I booked a white water rafting trip during Labor Day weekend. I was not expecting it to be 48° outside. But nonetheless at 8:30am, a group of dedicated rafters and I took to the lower yough for some fun. Rob was our guide in the raft and he was great. The lower yough trip is a great option for beginners who want a little thrill. The rapids aren't too intense and it helps with a guide in the raft. Wilderness voyageurs also offers other outdoor activity options like bike rentals and kayak rentals. Take advantage of their pub too. It is a great resource to the ohiopyle area. read more

Stop......two things.... Book this company Ask for Kenzie. From start to finish everything was amazing. We had such a great time. Can't wait to come back. read more

Wilderness Voyageurs - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Ohiopyle, Pennsylvania

Great place to stop when in ohiopyle. I wish they had more selection though. It is hard to find true outdoor stores in the Laurel Highlands and I hate having to got to the city for what I need. read more

Really easy to rent a bike here, and it's a short 5 minute ride away from the GAP trail head. At $8 an hour, the rate really can't be beat. The bikes are good quality with gears, suited for the leafy/rocky trail terrain. The staff is pretty helpful with pointing out good bike trails in the area, and finding a bike suited to your needs. Highly recommend checking it out for scenic bike rides in the fall! read more

My wife and I always stop here and rent bikes. The bikes are always in great condition. Recently there was a couple working at the location where we picked up the bikes. They were super friendly. read more

We did the Lower Yough with Phoenix and had a great time! Even though the water was kind of low, he made it exciting and was knowledgeable about the area, as well as rafting! (He even stopped for a moment to help some inexperienced rafters who were stuck.) We will be back! read more

Thank you so much to the team and especially to Zach for a fantastic day on the lower Yeough. We had an amazing 3 hours of fun and gorgeous views. Highly recommended! read more

My friends and I came here on a rainy, cold weekend and boy, it was an emotional rollercoaster! The Yough River's water level was pretty high due to all the rain, so we completed the course pretty quickly at 2 hours. We weren't complaining though, because we were completely SOAKED and freezing! Despite our misery during the rafting, we are already looking back on this experience with fondness. Our rafts were completely new and sturdy (it was their maiden voyage!), and our guides (Steve and Alex) were very knowledgeable, friendly and tried their best to keep our spirits high. I would definitely want to come back again on a HOT summer day when cold river water would be appreciated and we would actually be willing to take a swim. The lunch that was included in our trip was kind of lacking. We ended up eating it before we headed out because our guides didn't want us to eat in the rain mid-trip, which was very considerate of them. I do acknowledge though that the food was meant to survive a wild ride and we were supposed to eat on the river while tired, famished and grateful for food. If I keep that in mind, the food really wasn't bad! read more

Wilderness Voyageurs - Peanut butter, jelly, cold tortillas, 6 slices of bread, pickles, cheese, chicken and cranberry salad mix - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Ohiopyle, Pennsylvania

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Went here for an impromptu birthday bike ride. The prices are reasonable(you can pay by hour or day for bike riding) and the staff are very laid back. Adventure atmosphere to the max. The only negative I have is that the bikes are huge...and I'm not a biking expert by any merit(before today I hadn't rode a bike since 2011) but I'm not a short person either (5foot 7.5) and yet my feet could not reach the ground while being on the bike. I don't know how common this is but there were no kick stands on the bikes either which I found extremely odd but still useable. For anyone planning on biking at Ohiopyle I would recommend this place (for the location and price) and I also would suggest using minimal effort while biking away from the town because you will need all your effort on the way back. Luckily I had this in mind from previous experience and biking 12 miles was gorgeous. Ohiopyle is awesome as always. Note:this business has shops on both sides of the river and they do suggest making reservations beforehand. read more

