Sometimes you have an experience that you know will stick with you for the rest of your life. This was one of those times. We did a two day south fork trip, with a stop for the night on the river bank. Our guide Cryin' Bryan(just kidding Brian!!) and bonus gear guy Gator, were absolutely amazing. The were kind, helpful, had the best stories and cooked the best food. We did 21 miles of river over two days and it was unbelievable. Things we learned on this trip... -Gator taught me how to make a camping mocha(more like chocolate coffee when I made it!) with instant cocoa mix, coffee, creamer and water. -A tortilla wrap with PB&J and trail mix is the thing of dreams. -The front right seat of the raft is the 'hot' seat(or wet seat) and you will get hammered repeatedly. Haha. -Camping on the side of the river is magic. Pure. Magic. -Hospital bar has its name for a reason. -Composting toilets in the woods smell like a gerbil cage. -Brian's love of Star Wars and pineapple fried rice lead me to believe we could be real life friends. -You can make lifelong friends out of strangers you meet on a rafting trip. The meals they provided were amazing. Well beyond normal camping fare. For sure a perk with the trip. With things like chicken salad pitas, pancakes, sandwich wraps and fajitas, we were never hungry. We upgraded to the canvas tent they have at the campground for the first night and it was wonderful. The little front porch and getting to hear the river while we slept was magic. The newly upgraded bathrooms were probably the nicest I've seen at a rustic camp ground. The shower stalls are outside, but each one has a locking door with the shower stall and a little changing area with hooks and a bench(and the rain shower heads were great, but know the water pressure isn't the hardest, but not the worst either). When the 'Boss Man' picked us up from the river on the last day, it was really neat to get to chat with him. He asked for anything we think would add to the trip, and the only thing we can think of would be to bring along a yard game for the overnight trips, like ladder-ball or something for on the river. But there is absolutely nothing we would change. Enjoy my million pictures. I really couldn't pick and choose what to show, so I showed it all! We can't wait to go back!! read more

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We enjoyed the half day class II-III+ trip. Everything went smoothly from start to end. There were chill about people being late: I think they might leave a buffer because people are always a bit late. I really appreciated they had a page linked after you book of all the things to know before the trip. Getting ready was smooth, and the guide was helpful on the way with paddling instructions and questions. We dropped into the water at two points and also got to switch seats so everyone tried being at the front. The water is extremely cold. There are two photo spots where they took pictures you can purchase. Lastly the bus to get back went great, but they kind of left us alone right after we got back to camp, even though we had some questions and were going to leave a tip (we left our wallets in the cars). read more

WHEN: Friday @1pm Adult - $99 Children - $89 Afternoon Trip: 1pm-4pm We figured we'd beat the crowded weekend by going on a weekday. It's also $15 cheaper. Our party has 2 kids and 3 adults, and of course our very own guide: Kaya. What they will provide are: + Life Vest + Helmet + Paddle What they need for you to bring is: + Water Shoes (no flip flops) + Water Bottle (you'll need to hydrate!) All rafts includes a first aid kit and a waterproof bag to keep our water bottles in. I'm glad I wore my rash guard so after I get splashed with water, its not as cold. Don't bring your cell phone unless it's in a waterproof pack like I did. But don't always have it out because you'll never know when you're about to hit a rapid and need both your hands ready to paddle! Don't worry, they have photographers on the sidelines taking photos which you may later purchase. Our enthusiastic and knowledgeable River guide Kaya did a stellar job taking our group down the lower fork of the American River. Since our raft came with oars in the back attached to the stern frame, Kaya did most of the leg work. I think this is because we had minors on our raft. I personally would have liked to do more paddling, but its the kids' first times so I get Kaya being mindful and considerate. We had a late start because people were late and they even though the others were on different rafts, they wanted to go over the safety guides at once. I thought 3 hours was a good amount--not too long and not too short. There was a combination of level 2 and 3, with some time in between to relax, enjoy our surroundings, and even go for a swim (water is cold!). Kaya was such a joy to have as our guide. They made our whole experience all the better and we trusted them the entire time. We felt safe and they gave such clear instructions the entire time. We must have gone through around a dozen rapids and when we reached the end, it was a group effort to load everything to the truck. It was a 20-minute shuttle ride back to where we started, and masks were provided. This is a great opportunity to nap! Once we arrived back and gave back our gear, we were able to use the bathrooms to changed. Since its Friday, they have a food truck we can order from too! We were told if we are returning for another run (anywhere within their company) within the same season, tickets would be 50% off! I may just consider planning another trip! read more

