We got back a week ago from a trip to Durango. This was the highlight of our trip. We had 7 people(2 kids, 5 adults) and all 7 of us were in the same raft. Sam was our guide. He was awesome. There were two other groups of 7 that went alongside ours, that were a part of some academy. There was a school chaperone and 6 kids in each raft. Deifnitwky kid friendly. The other two guys seemed like good guys as well. You get a chance go jump into the Animas at one point and swim around. My 8 year old hopped out and had a blast. It was cold but refreshing. Sam handled things well, even when the unexpected happened. I was up front and lost my paddle as we crashed into a rock but we easily retrieved it. We then got stuck on a rock for almost 10 minutes and the other two rafts were ahead of us. Sam tried different things and eventually hopped out and got is going again. The trip to the BBQ place was nice. You got a sandwich and a drink. The chicken was dry and eh, but the pulled pork and turkey were both excellent. If you're looking to go rafting in Durango, this is the group to go with. read more

Awesome staff!! Lawrence our guide was great!! The kids loved it!! Definitely coming back but this time we're doing the 4hr trip!! read more

Durango Rafting Company - Animas river rafting with Lawrence and the crew at Southwest Raft!! - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Durango, Colorado

Rafting- Not as good as another rafting trip with a different company on same river a few years ago, but at least the staff was friendly and nice. Oddly, no one seemed to be in charge telling the rafters what was going on. There was a 2-hour trip (1-1/2 hours on water) & 4-hour trip (3 hours on water), so we picked 4- hour kayak. Our 4-hour trip only lasted 15 minutes more than the shorter trip?? No one ever said why we didn't get what we paid for, they had earlier said water was "medium", not too low or high, so assume water level wasn't an issue. Kayaks were fun, and maybe a plus or minus... but no staff were responsible for watching us. We all laughed that we could have gone under and perhaps no one would have even noticed one of us was gone? Other trip we took had a kayak wrangler who watched/stayed with just that crew. All said, we had a lot of fun & trip was enjoyable. read more

Loved it!!! We searched online and this company offer the cheapest among everyone. Even the price of the photos are very reasonable compared to others. We went to rafting with Marcus who is a gem. He know the stuff and was very energetic and entertaining. The owner Tom was cordial and warm. We spent $50 each person for 4 hour rafting and got a heavy lunch with a choice of menu and drink at Serious Texas BBQ restaurant. Total worthy trip. I will highly recommend this company. read more

Our family of three booked a ducky (kayak) trip in early July. We wanted to make the most of our day so we booked the 4:15 trip and we were lucky enough to be the only folks on the tour. Our guide Annie was really terrific. Knowledgeable and fun, she was able to calm my anxiousness about the white water portion of the trip (less than a minute long but so fun). She was patient (having to help me out of several jams where I got stuck on rocks) and great with our 10 year too! The photos in the rapids were great and worth the purchase! read more

A great local business with friendly and hard working staff! We had a blast with our kids (5,10,12) navigating the river and hearing about local landmarks. Great guide, Caleb and friendly driver Charlotte! Thanks guys--Can't wait to do this again. read more

We had a great 2 hour trip with our kids (3 and 7) on their first rafting trip (both free!). The rapids were fairly tame, but still fun for our entire family. Matt was an exceptional, experienced guide. He gave us lots of tips and insight about things to do in Durango as well. His dog also accompanied us on our raft and was very well behaved. My wife said I can't rate this 5 stars because my 7 year old had to use the bathroom at their place before we started the trip and it was possibly the dirtiest bathroom ever. Nothing to do with rafting, but come on guys....send a guide in to clean the bathroom once a day (or month). You'll understand if you have to change clothes or go the bathroom there. Even so, we would recommend these guys. Great time! read more

They get 5 starts for making accommodations to take small children. Summer of 15' our family went rafting with them, when my daughters were 6 and 2 (1 month shy of 3). They were able to do the Animas river rafting trip with us. (Mind you, there are some level 3 rapids) They just beached the rafts before the whitest water section and let Grandma and the kids out of the raft, so they could watch us go through the rough part, and then beached it again to let them back on. Everyone loved it! Those that want more action, sit on the sides and paddle. Those that don't, sit in the middle and enjoy. The girls ended up sharing the space on the floor of the front of the raft, so they could get splashed with ever splash. Yes, the water is 38 degrees. They LOVED IT! I highly recommend this company which was friendly and helpful. Our guide, Ian, was total stereotype: the live to raft sufer dude type. Very good at what he does. Of course you have to buy the picture CD. Memories! read more

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If the owner was nice, I'd give them 5 stars. He was swearing and complaining about previous rafters as we arrived. The tour guide was nice and great with kids. Lunch was phenomenal. It was a great beginner course for us. We had so much fun, we considered going twice. read more