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Some of us fell out of the raft. Some came very close to it. There was a lot of shouting and commands and talk of water moccasins, getting stuck under rocks and smacking each other in the face with paddles. And it was so much fun! As part of our Memorial Day weekend in southwest Pennsylvania, we booked a rafting trip for the six in our group. I had been rafting several times before, though it's been several years, and this was a great way to dive -- or, err, paddle -- back into it. The biggest thing that stuck out to me about going through Wilderness Voyageurs is the fact that you don't have a guide in your boat. Getting through the rapids is up to you. We were in a group with about six other boats, and the guides accompanied us in kayaks that floated along with us. The training covers everything you need to know, and they make your boat name one person as the captain to call out commands. Before each rapid, the guides pull all the boats over to the side of the river and go over how each rapid should be traversed, telling us what to avoid. They were also stationed in the middle of some of the more difficult rapids, on top of rocks, to give us directions via hand signals. (Stopping after each rapid makes the trip a bit longer, but considering the day that we rafted was such a beautiful day, I didn't mind.) So when you're face to face with a rapid, it's just you and your friends. These were Class 3 and 4 rapids (considering the water was high that day) too. Still, while the rapids got my heart pumping -- and not just because I was paddling with all that I had -- I never felt in danger. The guides took great care of us, from their kayaks. Some of the other boats in our group tested our guides' abilities, consistently choosing the most dangerous routes. But everyone made it to the end of the day in one piece and, from what I could tell, happy with the experience. The guides also served us a simple lunch of sandwiches, fruit, veggies, water and sweet tea at a small beach along the window. They were very friendly and even entertaining, like on the bus ride back to Wilderness Voyageurs HQ. All in all, it was such a fun day. I'm really hoping we go back to this part of Penn and get to raft on the even more difficult part of the Youghiogheny River, though when we do that, I'm sure we'll have a guide in our boat. read more

Wilderness Voyageurs - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Ohiopyle, Pennsylvania

Can't recommend this organization highly enough. They are well-organized, have capable and experienced guides, and do a great job of creating rides for people with a variety of skill and experience levels. We just completed their 3-day 94-mile "easy rider" tour on the Pine Creek and Ghost Town rail trails. For us--not in great shape and with limited mileage under our belts--it was a bit of a challenge but mostly just a great experience pedaling fairly easily through gorgeous scenery. Big props to guides Anna and Frank who shuttled us and 10 other riders to the starts of both trails. They do a lot of physical labor loading bikes and luggage and provided us with great support twice: once after a tumble on a trail (straightened handled bars and other minor fixes) and again after a freak tire tube blowout (when the bike was just sitting outside the van). Frank fixed it before I even knew it happened. Frank was an enthusiastic font of historical information and we felt well cared for by both of them. The lodging and meals the organization provided for us were great, too. read more

Wilderness Voyageurs - One of many old rail bridges on Pine Creek Trail - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Ohiopyle, Pennsylvania

We took an unguided inflatable kayak trip on the Middle Yough. The kayaks were quite old. We had to wait 30 minutes at their store only to hear an extremely long safety talk (kayakers and rafters together) at the water. It's a long paddling trip with little whitewater except for the first and last mile. read more

I came here with my family for class 3 white water rafting on the lower Youghiogheny River, it was the first time white water rafting for three of us and we were a little nervous. I'm not a strong swimmer and fell out once but the guides talked us through what to do and everything was fine. The guides were very nice and helpful. The only thing I didn't like was that there were other families and one of the other rafts had very rude people on it who kind of made my experience a little less enjoyable. That is not the company's fault though, so still 10/10 highly recommend! read more

Wilderness Voyageurs - Me about to fall out of my raft - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Ohiopyle, Pennsylvania