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We did a half day beginner class II with some class III rapids which was good for my 11yo. Due to the local mosquito fire the class IV area was closed. Check-in was easy. We drove down a gravel road and the friendly staff fitted us with a wet suit for the cooler weather, finally! Everything was provided, helmets with gopro mounts, life vests, and rain jackets. Our car keys were locked up safely and our water bottles placed in a bag on the raft. We were transported by van and given an educational tour of the local mining area that had such a rich and interesting history. Our rafting instructors prepped us with safety instructions prior to getting in. This was probably my most favorite outdoor experience thanks to our instructor Farrel. She was very calm and concise when giving various cues getting us to paddle in unison in all directions. We had so much fun attempting to surf multiple times, and she let us explore the more exciting sections of the river! Ferrel was very encouraging, easy and fun to converse with, answered all the questions we had, and we all want to come back for more!!! read more

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My friends and I had a blast going down Kaweah River, white water rafting, class IV, with these guys! Tigra, Corey, Emily, and Jake were great. There were two other girls but I forgot their names... they were all great. Thank you Tigra for guiding us safely down the river with no fish out of the water. These guys were super professional and I felt 100% safe the whole time. They went over all the safety rules and what to/not to dos. The instructions were very clear. We did luck out as we got 3 guides for the price of one! Just so happened, it was a low booking weekend so the other guides rode along. This is my second time going white water rafting and the one difference that I noticed right away was the teamwork. There were multiple companies there but they all worked as a team. If there were issues with another raft (e.g. someone fell out, stuck on a rock), we all waited and the closest guide would do what they can to help. It wasn't like, oh, not my company, not my problem. I was very impressed with that. That was one of the things that made me feel safe about the whole experience. Everyone on the river were super nice and fun. The meeting place is in Three Rivers, about 70 miles from Fresno, 240 miles from Sacramento, or 200 miles from LA. We drove down from Sacramento, none of use wanted to wake up at 4am to drive there so we actually found an Airbnb for the night close to there. We raft for about two hours, mostly because we made multiple stops to make sure everyone was ok from either falling in the water or being stuck in a current/rock. If you are afraid of falling in, then this is not for you. After rafting, we changed (they have changing tents for you) and was served a delicious tri-tip sandwich, including chips, fruit, and a drink for lunch. Also, if you book with them, any trips that you book with them for the rest of the season is half off. They only thing that I was disappointed with was that there were no pictures of us on the river. I can't really blame them because I had checked Yelp! prior to going so I just assumed there will be someone taking pictures...I never actually asked them. So, if you want pictures, be sure to ask first. Trip was fun and definitely will do it again! read more

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can't say enough about how awesome this place was!!!! for starters we had MATT as a guide and he was beyond amazing! he helped us through every rapid and made us feel super safe... besides the fact that he makes amazing food! I felt like I was at an all exclusive resort with the care that he gave me and my family... if I could give more then 5 stars I would! i'm telling u guys.. the food was absolutely delicious and the whole staff there was so friendly and kind!!! if ur thinking about booking a trip.BOOK IT.. u will have so much fun.. an experience like no other... have fun on the rapids!!! read more

Raft California - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Lotus, California

Unbeatable experience!! I cannot tell you enough how professional this company is. They think of every detail and make rafting as upscale as possible. When we arrived for our full day, 22 mile (7 hours) rafting tour, we were immediately greeted by a sweet, professional guide named Anna. She and her assistants Shay and Tawny geared us up, asked us for any special needs, and drove us 20 minutes to the river input site. There we received an entertaining and educational safety talk before hitting the water. As first timers on any river, we chose this Class III river and at no point in time we're we ever scared or in danger. This river (American River South Fork) is stunningly beautiful and offers many various ever-changing landscapes to enjoy along the way- all breathtaking. Anna was extremely knowledgeable about the details of the entire river and pointed out a lot of interesting facts and fiction... she was such a delight! Half way through the river and the day, we stopped off to this company's base camp for a barbecue of grilled burgers and snacks. Best homemade lemonade as well. The restrooms and showers at their base camp are EXCELLENT. It's as if they thought of spoiling their guests (because they also have overnight bungalows by the river at this location). The food was delicious and the multi-toilet bathroom/shower building at the site was as good as any new mall restroom and much appreciated! After a lunch pause and a quick dip in the water, we headed back out on the raft. The rest of the day was perfect as well with quite a lot of class 3 rapids and surprise waves to enjoy in between the swimmers rapids and slow poke mosey stretches. Our "Greenberghini" provided a wonderful 7 hour ride. WE HIGHLY RECOMMEND USING RAFT CALIFORNIA FOR SMALL OR LARGE GROUPS. They are awesome!!!! read more

