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Twelve kilometres of the Mendoza River is the whole point of this day, with a guide and full river kit after hotel pickup from Mendoza City. This is the longer single descent, not the short winter stretch used on combo days.
At the Potrerillos base you register, fit a wetsuit, boots, jacket, helmet and buoyancy aid, then run through paddle commands before anyone launches. The guide talks through what to do if you come out of the raft, then you walk to the put-in as a crew. Meltwater is cold even in the suit, so the briefing and kit-up are part of getting ready rather than a formality.
On the river you work through the rapids and float the calmer stretches, with meltwater and dry Andean slopes around you. After the take-out you change at the base and drive back to Mendoza. The day is built around the descent rather than extra activities, so your time in the valley is spent on the water and at the riverbank, not on a second sport.
The Mendoza River at Potrerillos is meltwater coming off the Andes, in a dry valley west of the city. The base sits close enough to the water that kit-up and the briefing happen on site rather than in a distant car park. Pale slopes and scrub frame the run, so you see the hills the whole time you are paddling.
You still start and finish in Mendoza City, which keeps the day simple if you are staying downtown. The drive west is part of seeing how quickly the vineyards give way to river country, and how the reservoir and the working river sit in the same corridor. You are back in the city the same evening.
No previous rafting is required. You should be happy to paddle in bursts, get soaked, and follow commands. The minimum age is 15.
Everyday fitness is enough, but this is a proper river day rather than a short splash. You should be happy to get soaked in meltwater and stay engaged for the full descent. Bring a swimsuit and a full dry change for afterwards.
Kit is fitted at the river base and the briefing happens before anyone launches, which is how this Mendoza crew has run whitewater days since 1966. Hotel pickup is built in.
Guides work this twelve-kilometre stretch through the season and know how the melt changes the feel of the water. You get a focused rafting day rather than a combo that splits your time.
Hotel pickup covers the designated Mendoza City area and addresses within about 1.5 km of Plaza Independencia. Further out, you will be given a nearby meeting point.
Wear a swimsuit under travel clothes and keep a dry bag ready. The drive goes west to the Potrerillos rafting base. You return to Mendoza with the same vehicle.
You raft about twelve kilometres of the Mendoza River with a professional guide, after a safety briefing and kit fitting at the Potrerillos base. Hotel pickup from the designated Mendoza City area is included.
Kit includes a wetsuit, neoprene boots, waterproof jacket, buoyancy aid, helmet, paddle, and a dry bag. Personal accident insurance covers the activity. This is a focused river day rather than a combo with a second sport.
The river section is the core of the outing. The full excursion, including hotel pickup and time at the base, is around eight to nine hours from leaving Mendoza to being dropped back.
You return to the city the same day. Exact time on the water depends on flow, so the briefing and kit-up sit around the descent rather than adding a second activity.
The minimum age is 15. Anyone under 18 should come with a responsible adult who stays with them at the base and on the river.
This is a longer river run than the short winter stretch used on combo days, so the age limit is higher. Mention ages so the guide can place people in a sensible raft.
No previous rafting is required. You get a briefing and paddle practice before you launch, covering sitting, paddle hold, and what to do if you come out of the boat.
You should be happy to paddle in bursts, get wet, and follow commands. Everyday fitness is enough; this is still a proper whitewater day rather than a short splash.
Wear a swimsuit and a synthetic layer under the wetsuit, not cotton. Bring a towel, a full dry change, dry shoes, and a bag for wet clothes so you can travel back comfortably.
Sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses with a strap, and a warm layer for after the river make the day more comfortable. Keep phones in a dry bag or leave them at the base.
You are collected from hotels in the designated Mendoza City area, or from a nearby meeting point if you stay further out. Stays within about 1.5 km of Plaza Independencia are usually covered.
The rafting base is in Potrerillos. You kit up there, run the river, change, and return to Mendoza with the same vehicle. Share where you are staying so the driver can plan the round.
Meltwater is cold even in a wetsuit. The suit, boots, and jacket are there for that reason, and most people warm up once they start paddling through the first stretches.
Pack a warm layer for the base afterwards. Do not rely on sitting around in a wet kit while you wait for the drive back to the city.
These days run in typical mountain weather. If the river is not safe, the team may reschedule and will be in touch with the new plan.
You will get wet regardless of sun. The only reason a descent stops is safety. Dress so you can add a dry layer once you are off the water.
A guide is in the raft calling strokes and steering. A safety briefing covers sitting, paddle hold, and what to do if you come out of the boat.
Stay in the raft unless the guide tells you otherwise, and listen on the louder rapids. The crew works as one unit once you leave the bank.
Lunch is not included on this 12 km run. Eat before pickup or bring a snack for after you change at the base.
There is time at the river base to get dry before the drive back to Mendoza. If you usually need a proper meal midday, plan that for after you are dropped in the city.
About the centre
Mendoza
We run guided adventure days and multi-day expeditions from Mendoza into the Andes: rafting and kayaking on the Mendoza River, zip-lining over Potrerillos, treks to Devil's Throat and Cerro Cabras, horseback rides through Lunlunta and the foothills, and longer routes toward Aconcagua and the high passes into Chile. Pickup is arranged from hotels in Mendoza City, with a nearby meeting point if you are staying outside that area, and a bilingual guide stays with you through the day.
Days are built around safety briefings, the right kit for the river or the trail, and enough time to take in the landscape rather than rush from one stop to the next. Combo days mix river, zip-line, hot springs or rappelling; longer programmes include camping, full board, and support on the mountain. Whether you want a few hours on the water or a multi-day crossing, the same local team looks after the logistics so you can focus on the Andes.
Operated by Operadores Mendoza Viajes, a partner of adventuro.
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