The World’s Top 3 Whitewater Rafting Destinations

Whitewater rafting can offer the thrill of a lifetime for most uninitiated. For those who have already mastered the elements and can safely and confidently navigate through the different obstacles, hidden or otherwise, in the world’s best whitewater river rapid systems, the challenge is answering the question, “Where to next?”

Before you can even begin to fathom the enormity of the challenge, you should know that Class 6 rapids are generally the most dangerous and where no serious adventurer is ever allowed to shoot its waters. As such, the maximum legally allowed class of rapids that these daredevils can take on is a Class 5+.

And there are quite plenty of them. But, to start the ball rolling, here’s the world’s top 3 whitewater rafting destinations.

Sizzling Whitewater Rafting Destinations

1. The Grand Canyon

The Grand Canyon has more than a few hundreds of whitewater river systems that are perfect for all levels of skills. For the daredevils, nothing beats the sheer difficulty afforded by Barrel Springs. With two large and equally dangerous rapids, the Barrel Springs run is a 3-kilometer stretch of Class IV+ and Class V+ rapids that even the toughest of professional whitewater kayakers and rafters will have second thoughts conquering. With rapids named like Upper Death and Life After Death, who would not tremble in fear even before getting into gear? The Upper Death rapids have been aptly called the Kayakers’ Nightmare.

       2. Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

Smacked right in the international border between Zambia and Zimbabwe and sourced from the Zambezi River, Victoria Falls produces some of the world’s most thrilling Class V rapids anywhere along the length of its many gorges. Many thrill seekers have attempted to conquer Commercial Suicide, Stairway to Heaven, and Devil’s Toilet Bowl but have had mixed successes. Starting off at the foot of the 108-meter high Victoria Falls, you will be treated to some of the most spectacular views in a whitewater river rapid ecosystem.

         3. Futaleufu River, Chile

Extreme adventure sportsmen and women can only comprehend the sheer danger that awaits them once they set foot on our next whitewater rafting destination, Chile’s Futaleufu River. This 14-mile stretch of whitewater river rapids is dotted with Class V rapids that only the bravest of the brave dare conquer. With names of rapids as vivid as Gates of Inferno, Wall Shot, and Perfect Storm, anyone can get the impression that one mistake might as well be your last. The level of difficulty of Futaleufu River’s rapids are legendary they are absolute experts and daredevils-only systems.

These rapids are never for beginners. Even professionals think twice before even venturing in these waters.

For those adventurous at heart, but aren’t up for a challenge quite this intense and risky, Grand Canyon rafting trips can offer you the same adrenaline filled adventure, in a safer overall experience as you are in the hands of experienced guides with years invested reading and navigating these class 5 to 10 rapids. Why Class 10? Colorado River in Grand Canyon has a 1 – 10 rating scale so consider a class 5 in Grand Canyon, a class 3 in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. Commercial Grand Canyon raft trips are a great option for children as young as 7 years old and we’ve even had passengers in their 80’s! Contact Advantage Grand Canyon to help sort out the details.

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Top Colorado River Whitewater Rafting Trips In 2016

If you are planning to go whitewater rafting in 2016, there is no better place to do it than on the mighty Colorado River that cuts through the magnificent Grand Canyon. With more than a thousand whitewater rapids that are spread throughout the 280 miles of the Colorado, it is simply a must to get one of the select few licensed by the National Park Service to give you 2016’s top whitewater rafting trips.

Why Colorado River Trips?

The 3 to 5 day shorter trips will continue to top the ranking for many Colorado River enthusiasts. This is just perfect for that quick getaway to America’s southwest. It combines rafting and hiking through some of Grand Canyon’s great sections such as the Upper Canyon, the Western Canyon, and the Lower Canyon. Keep in mind that upper and lower canyon trips require a strenuous 9.5 mile hike either ascending or descending the bright angel trail at start or end. Not for everyone, but a fantastic experience for those in good shape and ready for a challenge!

The Lengthy Trips

In order for you to really enjoy the scenic beauty of the Grand Canyon, opting for the full canyon trip which can be seen in 6-8 days in a motor raft or 12- or 18- day paddle raft, oar raft, dory boat, or hybrid whitewater rafting trip. Starting your journey on Lees Ferry on Lake Powell just north of Marble Canyon, you will coast through the heart of the canyon seeing both upper and lower portions including the mid-way point or Phantom ranch and Bright Angel Beach 88 miles down river. As you continue on, you’ll have  a choice (per the specific outfitter’s itinerary and logistics) to exit either via helicopter at Whitmore wash (river mile 188), Hualapai Indian land’s Diamond Creek exit and roadway (river mile 225) or Pearce Ferry on Lake Mead. 