Raft California - Class 3 waves - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Lotus, California

Great adventure and even greater service. So glad we chose this raffling company. It was so easy camping at their site where we left to enjoy 21 miles of rafting. The new bathrooms they just built made camping feel like we were staying in a hotel. I always sleep well in hotels or tents. The lunch spread was fabulous with their campsite exactly at the halfway point made it a nice land break. Will definitely book another trip with Raft California at some point. read more

Raft California - Our campsite. Clean and well situated to enjoy sleeping by the river. - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Lotus, California

Raft California was an amazing experience. They gave my fiancé an epic birthday to remember. We were initially scheduled for the Truckee River, but due to the wildfires, my group of 12 was offered the chance to ride on the American River for the same price. This saved me as a white water rafting trip was one of his birthday gifts. The management team even contacted all my guests individually to ensure this was the option for them, something I truly appreciated. Chris, our River Guide, was AMAZING and put a non-swimmer like myself at ease. Thank you all for the experience, we will definitely be back for another adventure! read more

Raft California - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Lotus, California

Tessa and Casey are the best guides ever. This was our first trip and we can't thank them enough. Seriously the best time ever. read more

Raft California - Sans, Briana, Tessa, Casey, Corey, aubriana - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Lotus, California

Raft California hosted an unforgettable two day adventure on the Middle Fork for our girl scout troop. Big thank you to Tigra, Sara, and Tessa! These inspiring women guided our all female adventure and were great role models for our girls! The food prepped by our guides was delicious and took into account our varying dietary needs. The side hikes to visit waterfalls were awe-inspiring, though you will be doing more rock scrambling than you think. I wore Tevas but I think next time I'd rather wear lightweight, quick dry hiking shoes for more grip. Thanks to being a dam-controlled segment of the river, we were able to enjoy big Class IV rapids in August. Tunnel Chute and Kanaka were our favorites. One thing to note. Look carefully at the packing list and do not pack a single thing more. When it says you only need one dry outfit, you only need one dry outfit. Don't bring a ton of toiletries, you won't be doing your daily skincare regimen on this trip. Toothbrush, hairbrush, meds, and feminine supplies are enough. When we were picked up, we had to pare down our bags to be able to fit on the gear boat. It was a little jarring at first, but it makes a lot of sense given how much needs to be packed to be able to put on this adventure. The provided sleeping pads worked well for the teenagers, but the moms universally agreed we would pack our own next time. We will definitely go on more adventures with Raft California. read more

Raft California - At the bottom of the Tunnel Chute! - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Lotus, California

This is about their poor customer service after making the reservation and before our adventure. I am trying to reach out to them since a week via email and phone regarding some questions and change in my reservation. Since a week there is no response to my emails and numerous voice messages that I have left. I sincerely wish that some one from the company sees this review and respond back. read more

My family of five (kids 13,10 & 7) have done two separate trips this summer and both were fantastic experiences. All the staff we've encountered have been super friendly and really helpful. We loved the first trip so much that when friends from Sweden were visiting we took them up there for a return trip for us and true California experience for them. Ryan C and Greg were the guides for our two trips and both did a great job. We stayed overnight in one of their glamping tents for our May visit (highly recommend) but passed on the second visit as daytime temps were 100+ which just seemed too hot for a canvas tent. But the private deck with the sound of the river running below made for a really enjoyable experience. read more

First off thanks to "Will" our guide, 8-10-19 we had the most Bad Ass rafting adventure ever! He was super chill and funnier than hell...He has a GREAT personality! He knew that river and water like no other, Will had that raft under control at all times, he was a killer guide. We did the 1st 10.5 Miles then had lunch, this Company does it up, Burgers with all the fixings, chips, 5 bean salad, grapes and watermelon and cookies yummm! The last 10.5 Miles was probably our favorite part. Satan's Cesspool and Hospital Bar were some wild rapids and we got some great photos thanx to Hot Shot. (Yes we bought them all) Kraig and I will definitely be back, our next trip will be the Wine Tasting and Raft 2 day trip. Thanks again Will for one hell of a fun and wild time! PS that Joke was friggin Hilarious Thanks again, Kraig and Lisa Hawkins read more

