7 Day Packrafting Trip in Mexico — what to pack
Packrafting is a great way to explore remote areas and enjoy scenic rivers. However, packing for a week long packrafting trip in the Mexican jungle can be a daunting task. From clothes to gear to food, there are a lot of things to consider. In this blog post, I will share my tips and tricks for packing for a successful packrafting trip in the Mexican jungle.
About the Adventure - what to expect
The river expedition we went on was in a remote area of Chiapas. We went with the guiding company Nahua Expedition on their tour called the Tzotzil. It was absolutely the way to go because the logistics are quiet complicated for this region and the river is very undocumented. They also involve locals from surrounding villages in all aspects of the trip and give back to the communities by hiring locals, improving their living conditions and working on the preservation of the area — we actually stayed with a local family in the village for a night after coming off the river which a really impactful experience. The expedition is 11 days in total, 7 days are spent on the river with a couple days after of exploring the beautiful town of San Cristobal.
Getting to the river requires hiking for 7 kilometres, in our case under the blazing 34°C sun, luckily we had horses to carry gear. Each paddling day was around 7-8 hours with calm sections and a mix of fun class II & III rapids. We were there through the end of April/early May so the water levels were quite low which make the river pretty safe and low consequence however you will be scooting over rocks. The water was pretty warm compared to what I’m used to in Canada, which was a nice treat! During the day the temperatures were close to 30°C and at night around 20°C, but I didn’t really find it to be too hot since I was in water lots. Each campsite we stayed at was very unique with beaches, waterfalls, canyon walls to lush jungle, the scenery was always changing which is something I love about paddling trips. On the last day on the river we travelled through probably the most incredible section (I don’t want to spoil the surprise but it was truly mind blowing). Getting out of the canyon, we had to repel up using a foot loop system, I was nervous about it but it ended up being fun. From there it’s a pretty steep a long hike out but there were porters to help carry our gear. Then we stayed at a family house in the village which was such an incredible cultural experience. I think it’s so important to get know how the people who live on the land to truly appreciate and understand it. Afterwards we headed to San Cristobal and had my first shower in 7 days…. which was an incredible feeling.
If you are planning to do this trip you don’t need paddling experience however I think it’s important to have some outdoor experience and to be willing to be pushed mentally and physically at times. Being uncomfortable is inevitable but having a good attitude about it will make the experience so much more rewarding and you will feel so accomplished to over come some challenges along the way. Our group was amazing and so supportive of each other. We met as strangers but left as a family.
What I packed
Things to keep in mind is weight and size, I would treat it like hiking trip where you should be capable of carrying all your weight.
Wet Gear - to wear while paddling
Because the sun is so intense in Mexico and sunscreen doesn’t stick well while in water it was really important to have a long sleeve and pants with SPF to protect you from the sun. It was also great to protect you from getting scratched up from the rocks if you fall in and for climbing around to scout rapids
Clothing:
Mountain Hardwear Crater Lake Long Sleeve T-shirt - getting white was a mistake but I loved how light and quick drying the material was and the UPF 50 kept my skin safe, this is a must!
Kari Traa Ane Hiking Pants - something light, quick drying is key
Patagonia Multi Trails 5½ In Shorts - wore this on the hike in as well
Girlfriend Collective Paloma Bra - wore this as a tank top/bra underneath
Vallier x June Carina One-Piece Swimsuit - I didn’t wear it while paddling but so nice for taking a dip in the river in the evenings.
Footwear:
Salomon Ultra Glide 2 Trail Running Shoes - Trail runners to wear in the water, none gore-tex to allow for water drainage. There are quite a few shallow sections that require you to get out or your boat and climb around on rocks so having the toe protection and traction was really helpful. There’s also some hikes in caves and the jungle that is ideal to have a reliable shoe for over using sandals or watershoes. I was really happy with this choice.
NRS HydroSkin 0.5 Wetsocks - this was the way to go over wearing wool socks because it wouldn’t let sand pass through, prevent blisters and is just more comfortable because it’s designed to be wet.
Paddling Safety & Gear:
NRS Oso PFD Life Vest - the PFD was provided but this one is similar to what we had
WRSI Current Helmet - they were provided but I brought my own
Alpacka Raft - the boat was provided I believe we had the Wolverine. It was self-bailing and without a skirt/spraydeck.
Aqua Bound Breakdown Paddle - this was also provided, uncertain on the exact model
Dry Gear - to wear at camp
Clothing:
You will definitely be looking forwards to changing in to some dry comfy clothes after you make camp. I still brought long pants and shirt options to keep the sun off and prevent bugs biting at night (there weren’t too many though). Having light, quick drying and anti-smell materials are ideal
Patagonia Capilene Cool Daily Long Sleeve Graphic T-Shirt - I loved how comfy this material is to wear
Outdoor Research Ferrosi Shorts - 5" Inseam - these are my new favourite shorts! I’m obsessed with how flattering and comfortable the fit is. I wore them on the last day on the river and the hike out as well and they dried so fast.
lululemon Align™ Tank Top - I like wearing tank tops as bras because I feel comfy wearing it on its own and it means packing less wooo
Arc’teryx Gamma Pant - totally unnecessary to wear this technical of pants at camp however I just love wearing these so I brought them
Arc’teryx Proton Lightweight Hoody - it was recommended to pack a midlayer. I didn’t wear it once but at least it packs small and light. Some people did wear fleeces at night but I think I’m just conditioned for colder climates.
Arc’teryx Beta Jacket Womens - it rained on us once and it was quite the downpour. Having a proper rain jacket should always be a must have emergency item.
