Rafting for peace: Former combatants in Colombia's waters

The cold water rushes beneath, as the raft nears the rapids. A shout rings out for calm, followed by a sharp command of 'PADDLE,' and the crew synchronizes their efforts, charging into the wild currents with remarkable precision.

Released from the chaos of the rapids with barely a ripple, it's hard to believe that many of these rafters once wielded weapons rather than paddles.

Once a fierce battleground in Colombia's Caquetá region, the Pato River was the site of intense clashes between the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC-EP) and the national government.

Regarded by some as Marxist militants fighting for rural justice and by others as a ruthless criminal group, FARC laid down their arms in 2016 after a historic peace agreement, gaining political representation and an opportunity for reintegration into civilian life.

Thousands of former fighters, aided by the Colombian Agency for Reincorporation and Normalization (ARN), left their jungle hideouts and resettled in purpose-built communities designed to help reintegrate them into civilian life.

Nestled on the cliffs above the churning Pato River, Miravalle stands as one of those communities.

With a population of fewer than 50, Miravalle is a small but vibrant village of modest one-story concrete homes topped with corrugated tin roofs. It's a tranquil place, yet filled with activity. Fathers stroll with their children, while nearby soldiers from a local base stop by for coffee and casual chats with residents.

Miravalle stands out among the 25 communities across Colombia that blend former combatants and civilians. Here, rafting is being used as a tool to build peace.

Recovering from a five-decade conflict, Colombia is rebuilding.

The end of the FARC's armed struggle marked the close of a brutal 52-year conflict, primarily in rural areas. This violent period claimed over 220,000 mostly civilian lives and displaced more than seven million people across Colombia.

Miravalle and the Pato River lie within the vast El Caguán river basin, an area about the size of Switzerland. Its history is tumultuous, having once served as the de facto capital for the FARC's operations. The region became a demilitarized zone under FARC control in the early 2000s when the army pulled out for peace talks. But when the negotiations collapsed, the area fell back into violent conflict.

The harsh terrain in this region made it ideal for the guerrillas to maintain control for so long. Surrounded by dense forests, the remote highlands mark the boundary between the Amazon and the Andes foothills, creating a perfect hideaway.

Rolling hills, always veiled in mist, are covered in thick tropical forests, while winding rivers carve through the land, carrying some of the heaviest rainfall in the Amazon basin.

This nine-kilometer stretch of Class III to IV rapids is now demonstrating how tourism can help heal deep scars. Here, visitors have the unique opportunity to hear firsthand accounts of the conflict from former guerrillas and the civilians who lived through it alongside them.

A new kind of tourism emerges in the wake of conflict.

On a typically misty April day, the weather is perfect for tackling the turbulent Pato River rapids, which are considered some of the best in Colombia, if not all of South America, for rafting.

For a more relaxed experience, visitors can paddle through the calmer Class I and II rapids of Fisherman’s Canyon. This peaceful afternoon journey takes you through a narrow canyon with towering, bulbous rock formations, shaped over millennia by relentless rainfall. The canyon is alive with greenery, and high above, macaws – part of the region’s 460 bird species – nest in the rocky crevices.

In Miravalle, the Museo Local de Memoria Histórica (Local Museum of Historical Memory) offers an eye-opening experience. Founded with the help of local donations, the museum’s exhibits are deeply compelling. Among them is a copy of the FARC’s training manual, detailing everything from grenade use to setting up camp. It provides a stark yet fascinating look into the world the guides at Caguán Expeditions have left behind.

While the exhibits on the logistics of war are both captivating and unsettling, the guides take care not to romanticize the conflict. Their primary goal is to shift perceptions of the region.

‘One of our dreams is to show Caquetá from a new angle,’ says Hermides ‘Profe’ Linares, a 44-year-old guide and former FARC fighter with 30 years of experience. ‘In some parts of the country, people associate it with violence, insecurity, and drug trafficking. But what about the stunning landscapes?’