Many whitewater river outfitters provide both non-motorized and motorized rafts for these trips and are generally considered one of the top-selling trips in the entire Grand Canyon National Park.

The Week-long Trip

Many tourists and first-time whitewater river rafters will find week-long trips particularly excellent. Any of the 6- to 9- day trips can take the entire length of the Grand Canyon section of the Colorado or just a portion of it. Either way, rafters are guaranteed to have the time of their lives. Options for this trip length include 6-7 day upper canyon or 7-9 day non-motor raft trips which also require a 9.5 mile hike via the bright angel trail, or as previously mentioned the most popular raft trip compared to all others: The Full Grand Canyon Motor Raft Trip.

There are 16 licensed outfitters serving the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. All of them have slightly different offerings, including where the trip meets, launches, takes out and returns you. Additionally, they offer different raft types and variations of rafts when compared from one outfitter to the next. Advantage Grand Canyon will not only present you with an unbiased availability report of the different itineraries, but also coordinate your booking at no cost to you.  You can contact us to present you with options, or search yourself on our trip finder which lists all trips for your review. 

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Differentiating Rafting And Kayaking Whitewater River Adventures

In the world of adventure sports, nothing can prepare you for the sheer thrill and excitement of shooting through some of the world’s finest whitewater rafting on river rapid systems like the Grand Canyon. Whether you seek to enjoy it alone or with a friend or in the company of other individuals in search of exhilarating fun as you are, the choice of the water vessel to use is paramount.

This Brings Up The Question, Kayaking Or Rafting?

As you could predict, both are excellent water vessels to navigate whitewater. However the kayak will simply outperform and outclass the raft because of the following unique characteristics of the kayak:

• It has a very narrow, well-optimized, and very sleek and stream-lined profile which allows it to literally slice through the water. This minimizes drag to allow the kayak to literally ‘shoot’ through the rapids.
• It has a spray skirt which can protect you from water getting inside the kayak. So, even if you submerge or be pounded by towering waves, you simply will not capsize. And even if you do overturn, just shift your weight and you will be right back up.
• You will be sitting at the level of the waterline. This puts you at a great advantage to use the double-bladed paddles for you to go faster than any other water vessel on the whitewater river system. Additionally, this lowers the center of gravity so you are basically more stable.
• Kayaks are small often no longer than 14 feet long. You can conveniently carry one by yourself and then inflate it just before you go conquer the rapids.

Having pointed out the advantages of a smaller, more agile craft, the oar raft certainly has it’s own set of advantages.

• Oar Rafts are larger, most carrying 4 passengers and a guide on commercial Grand Canyon rafting trips for example, however there are some that can carry up to 10 passengers. The raft is quite wide with provisions for seating as well plenty of space for other items such as camping gear and food/kitchen equipment for longer multi day raft trip which include camping.
• Rafts depend on buoyancy and not displacement. As such they are perfect for gentler river systems as well as larger more aggressive rapids. While some can use the raft to navigate higher classes of whitewater river the those navigating the oars should have plenty of experience and command the other passengers appropriately when in turbulent waters.

Technically choosing between a kayak and a raft boils down to your wants, needs, skill level and the purpose of your river adventure. Grand Canyon rafting trip options include a variety of raft types including oar, dory, paddle hybrid and even some options which offer inflatable kayaks. For more information on these guided raft trips in Grand Canyon, contact Advantage Grand Canyon who can coordinate your trip today!

 

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Best Grand Canyon Rafting Books

Eight Great Grand Canyon Rafting Books

Looking for a fun, educational book to read before your Grand Canyon Whitewater river trip? We’ve put together a list of some of our favorite Grand Canyon stories.

 

“There’s This River,”by Christa Sadler

A must-read before a Grand Canyon rafting trip, this book is a collection of artwork and true personal stories as told by the Grand Canyon river guide community. This peek into the lives of the Grand Canyon Boatmen and Boatwomen is often humorous, occasionally bittersweet, sometimes disastrous and always entertaining, combining stories of love, comradeship, mischief and, occasionally, loss. It’s short and sweet non-fiction writing that many guides like to read aloud to their clients sitting around the campfire after a long day of rafting on the Colorado. This book is also a good dictionary for canyon lingo and jargon.

http://www.amazon.com/Theres-River-Canyon-Boatman-Stories/dp/0977698300/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1455026151&sr=8-1&keywords=There%E2%80%99s+This+River%2C+by+Christa+Sadler

 

2.     “The Emerald Mile: The Epic Story of the Fastest Ride in History through the Heart of the Grand Canyon,” by Kevin Fedarko  

