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Pioneering River Journeys For 37 Years

Earth River has been recognized as an industry leader for nearly four decades, pioneering over a dozen adventures including classics such as Patagonia's Futaleufu and Canada’s Magpie. Family-owned and operated, the company runs its own trips utilizing world-class guides, intimate group sizes, industry-leading equipment, and safety standards. Our one of a kind lodge-to-lodge Futaleufu River journey is suitable for anyone from six to eighty with a spirit for adventure. Earth River’s dedication to international river conservation is unmatched in the industry, having fought to protect half a dozen major rivers in Canada and Chile.

  •  New York Times

    "The white-water outfitter Eric Hertz spent a lifetime searching for the perfect river. In 1990, he finally found it, in Patagonia. Earth River made an expeditionary first descent of the  Futaleufu and figured out how to safely navigate it. They have since turned the Futaleufu into an outstanding adventure destination for rafters.”

  • Suzy Calof

    "Eric, the Futaleufu is so beautiful, so magical a river with its incredible azure water, surrounded by snow capped mountains, that we from now on compare all other rivers to it and find them wanting. It was everything you said it was and then some, and I can't thank you enough for encouraging us to go do it. The guides you assembled were world class. It was a privilege to raft with them and a joy to get to know them individually."

  • Jacob Scher

    (Director  of Global Strategy, Natural Resources Defense Council)

    “Earth River is more than a great river outfitter. Their contributions have made a real difference in efforts to preserve some of the world's most beautiful rivers. NRDC has partnered with them in Quebec on the Great Whale and in Chile on the Bio Bio and Futaleufu. It is inspirational to see an outfitter working so tirelessly for river conservation.”

  • ESPN Television

    "Earth River Expeditions are one of the premier river runners of the world. Their staff includes many of the finest guides to be found. They have organized and guided descents down some of the toughest whitewater on earth.”

  • Amit Sahasrabudhe

    “Simply put, what a wonderful, awesome experience. I can't say enough wonderful things about Cade, Teal Ty, Thomas, & Humberto. All clearly enjoy what they do & are darn good at it. To top it all off, they're just good people. They instilled confidence in everyone, and all the while kept us all safe.”

  • Mathew Mukash

    (Cree First Nation Chief)

    "I want to personally thank Earth River Expeditions for investing so much time and energy towards our goal of stopping the hydro-electric projects on our land. These raft trips succeeded in putting a human face on the proposed destruction of one of North America's last great wilderness. It is a rare and special occasion when a group of visitors can develop such a rapport with the community."

  • Dan Klein

    (Producer ABC Sports)

    "I want to thank you again for the wonderful experience youmade possible for ABC on the Futaleufu. Your team in Chile could not have been more helpful, professional and enthusiastic. You have brought together quite a group of guides. Personally I can’t wait till I have a chance to return."

  • Lisa Bessel

    (American Express Travel)

    "Dear Eric,

    The trip was as wonderful as your video portrayed it. Many adventure tour operators  have sprung up over the years. From a travel agent's  perspective our biggest concerns about booking adventure travel are: - not fully trusting that an outfitter is as safety conscious and reliable as they profess to be and -not feeling completely confident that our clients are really getting their money’s worth. Earth River passed both with flying colors.”

  • Ronald G. Dodson

    (President, Audubon International)

    “Earth River Expeditions has contributed time, money, expertise and resources towards protecting the Great Whale and Magpie Rivers in Quebec and the Bio Bio and Futaleufu Rivers in Chile. By joining an Earth River Expedition tour, you are helping reach the goal of environmental awareness while providing financial support for international river 

    conservation efforts.”

  • Fred Wiedemann

    (Co-founder Outward Bound)

    "Earth River and the Fu stand out in my memory as the very best of the best. I've been on nearly every commercially run  River (nearly 50) on every continent through out the world, and I must say that your group on the Futaleufu gets the very highest laurels.”

  • Barry Kruse

    “Dear Eric,

    What a magical, extraordinary, wonderful trip I had with Earth River. The Futaleufu is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. The food was local, natural and absolutely extraordinary.  Without a doubt your guides are an elite group. They pegged the meter for kindness, courtesy, thoroughness, and patience. The group absolutely loved them and we reveled in the chance to spend the week on the trip them."

  • Kate Tobin

    (Senior Producer CNN)

    "Dear Eric,

    The James Bay Network Earth Special will air on TBS in a couple of weeks. We’re very pleased with it. Thank you for everything. We literally couldn’t have done it without you and Earth River. Best of luck with your future river conservation projects — if we can be of any help, please don’t hesitate to call."


  • National Geographic Magazine

    “I’ve rafted with Eric Hertz down some tough rivers—the Futaleufu in Chile, the Colca in Peru. He's one of the best in the business—obsessed with safety."

  • Ann Ehlers

    “Hola Earth River,

    After the trip was over I was wishing I could go back to the beginning and start over again. I wanted to thank you for placing so much emphasis on safety. It makes a trip like this much more enjoyable. With all the safety I knew that if something happened I would still be fine.”

  • National Resource Defense Council (NRDC)

    “To draw attention to the plight of Chile’s Bio Bio’s River, NRDC joined forces with Earth River Expeditions, who donated a trip down the threatened river. In addition to NRDC experts, the group included Chilean environmentalists, leading businessmen and the chief of the native Puenche, whose land would be decimated by the river’s destruction. A total of 49 people joined the expedition, the largest convoy to ever brave the tumultuous river.”

  • William Fair

    “Dear Eric,

    Thank you for the incredible experience on the Futaleufu. I've never been on an expedition where the natural beauty has been so enhanced as to make it almost supernatural. The guides were incredible. They turned an amazing river into the trip of a lifetime. In a world where our lives are so fast paced and vacation dollars are at a premium, an experience like this is priceless.”

  • Hunt Charach

    “Dear Eric:

    What a fantastic trip! Back a week and can't get it off my mind. But I don't need to tell you about the rivers, scenery etc. -you've heard it all before. What I will say is that I am super-impressed with the people who made this trip what it was.Their attitude and their ability is exceptional, I'd feel comfortable dropping over Niagara Falls with them.”

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