Cotton Shirt + Short for sleeping in
Footwear:
Teva Original Universal Sandals - a camp classic, packs small and light
Light merino wool socks - only wore these for the hike in
Sun Protection:
Sun protection is really important, one bad sunburn could cause you a lot of pain for the rest of the trip not to mention just avoiding sun damage is something you’ll thank yourself later for.
Outdoor Research Sombriolet Sun Hat - I’m in love with this hat. Super light and breezy, it’s like your own personal shadow. It also didn’t make me feel like a total dork.
Smith Optics Bobcat ChromaPop Sunglasses - I love the full sun protection of the glasses and I added a leash so they don’t float away
SPF 50 Face Sunscreen from La Roche Posay - this stuff is fancy but I really like the texture and it stays on well.
SPF 50 Body Sunscreen - Not sure which brand I had but make sure it’s waterproof and mineral
SPF 50 lip Balm - nothing worst than burnt lips
Dry Bags:
For redundancy and organization I like to store items that I wouldn’t want getting wet in dry bags even if it’s stored inside the boat or your larger dry bag. During the day you will stuff a lot of items into the t-zip of your packraft and then keep some essential items that you would want easy access to on the top of you boat. For portage days you will want to have most of your heavy items in your main dry bag.
SealLine Black Canyon Dry Pack 65L - this will be your main dry bag and will get strapped on to the front of your boat during the day. These are provided but I brought my own. I was really amazed with how comfy the backpack and hip belt it is because many bags tend to skip that. I had no leaks with, just remember to add air (if it’s emptier) for pressure to keep the role seal tight
SealLine Baja Dry Bag 5 L - good for storing small items in
Outdoor Research Packout Graphic Dry Bag - 10L - I kept most of my food in here + a ziploc of granola bars
Sea to Summit eVac Compression Dry Sack - 13L - to keep your sleeping bag dry and compact
PackOut Compression Stuff Sack 15L - stored my clothes, I love this bag and use it for all my hiking trips as well
Old version of the Watershed Ocee - to store my camera gear on top of the boat in between my legs. The bag I used is about 25 years old and belonged to my dad but it still works great, a testament to good quality gear!
Having a couple extra ziploc bags with you to put wet things in is useful
Camp & Kitchen Gear:
Grayl 24 oz Geopress Water Purifier Bottle - you will want a reliable water filter for this trip. This one was convenient because it was a water bottle and filter in one.
MSR - Hubba Hubba Tent - 2-person - we slept with the fly off most nights which was such a treat
Sleeping bag - I brought my lightest bag that I would use in Canada and it was too warm. I basically slept outside of it with a little bit draped over me. Instead I would just get a liner or something light.
Big Agnes Skyline UL Chair - you will regret not bringing one, just make sure it’s super light. You can get an accessories for stopping it to sink into sand which would be nice as well.
Mammut Sender Wire Rackpack Carabiner - So nice for clipping things onto your boat like your water bottle, bags, etc.
Leatherman Sidekick Multi-tools Pliers with Black Nylon Sheath
Food:
We kept all meals fast and simple with being “just hot add water” dehydrated meals which was definitely the way to go. Every morning and night you are taking down and setting up camp so it’s a big time saver.
Breakfast:
Dehydrated breakfasts x6 + plus a back up meal - To keep it interesting I had variety of granola with dehydrated fruit with powdered coconut milk, homeade savoury quinoa breakfasts bowls and oatmeal with dehydrated fruits and nuts
Beverages - earl grey tea with powdered coconut milk and caffeinated electrolytes
Try to consume as much water as possible in the morning to help keep you hydrated throughout the day
Lunch & Snack:
Granola bars
Energy bars - Lara Bars and GoMacros are my go to currently
Trail Mix
Candy - sour patch kids and haribo, chocolate will melt
I would have around 3 bars per day + plus snack on a bag of trail mix and candy. To keep your energy up throughout the day it’s great to have a bar in you PFD to munch on when you need it
Dinner:
Dehydrated meals x6 + back up meal - Happy Yak Pad Thai is my favouite
Electrolytes - rehydrate at the end of the day
Mint tea - because I love a bedtime warm beverage
Electronics & Camera Gear:
Black Diamond Moji Charging Station Lantern - 250 Lumens - this lantern also serves as a power bank which is super convenient. I was very impressed with the battery life. I think it only brought it down to half over the whole trip. I really enjoy the luxury of having a lantern in my tent, especially since it gets dark at 6:30 pm
Petzl SWIFT RL 900 lumens Headlamp - this one is super bright which was sweet for exploring the caves however I wish it had a red light option so bugs wouldn’t swarm you.
Canon R5 + 4 batteries
Canon Rf 24-70mm
Canon Rf 14-35mm
DJI Osmo Action Camera + 3 batteries - its insane how good the battery is. I didn’t even fully go through one
Action Stick
iPhone Gorilla Pod
Extra 250 gb SD cards x 4
Cords for everything
Power Bank
Coros Watch
Toiletries:
Face wipes
Toothbrush + tooth Paste
Face cream + hand cream - *don’t skip out, the water will dry out your hands*
Travel sized deodorant
Travel sized hair brush + elastics
Imodium + pepto tabs - because Mexico ;)
Pain killers - just in case
Hand Sanitizer
Polysporin
Wet wipes - the bathroom situation is digging a hole but you still need to pack out your toilet paper so bring an extra zipploc
Bug Spray - brought it but didn’t use it
If I were to do it again here’s what I would do differently…
I felt like I was well prepared for the trip and I didn’t find any of my gear choices to be a major issue, but for next time I would reconsider:
Sleeping bag liner instead of sleeping bag
Bring some salty snacks instead of just sweet
Bring a heavier hand moisturizer
Bring a second water bottle for the hike in and out