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The 2-day Learn2Kayak weekend was my best and fun-most kayaking learning experience ever. A grand shout-out to Dan, Quinn, Nick and Josh Lawrey​, who added style, confidence and superb technical expertise to my kayaking weekend on the Youghiogheny River. I am a life-long rafter, who picked up WW kayaking only recently. Getting into a WW kayak was, and still is, a humbling experience for me: I panic-paddles and get white-knuckled every time the boat bobs under me. These guys restored my confidence: despite my non-rolling, I was surfing a small hydraulic with Dan on day one, and perfecting my eddy turns with Quinn on day two. At the end of day two I was ready to xoxoxoxo every one of these guides for helping me through my fears. I still don't roll (Josh, your rolling instruction rocks!), and it's OK, because I don't swim either. My MO today is to stay upright in my kayak no matter what. Dan, Quinn, Nick and Josh, I will be back for more kayaking wisdom next summer. Tips for the first timers: What to expect/do: You'll be wet, cold, and scared. There will be water in your nose, ears, and eyes. You'll probably tip over where you least expect it. You'll gain a new appreciation for the river. You will learn how to read the water, fall in love with rocks that make up eddies and learn to avoid the rocks that tip your boat. You'll learn paddle tricks and river-guide jargon. You will have fun. You will make new friends. What not to expect/do: Don't try to be cocky or impress anyone: this is a very humbling experience, and, frankly, your classmates don't give a sh** about you. Your brain should be in fun, learning and survival mode (if it's not: you are in the wrong classroom, bro, take a hike). You provably wont roll, and if (and when) you do (applause), don't try this at home alone: come back for a private instruction or do those with a buddy who knows their stuff. Nose and toes swim may look easy, but your ass will be tenderized by meeting up with a few rocks at the bottom of the river. Painless morning of the day two isn't on the menu, nor is the perky Monday following the weekend. A few more tips: Get into a wet-suit Gloves can help Bring Tylenol Bring water bottle with a carabiner Bring a GoPro camera Leave all expectations at home Trust your guides Tip your guides Smile Last before the closing line: if you are anything like me, get a Season Pass. You will get your money worth. The bottom line: It is a love-hate relationship, kinda like golf: when you are just about to quit, you score a perfect one, and you are instantaneously back on top. read more

My friends and I spontaneously decided to go rafting and the only time slot open was 9am. We decided to take the early slot and I am so glad we did! It was a great experience. Our guides, Thomas and Anna, were so much fun and very knowledgeable about the Yough's rapids and surrounding wildlife. The trip was the perfect mix of adrenaline rushes and pure bliss. We are eager to try rafting in other areas now! read more

We did the lower yough white water rafting. It was our first time doing any sort of rafting. Noah was our guide and we have to tell you he was the man. We had so much fun. Granted we had a good group of people that all were experienced, but noah made the trip memorable with a bunch of great jokes and general knowledge of the whole experience. We will definitely be back and request him. Oh and becca was the van driver that drove us safely everywhere. We will be back with a big group for sure. read more

Review for BEGINNERS white water kayaking: Been wanting to try white water kayaking for awhile now, finally got to experience it. I did the beginners guided WW kayaking package which was 2 days on the river, breakfast included. Was NOT what I was expecting at all! I thought we'd learn to roll then float down the river... wrong! There is so much more to WW kayaking people don't realize. It really is a mind over matter type experience. This is not for the weak minded, undetermined people. You will be cold, you will spend time upside down in the water, you will be scared. It's perfectly normal but with that being said it is not for everyone! If you don't feel up to the challenge I suggest not even doing this. But if you can gear yourself into fight mode then try it and stick it out both days, you will be glad you did! About the guide: Josh is an excellent guide with many many years experience and it really shows. He takes his job seriously and his instructions were outstanding when it came to learning different techniques. He made it easy to understand and to put what you learned into practice. Most importantly, he makes you feel very comfortable in the water. Being calm, flipped upside down in the water with jagged rocks around your face seems impossible right? Well that's what he teaches, overcoming the panic is the first step and he'll give you all the tips and knowledge you need to succeed! His helpers, nick, dan and Quinn were also very knowledgeable and helpful. Very upbeat and kept it fun! What we learned: We learned how to roll, catch an eddy, ferry, bow rescues, emergency escapes, how to surf, how to read the river and some fancy paddle techniques so we could maneuver around rocks easily. What to wear: Okay so I was at a loss, a week before The trip I was looking up dry shirts which are very expensive for nice ones. $200-300 and up! The temps were in the 70-80s all weekend but the water in the coldest parts were in the 60s. I decided to wear my under armor workout t-shirts and similar spandex capris which were made of polyester and nylon and I was fine. Anything quick drying will do the trick honestly. Just DO NOT WEAR COTTON! I saw some people wearing board shorts and long sleeve rash guard looking shirts. My bf had a semi dry paddling shirt he got at REI for $100 and he said it worked very well. Even if you don't find something suitable before your trip, they have an awesome little store that sells all the gear you need! They will lend you a wet suit if you'd rather so no big deal if you don't have the right clothes with you! Overall: I am use to recreational kayaking and these WW kayak boats are such a different experience! It's almost like you have to become one with the boat! I know that's cheesy but honestly, once you learn how to maneuver your boat you can control it much easier than a recreational kayak. It's a humbling experience, you have to literally train your brain to do the opposite of what it naturally wants to do! The whole mind over matter thing. We naturally panic when we are upside down in the water so trying to stay calm and remember the techniques to get rightside up and not freak out while doing it was a challenge for me. I would definitely do this again, it's a shame I couldn't get any pics, the second day we went down the middle yough to put our newly learned skills into practice and it was just so beautiful! It's not that you can't bring your phone or a camera but they warn you not to bring anything you don't want getting lost or wet. We all brought water bottles, there's a place in the kayak that holds a regular 16-20oz water bottle. Some tips: -If you camp at the state park be sure to reserve a spot a ways ahead of time cause they are super busy and packed during the summer. -if you type in Ohiopyle pa on the Airbnb app, a yurt at rafferty manor or a room for rent in the manor comes up as the first two searches which is literally right across the street from wilderness Voyageurs and to the right of the pub -the pub down the street from wilderness Voyageurs is where you'll meet for breakfast then your guide will come collect you about an hour later and tell you where to meet to grab your gear -Bring a water bottle you don't mind losing -bring a change of clothes and a towel to leave in your car for afterwards, there's a public shower across from the kayak rental place. -expect 12-15 other people. Yes, it was crowded but a few people didn't show the second day which made it so much more enjoyable imo, no offense to them it was just better less crowded. If this is going to be annoying, book a private lesson which is probably what I'll do next time. read more

