A Whitewater Rafting Guide: Plan And Execute Your Whitewater Rafting Trip

There's nothing more exhilarating than cruising down a whitewater rapid with paddle in hand. If you want the experience of a lifetime, try taking a whitewater rafting tour. You'll need to find an experienced whitewater rafting guide to lead you and help you when necessary. It's important to shop carefully when looking for an outfitter for your rafting tour to ensure that your trip is as safe as it is exciting.

Plan Ahead

First you need to decide on a river and course. Consult a whitewater rafting guide online to find out about the best locations and make a decision based on your budget and time constraints. Also keep the season in mind because the river's conditions will vary depending on the time of year you go. In general, the water is wild in the spring and calmer in the summer. You need to reserve early, especially if you are planning a vacation in the summer or during a holiday because all of the outfitters may get booked up.

In order to decide on the right course for your trip, take your group's experience level into consideration. There are six classes that determine the level of difficulty of a course on an international scale. Consult a white water rafting guide for details. Basically, anyone can try Class I because it is very easy. Class II is also appropriate for novices and you can get away with not having any paddling skills. By Class III some experience and paddling skills are necessary however. Class IV is challenging and should only be attempted by experienced paddlers. Classes V and VI require an advanced level of paddling and experience as well as rescue skills.

Choosing an Outfitter

There are going to be many outfitters at each river so it helps to know what to look for. Ask the outfitter questions and find out some important information such as if there is a whitewater rafting guide in each boat. Some guided tours do not have a guide in every boat and provide a guide in only one boat. If you have no experience, look for an outfitter that provides a whitewater rafting guide in each boat for your safety.

Also find out if the whitewater rafting guides provided are trained well. Make sure they have the kind of experience you are looking for. Additionally, find out what types of boats are offered because they vary in size and find out how old they are. Newer rafts are self-bailing while older ones require you to shovel water out.

Decide on what kind of trip you are looking to take. Some outfitters offer very basic services consisting of the trip, a whitewater rafting guide, and a place to change in and out of your wetsuit. If you are only going for a day trip this may be fine but if you want a comfortable all-inclusive vacation, find out what frills are offered in terms of food and lodging.

Your goal? Take this information and use it to help you plan your whitewater rafting vacation. You need to find a good company and good whitewater rafting guide with experience and knowledge in order to have a good vacation. Consider all the factors that will go into making your whitewater vacation the trip of a lifetime.