I just finished the Cheat Lite program and could not recommend this program more to new intermediate boaters. I feel like a confident class 3 boater after this course. We had water levels all over the place this spring and they did such a great job of picking rivers with good water levels and making every trip and practice as fun and safe as possible. The program is extremely popular so make sure you sign up the first day it is offered. read more

Calleva's River School offers a well-paced series of whitewater kayaking courses to help get your feet (and everything else!) wet in this exciting sport. The friendly instructors are very knowledgeable and coach to your level of development. This is a great school to build skills and gain an introduction to the community having fun on the Potomac. read more

I typically love kayaking, but I hated this company's class. They didn't have enough boats ready, but went ahead and started the class even though I didn't have a boat. (This was after we had stood around for at least 25 minutes waiting for class to start, during which time the instructors made small talk with participants.) I stood on the bank while everyone else practiced the techniques. Eventually, the instructor made a production of going to get a boat for me while everyone else got in the water. I didn't have a chance to practice the techniques and was the last one in the water, so I started out the class by struggling to catch up. The instructors were rude. One mocked me for not wanting to get my hair wet by trying to exit a flipped kayak, which was an optional activity at the very end of the class. I had things to do later that day and didn't have time to go home and shower. When I explained my rationale, she said, "that's the worst excuse I've ever heard," and rolled her eyes. They weren't nice, and it wasn't fun. read more

Had such a blast on our Duckie Tour down the Potomac! I'm from the D.C. area, and I fell in love with this city again while I was on the trip. I can't believe there is such beauty so close by!! The guides made everyone feel so comfortable because they are so knowledgable and experienced. Even the folks who were new to everything had such a blast and felt really safe. The duckies are great for all skill levels- so don't worry if you are a beginner. They provide everything you need and make it super easy. I DEFINITELY RECOMMEND IT! Bring your friends and get out on the water! read more

Calleva's River School - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Poolesville, Maryland

I've puttered around with kayaking for a couple of years and decided to focus on sea kayaking this year. After checking local classes, I decided on Calleva's Sea Kayak 4-class series based on the value of high number of techniques taught (all the basics from getting in/out from different locations, basic and intermediate strokes, wet exit, and rescue (self and assisted) for nearly the same cost as other shorter programs. From the start, the staff behind the scenes (thanks Ashley!) was well-organized and very helpful. The first two classes launch from Columbia Island Marina and the last two from Riley's Lock. All the instructors (Joe, Mark, Tom) were excellent. The class curriculum was well ordered and the instructor:student ratio was good. After completing the series, I took one private lesson for more instruction on self-rescue - several physical limitations make this extra tough for me. Highly recommend Calleva's classes because I now feel solid and safer on the water after the instruction - and love sea kayaking! Next up: lots of paddling from Riley's Lock (awesome location) and Calleva's rolling class! read more

I went on a Mexico trip with Calleva, and had a fantastic time. Steve-o and Sam went above and beyond to make everyone feel safe and make sure good times were had. Plans got adjusted as needed based on water levels, road closures, etc but class input was always taken into account when coming up with a plan for the day. Highly recommend the Mexico trips to everyone! read more

My fiance and I have a cruise coming up and needed to learn some sea kayaking skills and how to wet exit. We ended up booking a 2 hr private lesson and it was great! Tom and David brought the kayaks and gear, showed us how to properly enter and exit the kayaks, how to adjust the feet settings, and once in the water showed us tons of strokes, how to wet exit, and how to rescue each other and do a wet reentry! Highly recommend a private lesson because it's very reasonable cost wise and you can customize to your needs. Thanks! read more

Thought we got a steal through Groupon for a 4-hour rafting adventure. The "adventure" was certainly there - except it wasn't on the water. Their whitewater rafting is only available on the weekends which caused a slight ripple in our plans. Nevertheless, we booked the adventure last weekend and was beyond disappointed. Our guides were wonderful people, but the trip was a lackluster four hours on a beautiful Saturday morning/afternoon. After everyone gathered and went through pre-departure preparations (eg. paperwork, bug spray, sunscreen, etc.), we got suited up with our equipment. We received our PFDs (lifejackets) which were dirty, wet, and smelly. Not a good start. Our hike down to the river was quite relaxing and scenic, perhaps the only positive of the trip. Our guides split us up into groups of 6-7 as we loaded 4 rafts. Aside from teaching us what commands he would be using, our guide did very little instruction on paddling technique which resulted in our fellow rafters contributing very little and made the trip unbearably slow and tiring. In fact, our guide didn't do much paddling (nor steering) either - he was basically chilling in the back of the raft. The river was class 2/3 which meant the rapids were disappointing slow(er) and aside from the one time when one of our fellow rafters fell off...there wasn't much excitement. Not to mention our companions wanted to go into "rough" waters again and again...yet did little paddling work to get there. After wasting about 2 hours of coasting on pretty still water, we broke for lunch. Docking our rafts near a mini-waterfall, everyone disembarked and cooled off in the chilly water. The lunch that was provided included some rolls, cheese, lunch meat to make sandwiches, snacks (grapes, carrots, hummus, and goldfish), and frozen juice boxes. We got back into our rafts for more stillwater rafting. I was already over this trip and was excited for it to end (maybe should have went for that waterfall drop to end this miserable experience). Aside from the colorful personalities of the people on this adventure, there wasn't much fun to be had with Calleva. Due to weekend conflicts, my friend had 3 unused reservations which he intended on bringing 2 other friends for Labor Day Weekend...however, after such a dull experience, he has no problem not going again. This is a pretty detailed account of my experience so if this is the type of adventure you're looking for, then more power to you. But I do not recommend going whitewater rafting with Calleva. Ironically, it was our guide that suggested more exciting rafting trips. Makes you think... read more

