Southern Patagonia is an adventurer’s paradise. Of the many choices in Puerto Natales ( also known as the ‘ goretex mecca’ ), I was very fortunate to have been referred to Cristian of Fortaleza Expediciones, a premier guiding company in the playground of outdoor possibilities.

In addition to Fortaleza Expediciones, Cristian and his partner Leslie run Kayak en Patagonia, TripAdvisor’s top-rated adventure company. The idea of seeing Southern Patagonia by kayak intrigued me, so when Cristian suggested I join a two-day kayak of the Rio Serrano, I was thrilled. I’d wanted to discover a different side of Patagonia than Torres del Paine’s ubiquitous ‘W’ circuit.

We arrived at Villa Rio Serrano in the morning, where 9 of us ( including Cristian and Jose-Luis, the lead kayaker) prepared our kayaks and camping gear for the 42 km trip down the Rio Serrano.

After navigating through relatively calm waters, we passed by a waterfall ( Salto Rio Serrano ), and stopped for lunch.

The next leg of the kayak adventure was the most tumultuous, with choppy waters and gusts up to 60kmph. My shoulders ached and my forearms pulsed, as I battled headwinds, crashing waves, and maximum exposure to Patagonia’s unforgiving weather.

Finally, after four and a half hours of paddling, some fortitude, Jose-Luis ‘ impeccable navigation, and Cristian’s encouragement, we arrived at Glacial Serrano, where the end of the Rio Serrano meets the sea.