Who We Are
Our Experience - (Certifications and Acknoledgements)
Why YAK EXPEDICIONES ?
Testimonies

Who We Are ?

YAK EXPEDICIONES is a small, quality Chilean tour operator company that specializes in Remote Tourism offering mainly sea kayaking trips in the Lakes District and Patagonia Fiords.

We are based in the Lakes District, in the beautiful town of Puerto Varas, in the Lakes and Volcanoes District , on the southern shore of Llanquihue lake and in front of us is the perfect cone of Osorno Volcanoe , 30 minutes north of Puerto Montt airport. As we are almost most of the time in the outdoors you can easily contact us IDEALLY by email or to our celular phone +56(9)-8-3320574 or we can meet with you at your hotel in Puerto Varas for details.



Whether you're interested in gentle touring or expedition-style kayak travel, this is the perfect opportunity for some great off-the-beaten-track adventure!



It is directed by Juan Federico Zuazo Fernádez , certify by the British Canoe Union of England as a BCU 4 Star SEA Award and he is the first chilean to receive the Quality Tourism Certification (2006) as a Specialized Sea kayak and Whitewater kayak Guide, given by SERNATUR , the Chilean Tourism National Office (more details at the end of this page, (*)).





We are the first outdoor chilean company to receive the Quality Tourism Certification (Sello de Calidad Turísitca) for Seakayaking and Whitewater kayaking Trips offered by SERNATUR, the Chilean Tourism National Office (2006).









Our company is recognized by SERNATUR and belongs to the Corporación de Desarrollo Turístico y Cultural de Puerto Varas and to Camara de Turismo y Comercio de Puerto Varas.






By employing local resources and guides, by travelling in remote locations always trying not to loose the opportunity to share with the local people we hope to enhance your cultural experience.

We offer adventure vacations where you actively participate . Our trips not only take you through unforgettable scenery , but you will go home with fond memories of the time you spend with the local fishing pioneers families.

We care about running a economical feasible business but we also care about being environmentally sustainable and social minded in the local communities we interact with. We are supporting the community by providing books for children of the local school of the Northern Patagonia Fjords , our main destination.

We are a chilean tour operator: when you give us your preference, you are directly supporting and helping the development of the country you decided to visit, generating a better quality of life for its people and the improvement of the places you are visiting.

We are a Tour Operator which means that we operate with our own resources, -own guides, -own vehicles, -own camping equipment . This means we minimize the use of 3rd parties and have direct quality control of our services and supplies.


OUR TRIPS are designed for SMALL GROUPS , for those that love the oppportunity to enjoy the silence, the quieteness , the beautiful colours in the trees when the sun is rising or dissapearing in the sea , the smell of the forest and the breeze of the wind in our face, the reflects of the clouds on the water.,to be able to enjoy those little and great details , to have the experience of sharing with the local people and their lifestiles and for those who are adventurous and who would like to discover by themselves some unkown places.

Consider also that this is a good opportunity to Practice your Spanish with our local guides and the local people we will meet during our trips.

In OUR TRIPS , the true spirit of adventure and discovery is mixed with learning and personal challenge, while emphasizing safety and offering instruction. Living an experience, reflecting on it and then being able to apply it in our daily life will be a gift that our participants never could of imagined they would receive from a simple trip.

Our destinations are mainly sea kayak programs for beginners, intermediate but also routes for advanced paddlers

We use to organize sea kayak trips in the North on the clear waters of Isla Dama (Humboldt Penguin Reserve , IV region), in the Central Area close to Santiago and Valparaíso Bay , but since some years ago we are concentrated mainly in the Lakes District paddling the LLanquihue and Todos los Santos Lakes, horseriding and trekking in Cochamo valley, and the Reloncavi Fjord in the surroundings of Puerto Varas . In Patagonia paddling Chiloe Archipielago , the Northern Patagonia Fjords of Pumalin Park , seakayak expeditions on the Palena River close to Futaleufu river and exploratory seakayak trips to the Icefields (from Tortel to Jorge Montt Glacier , from Puerto Aysen to San Rafael Glacier)...and seakayaking in Torres del Paine.



OUR EXPERIENCE speaks for itself...

* Pioneers of this incredible activity in Chile with more than 20 years sea kayaking and running rivers .

We spend more than 2 years exploring routes all over the country before travelling with clients and this days our web site is consider the first Seakayak Guide in Chile.

YAK EXPEDICIONES is very proud to be the first chilean Sea Kayak School having trainned more than 300 students form in our courses.

Sea kayak Explorations in the Patagonia Fiords , explorations between the Icefields , seakayak expeditions in the Magallanes Strait. First chileans to run in whitewater kayaks the the Zambezi river in Africa, Grand Canyon- Colorado River (USA) , Colca Canyon in Peru - the deepest canyon in the world, expeditions in the Ecuadorian jungle, Costa Rica, Honduras.