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River rafting the Truckee River was a blast! From the moment you arrive the fun begins. Everyone in our group had a fantastic time. Cowabunga Dan was an amazing guide. We all felt so comfortable and safe the entire trip.This was my first time down rapids and I was not disappointed! After "Jaws", " Rock Garden", " Pinball" and " Bronco" I felt like a well seasoned rafter. We wish we could have gone all day. The river is beautiful and the wildlife will surprise you. Thank you to the entire staff for a wonderful family outing! We look forward to seeing you again. read more

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literally the best experience, ever! Second time rafting with this company. First time was the lower fork of the American river, and this recent trip was on the middle fork of the American river. Our guide, Casey Brown (I hope that's how you spell his name) was 100000% the best guide. He read the energy of our group, and made the experience personalized and EPIC! We hit each rapid and we had the best lines. The whole company did a great job organizing, getting us there, and providing lunch on the full day trip. We will for sure be using this company again! read more

I booked last minute (the week of) and was able to get a small raft where everyone was carrying their load. Everyone was an adult and we didn't have to worry about playing games and just enjoy the river. Tegan was a great guide and constantly gave us a line of what to expect and getting us to go the way she tell us. The middle fork have a great start and a pretty good end. There was a bit of nature watching in the middle. It was a fun trip and would be doing it again if I live closer to this part of the country. Would highly recommend this. read more

Raft California - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Lotus, California

Had the most AWESOME time with Raft California. The experience was phenomenal and our guide JEREMY was STELLAR! Jeremy is very experienced and always made us live our rafting experience to the upmost adventure! Our camping experience was great! We were able to camp on the property and the staff welcomed us with open arms. They provided lunch with the rafting adventure and breakfast for us campers the next morning. There are clean bathrooms and showers as well. VERY IMPORTANT! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND YOU TRY THIS COMPANY. read more

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I did a one day rafting trip with 6 friends with Raft California. It was a full day (8am - 5pm) endeavor with lunch included. Altogether, it cost about $180 per person not including tip. Hard to compare price, as I've been rafting a limited number of times this season, but I can say the experience was great. Our guide, Irish (short for a really long 11 syllable name) was fantastic. I rarely write reviews, but I felt this particular trip deserved a very special mention. Not only was Irish extremely knowledgeable about all the rapids that were coming up, he also told us what to expect, whether we'd need to row forward, backward, or lean in beforehand so we wouldn't be caught surprised. The other guides from Raft California did this similarly, so it's clear that the guides are well-trained. Where Irish stood apart from guides from other companies was that he was able to make the entire trip enjoyable and informative. He talked about how certain rocks look like political figureheads, gorillas, dogs, etc. And if the water came up to a certain point, then it meant the flow was low, medium, or high. We did a lot of bonus activities, like "riding the bull" at the tip of the raft for some areas, closing our eyes until we reached the "Surprise!" rapid, many of these would not have happened if we had gone with a different company. This was the second time I did this route in a month, and I can't believe how much I missed the first time due to a guide that was less experienced and less enthusiastic. Lunch was also a notch fancier. They had an outdoor kitchen setup that only Raft California has. Overall, the experience felt more unique and higher end compared to the other companies that do rafting in this area. read more

If you're looking for a company to go rafting with, stop, look no further as you have arrived at your destination. Raft California gave my group of 10 an unforgettable experience. The company was well organized, on time, fun to hang with, and was obviously formed by an awesome group of people. The guides are all hilarious and incredibly skilled. I had a lot of questions initially, the team member over the phone was able to answer all of them and help me get my trip set up in minutes. And to top it all off, the scenery was to die for. What a gorgeous, absolutely beautiful river. The team always went the extra mile to make sure we were getting the full experience. What more could you ask for? I highly recommend you schedule a rafting sesh and see for yourself :) read more

