Rafting Trips can be as unique and dynamic as any activity you may engage in. They offer a touch of adventure and a remarkable opportunity to experience and appreciate nature in its rawest form. There are places in the river that are not easily accessed by land, but rafting allows you to access these places and have memorable experiences.
Many people have found rafting to be challenging yet relaxing. It is also suitable for strengthening your muscles because you mostly use your upper body to paddle through the water. This exercise helps to tone your muscles, shoulders, back, and arm and even helps you to think and concentrate. This article will discuss what rafting trips are all about and the best ones you can take, alone or with your family and friends, in 2023.
Throughout history, people have been rafting on rivers for traveling or fishing purposes. As an outdoor recreational activity, you can go rafting using an inflatable raft or boat to navigate the body of water; if there are rapids, it gets more exciting. While a rafting trip can be considered an extreme sport or even fatal on some rivers, some are seen as more placid. It can also be a form of competitive sports practiced worldwide where a world championship event is held among participating countries, overseen by the International Rafting Federation.
Before this time, individuals went rafting in a 3 to 4.3-meter raft with double-sided paddles. However, in modern times, a white-water rafting trip is made with a multi-person raft and single-sided paddles where a team propels the boat on it. You will find that a professional raft guide guides the team at the stern of the boat; he is the one who controls the speed and navigation of the boat.
You can go alone on a rafting trip for as long as you want. You can go river rafting with 2 or 3 people; such a trip offers a unique opportunity to bond with friends and family. White water rafting, on the other hand, requires the teamwork of about 8 to 12 persons as long as the boat size permits.
Before going on a rafting trip, you need to know the basics - the necessary equipment, the safety tips, the best time to go for rafting, and especially the places that offer the best experience. But above all, it means a lot of fun for you, your family and your friends.
We know you want a memorable vacation for your family and friends, so we have listed the best rafting trips you can make in 2023.
Grand Canyons River trips are the most popular trip for families. If you want to spend some time camping along the mighty Colorado River, then you might want to consider the Western Grand Canyon. This rafting trip will expose you to the westernmost section of the Colorado River from Whitmore Wash to Lake Mead, all beginning and ending in Las Vegas. Here, you will find the most exciting day Grand Canyon tours, multi-day tours, smooth water tours, and other challenging and fun-filled ones at the Grand Canyon. The feeling can be positively intense.
After your lodging, which is optional, the raft guide will take you to the Grand Canyon National Park or the launch point for your trip. You will be able to experience and see the end of the Grand Canyon within the Lake Mead National Recreation Area. So even though the trip runs through rapids, you will still be able to have fun and explore. This adventure is suitable for different people, including children ages 8 and up, since it does not require a strenuous hike.
You will experience smooth-flowing water with medium to low-intensity rapids. Your guides will provide whatever you need for this trip, and they all have different specialties ranging from geology to local culture, canyon folklore, and history.
If you enjoy incredible scenery, take the upper Grand Canyon rafting trip. Starting at Lees Ferry and traveling 88 miles through the canyon, you will experience a narrow winding through the Kaibab Plateau. You will also see the rim disappear from view as the Redwall Limestone appears above you, and then you begin to experience the rapids.
As the trip begins, you will have plenty of fantastic spots to photograph, especially in the first few miles. You can see the blue waters of the Colorado River. At the deepest part of the canyon, you will experience a hike covering 7.5 miles up the Bright Angel Trail. You can choose to explore the test tunnel where the marble Canyon Dam was almost built, the location of the Glen Canyon Dam, the side canyon hikes, the polished floors of the Shinumu Wash, and the granaries of the Native American ruins of the Nankoweap canyons with the twists and turns of the Carbon Creek.
You can even camp on beaches at the bottom of the canyon. This spectacular trip ends at the Phantom Ranch, where rafters hike 9.5 miles from the Grand Canyon through the Bright Angel Trail to the south rim. The type of river trip you select, and the boat will depend on outfitters through Advantage Grand Canyon. The oar raft can carry up to 4 people on a trip, with a guide who maneuvers the boat with oars. So, you can have up to 5 to 6 boats carrying four people each.
There are few motorized raft trips for the upper Grand Canyon rafting, even though they can carry up to 14 tourists. The upper Grand Canyon rafting trip could begin in Las Vegas, NV, Marble Canyon, AZ, Page, AZ, or Flagstaff, AZ. The outfitter provides transportation from the designated meeting location to Lees Ferry, the launch point. The end of the trip will take you to Grand Canyon Village on the south rim. Your outfitter may or may not provide transportation for you at this point.