We went over the summer (yes, I'm 6 months late writing this review)...but, our experience bothered me enough to write this. The guide was nice, although I agree with the last review, the overall experience was a bit shady. We paid for the 4 hr trip..which turned out being 2.5 hrs plus a stop at a BBQ place (which was tasty) for lunch. Highly disappointing!!! I wanted and paid for 4 hrs of rafting! Then, they offer pics on a disc for extra money! Just be aware of those things when considering this place. read more

Why is there no sign? This outfit deserves a sign! Nice friendly guides (thanks Nate), good water for kids and beginners, and the best BBQ for miles. We really enjoyed our trip. We did the half day and rafted about 21/2 to 3 hours. This is about right. Very reasonably priced too! read more

We enjoyed a 2 hour rafting. It was really fun and the guide was very professional. Our boys (11&7) had a blast! Best time ever. We will go back next summer for sure! read more

Durango Rafting Company - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Durango, Colorado

We had a great time with this group! They were very affordable and fun!! (Just a little over $30 per person) Marcus was our guide. He gave a lot of neat info about the scenery and made the whole thing just exciting. Prepare to be a little cold, especially your feet, but also don't be afraid to get wet. Also the pictures are cheap and good quality. GO HERE read more

Durango Rafting Company - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Durango, Colorado

This has been a bucket list item for me for years. We choose this company as it seemed "mild" and I was traveling with my two young boys (kids float free) and my elderly mother. We arrived for the 130 departure. We arrived early and enjoyed the river bank. The staff is flipping amazing. Be sure to choose an early am ride as the monsoons seem to hit every afternoon in the summer! The rain was colder than the river. Rain or shine - we toughed it out. The river was low and quite mild (next time I will go on an edgier trip wo kids)! The rain runoff turned the river like chocolate in color. They take pics which you can buy on a CD. I would have brought my cell phone camera in a plastic Baggie had I had forethought. I could have easily tucked it away before the "rapids". The only reason I knocked a star is bc it wasn't the full 2 hours. We left late and arrived back early. I could have easily gone longer. read more

Durango Rafting Company - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Durango, Colorado

Signed up for a 4 hour single ducky and double ducky with my wife and 12 year old daughter. I was recommended to used the ducky as the water level was lower. Within 10 min our ducky hit a rock in the middle and I was thrown out.. My daughter was screaming.. The next 1hr 50 min were nerve ranking. With no experience on rapids, I was out of my comfort zone. My wife gave up and got a ride in the raft - her ducky was in tow. I was so nervous I couldn't decide to throw up or shi? my pants. Please don't risk your child or wifes life based on a girl in the booth. If I was going to do it over, sitting in a raft with a guide is a way to go. read more

So much fun!!!! Cameron was our raft guide today, extremely professional, informative on the area, very funny, adventurous but safe and smart. Highly recommend this company for rafting! read more

This was our 3rd rafting experience with the Durango Rafting Co. Each year we have enjoyed our trip. The guides are always friendly, informative and competent. The 4 hour trip includes lunch at Serious Texas BBQ which is a great mid-day break. We have taken young children on our trips and they have done well. However, note we typically do not raft with the girls before the 1st weekend in July. The water levels are much more kid friendly by this point. I would recommend calling before and asking what they predict the conditions to be like before booking. Post rafting, they offer pictures of your trip on a disc for an additional charge. All in all we will continue to use Durango Rafting Company. They are a great asset to the small business community here in Durango! read more

Our guide was great but the whole vibe from the owner was a little weird. He had just purchased the place and was rushed, carrying life jackets out to the trailer and yelling, "Get out of my way!" Something on the boat was broken so the guide had a tough time navigating down certain paths. The owner was late in picking us up and then made us feel rushed in leaving. I don't mind getting asked to help load boats but owners should remember to always say PLEASE and THANK YOU. read more

Booked a trip this morning for my daughters and I to go on the 2 hour trip tomorrow. Kids were so excited, and the price made sense (1 child free and 1 @$10). Low and behold, this afternoon I gat word that they were canceling my trip because they "couldn't find a guide". I booked this less than 24 hours prior to the trip, if a guide wasn't confirmed at that point I would expect that to be communicated to me IMMEDIATELY so I could make an informed decision as to what to do. Now I am scrambling to find something. Incredibly unprofessional. read more

First time rafting! Our group consisted of five adults. Marcus was a FABULOUS guide! I was very impressed with his knowledge of the river. Marcus maneuvered our raft in and out of the rapids but also in between the rocks. The water was a bit shallow in areas and Marcus guided us down the river with ease. Not only was Marcus knowledgeable with the river but with the history of Durango, CO. We did the 2 hour trip and the time went so fast! Marcus was friendly and very entertaining. We are looking forward to booking our next trip in June. read more