Who wants to get wet and wild! Ladies? The ones in the white tees.. I'm not talking to you because you already know. Ok granted that the lifevest will cover up the majority of your upper body, it's not THAT kind of wet and wild adventure. But you do end up wet at some point. Fair warning though, the river is quite cold. Even though it was 100 degrees on the day I went (mid Sept), the water was refreshingly icy. Initial jump in feels great against sunbaked skin. 20 seconds in and you could start to feel the icyness. A minute in and your toes will start to feel numb. Stay any longer and it'll turn any inverted nipple inside out and merge those two balls into one. Your little man has now become a one eyed monster. There's an overwhelming amount of options out there for river rafting; honestly, we just picked this place because of the Groupon deal. Contrary to what I thought about businesses that advertise on Groupon, this place is actually very professional and didn't look like they even needed the extra advertisement. We witnessed firsthand why this place is better than some of the others. They care about your safety. We had helmets, which we saw some of the other companies didn't provide. Our guide actually rescued a guy floating downstream and helped a neighboring raft when their other rafts left them behind, and they were from a different company! Our guide, Casey, was great and knowledgeable with interesting stories about the river and the surrounding landscape. He kept us entertained with variations of rafting down the rapids: the normal frontal way, backwards w/o looking back, and standing up.. that's how Ron Jeremy also keeps his patrons entertained. Casey also pretty much let us do anything we requested. We had time to jump in for a swim, pick blackberries, play Ninja Rodeo, and swing on a rope that was hanging from the bridge. In the end, all the guides set up a lunch for us. Awesome, hardworking guys. This experience was a steal at the price we paid - $79 includes all taxes and fees (including river fee) for a one-day run. I called them and booked directly with them for the Groupon price, without having to buy the Groupon. They are a pretty organized group, experienced, and allows you plenty of playtime. And they cook you lunch afterwards?! I was sold there. Warning: Your butt will ache the next day in places you never even knew muscles existed. Is this how guys in jail feel like the next day? read more

Raft California - Opening to the river by the picnic area. There's gold dust in the shallow end. - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Lotus, California

The most wonderful 2 day weekend on the American River. Our guide Jason was wonderful so knowledgeable worked very hard see we had everything we needed. The food was so unexpected so excellent. Irish's mashed potatoes were very good. The equipment is in excellent condition from the rafts to the tents. Thank you everyone for the GREAT weekend. Looking forward to the next trip. read more

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Jack was an awesome guide!! He was very helpful when 2 members of our party went overboard. He kept us entertained and safe the whole trip!! P.S. killer mustache!! read more

Had an incredible time! Casey, our guide, coach, & historian, was awesome!! Can't wait to do it again!! read more

Raft California - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Lotus, California

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It's all about memories! Family vacation to Tahoe so we booked a rafting trip on the South Fork. Kids haven't stopped talking about it. Raft California did a great job and our guide Baldo was amazing. As he got comfortable with our abilities, he pushed more fun features in the water. He was a great balance between fun and safety. The Gorge was a beautiful place to raft and the level of rapids was just right for our group. Raft California did not take any shortcuts regarding COVID and they followed all the rules required by the state. First class trip and we will be back to try a different route. Don't forget to request Baldo, he shows a good time. read more

After a couple short pandemic years (...) we finally were able to use our voucher for a trip on the American River. The trip was fantastic. Super effective organization on top of a very relaxed fun atmosphere. Our guide Gabe was very enthusiastic and I felt very safe with him. Great lunch, too. Strongly recommend this company! read more

Me and my friends booked a trip with Adventure Connection on 06/30/2018 and it was simply an amazing experience! We were a party of eight out of which seven of us were non swimmers. A big shout out to our guide, Will! I was nervous at first, but Will took really good care of us. He was very friendly, showed us a great time, and kept us entertained all along the way. The rest of the staff was also very friendly and helpful. I definitely recommend Adventure Connection to all the people out there planning on a rafting trip on the South Fork American River. I usually don't feel compelled to write reviews anywhere online, but my trip with Adventure Connection made me join Yelp and write this review. I hope this review helps someone. read more

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After sending out messages to a few companies R.C was the quickest to respond. The representative was very informational and polite. We decided to book a rafting adventure on the Truckee river. The rafting adventure was about 7-miles long and two hours in total on the water. We experienced many level 2-3+ rapids along the trip. Our guide Matty was an absolute pleasure. He had a wonderful personality and was knowledgeable, friendly and fun. His expertise as a guide was what I would consider expert level. Matter helped make this rafting experience world class for an intermediate rafting adventure. I went with my lady, mom and daughter and we will be booking another adventure before the season is over. Thank you to Matty and R.C for the wonderful experience read more