We were the only Chilean company selected by the Ecochallenge Patagonia 1999 to make part of the Rescue Team, in addition to being in charge of coaching the first Chilean team of Infantes de Marina (Marines) which participated in the Patagonia Ecochallenge 1999 and New Zeland Ecochallenge 2001. ,trainning different teams that participate in the multi-competition Desafío de los Volcanes between Chile and Argentina.

In 2004 our sea kayak Trip Leader was selected to be the Kayaking Skills Management of the Patagonia Expedition Race run in Tierra del Fuego and YAK EXPEDICIONES was Invited Speaker for the Sea Kayak Georgia Skills Symposium & BCU Week 2005 (topic: Seakayak Expeditions in Patagonia, Chile).

(*) About our Sea kayak Headguide and Director of YAK EXPEDICIONES:

Juan Federico Zuazo Fernández. (Juanfe) born in 1966 and has studies of engineer but later he decided that his world has to do more with the nature so he study Agriculture at the University...but he had to choose... and finally decided that his life will be spent as much as possible in the outdoors.

He is a professional whitewater kayak and sea kayak instructor and guide... with more than 20 years of experience . Also a certified PADI ADVANCED DIVER with RESCUE DIVER courses.

Since 1985 paddling and exploring routes for seakayaking and whitewater trips.

He has participated in several whitewater and seakayak expeditions in Africa (Zambezi river), United States (Gran Canyon-18 days self-supported) , Central America (Honduras and Costa Rica) and South America (Jungle of Ecuador, Colca Canyon Expedition-Perú , 2 times ), and mainly sea kayak trips in the chilean Patagonia.

• He is the first chilean that has received an international certification by the British Canoe Union of England as BCU 4 STAR SEA AWARD (sea kayak certification) and BCU Safety and Recue Training
  
  
• His training includes international courses on techniques and rescue in sea kayak (NOLS) , and first aids courses for remote locations (Wilderness First Responder).
  
  
• Seakayak and Rafting Instructor for the chilean Marines Team that participate in the ECO-CHALLENGE PATAGONIA 1999 and ECOCHALLENGE NEW ZELAND 2001
  
  
• Member of the Whitewater Rescue Team for the ECO-CHALLENGE PATAGONIA 1999
  
  
• Trip Leader of of one of the first descents paddling Serrano River in sea kayaks from Torres del Paine Park to the Ultima Esperanza Fjord ....today a popular destination.
  
  
• Member of a sea kayak selfsupported expedition course with NOLS between the Icefields.
  
  
• Multiple whitewaters expeditions through out Chile, from Santiago to  the south including the world class Bio-Bio and Futaleufú.
  
  
• Member of the first sea kayak exploration of Palena River , from the border with Argentina to the port of Raul Marin Balmaceda and continue till Puyuhuapi village/Lat 43º.(Feb.2000).
  
  
• Trip Leader of the first sea kayak exploration to Pinguino de Humboldt Natural Reserve (Lat. 29º), close to the limit with Atacama region...today a popular seakayak destination and Trip Leader of more tha 40 seakayak trips to this area.
  
  
• Reward for the Development of the White Waters and Seakayak Sports in Chile , REVISTA OUTDOORS , a chilean Outdoors Magazine (2000 , 2001 and 2002). 
  
  
• Hundreds of students prepared from our sea kayaking and whitewater courses. 
  
  
• Exploration of new routes for sea kayak navigation from the III region till XII th region.
  
  
• Instructor of sea kayak rescue techniques and sea kayak planning for the NAVY of Chile, 2000 and 2001
  
  
• Official Columnist of the REVISTA OUTDOORS.
  
  
• Member of the Sea kayak Expedition in southern Patagonia to Canal Jerónimo and Magallanes Strait , exploring part of Alacalufes National Reserve (XII region)
  
  
• Selected to be the Sea kayaking Skills Management fot the PATAGONIA EXPEDITION RACE 2004 run in Tierra del Fuego.
  
  
• Trip Leader of the 2005 Selfsupported Sea kayak Exploratory Trip from Exploradores River till San Rafael Glacier in the Northern Icefield.
  
  
• Invited Speaker for the Sea Kayak Georgia Skills Symposium & BCU Week 2005 , topic: Seakayak Expeditions in Patagonia, Chile.
  
  
• Trip Leader of the 2006 Selfsupported Seakayak Exploratory Trip from Puerto Chacabuco till San Rafael Glacier in the Northern Icefield.
  
  
• First chilean to receive the Quality Tourism Certification offered by SERNATUR, the Chilean Tourism National Office, that recognize him as a Seakayak and Whitewater Professional Guide.(2006)
  
  
• Tour Leader and Organizer of the Sea kayak Expedition " Channels and Fiords of Aysén " in the Aysén Region of Patagonia (12 days self-supported expedition), paddling Palena river to the Pacific Ocean and then continuing through the northern section of Isla Magdalena National Park till Puyuhuapi hotsprings. (November 2007)
  
  
• Trip Leader and organizer of more than 120 selfsupported seakayak expeditions to the Northern Patagonia Fjords -Pumalin Park.