We had an awesome time going down the lower river. The entire team was awesome starting with our guide Quinn. Quinn took a group of first timers and a 12 year old who was not too happy about the possibility of crashing into rocks trees etc and navigated the river with all parties staying in the boat! The others in the water in kayaks (swim coaches!) ensured that everyone had a safe and awesome trip!!! I highly recommend wilderness voyageurs for your white water experience! read more

Unfortunately my group didn't make it there due to an emergency, but there devoted staff felt my pain and refunded the entire trip, they are great people and it's a pleasure to deal with them! read more

We did the class 3 raft with guide on Friday at 1pm. Check in was easy. We were told that the guides were late and had to wait 45 mins. They didn't even offer any water while we waited. It was a hot day. Wish I had known I could have brought a fanny pack so I could have brought my phone to take pictures. During the trip they have smooth waters. There were photos taken while going down a rapid. The other guide actually took the time to take several group photos for his raft. Not sure if it was before or after the rapid. Our guide,Rachel, did not give us that option. Wish she did. She was however extremely friendly and knowledgeable. Answered all our questions happily. She knew the river and is skilled. We had a great time. read more

Great day on the river. Our guide Bryan was encouraging and very fun. We did the middle Yough, it was a lot of paddling and not as many rips as we thought. We had 2 adults and an 11 year old in our raft. An extra adult paddling would have been faster but we made it down river. read more

This was our first time whitewater rafting on the middle of the Youghiogheny River. Our guides Aiden and Hailey were fantastic! They gave thorough instruction on how to navigate our raft without tipping over. This tour is definitely for first timers as the rapids are very few. Lots of paddling on calm water. We stopped midway for lunch which was provided for us. The entire trip, including the bus ride to our starting point, lasted about 6 hours. Definitely a day well spent! read more

Spent the day with JT as part of the fly fishing raft trip. He is super patient, loves to share and teach newbies to fly fishing but also lots of knowledge to help a seasoned fly fisher. We had a great day on the river and brought a very tasty lunch from the Fall City Pub...Caught some fish and learned a lot about the river, rafting, and where they hide (the fish). Highly recommend spending a day on the water with JT in raft or on a walk wade trip... read more

I did an Eastern Shore of Maryland bike tour with Wilderness Voyageurs in late April of 2018. It was excellent! What made a difference was the guides. One was an expert bird person and it made the trip and especially the tour of the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge a biking tour de force. There were osprey, many bald eagles and incredible commentary. The fellow riders were super friendly too. Tom read more