We had a terrific half day on the middle fork of the American River. Staff and owner were so professional, fun, enthusiastic, and there to help everyone have a safe great time. We will certainly be doing another rafting trip again in a few weeks with these folks! Cheko was the best! read more

We had an amazing time with our guide, Irish! It was a picture perfect day on the South Fork. The oar raft was an excellent choice for some of our first time rafters. We (Irish) navigated the whitewater, including Satan's cesspool, and had a fantastic time. My only critique is that we would have wanted a little more space between our 6 boats and the other companies on the river at the same time. I highly recommend Raftcal for your next rafting adventure! We will be back. read more

Raft California - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Lotus, California

We went twice this season and both trips were awesome! First trip was the Truckee half day with Maddy. He was great at explaining how to paddle as a team and explained all of the key safety precautions. After the the "business or housekeeping" rules were out of the way he was laid back and shared stories on the history of the area, and shared stories of trips he's guided and the places he had been. He also talked about some of the other trips we that were offered since we were excited and interested in going out again. Our second trip was yesterday and we did the SouthFork half day trip. Our guide was Nate that was was wise beyond his years. He was fun, engaging and brought some good stories of his travels while we navigated the 7 mile stretch of the river. All smiles and we can't wait to go again next season!! Going to make this an annual MUST for our family. read more

This past weekend we took a group of 16 from our church. Raft California did such an awesome job providing a fun 11 mile raft trip!! Our group had a wide variety of experiences and ages, but it was still such a fun experience for everyone! 100% would recommend this company to anyone, but especially to people who want to try it but are nervous about the safety of it! read more

Where's the sixth star? ****** Top notch experience. Took my college aged son, we wanted to go on a camping and rafting trip before classes started up. He had never been rafting, I've been a dozen times. By far, Raft California is a very pro outfit and with the friendliest staff, from the reservationist I spoke with on the phone, to the hostess who greeted us at the campsite, to the incredibly friendly and professional, experienced guides and van drivers. Highly recommend them. We stayed at their private campground which has some of the most amazing and updated facilities I've ever experienced at any campground. All updated bathrooms that are well stocked and maintained, and get this...hot showers! We opted to upgrade to one of their ten canvas tents rather than pitching our own on the ground. The canvas tent was superb with a very spacious interior on a raised platform, a private deck that offered a table to dine/play games on, comfortable seating, and solar powered bistro lights that you can turn on at night. A big bonus is their property goes right up to the riverbank so you can easily go fishing, as well as enjoy the sound of the river around the clock. For the rafting we were on the Class 4 Middle Fork of the American River. Our driver Larry is an amazing pro as he navigated the van safely and effortlessly up the windy narrow mountain road to our put-in site. And the gems of the trip were the three incredibly engaging, very knowledgeable and fun guides, Sarah, Josh and Gabe. The confidence they exude is exactly what you want when hitting those class 4's. You can immediately tell they enjoy what they're doing and they thoroughly enjoy working together. They made it so much fun! Our guide, Sarah, truly knows her stuff, not only guiding us safely but she shared so much wonderful knowledge about the surrounding area and its rich history. She was engaging with us the entire time which made our rafting experience that much more enjoyable. Thank you, Sarah, and the entire Raft California crew! You guys rock and made our trip a blast!! read more

GREAT GREAT TRIP...perfect ending to summer B4 the school starts in the Bay Area. NATE; was our rafting guide, he is a KEEPER, he is a talent, and We All Had a Great Time on the River w/ Him. We will be back & WE RECOMMEND BOTH RAFT CALIFORNIA & NATE to all newbies or adventure seekers. read more

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Second time rafting first time with Raft California, this won't be our last. We've decided to turn this into an annual trip and use Raft California every time. We had a blast the entire time. Everyone working there was wonderful but hands down the absolute best guide ever is Irish!!! I will request him every time we go. Teens as well as adults enjoyed him as a guide. I watch other companies and observed the ride they had, didn't compare to ours. There wasn't a moment where we were bored, and this says a lot when you have 6 teens age boys between 14-17. Because of Irish we all decided this is our company for our yearly rafting excursion. If I had free time over next month I'd book another trip. read more

Raft California - No one fell out of the raft once. - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Lotus, California

