We put personal floatation devices on and 15 of us got on each raft and floated down the Bow River for an hour. The men were very clear, competent, helpful & personable. The rafts were very comfortable, slow moving, and we remained dry. It was a sunny breezy beautiful 80° day. The water is glacier fed and about 35°. We passed hoodoo's and fabulous rock formations on the banks of the river. The landscape was spectacular! read more

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This was an enjoyable experience. For those looking for some blood pumping excitement of class 3 or 4 rapids or some super crazy "wild adventurous rapids that are super fun but makes you think you can possibly die" class 4 or 5 rapids, this isn't for you. However, if you're okay with a float and chill peaceful informative experience where you have the opportunity to view the Bow River from a different perspective, see the Banff Springs Hotel, Mt. Rundle and some other cool mountains from various viewpoints as well as some hoodoos without having to hike to them in Banff, this is right up your alley! It's perfect for all ages from the young up through the seniors. While I have experienced class 3-5 rapids and enjoyed it, this class 1 rafting was very welcoming. It's a very peaceful trip that encompasses information about the wildlife, the landscape and history of the area. Our guide, Andrew ( I think that's his name) was awesome, informative and very entertaining. He was hilarious and laidback which added to the experience. Because it's a calm float, waterproof/water resistant clothing or shoes aren't required. Just wear comfortable clothing (specifically shorts or pants depending on the weather). There is no guarantee of seeing wildlife on this tour, nor is it advertised as a wildlife sightseeing tour. But, if you do - consider yourself blessed. They have all the info you need on their website. If your question is unanswered they are highly responsive via phone or email. The entire trip from start to finish is an hour. After the raft portion is complete, you are transported back to the starting point via bus. If you're worried about the depths of the river, it only ranges from 5 inches to 5 feet max in depth (don't quote me on those exact depths) per our guide. There were some super shallow portions. The guide is the only person that is paddling, so you're free to enjoy the views without worry. Since there is no shade, be sure to wear sunglasses, a hat and some sunscreen. Of course, if you feel like your guide did an outstanding job feel free to tip! read more

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If you don't want to get wet or if you have young or old in your group, this tour is for you. I like that they don't force you to pay in advance either. No discounts for Fairmont guests. They're right across the bridge next to the Waldhaus Restaurant. Guide was pleasant and never once asked for a tip - so of course we rewarded him with a good one for being not pushy like everyone else in town. read more

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Nice, easy, reasonably priced float down the Bow River. Our guide - a young guy named Jack (?) was very personable and knowledgeable.

We booked this raft tour at the last minute, and I'm so glad we did! It was a very enjoyable experience floating down the Bow River. Our guide Eric was great! He pointed out landmarks and gave us fun facts. A perfect way to spend an afternoon in Banff! read more

I went on a Raft Tour of the Snake River when I was in Grand Teton two years ago and it was the highlight of my trip. So when I was planning a trip to Banff, I wanted to see if there was a similar offering. I was excited to see that Rocky Mountain Raft Tours looked very similar to Barker Ewing, the raft company I leveraged in GTNP. So I made a reservation for my boyfriend and I to do this raft tour at 3:20p on a Friday. The email instructions were very easy to follow (especially since we were staying at the Fairmont). We arrived early, made our payment and waited in our car. Right before launch, we leveraged the portable restroom nearby the tent. Again, stacking this experience up to my Barker Ewing one, I wasn't totally impressed, but also not entirely disappointed. For starters, the guide didn't really introduce himself. I don't even think he said his name. Just hastily got us going. Throughout the journey, he did explain things and allowed us to ask questions, so it became more chill as we went on. He had fun facts to share with us throughout and there were a few inquisitive children that made it fun. One thing that annoyed me was that someone asked right away if we'd see any wildlife. He said that it would be "very rare" to see wildlife on this tour. He then gave us recommendations on where to see wildlife in the park, many of which were near Bow Valley Parkway (20+ minutes from where we were!). I just feel like that is false advertising-- if you look at their website, there are a TON of pictures of bears, moose, etc. We did end up seeing elk on our drive back to the launch deck. But I feel like they should clean up their website as it is very misleading. Otherwise, it was a very gentle and leisurely ride down the Bow River. The water was a beautiful blue when the light hit it. We rowed past the Banff Springs Hotel, got great views of the mountains and it was overall a good experience. It ended up being roughly $52/person in USD. Which is pretty reasonable (although I'm hoping a children's ticket would be less). This is a decent option for families looking for a way to get kids engaged in the outdoors that's equally fun but not as intense as a hiking trip. So a good idea to supplement your outdoors Banff trip with something unique. Just don't expect anything super eventful or any wildlife to spring up. read more

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We had such a wonderful time! Our guide was entertaining. The views were breathtaking taking. We had seniors and kids of our raft and everyone had a blast!! read more

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I enjoyed the tour, I had Sebastian as my guide and he was very knowledgeable of the area. The water was calm and tour is about an hour.

Our Canadian Rockies motor coach tour included a rafting trip on the Bow River. No rapids for us. It was nice and easy. Our guide did all the rowing while we sat and relaxed. A photographer with the Raft Tour company was perched above the rocks not far from where we got on the raft. Smile!!! as he took our photo as we floated down the river. Later on he was waiting for us at the end of our hour long trip with finished photo copies. We bought one for $15 USD. The river raft trip we took was down to the hoodoos on the Bow River. We were on the lookout for wild life but didn't see any. Our guide did his best to provide a commentary as we floated down the Bow. He emigrated from Ireland on a two year work visa which was expiring. Good luck with residency attempts!!! read more

Rocky Mountain Raft Tours - Tours Near Me - Banff, Alberta

Rafting and a herd of Elk!! This is wonderful way to experience the great Canadian outdoors in an exciting and safe way!! The hour tour takes you on a float down the Bow river where you can see all of the highlights of Canmore's gorgeous scenery, majestic mountains, and enjoy the smooth ride down the river. On our raft ride we happened to spot a herd of wild elk grazing! Our guide was kind enough to stop the raft so we could stretch our legs and witness the incredible animals in the wild. This was a wonderful experience and I recommend it to anyone looking for beautiful scenery, wildlife, and priceless memories! read more

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The raft guide was wonderful and enthusiastic - so the raft guide deserves 5 stars. He provided commentary and took pride in his work. Thank you very much to the raft guide (sorry I don't recall your first)! However, the river float itself was uneventful. Reason: No one saw any wildlife. Of course, as everyone already knows, wildlife does NOT appear on demand. I know ... and I get it. So, next time, I will hike on the trails in the area instead. read more

Great experience! Relaxing trip and beautiful scenery. Learned a lot from our (very strong) and humorous guide, who did all the work in the water. Most impressively, we were running late (our fault) and weren't going to make it scheduled time so I emailed the company to let them know we wouldn't be there. The owner quickly contacted us and because we were close he sent his bus driver to pick us up so we could still go. That's service way above and beyond, and much appreciated! read more

Brandon was our guide along the river. Wonderful adventure in Banff with beautiful scenery. This was a float trip,no white water.

We had a great time on the river. Paul was our guide and shared a lot of information about the area. Zittrain was host out, so we didn't see much wildlife, but very enjoyable hour. read more