The full Grand Canyon rafting trip traverses the length of the Grand Canyon, beginning from Lees Ferry to Whitemore Wash, Diamond Creek or Pearce Ferry, where a jet boat shuttles across Lake Mead to await a motorcoach to Las Vegas. Compared to other rafting trips, full grand canyon trips do not require the 7.5-mile hike in or out of the canyon. You can choose between the human-powered raft and the motor trips for a seven or eighteen-day trip as it suits you. The availability of options allows you to see all the side attractions and the entire Grand Canyons and run all the rapids. The full canyon can travel 187 river miles from Whitmore Wash to 280 miles in Pearce Ferry, taken out of the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon National Park.
You will get to explore Elves Chasm, Deer Creek Falls, Redwall Caverns, and the rapids such as Granite, Crystal, and the Lava Fall. You could visit Matkatamiba, Nankoweap, and Havasu Canyon if you have more time. For the full Grand Canyon trip, you may opt for the oar raft, the dory trip, or the motorized trip.
The oar rafts are completely human-powered by a guide who pilots the raft with long oars and carries 3 to 5 passengers. Some people have come to love this one in particular. The dory trip requires experienced river guides who maneuver the delicate rafts downstream while carrying 2 to 4 passengers.
A Motorized raft is one of the most popular options for Grand Canyon rafting as there are more motor trip launches in the river. It can allow you to travel double the speed of the current, moving at an average speed of 8MPH, allowing you to see more of the canyon. Since the canyon is 92 percent flat water, a motorized raft allows you to see most parts of the canyon in a short while. Children eight years and above can experience the motorized rafting trip. Also, on the Colorado River, only four-stroke motors are allowed.
With motorized rafting trips, you can enjoy the 226 river miles of the Colorado river while helping you maximize your time. It is ideal for rafters with different skills and interests, making it advantageous for multi-generation families.
As you raft down the river and soar overhead in a helicopter ride, you will experience a deep sense of excitement. You can see the entire Grand Canyon and view side attractions too. You and your crew can fly over the Grand Canyon West Rim and see the beautiful views of the Hoover Dam, the Bypass Bridge, the Black Canyon and even see the now-extinct Fortification Hill Volcano. Aside from seeing the Colorado River, you will also see the Mojave Desert. The pilot gives you an in-flight tour commentary and narration as an added incentive. You will see as the colorful canyon walls tell a remarkable story of the Paleozoic Era from 250 to 550 million years and beyond. Whether you are still on the helicopter or have been settled into a comfortable river raft by your outfitter, the fun is only beginning.
Remember to take amazing pictures of pillars, rock formations, and wildlife as the trip unfolds. You can see wildlife like the Great Blue Heron, Osprey, and Bighorn Sheep. The raft can stop at a beautiful spot so you can have a break whenever possible. This experience, together with the Grand Canyon's rugged beauty, apparent size, and brilliant colors, is something you will imprint in your memory for a long time.
Learn from and about nature: What better way for you and your kids to learn about nature than by going on a river trip and experiencing living history? Sure, your kids can learn about history from the pages of a book, but nothing beats experiencing it live. Your family will not only see these historical places but also learn about responsible cultural and environmental stewardship and the history of the national park itself.
Creates a bonding atmosphere: The world is so busy that there is hardly time to spend with family, friends, and even nature. Grand Canyon rafting gives you time to do just that. The kids are thrilled with the rapids and will talk about the trip with family and friends for a long time. You will also make truly lasting friendships that are worth it.
It's a good form of exercise: A Grand Canyon trip offers several recreational opportunities- you can go swimming, play in waterfalls, ride the rapids and take hikes. You also get to take as many pictures as you want.
The water: Nearly everyone loves playing with water. The Grand Canyon rafting trip will help you relax and ease stress. The serenity and pure thrill here will have such a tremendous effect on you that you will want to come back so soon.
It boosts confidence: Taming the rapids creates a sense of accomplishment that boosts your self-esteem. You will forget your worries during this trip and focus only on enjoying yourself.
Memories: The memories you share on the Grand Canyon trip are very important, which is why photos and videos of your tour are made available after the tour by the tour company. It could not be easy to take pictures with an oar in your hand, so it is a sweet addition that these companies offer to take them.
Rafting is an amazing experience and can even be the best trip you can ever make. You get to see the Grand Canyon, its side canyons, and nature at its peak. Plan this trip with your friends or family for 2023 and experience exciting challenges, fun, and bonding time. You will find it relaxing, entertaining, healthy, and rewarding because it is an activity you can do with your kids and even your grandparents.
To have your money's worth and still get the full package of the tour, hire a helpful and professional outfitter like Advantage Grand Canyon for bookings, permits, and equipment. Advantage Grand Canyon also gives you information about the best deals and routes, so you have that ideal trip that is both pleasurable and safe. You even get to make new friends on tour. When you return to your everyday life, you will feel refreshed, vitalized, and full of energy.