We went on the Upper Yough rafting trip this past Saturday - our guide, Zach, was friendly, fun, and most important, confidently expert on navigating us through the rapids and canyons. WE HAD SO MUCH FUN!! My favorite rafting trip ever, it was exciting and thrilling and beautiful and just so enjoyable all around. Wildnerness Voyageurs is the best company on the Yough, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. read more

I came here on a trip with my school for white water rafting and I'm pretty sure everyone had a blast and if they didn't, I know I did! It's a bit of a drive from Pittsburgh, about an hour or so, but once you get to Ohiopyle - there's this and the falling water house and everything looks super rural and outdoorsy. I've never been white water rafting before but the guides made the instructions simple and clear - our raft with 6 newbies did not flip, noone really fell out and we all got to the end of the river in one piece. I'm curious to go back for more: they have rock climbing, paintballing, kayaking and a bunch of other fun activities. They also have the hottest river guides, imho. And a bar, and a restaurant! And a coffee shop! read more

Leaving a shout out here for Josh, Quinn, Dan, and Nick for some stellar instruction and patience over the two days we were working through the "Learn to Kayak" class. They are true professionals. Their ability to deal with all sorts of personalities, varying levels of athleticism (or lack thereof, in my case), and keep the class focused in high risk situations, takes a rare set of leadership qualities. If you're at all interested in whitewater kayaking, don't mind getting wet, and have some flat water kayak experience, you'll be in good hands. The difference in my confidence level from the first day sitting in my tight little creek boat to the third wet exit on the Middle Yough at the end of the second day, are light years apart. I've got some real confidence in these instructors and hope to pick up some private instruction before the end of the season. read more

My mom and I went white water rafting here. WOW. I think this is one of the best things I've ever done in my life. The guides were reaaally funny but more importantly they were well trained to save anyone and everyone who fell in, got scraped up, got hungry (since they provided an awesome lunch) and got tired. I was in a raft with older men who got tired later in the trip and consequently flipped us over at the most dangerous spot. I was out of that water faster than I could yell profanities. ;) They got us all back together pretty fast so we could continue our trip. Now. I saw children on this course but I was VERY surprised. The whole trip took us from 10:30AM till 5PM and it was class 3 rapids. We wore life vests AND helmets so we were pretty protected but it wasn't a float down the river coarse. We had rocks to avoid, heavy rowing and steering, small waterfalls to get down and large rapids in areas. I'm a VERY strong swimmer so falling out meant nothing to me. But if you're afraid of water or your children can't swim and it would make you nervous to see them in that kind of water, take an easier coarse. They have one that is more floating and less paddling. This group had several different activities to do, fly fishing, white water rafting, kayaking, etc. They're the oldest or one of the oldest businesses so they're very established. CHOOSE THEM!!!!!!! :) read more

Zane is the man. He has a vast amount of knowledge about the river, which added invaluable experience to our rafting trip. Great for school trips to learn about nature or great for celebrating birthdays. Whatever group you come with, the staff members will appropriately gauge your level of humor and entertain the group throughout the whole event. I cannot stress how gorgeous the rafting route was. Beautiful forests, waterfalls, rocks, and... tires (that made the scenery, obviously). I had this notion that our group was going to die when we selected "Level 5". Don't worry. The staff members got you covered. Don't be stupid and follow directions from the guides. While Zane was keeping us entertained and guiding the rest of the groups, his hawk eye skills came out and spotted a loose safety vest out of nowhere. It was raining, but it was so worth it. Even the bus ride back to the main base was so fun. As we were all of age, we drank all the way back to the base. Then, we gathered around an outside patio heater to warm ourselves and they provided complimentary potluck food. The fact that it was homemade made it significantly taste better. Don't expect a five-star level hotel facility. You're going there for rafting, not glamping. All the staff members are friendly and they give an effort to make sure you have a good time. Keep in mind their policy is strict for a good reason. Unfortunately, two of our friends missed out and couldn't receive refunds. However, this was clearly indicated on the website. Please remember to bring cash so you can tip them after your wonderful experience. *2018.05.05 Rafting Day (late review)* I can't wait to go back! read more

I was there for white-water-rafting end of Summer 2011, with a huge group from CMU, Pittsburgh. This was my first time white water rafting, and I had the time of my life. The instructors were helpful, funny, strict-when-required, and most-of-all, were completely in control of everything. The rapids were great, the lunch was filling, and I am going back next spring to paddle through the melt-water. read more