This book is a narration of the thrilling true tale of a trio of river runners’ charge down the entire length of the Colorado River and through the Grand Canyon, to break a speed record during the legendary flood of 1983. In the midst of the flood emergency that threated the Glen Canyon Dam with potentially one of the most dramatic dam failures in history, a trio of river guides decided to sling-shot themselves into speed boating history by launching a small wooden dory named the “Emerald Mile”, and breaking the all-time record for fastest boating. Somehow, they managed to survive the feat that many dubbed suicidal. In addition to the harrowing recount of the recording-breaking run, the book also tells in great detail the history of the canyon’s early explorations, dam building and the history of Grand Canyon ecological activism.
http://www.amazon.com/Emerald-Mile-Fastest-History-Through/dp/1439159858/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1455048249&sr=8-1-fkmr0

 

3. “The Rapids and the Roar,” by Gaylord Staveley

   Gaylord Staveley, a modern historical canyon rafting figure, details his own experiences as a commercial whitewater rafting outfitter in the Grand Canyon when recreational river running was growing and thriving and when tensions were high between commercial outfitters, private boaters and the National Park Service. He also recounts several important early expeditions down the Colorado River and describes the final days of the Glen Canyon, when boaters were fighting to get in their last runs before the reservoir filled the canyon. Staveley takes time to cover the evolution of the current system for managing river use, and also details his experience developing and managing his own whitewater rafting company, then called Mexican Hat Expeditions.

   http://www.amazon.com/Rapids-Roar-Gaylord-Staveley/dp/1892327155/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1455025902&sr=1-1&keywords=The+Rapids+and+the+Roar+Gaylord+Staveley

 

 

4. “Down the Great Unknown: John Wesley Powell’s 1869 Journey of Discovery and Tragedy Through the Grand Canyon,” by Edward Dolnick

   This exciting adventure story is a terrific recount of the one-armed Civil War veteran, John Wesley Powell’s, 1869 expedition to map the Colorado River. Down the Great Unknownis the first book to tell the full, true story, the author having drawn directly from Powell’s own journals and stories from modern whitewater rafting adventurers. Driven by a deep love of adventure and a desire to leave his mark in history, Powell and his motley crew of 9 men set out down the mighty Colorado River on May 24, 1869 in wooden rowboats in which the men navigated the wild river rapids facing backwards. Before this time, the never before explored Grand Canyon was still a mystical mystery, and the men never knew what calm or disaster lay ahead of them as they journeyed down the mighty Colorado. The journey was finally successfully completed after the loss of one boat, spoilage of the crew’s food, near-starvation and physical exhaustion, and Powell and his crew became arguably the most important figures in Grand Canyon rafting history.

   http://www.amazon.com/Down-Great-Powells-Journey-Discovery/dp/0060955864/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1455025883&sr=1-1-fkmr0&keywords=Broken+Waters+Sing+Gaylord+Staveley

 

5. “The Exploration of the Colorado River and Its Canyons,” by John Wesley Powell

   This is a classic book written by the legendary pioneer himself, the one-armed Civil War vet named John Wesley Powell who was the first man to map out and brave the never before traversed Colorado River on wooden rafts. Often called the Lewis and Clark of the west, Powell gives a first-person account of his foray into the last unexplored American frontier, recounting his stories of hardship and adventure through the Grand Canyon’s perilous landscape and risky dealings with local Native American tribes that killed three of his fellow crew members who had abandoned the expedition and attempted to hike out of the Canyon. He describes the geography and geology of the Canyon in captivating detail. This book is so all-encompassing that it functions as a factual adventure book, a historical book and a geological and geographical reference book all-in-one. Powell’s memoir is ranked 4th on Adventuremagazine’s list of top 100 classics.

   http://www.amazon.com/Exploration-Colorado-Canyons-Penguin-Classics/dp/0142437522/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1455026465&sr=8-1&keywords=exploration+of+the+colorado+river+john+wesley+powell

 

6. “The Very Hard Way: Bert Loper and the Colorado River,” by Brad Dimock

   Another historical novel by Grand Canyon river guide Brad Dimock, this book tells the life story and legacy of Bert Loper, who is referred to by rafting lovers and addicts as the “Grand Old Man of the Colorado.” A true meant-to-be canyoneer, Loper was coincidently born the day that famous Major John Wesley Powell discovered the meeting of the San Juan and Colorado Rivers in 1869. He died just days after the first motorboat traversed the Colorado through the Grand Canyon. Upon his death at 80 years old, he had rafted more of the Colorado River than anyone in history, and, subsequently, knew each twist and turn better than any. This book tugs at your heart strings with stories of how the orphaned Loper overcame his abusive childhood and worked tirelessly and backbreakingly hard as a rock, gravel and coal miner before he found his muse – the Colorado River. Tragically and ironically, the “Grand Old Man of the Colorado” died at the oars of his own wooden boat in the heart of the Grand Canyon on a massive rapid. We highly recommend this captivating story to anyone looking for a great Grand Canyon river rafting and adventure book.