'Rivers can be a force for peace,' says Duberney Moreno, captain of the local rafting team Remando por la Paz (Rafting for Peace). A former FARC member for 13 years, the 38-year-old is enthusiastic and approachable, much like the other seven guides at Caguán Expeditions who lead rafting tours on the Pato River.

‘Rafting had always been in the back of my mind,’ says Duberney Moreno, the 38-year-old leader of the ‘Rafting for Peace’ team, who spent 13 years with the FARC. He’s warm, cheerful, and instantly likable, a sentiment shared by all eight guides at Caguán Expeditions who lead the rafting adventures on the Pato River.

The journey began a few years ago when former FARC commander Hernán Darío Velásquez, known as 'El Paisa,' introduced rafting to the region, partnering with the Colombian National Training Service (SENA) to teach locals how to navigate the river.

However, it wasn’t until 2018, when Mauricio Artiñano, a research officer with the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia, visited the area, that the initiative truly gained momentum. He reached out to Rafael Gallo, owner of Costa Rica-based rafting company Ríos Tropicales and a founding member of the International Rafting Federation (IRF).

Gallo saw the river’s potential for commercial rafting immediately and sent two of his expert instructors to Colombia in August 2018. They spent a month and a half training locals in raft guiding, kayaking, and river safety, along with rescue techniques.

‘We invited anyone who wanted to join us and become part of the team. About 20 people showed up,’ recalls Moreno. But the enthusiasm quickly faded. ‘By the third day, three had dropped out, the next day another two gave up, and by the end, only eight of us remained,’ he chuckles.

A diverse group of ex-fighters and civilians, all eight were certified as guides by the International Rafting Federation (IRF) during an official graduation ceremony attended by members of the United Nations and the Colombian government.

Rafting has since taken the team around the globe. In 2019, they competed at the World Rafting Championships in Australia under the name ‘Rafting for Peace,’ a title given to them when they were invited to participate with the newly created IRF Peace Flag. Before departing, Colombia's sports minister handed them the national flag, a symbolic moment of the profound changes that both the region and the community have undergone.

The team didn’t realize it at the time, but using rafting as a tool for peace after a long conflict is not a new concept. The sport, which requires exceptional teamwork to prevent everyone from falling into the river, has always been about cooperation.

The origins of the International Rafting Federation (IRF) trace back to the end of the Cold War when Russian and American rafters were brought together for an event in Siberia. ‘Since then, the IRF has focused on exploring how rivers can be used for peace-building across nations,’ says Artiñano.

'We've entered a new world,'

In a nation still grappling with the scars of its past, inviting visitors to engage in honest conversations about the conflict, its origins, and its lasting effects may offer some healing to these deep wounds.

This is the view of Lizeth Riaño, CEO and co-founder of the non-profit Collective Impulse and former chief impact officer at Bogotá-based tour operator Impulse Travel. Both organizations have been crucial in financially and strategically supporting Caguán Expeditions, along with other peace-building initiatives throughout Colombia.

'When tourists arrive, the guides share their stories over and over again. They talk about their struggles, work through their trauma, and build a powerful sense of empowerment and self-recognition,' says Riaño.

Mauricio Artiñano shares this perspective. He believes that tourism projects established after the peace agreement offer real potential for peacebuilding. 'For Colombia to move beyond the atrocities of the past 50 years, it's vital to foster dialogue and reconciliation. Tourism is one avenue for achieving this.'

For the guides, talking about rural life and the origins of the conflict is of utmost importance. 'It’s our responsibility to share these stories, as they are the foundation of what truly happened,' says Frellin 'Pato' Noreña, a 33-year-old former combatant who joined the FARC at just 16.

In Miravalle, there's an undeniable pride in the progress rafting has brought to the community. Once a battleground between the FARC and government forces, the Pato River has now become a symbol of neutrality where civilians, former FARC members, and even soldiers occasionally row together.

'Before, the river felt dark, and you couldn't see what lay beyond it,' says Noreña, gazing across the Pato River. He smiles with visible relief, adding, 'Now we look over it and see tourism. It feels like we've stepped into a new world.'