The Futaleufú River, located in northern Patagonia, is one of the premier whitewater rivers in the world. One of only two rivers to cross the 5,308 kilometer Chile-Argentina border, the Futaleufú headwaters can be found in the glacial snow melt of the UNESCO protected Los Alerces National Park in Argentina. The river gorge drops as low as 1,700 metres (5,600 ft) below the surrounding glaciated peaks. The name Futaleufú is an indigenous Mapuche word meaning "Big River.” Locals refer to the valley as "un paisaje pintado por Dios"—a landscape painted by God.