Upon leaving the comforts of the waterfall the trip entered the home stretch. This included one last set of rapids and the heavily anticipated "A Hole" rock. Following our guide "Steve-O", we plunged into the watery abyss with no regard for our well being. Steve-O instructed us to proceed to the left or the right of the "A-Hole" rock. My love companion, Brian, and I decided to throw caution to the wind and attacked the beast head on. Imagine the scene from Titanic when the boat hits the Iceberg and slowly starts to crumble. Our experience was exactly like that except that we weren't on a British Passenger Ship in the middle of the North Atlantic, we weren't on the largest passenger vessel afloat at the time, and we didn't tragically succumb to freezing temperatures. In fact we didn't even fall out of our boat, BUT we did hit the rock which caused our inflatable ducky to bend at the helm. The current pushed us over the rock and Steve-O gave us a nod of approval. After a few failed attempts to "surf" the rock we proceeded down current and enjoyed the crystal clear water that lay ahead. We ended the trip with some "water wars" and after commandeering our fair share of other boats we washed ashore. Overall, the trip was a blast and I recommend it to anyone looking to have a great Saturday afternoon. Pros: Guides Trip Companions Rapids Waterfall Experience Indestructible inflatable boats Cons: Brian left me citing inconsolable differences read more

LAKs is an AWESOME kayaking school. They took my whitewater kayaking skills to the next level and I continue to work with them to get my skills to where I would like them to be. I have participated (and still do) in group lessons, private lessons, and went to Mexico for a week; and loved doing all of it with them. The whole LAKs team are great! They are honestly great hearted people with a true desire to watch you excel in the sport. And they go the extra mile to help you out with something. I could say more about each person I have worked with, but I don't want to bore someone with a long review. read more

Fun , challenging and overall just a great trip! Sam and Tucker were awesome. My first time caving and rappeling and it was totally worth it! read more

I had an excellent experience adventuring with Calleva. The guides couldn't have made it easier by providing equipment, instructions, safety lessons, a shuttle, snacks, and water. They were happy to share their knowledge and experience of the river with us. After getting a feel for our boats, we tried surfing and the peel out. We took a break and explored a waterfall with snacks. It's incredible all this nature is in DC's backyard! read more

After a traumatic childhood paddle boarding incident, I never wanted to go on a river again. A group of friends tricked me into coming on a river trip with Calleva last weekend and I'm so happy they did! The Duckies (inflatable kayaks) were incredibly easy to use and required no balancing skills. The guides were fun and energetic and the surprising serenity of the Potomac put me at ease. Before boarding the bus, our guide Steve-O introduced some icebreakers to the group that caused some grinding, laughs, and a whole 'lotta love. Steve-O talked us through the highly anticipated "nose and toes" safety presentation, complete with visual aids. My good friend Astro Boy and I hopped in a two-man Duckie and quickly got comfortable. Despite the initial hiccup of having our paddles the wrong way, we were able to keep up with the group in a mostly straight line. Steve-O did an excellent job engaging the group with jokes, questions, and fun water activities. The highlight of the trip was stopping at a secluded waterfall midway through the day. We were able to get out, climb the rocks to the top, and enjoy the shade. The guides brought oranges, grapes, water, and other snacks for us to enjoy as well! I started this trip with some anxiety, but the moment we got on the water my fears vanished.This trip was incredible and I would highly recommend it! read more

If you're looking for a surefire way to stay cool this summer, look no further. The Whitewater "Duckie" tour is the perfect way to spend an active day with friends and family. It's also a great idea for corporate outings (team building/bonding). The tour takes you through a few rapids on the Potomac and leads you through some of the best views south of Great Falls. The pit stop at Scott's Run waterfall was a nice touch. Make sure to mention "nose and toes" during the safety brief - you will impress. I recommend doing this tour! read more