All about rafting

Rafting is one of the most popular adventure sports in the whole world, and rightfully so! Whitewater rafting not only allows tourists to visit unique and often stunningly beautiful locations, but also comes with a well-deserved dose of adrenaline. There is nothing better than sliding down a swirling river, while incredible landscapes pass before your eyes.

A vacation with friends or family can be taken to the extreme with a rafting trip on one of the rivers in the area where you are spending your vacation, or in a world-famous canyon. A rafting tour is the perfect choice for brave tourists, for those who are looking for adrenaline and adventure and who are not afraid to take risks, as well as for those who are always looking for thrills.

Whether you have experienced rafting before, or whether you are one of the beginners who want to try this experience for the first time, there are rafting locations in the world suitable for everyone's level of preparation.

If you are worried about equipment and safety, look for companies organizing such trips that work to the highest international standards, respecting the tours' safety measures, so that all you have to do is listen, paddle and have fun to the maximum!

On the thread of history

Rafting became an extremely popular sport in the mid-70s, and since then it is still on an upward trend. All over the world, enthusiasts and beginners alike can connect to the power of nature by walking on the swirling waters of rivers and experiencing firsthand the fun and adrenaline that rafting offers.

For adults and children at least 8 years old, river rafting is an extremely competitive and rewarding adventure sport. In addition, it is a high-intensity outdoor sports activity that will leave you breathless and will always make you feel like you are on a natural roller coaster.

Difficulty level

The degree of difficulty of a river is measured in rafting using the International River Difficulty Scale. According to this scale, there are six classes of water courses:

Class I - easy level - involves small waves, easy crossings and does not contain serious obstacles. Skill level: elementary, beginners.

Class II - medium level - involves moderately fast watercourses, with easy crossings. Skill level: basic rowing and handling, beginners.

Class III - difficult level - involves rapid waters, waves, rocks, eddies and waterfalls, requiring passage through narrow passages. Skill level: average paddling experience and expert guide.

Class IV - very difficult level - involves high waves, long stretches of waterfalls, dangerous rocks and swirling eddies. Skill level: handling and paddling experience and expert guide.

Class V - extremely difficult level - includes violent, long and uninterrupted waterfalls, obstructed streams, strong currents, steep slopes and falls. Skill level: advanced knowledge of paddling, maneuvering and exploration.

Commercial rafting is recommended to be done on water courses of classes I, II and maximum III, possibly with some passages of class IV, but only with a guide. For families with children, or for those looking for a more relaxed experience, preferring rather to admire the scenery while floating on calm waters, it is good to opt for first-class routes, interrupted in places by first-class strips II.

For those who are ready for a real adventure, there are trails that offer excellent combinations between medium and high levels of difficulty, for a spectacular experience and a boost of adrenaline!

equipment

Commercial rafting trips include inflatable boats, of good quality, fully equipped with paddles and all the necessary equipment. According to international protocol and international safety standards, every passenger in the rafting boat must wear a life jacket and a helmet. Don't forget to have the following with you:

• Swimsuit. If you want to wear other clothes over the bathing suit, keep in mind that you will get wet.
• A towel. Along with it, take a change of dry clothes with you, for a more comfortable way back.
• Appropriate footwear. The most recommended option are the water sandals, which fit well on the foot. You can also wear sports shoes, but never flip flops or street sandals.

It is advisable not to take keys, wallets, cameras, telephones or other electronic equipment with you on the boat. How safe is rafting? Although rafting is considered an extreme sport, commercial rafting trips are safe as long as all safety measures are followed. In general, the professional guides who accompany these trips are trained and experienced in terms of safety, first aid measures and rescue missions. In addition, before embarking on such a tour, all passengers receive a brief instruction on the commands for rowing and the instructions to be followed on each type of water. All boats are equipped with rope and rescue equipment, and those in the boat must wear helmets and life jackets. Compliance with all safety measures will make rafting a fun, exciting and accident-free activity.

3 things you didn't know about rafting

Whitewater rafting is widely known as a recreational activity, generally practiced during summer vacations. Depending on the level of preparation, the type of vacation or the availability to experience thrills and moments of maximum adrenaline, rafting enthusiasts propose each year some of the most special routes in various vacation destinations. However, very few of those who try rafting for the first time know some of the most interesting details about rafting.

The first rafting boats were not made of rubber, but of any material that could float. They were often used to transport people and goods on rivers around the globe. Over time, society became more advanced and new technologies appeared, which led to an increasing popularity of whitewater rafting, until today it has become a recreational activity. Here are some details you didn't know about rafting and which contributed to what this sport is today!

1. Rubber boats were invented a century before commercial trips

Apparently invented in the early 1840s, the rubber rafting boat was initially used to transport people and goods. The first rafting boat was designed by Lieutenants John Fremont and Horace H. Day, with the intention of exploring the Rocky Mountains and the Great Prairies. Commercial, recreational and guided rafting trips only became popular in the 1980s. Whitewater Challengers was the first company on the Leigh River in Pennsylvania to launch this business, in 1975.

2. John D. Rockefeller unsuccessfully introduced rafting trips to a resort built in 1956

Private companies have contributed a lot to the development of rafting businesses. One of the most prosperous business families in America, the Rockefeller family, introduced rafting trips to one of their resorts in Grand Teton National Park as early as 1956, but at that time the activity aroused very little interest. It was only in the 1960s and 1970s that the first companies dedicated to whitewater rafting appeared. This was also the moment when rafting began to gain unprecedented momentum.

3. Rafting was introduced to the Olympics in 1972, in Munich

The debut of rafting at the Olympic Games in 1972 led to an increase in the popularity of whitewater rafting. The sport was also included in the Barcelona Games in 1992 and the Atlanta Games in 1996. Also in 1996, the Ocoee River in the Tennessee Valley hosted the rafting competitions at the Summer Olympics. The popularity of this sport was on an upward trend in the 1980s. In addition, it remains a favorite of families for adventure vacations.