Great first time water rafting experience with guide JACK My husband and I took our three kids, ages 13 and 9-year old twins, with Aunt and married uncle in-law and all had a great time! Our oldest son is an ASD kid and can be extremely fearful of new experiences. JACK, our raft guide, made the afternoon safe, fun, and memorable. He was just the right amount of talkative, lots of good river and area history and info and good with the kids . We recommend this company and will go again on the next higher rapids level 4 now that we know we are in good hands with 'Raft California' read more

Raft California - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Lotus, California

This was my first time to California and I really wanted an adventure. Rafting was in my bucket list. We did a full day trip on the American South fork. Perfect amount of Rapids for this newbie 53 year old. My 22 yo had a blast as well. Our guide, Tigra was top notch. Many years of experience which gave me reassurance I was in good hands. Stopped for lunch which was perfect! Chet grilled up some delicious burgers. Tigra and the rest of the guides chopped up all the fixings. Tigra was great at explaining each rapid and what we were going to do. She was also knowledgeable about the geological system, wild plants and wildlife. My daughter is here for another two weeks and wants to go back especially because if you are a return customer this year, your trip is 1/2 price. read more

Fantastic Voyage! We took the two day Wilderness South Fork American River trip with 5 families and had the time of our lives. The entire experience was professional and customer focused from start to end. Jenny provided an easy link so that each of our families could book and pay, we were greeted by the camp host who was so friendly. We camped at their campgrounds on the river which were clean, had hot showers and flush (non-smelly) toilets. Our 'Non campers' stayed in the canvas platform tents and were very happy with the arrangements. There is a very nice swim eddy at camp for the youngers to play in the water and cool off. All this was before the rafting, which was excellent, the food delicious - the guides Brian and Jack were experienced, happy and helpful. We ranged in ages from 8 to 58 and all had a wonderful time. We will be back! read more

Raft California - Captain Brian, experienced and helpful. - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Lotus, California

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My experience with adventure connection was really great and huge shout out to our guide wills!As a non swimmer, at first I was very nervous but wills took care of us on the river as well as on the preparation before we start the trip.wills had a great sense of humor and he made the trip fun all along the way.Me and my friends were group of eight and we took a 11 mile stretch and our guide did a great a job from start to end. Over all a great fun filled experience. read more

Raft California - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Lotus, California

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SOOO GOOD. This was seriously one of the best adventures I've been on. I went with a group of 8 on the two day trip, which was 3 sessions and two nights of camping (the Friday night was optional but it was nice to wake up there). The camping along the river was excellent, you can hear the water right in your tent! We opted for the package which included breakfast / lunch / dinner, which was quite tasty. We were surprised that dinner included some local beer and wine as well. The campground has running water, showers, flush toilets, and even carts to help get your gear from the parking lot down to the camp sites. There are also cabin-style camping tents if you don't own a tent. The actual rafting was amazing. We were given very clear instructions at the beginning and luckily we didn't have to use any of the knowledge of what to do if something bad does happen, but we felt prepared as well. The equipment we used was all in good shape -- no bent paddles or broken buckles on helmets or anything like that, and the rafts and busses were clean and well-maintained -- no worries there. The guides were all excellent, and while it was the first time on whitewater for half of our raft, we never felt like we were in danger -- it was very clear that our guide, Tigra, knew exactly what she was doing (as did the other Raft CA guides). As we did have some more experienced paddlers onboard and we were all able-bodied adults in relatively good shape, we took some of the more fun route options through the rapids. We made plenty of exhilarating moves, including spins and bouncing off of rocks. It felt like we were dancing down the rapids. We never had anyone go overboard unintentionally, though there were a few opportunities to swim next to the boat if you wanted to cool off. Tigra also had tons of knowledge about the river, rafting in general, nature, and lots of fun stuff! She did a great job answering all of our questions and sharing interesting information about what we were doing and the environment we were doing it in. She's definitely one of the most interesting people I've ever met, and her passion for sharing the river and creating a great experience is obvious in everything we did. Out on the river we also noticed that generally we seemed to be hitting the lines we wanted and sticking together much more than a lot of the other rafts out there. We felt like we were in very good hands. Everything ran according to schedule and seemed professional without feeling lame or stuffy at all -- the people doing this seem to genuinely enjoy being out there and they have TONS of fun. Can't wait to do this again, probably the middle fork next time as our group felt like we could handle a bit more :) Thanks much to everyone at Raft CA for helping us create these life-long memories. read more

Raft California - Yes, you're going to get wet - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Lotus, California