   http://www.amazon.com/Very-Hard-Way-Loper-Colorado/dp/1892327694/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1455026231&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Very+Hard+Way%3A+Bert+Loper+and+the+Colorado+River

 

7. “Desert Solitaire,” by Edward Abbey

   Written by the famous conservationist himself, Edward Abbey, this book is a collection of stories about Abbey’s life in the Southwest canyons. Abbey recounts his life, adventures and conflicts in the wilderness and desert as a park ranger, from dealing with unrestrained tourism and ecological damage by overdevelopment to finding a dead body and more. Often compared to Henry David Thoreau’s classic, “Walden,” “Desert Solitaire” is a captivating dialogue and reflection of paradoxical life in the desert – all-at-once beautiful, freeing, isolating and punishing. As the Thoreau of the American West, Abbey was a humanist and used his books and the backdrop of the American Southwest to illustrate the way humans should live versus how they do live. This book will stoke your fire and desire to visit and live life in the canyons as Abbey did himself.

   http://www.amazon.com/Desert-Solitaire-Edward-Abbey/dp/0671695886/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1455026278&sr=8-1&keywords=Desert+Solitaire%2C+by+Edward+Abbey

 

8. “The Doing of the Thing: The Brief, Brilliant Whitewater Career of Buzz Holmstrom,” by Welch, Conley and Dimock

   This biography is guaranteed to make you a little teary-eyed. It tells the story of the iconic Grand Canyon Boatman, Buzz Holmstom’s, life as a river runner. Holmstrom became famous for building his own wooden boats by hand, without plans, in his basement and making solo journeys through many of America’s great whitewater rivers. In 1937, he became the first person to run the Colorado River and Green River alone, all the way from the Colorado River headwaters in Rocky Mountain National Park to the Hoover Dam. Sadly, Holmstrom died rafting the Grande Ronde River at the young age of 37.

   http://www.amazon.com/Doing-Thing-Brilliant-Whitewater-Holmstrom/dp/1892327074/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1455026334&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Doing+of+the+Thing%3A+The+Brief%2C+Brilliant+Whitewater+Career+of+Buzz+Holmstrom

We hope you enjoyed this post. If you’d like to book a trip with us or check out our trip options, CLICK HERE!

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Start Training For Your Grand Canyon Raft Trip

 

A Grand Canyon raft trip is very active and hands-on experience, and it often includes daily canyon hikes in addition to being on the water. On these hikes, you’ll be treading through streams, climbing over large rocks, ducking under outcroppings and generally plodding over uneven ground. For this reason alone, we definitely recommend you implement an appropriate exercise program in the months prior to your trip.

Now, this advice doesn’t mean that you have to be triathlon-fit to partake in our rafting trips. However, it does mean you will be able to appreciate the experience more if you aren’t huffing and puffing and whining and wailing. You’ll be able to look up and drink in the vast sights of the looming canyon walls, you’ll be able to appreciate the birds’ melodies, you’ll be able to chat and chuckle with your companions; all experiences that you wouldn’t be able to thoroughly appreciate if you’re physically straining your unprepared body with every step. You’ll be able to participate in all the daily explorative hikes and will have a much slimmer chance of injuring yourself. The best part of being in decent shape on a whitewater rafting trip is rather than dragging and crashing at the end of the day, you’ll be exhaustedly exhilarated. Yes, there’s a huge difference! 

Grand Canyon Raft Trip: Your Next Adventure

Additionally, our Advantage Grand Canyon partial canyon trips (upper or lower canyon route) have an exceptionally challenging, 7.5-9.5 mile hike at the either the very beginning or tail end of the excursion. If you’re not in good shape and don’t plan to get there, we highly recommend you chose a trip that doesn’t include this difficult hike-in or hike-out. But, if you can hack it and are bound and determined to get in good-enough shape by the time your vacation rolls around, these trips that include the long, strenuous hikes are incredible and absolutely worth the extra effort! If you’re booked on one of the hiking-intensive trips and haven’t already began a regular fitness routine, then please, for the love of the Canyon and sake of your body, hit the gym and get out in the wilderness. Think of it this way, your Grand Canyon trip is an excellent excuse to follow through this year with your New Year’s resolution to get in shape!

