Río Wampu, Lower & Abajo, Honduras (click here for the Honduras table of rivers)

river photo

Class: IV ; Flow: 700-3,00 cfs; Average Gradient: 10 m/km; Portages: possibly; Length: 5+20+67 km; Time: 1+ hours

Season: June to December; rafts? yes; Highlights: potential Río Patuca adventure; Crux move: logistics

Put-In: Wampu powerhouse (295 m) or San José de Guano (244 m); Take-Out: Río Patuca (60 m)

Description: (click here for general notes about my descriptions)

The Lower Río Wampu descends into the remote Río Patuca lowlands through the heart of

A full description is in the Mayan Whitewater El Salvador, Honduras, & Nicaragua guidebook.

Descent History: I ran the Río Wampu down to San José de Guano in July 2017 (with the dam still under construction). The Río Wampu Abajo has likely been run by locals in handmade rafts and canoes for a century. The first report I have of a modern descent was that of Jorge Salaverri and Oscar Perez with the help of Edgardo Benitez, a local Tawahka native (see the story on page 203).