We took the grandkids on their family friendly white water rafting tour (middle Youghiogheny). We were very satisfied and thought it was a good value for the cost. The guides were knowledgeable, friendly and affable. The equipment used was in good repair, more than adequate for the conditions and we didn't feel crowded in. There were plenty of boats provided for the number of customers and safety was properly addressed without being overbearing. They had a photographer at key points along the way which was very useful and appreciated. We will use this company again for other adventures. ( note: if champagne and caviar was provided with tablecloths for the lunch stop, this probably would be a five star rating, but it was simply a very good lunch on a wooden picnic bench. Put another way, I basically never rate something five stars unless it simply could not be improved.) read more

We had a group do the Lower Yough. Ryan (long hair) was great and I cannot remember what our second rafts name was, but was told she was great as well. There were a few more intense rapids, but a fair amount of down time also. Thanks team! read more

Great place with tons of supplies, souvenirs and other odds and ends. They have a coffee shop out front but I didn't try it. They let cyclist on the GAP camp for free on their property and have a 24 hour bathhouse with free hot showers. If you're a light sleeper I'd avoid camping here though, it's right along the busy railroad tracks. Friendly and helpful staff. read more

I had a good time with white-water rafting on the river with this business. The employees were knowledgeable about rafting and were pleasant to talk to. It was my first time rafting, but it was easy and fun to make my way through the waves. I will most likely return to raft again in the future. This business also offers services for kayaking, fly fishing, bike touring, and rock climbing. They also have a store on-site for picking up any necessary supplies that you forgot to bring from home. read more

Truly the best experience ever ,very safe . Guides were attentive and responded quickly when and if you fell over board . I took 3 Young teens with no experience after the course was done they were all extremely exhausted but had a lifetime of memories. We plan to do this once I year and bring a group in the future. read more

Wilderness Voyageurs organized an unbelievably difficult biking trip to Cuba and did it flawlessly! The days were as full as could be, the group as warm and friendly as you've ever met, and the guides were well-informed and lots of fun. I've been on 11 biking vacations, this being the most recent. Wilderness Voyageurs offers the best value of all the biking vacations I've been on. Alan M read more

My son and I did the Lower Yough guided rafting tour on 08/22/11. Very hot day. We had a blast. I have been rafting before and this was his first time. The guides were great and very professional. They helped people negotiate the rapids by making it fun. They were also making sure they the whole group stayed safe. A lot of families with children at least 12 years old. The tour sarted at 11:30 and we finally got on the water by 12:30 PM. Mandatory instruction to make sure you have fun and stayed safe. I know I said this before but important to know. We had a large group of 85 that may have pushed the time on the river a liilte longer than the "scheduled" time. Who cares. If you listen to the guides, it will be a blast. Make sure you bring your own water and a Clif Bar as it is a long trip. No McDonalds or Wendys in town. Small town with one general store for food and drink. Great bonding experience. Plus it was nice to see nature and think of nothing else but having fun. Do it and you iwll not regret the experience. read more

Excellence in the middle youch. A good show. And safe and fun! We went on an unguided tour but the shuttle was good. Just a damn good time

I was very disappointed with the customer service of Wilderness Voyageurs. I rented a raft which I had to cancel at the last minute due to an eye injury. At the time I didn't know if it was an infection (sign of potential COVID) or an injury, so I thought I would play it safe for eyeryone's sake and cancel. I realize their refund policy, but was hoping to speak to someone regarding a future credit since I now spend most weekends in the Ohiopyle area and I was not taking up space on a shuttle or guided trip (no lost revenue for WV). They have not returned my calls or responded to my request on their website. I would recommend starting with one of the other 3 rafting companies in Ohiopyle that are hopefully more customer oriented. read more

We did not rent from WV, but they saved us when our raft started deflating 200 ft into our trip. Within 30 minutes, our deflated but manageable raft turned into a half raft (half completely deflated, half completely full) with no air valve. The guides from this company helped us a lot. They told us where to pull out & contacted our rental company many times for us to coordinate a fix. Without "Crash," Crash jr, & WV, we would've been up s#%^'s creek without a raft. Thanks guys! read more