Samaná Signature Expedition

Overview

The Río Samaná rafting expedition is Colombia’s only multi-day Class IV–V whitewater trip. It covers 40 km over 5 days on Antioquia’s last free-flowing river. Just outside Medellín, one of Colombia’s most intact river canyons, a continuous Class IV/V whitewater rafting route through remote jungle with multi-hour technical paddling led by our expert guides.

Pioneers of the Samaná

We are the pioneering team who first descended and established multi-day expeditions on the Río Samaná. The Rio Samana is our all-time favorite rafting trip!

Learning Experience

You will learn about critically endangered species including the rare palm *Aiphanes argos*, the *Cuphea fluviatilis*, and other endemic rheophyte plant species only existing in the Río Samaná corridor. The Samaná is a biodiversity hotspot with 9 species found nowhere else on Earth and 7 plant species discovered during a recent rafting expedition on this same river section.

Day 1

• Our team of expedition guides will pick you up at the airport or meet you directly at your hotel in Medellín.
• Gear check, safety briefing, and expedition preparation.
• Get a good night sleep before leaving early for the start of the expedition.

Day 2

• Wake up early and drive into the remote mountains of eastern Antioquia to the Río Samaná watershed.
• Begin a 5-6 hour trek (~10 km) through mountain trails, jungle and waterfalls.
• Mid-trek break with a refreshing swim in a waterfall.
• For lunch, enjoy a “Fiambre”, a traditional antioquenian meal wrapped in banana leaves.
• Reach a remote mountain farmhouse for dinner and spend your first night in this welcoming rural homestay.

Hiking time: 5-6 hours

Distance: 10 km

Max altitude: 2,000 m

Day 3

• Continue the expedition after a traditional breakfast in the mountains.
• Follow ancient rural trails and meet isolated campesino families along the route.
• Descend gradually toward the Río Samaná basin as vegetation shifts into dense tropical rainforest.
• Arrive at a remote rural farmhouse for dinner and spend the night in a local family’s finca where you will taste home-cooked meals and hear fascinating stories about this hidden area
of Colombia.

Hiking time: 6-7 hours

Distance: 12 km

Max altitude: 1,800 m

Day 4

• After two days and a half of trekking, a change of perspective is welcomed! This will be your last morning on foot.
• Continue trekking through tropical rainforest and descend to the Río Samaná.
• Your rafting guides will greet you on the shores of the river and give you a river safety talk.
• Raft down the first section of the famous Rio Samana, the last free-flowing river of Antioquia.
• Set up a wild riverside jungle camp and enjoy dinner by the campfire.

Hiking time: 5 hours

Distance: 8 km

Max altitude: 1,200 m

Day 5

• Start the day with a refreshing swim in the Río Samaná jungle section.
• Take a short hike to a panoramic viewpoint and birdwatching spot above the canyon.
• Begin rafting through Class IV+ whitewater in a narrow granite-walled jungle canyon.
• Navigate secluded beaches, hidden waterfalls and continuous technical rapids.
• Finish the expedition at the Puente Samaná.
• Return to Medellín by private van and celebrate the end of the expedition with your guides.

Rafting time: 4-5 hours

Distance: 15-18 km

Start-point

Our expedition guides will meet you on arrival in Medellín, either at the airport or directly at your hotel, to begin your journey. From that moment on, all transport for the entire expedition is fully included, ensuring a seamless transfer from Medellín into the remote Río Samaná region and back at the end of the adventure.

- Day 1 -

Food: Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel in Medellín

- Day 2 -

Food: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Traditional countryside farmhouse

- Day 3 -

Food: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Rural jungle farmhouse

- Day 4 -

Food: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Sheltered hammock camp in the jungle
- Day 5 -

Food: Breakfast, Lunch

What is the food like ?

Meals are prepared using fresh regional ingredients and traditional Colombian recipes, cooked by local families in farmhouses. On your first day, you’ll try a traditional Antioquian fiambre, a banana-leaf packed meal made for days in nature. The food brought during the rafting trip is catered and prepared by local restaurants as a fusion of international and Colombian flavours. Vegetarian and vegan options are available on request, with all meals designed to be simple, nourishing, and perfect for an active jungle expedition.

What is the accomodation like ?

The expedition combines hotels, rural farmhouses, and wild riverside jungle camps. Accommodation is simple yet comfortable, creating an authentic and immersive Colombian wilderness experience.

The expedition crosses multiple ecosystems and temperatures generally range between 18 °C and 30 °C depending on altitude and proximity to the river. Weather conditions can shift quickly between tropical heat, heavy rain, misty mountain conditions, and cooler nights at higher elevation. Humidity remains high throughout most of the expedition and rainfall is a natural part of the experience, especially within the rainforest and along the Río Samaná.

Keep in mind rafting is a weather-dependent activity and may need to be adjusted based on climate conditions.

• Activities: 40km of guided rafting descent (1.5 day) + 63km guided hiking (2.5 days)
• Transport: : All private transfers to and from Medellín
• Guides: Experienced and certified professional bilingual trekking and rafting guides
• Accommodation: 1 night in a hotel in Medellín, 2 nights in rural farmhouses, and 1 night in a jungle riverside camp
• Meals: Breakfasts, lunches, dinners, snacks, and hydration throughout the expedition
• Equipment: Full rafting gear, safety kayak support, and basic camping equipment
• Insurance: Medical assistance policy valid during the expedition

• Personal clothing, shoes
• Porters for extra luggage
• Guide tips
• Personal expenses
• Gopro photo package (can be booked as an extra during checkout)

What do I need to bring?

• Passport for internationals, ID for nationals. Physical documents required.
• Trekking shoes with good grip
• Comfortable trekking backpack
• Closed-toe shoes that can get wet and with a good grip (no flip-flops/crocs/sandals)
• Lightweight quick-dry clothing (light trousers/shorts & breathable shirts)
• Sunhat
• Water-resistant sunscreen
• Insect repellent
• Water bottle
• Quick-dry towel
• Headlamp & extra batteries
• Rainjacket