIPMENT Rafts, kayaks, inflatable kayaks and SUP ‘s available

Our main boats will be a set of rafts/catarafts (5m/16.4' each), each of which can hold a lot of gear and 3-5 people comfortably, though only one captain needs to be onboard to row it.

We will also have a set of kayaks, inflatable kayaks, packrafts and for Charlies crew Custom Adventure SUPs available

Rafts generally have a frame with one person rowing, but raft captains can always can use the help of folks helping to paddle up front.  It is possible to use one of the rafts as a paddle raft as well - i.e. no frame, and powered completely by a crew with paddles. A paddle raft will be included depending on interest, so do state if you would like to be in a paddle raft some or most of the time.  More specifics on the boats and other gear is provided farther down.

While everyone is welcome to stay on a raft the entire trip (either as passenger, helping paddle it, or rowing it), there is the opportunity to paddle a kayak, inflatable kayak, packraft, or SUP board - and reserve one for the entire trip (if you have appropriate experience).

 Paddling your own kayak or SUP is more challenging and exciting, with you completely in control of your craft.  However, it also involves the risk of tipping over and swimming.  

 There are about half a dozen bigger rapids that easily flip SUPs and Kayaks and can lead to more time underwater due to whirlpools and swirling currents.  These rapids are a good challenge for class III boaters wishing a bit more excitement, but if you're a novice and not feeling up to it, it is possible to put any of the kayaks or IKs and SUPs on the rafts through the bigger rapids and have you ride in the raft.

 Note that if you're a beginner to whitewater and want to try a kayak or canoe, inflatables are better since if they tip over, recovery is much easier.  

However, anyone in charge of a kayak or raft or SUP assumes responsibility for damage or loss of boats/paddles/oars when under their control.  

• (15) DIFFICULTY:  The Usumacinta is very mellow and only class II most days, though for two days in the Gran Cañón section there are up to a half-dozen rapids of class III to III+ difficulty. The mellow and warm nature of the trip for rafting makes it ideal as a first rafting trip for folks.

• If you go during a high water period, although the waves do not get more difficult, the eddylines and whirlpools get tougher to deal with and at the highest flows on the river (>100000 cfs), whirlpools in the main canyon get very big and can flip rafts (though after 44 trips, we still have yet to flip a raft).  

• High water brings an additional danger for swimmers, who are often pulled underwater for long periods of time, so we require those paddling small vessels  through the tougher sections to wear high-flotation PFDs and be close-by to potentially life-saving rafts or others who can help swimmers.

If you have read all this information and are happy to proceed please tap the link below and secure your space on the epic Sacred Usumacinta River Decent March 2025 with Charlie Head

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