Women’s Raft Guide School
Cajon De Maipo, Chile
March 28 – April 3, 2026
Course Overview
By Women, For Women • 7 Days • ACA International Guide Certification
Created by women and for women, this immersive guide school is designed to uplift and empower Chilean women in the river world—while remaining open and welcoming to anyone who wants to learn. Whether you’re stepping into a raft for the very first time or you’re an experienced paddler ready to advance your skills, this course provides a supportive, high-level training environment where women lead the way.
Across seven days of on-river instruction, you’ll build strong technical foundations in rowing, paddling, river reading, safety, leadership, and rescue skills. Students will have the opportunity to earn the ACA International Guide Certification as well as a Swiftwater Rescue Certification.
More than a course, this is a place to grow your confidence, your community, and your power on the river—guided entirely by women who are committed to seeing you thrive.
Dates: March 28– April 3, 2026
Location: Cajon de Maipo, Chile
Group Size: Maximum 10 participants — intimate, personalized, and adventurous.
Cost: $800
FAQs
Arrival and Departure
Course Start: March 28th by 9 AM.
Course End: April 3rd by 8 PM
Please plan on staying for the asado at the end of the course. It will be a great way to celebrate all together.
Where Will We Meet?
Each morning we will meet at La Serrania Maipo. We also recommend staying there but you are welcome to stay anywhere you like.
What is Included?
✔ 7 full days on the river with professional instruction
✔ All rafting equipment (boats, oars, safety gear, PFD, helmet, wetsuit)
✔ Leadership and mindset coaching woven into each day
What’s Not Included
✘ Transportation to Cajon de Maipo
✘ Lodging
✘ Meals
Do I need to be in great shape to join?
Not at all! You don’t need to be an athlete to learn to be a river guide — just adventurous and willing to learn. We’ll provide you with a simple fitness routine ahead of time so you feel confident and prepared, and we’ll pace each day to match the group’s energy and ability.
What if I’ve never been rafting before?
Perfect — this course is for beginners and intermediates. We’ll start with foundational rafting technique, body mechanics, and safety. Instruction builds progressively, so you’ll feel confident and supported each step of the way.
Partnership Thank You
A huge thank you goes out to Santiago Rafting, who is supporting this course, providing boats, transportation, and gear for the women. We couldn’t do this course without you!
Curriculum Overview
March 27: Arrive in Cajon de Maipo. Camping. We recommend camping or booking glamping at La Serrania Maipo.
March 28-March 30: A mixture of on-water and land-based teaching. Plan to be on the river for long hours every day. You must bring your own lunch, snacks, and water.
March 31: Raft Guide Exam
April 1-3: Swiftwater Rescue Course
Become a competent, confident, professional river guide.
Our 7-day Guide School is a full immersion into whitewater guiding, technical skills, rescue training, hazard evaluation, and on-river leadership. You’ll train in paddle rafts and oar frames, practice real-world scenarios, and learn how to guide safely and confidently in Class II–III whitewater.
What You’ll Learn
Foundations of professional guiding
Safety culture, communication, etiquette, and technical boating
PFD/helmet fitting, rigging, knots, equipment care
Technical guiding skills
Guide strokes, ferries, eddy catching, angle control
Momentum management and reading complex currents
Oar-frame operation: blade control, turns, tight maneuvers
Rescue, safety & incident management
Swim practice, self-rescue, flip drills, boat recovery
Moving empty rafts, assisting swimmers, throw-bag use
Guest management, headcounts, and coaching swimmers
River reading & judgment
Hazard identification (rocks, strainers, holes, undercuts)
Choosing safe lines & backup routes
Risk management, scout-and-run cycles
Leadership & commercial-readiness
Delivering a safety talk & paddle talk
Student-led “commercial day”
Trip planning, group management, and communication skills
Assessment & progression planning
Individual evaluation of strengths & growth areas
Clear next steps toward guiding professionally
Meet Your Instructors
This expedition is led by Jess Lewis and Cajon de Maipo local, Stephanni Perales, combining international expertise with deep local knowledge. Jess is an ACA Instructor Trainer in Rafting, an ACA Swiftwater Rescue Instructor, and a Wilderness Guide, with decades of experience guiding and teaching in rivers around the world. Stephi is a Chilean river guide and ACA-certified instructor who knows the Maipo intimately. Together, they offer world-class river instruction, proven risk management, and the kind of mentorship that helps you grow as both a guide and a leader.
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Founder of Wyld Heart, ACA Instructor Trainer, Swiftwater Rescue Instructor, Chair of the ACA Rafting Committee and Wilderness Guide. Jess brings decades of guiding and leadership experience, blending technical skill with mindset coaching to help people step into resilience and confidence on the river. Jess is fluent in Spanish and lived in Chile for a number of years, she cannot wait to welcome people to her ‘heart home.’
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My name is Stephanni Perales, I'm 36 years old, and I'm a rafting guide and whitewater rafter from the Cajón del Maipo. I have ten years of experience navigating and working on various rivers. In 2018, I founded a sports club focused on developing women's R4 rafting, and I've competed in three national qualifying events, qualifying for a Pan American Games and representing Chile at the 2025 World Rafting Championships. My commitment to sports is also reflected in my work with the NGO Ríos to Rivers, where I went from volunteer to kayak instructor, teaching this discipline to young people as a tool for social change. Today, I support the training of new guides at a rafting school on the Maipo River. For me, the river is an inspiring path, a place where I find purpose and to which I always return, because in its flow I also find my guide.
The Nitty Gritty Details
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Reserve your spot directly through our website or with Venmo. A 25% deposit is required at registration to secure your place, with the remaining balance due prior to the start of the course.
We accept payments via credit or debit card, Venmo @WyldHeartCo or PayPal.
Have questions or want to talk it through first? I’d love to connect with you directly:
Email: jess@wyldheartco.com
Phone & WhatsApp: +17193955546 -
A 25% deposit is due at registration, it is non-refundable and non-transferable.
More than 120 days prior to the course start date: Full refund of any payments made, less the $200 non-refundable portion of your deposit.
91–120 days prior: 50% refund of trip cost, less $200.
61–90 days prior: 25% refund of trip cost, less $200.
60 days or fewer prior: No refund.
If Wyld Heart cancels a course for reasons other than force majeure (natural disasters, political instability, pandemics, etc.), you’ll receive a full refund, including your deposit. If cancellation is due to force majeure, we’ll make every effort to refund recoverable costs or apply your payment toward a future trip.
All cancellations must be submitted in writing via email to: jess@wyldheartco.com.
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Wyld Heart requires all participants to carry travel insurance with emergency medical and evacuation coverage. We also strongly recommend a policy that includes trip cancellation protection in case unforeseen circumstances prevent you from joining.
Popular providers our guests use include Allianz, Travel Guard, World Nomads, and AIG Travel. Some participants also use coverage offered through their credit card provider, or airline.
Local women (Chile or Argentina) this does not apply.