Durango Rafting Company - First time rafting! - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Durango, Colorado

Yahoooo! It's a bit rustic and the guys have character...but the ride was all fun. We laughed and had a great time the entire boat ride. For a group of 15. Made huge points with all of us..and to top it off their sit down lunch was the best. The restaurant BBQ meat was worth the trip. Not raft guides making sandwiches river side.... legit serious BBQ....thinking of which Co. To go with...book with them...hope this helps. Mom of 2 kids...and the dog Tim and his owner were great! read more

NEVER USE THIS COMPANY. Rude employees answer the phone with not a clue about guest service. There are several other options in the area that have competent and considerate employees. read more

Our family of 4- including two boys ages 11 and 13- went on the 4 hour trip last weekend. Our guide Sam was great!! The guides are friendly and know the river. The only complaint I have is that we weren't notified that their location had changed (original location had a fire), so we were rushed getting there as we went to the original location. No need to dock the review stars for something like that though, it's all about the experience and we all had a blast on the river:) read more

My family came over the 4th of July weekend. It was a last minute booking. We were all able to be on the same raft with just the guide. Their prices were quite a bit lower than anyone else. Chad was our guide and he was great. Everyone there was very professional, nice and fun. No complaints whatsoever about the actual rafting itself or the lunch. The reason I gave them a 4 was for them not being honest about the time and distance. They said that it was 8 miles. It was 6.8 (according to my gps). I know it can be little off depending on how much you zig and zag, but not by over 1 mile. They said that it was 4 hours. It was actually a little less than 3 including the lunch break, which we loved the BBQ place, so no complaints there either. You should under quote and over deliver. Not the other way around. read more

We had a great time on our 2 hour rafting trip. Just right for the kids - And they were free! Don't forget to bring dry clothes. And don't bring them on the boat. You will get wet!! :-) read more

All-around great rafting trip. Friendly, casual staff. Very accommodating to our family. No pressure or "upselling". Warning: may be challenging to locate, so aim to get there a bit early in case you hit the wrong address (which we did). It's NOT next to the Walmart Supercenter! It's across from Rite-Aid, down behind the strip mall. read more

We had a great experience. We are from Kansas city and this was first rafting adventure as family. Our family of 4 with two girls 7 and 8 had an awesome first time adventure. Staff was extremely friendly and guides knew their job well. It was obvious the guides love what they do. Staff interacted with our girls and made the fun adventure that much more memorable. The price was right, kids went free and my wife and I went for only $60 total. As the end we bought a CD with tons of photos for $20. We will raft with these guys again when we return to Durango. read more

Super fun day on the Animas, Zach was an excellent guide, very entertaining and knowledgable, will be back for sure! Our three kids ages 5-10, had a blast read more

We came over the 4th of july weekend and were able to book a rafting trip for the next day. The place is rough dont let it fool you it's probably why they were able to undercut their competition by almost 80 bucks for the 4 of us. This type of buisness is only as good as the staff and thats what earned them the 5 stars. RAY YOU WERE AWESOME. IF I LIVED IN CO WE WOULD BE FRIENDS. The bbq on the 4 hour trip was good and please people quit giving them less stars for the trip not being 4 hours on the water none of the companies are. If I were to do it again which I will and would have that weekend if I didnt have to pay for gas to get home. IMHO I would have done the 2 hour trip twice since it goes through the white water park and just lets out early. I could write about this place all day its rough the owner is proably a jerk to some people but who cares. In the end this place was the best deal and 1000 percent fun. Oh ine last thing.....TIP THESE GUYS FOR ALL THE HARD WORK THEY DO TO MAKE IT A FUN TIME!!! read more

My family and I went this past Tuesday. We did the two hour trip and Kip was our guide. It was a blast. Highly recommend. Need big / nice sign in front of street or down bottom of hill - so people don't pass you by and have to you turn. read more

We went on our 1st rafting trip with them. It was pretty tame for the most part with a few mild rapids but a great experience. Highly recommend it. The tour guides Zach and Maddy were wonderful! read more

Great experience! We had a group of about 25 people and had a blast! The guides were amazing and kept it exciting the entire time! I would highly recommend Durango Rafting Co. If you are going to be in the area and looking for a great experience! read more

We had a GREAT time! This was my husbands and 3 sons (11, 10 and 7) first time rafting and it had been years since I have. The boys were a little nervous but once we got started they really enjoyed it! Ian was our guide and he did a great job! Answered all the 100s of questions that my 11 was throwing at him. Great deal with kids 8 and under are free. The staff was all very friendly and knowledgeable. They also took some great pictures of us hitting the Rapids which is a great little souvenir! read more