Start your cardio and resistance training regimen today so that you have plenty of time to build up your strength and stamina. Don’t be lazy about it and put it off until tomorrow. If you’ve booked a trip that includes a strenuous hike, you’d better give yourself many months of muscle strengthening and conditioning. Winter is a great time to begin. If you’ve booked a more relaxed trip, we still recommend you start building up your endurance a couple months before your start date as these trips are still very active.

If you have additional questions about training for your trip contact us and we’ll be happy to provide additional information.

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What Happens In The Whitewater Rafting Off-Season?

Wondering what everybody is up to now that the 2015 whitewater rafting season in the Grand Canyon is over? Rather than rest and relaxation, we and our operators are doing the hustle and bustle, making sure everything is perfect for your 2016 Grand Canyon whitewater rafting trip.

Our operators use every moment they can during the tourism lull, excitedly preparing behind the scenes for the upcoming Grand Canyon 2016 rafting season. The off-season provides the perfect time for planning for next season.

The Adventure Of Whitewater Rafting Trips

First and foremost on the off-season chore list for all operators is equipment maintenance, and they all take this extremely seriously. As you can imagine, all of the equipment (rafts, oars, motors, dry bags, tents, cots/sleeping pads, chairs, coolers, life jackets, etc.) sees a lot of use during the commercial Grand Canyon rafting season. Constant upkeep is imperative and regularly performed during the season. Yet, operators use the off-season to scour every inch of their equipment in their warehouses fixing any dent, ding or potential problem. Everything gets cleaned and repaired. If something cannot be easily remedied and carefully revamped, our operators choose to purchase brand new equipment. Safety first!

In the operators’ offices, staff is hard at work organizing details, updating menus general paperwork including risk waivers and medical forms for the upcoming season. They update trip packets that have specific details on every aspect of every trip to help better prepare rafters for their vacations. Seasoned guides go through training courses to stay fresh on their knowledge and CPR/First Aid, and new guides get put through the training wringer. 

Here at Advantage Grand Canyon we’re busy adding the new whitewater rafting trips that our operators have meticulously crafted, and 2016 bookings are in full swing, some are even offering 2017 trip already. If you’ve already booked your 2016 trip, check out our blog and FAQ to prepare yourself for the adventure that awaits. If you haven’t booked yet, contact us today!

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Adventure Tourism Rafting Trips

What Is Adventure Tourism?

Adventure tourism is a hot new type of niche travel that centers around exploration of exotic locations, immersion in nature, physical exertion and often times, some degree of risk. This exciting new branch of travel has grown exponentially in recent decades as people seek more exciting and unique holiday opportunities to escape the monotony and “Jonesing” that often accompanies typical beach resort vacations.

Adventure tourists are motivated by and thrive on new experiences that push them out of their comfort zones and into the unexpected. They seek adventures that are guaranteed to give them an adrenaline rush and cause them to achieve a zen-like state of mental centeredness and clarity, called flow. Flow, as defined by positive psychology, is the state of being completely mentally focused on and absorbed in an activity, and really digging it. The absolute essence of flow is experiencing spontaneous feelings of joy while doing an exercise. It’s no wonder adventure tourism is growing so rapidly. Who wouldn’t want to experience such natural highs?

What Are Some Adventure Tourism Sports?

Adventure tourism encompasses a multitude of activities. So long as the activities meet the above requirements, adventurers will seek them out. These tourist activities may include mountain biking, zip-lining, spelunking (caving), bungee jumping, mountaineering, yoga retreats, scuba diving, birding, hunting, surfing, hiking, rock climbing, and our personal favorite, whitewater rafting.

Guides are the backbone of the adventure tourism industry. With a great guide, you’ll really get the full experience. Here at Advantage Grand Canyon, we’re thrilled to be able to send you to our Grand Canyon rafting operators who employ the best, most qualified guides in the whitewater rafting industry. Our guides are highly experienced in their fields, having a primary interest in outdoor, travel-oriented lifestyles, a deep love of their sport and of the travelers who share their passion. On top of that, they possess excellent safety, social, organizational and hospitality skills.

So now you’re psyched to experience the rushes and flows of adventure tourism, right? Well, give it a try! If there’s even one little bone in your body that yearns for excitement, adventure and this type of travel, trust that bone. Believe us, one taste and you’ll be hooked. When you’re ready to take the first step as a new adventure tourist, give us a call. We’re eager to get you started on the right foot, with an incredible whitewater rafting vacation that you’ll remember vividly and fondly for the rest of your life.

 

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