White Water Rafting: the 15 Best Runs Worldwide

1.Rotorua Rafting: Kaituna River White Water Rafting & Free Sauna

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,952 reviews · from $83 a head Our pick

Raft the Kaituna River through native forest and three waterfalls, including the 7-meter Tutea Falls. Guides such as George, Elise, Luca, and Tor lead the Grade 5 run with clear safety instructions. No experience is needed. Gear and a free sauna are included, with a half-river option for children aged 10 to 12.

“I was nervous about doing this adventure since I hadn’t rafted in a very long time and never class 5. They add a few extra fun things, like swimming down one of the rapids, and sitting on tge raft in the front over another The water is so beautiful, our guide, Elise, was amazing! I had a blast, so glad I didn’t back out!”

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2.Half Day Whitewater Rafting Trip

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,840 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $90 a head

You’ll paddle an 8-mile stretch of the Middle Fork of the Flathead River near West Glacier, tackling Class II rapids such as Bone Crusher with a professional guide. Guides including Katie, Owen, Claire, and Aaron are praised for clear safety instruction and local stories. No rafting experience is needed, and equipment is provided.

“Bridget was a wonderful guide. She was experienced and provided lots of valuable information. I would recommend this trip to anyone wanting to have a fun time rafting.”

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3.Barron Gorge White Water Rafting from Cairns or Port Douglas

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,596 reviews · from $91 a head

Raft the Barron River for about two hours with Foaming Fury, tackling Grade II and III rapids under guides such as Lily, Jess, Hayden, or Dorothy. You need no prior experience, but you do need moderate fitness, secure wet footwear, and a change of clothes. Hotel pickup, safety gear, and coach transport are included, while the A$30 river levy is extra.

“The guide/coach is very nice and hork very hard ro help us during the whole trip It is fun even under raining.”

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4.ATV Quad Bike & White Water Rafting Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 1,316 reviews · 90 minutes - 8 hours · from $22 a head

Take an ATV through rice fields, bamboo forest, muddy tracks, and rural villages, then raft the Ayung River past waterfalls and jungle gorges. Guides such as Mamed Tugus, Artaguna, and Adnyana are known for attentive help, while hotel pickup, lunch, towels, lockers, and showers make the long day easier.

“It was amazing! My driver Budi was so kind and helpful and guided me through every step! He messaged and coordinated with me ahead of time and was so accommodating!The Atv riding went through such a beautiful area and was so much fun! The whitewater rafting was incredible. Such a gorgeous place. The guides for both were so nice and made everything so enjoyable! Thank you for such a wonderful day I will never forget!”

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5.Rafting Rotorua: Kaituna River White Water Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 1,274 reviews · 2h 30m · from $83 a head

Join Kaitiaki Adventures for a guided Kaituna River rafting trip through native forest, with 14 rapids, three waterfalls, and the 7-meter Tutea Falls. Guides such as Aoife, Jack, Kyle, and Ben are known for clear instruction and calm support. Pickup, wetsuits, booties, helmets, and safety gear are included.

“I was terrified to do this- I had only been rafting on the James River and encountered not a single waterfall. Our guide was Draco and my boyfriend and I couldn’t have been happier with him. He got both of us excited and personally I think our group had the most fun. Thank you Drax for putting me at ease and giving us a wonderful experience 10/10 would recommend!”

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6.White Water Rafting – Kaituna Cascades, The Originals

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,274 reviews · from $83 a head

You’ll raft 11 rapids and three waterfalls on the Kaituna River, including the 7-meter Tutea Falls, the world’s highest commercially rafted waterfall. Guides such as Flynn, Malcolm, Cole, and Hamish lead the 50-minute river run. The trip suits active swimmers aged 13 to 65 and includes all rafting gear.

“This is one of the best things we did on our 6 week vacation to Australia and New Zealand! The 23 foot waterfall drop is incredible and the rest of the class 5 river is also amazing. The staff are very friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. The pictures from this trip were also amazing, well worth the additional money.”

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7.Bali ATV Ride and White Water Rafting

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,004 reviews · from $47 a head

Pair a guided Ayung River rafting trip with a 1.5-hour ATV ride through jungle trails, tunnels, rice fields, mud, and waterfalls. Choose a solo quad bike or tandem ride, with hotel transfers available. Guides such as Made, Oka, and Owen have earned praise for safety and good humor, while the river access requires a steep walk.

“4 adults, thoroughly enjoyed both rafting and atv’s. Lunch was nice, relaxed and yummy. Did the 10am session and was finished around 3pm.”

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8.Half-Day Whitewater Rafting in Browns Canyon

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 999 reviews · 2 to 3 hours (approx.)

Paddle through Browns Canyon National Monument on a 2 to 3-hour rafting trip from Noah’s Ark in Buena Vista. You’ll tackle class III rapids such as Raft Ripper, Zoom Flume, and Pinball with a professional guide, helmet, life jacket, and transport included. Guide Seth has earned praise for calm, clear instruction.

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9.Köprülü Canyon Antalya: Whitewater Rafting Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 974 reviews · from $19 a head Cheapest seat

You’ll paddle a 15 km stretch of the Köprüçay River between the historic Oluk and Karabük bridges, with rapids rated about 2 to 3, swimming stops, Taurus Mountain views, and lunch by the river. Guides such as Sergio, Tufi, Enes, and Emra are known for keeping first-timers safe and involved.

“It was sooooo much fun!! If you can’t swim - don’t worry and book it - I was scared to take part in this kind of attracion but had so much fun! You dont need to know how to swim. Transport was on time, lunch really good. The guides showed and explained everything in funny and profesional way. 10/10 highly recommend! 😁”

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10.Whitewater Rafting in Jackson Hole : Family Standard Raft

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 965 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $120 a head

Join Dave Hansen White Water Scenic River Trips for an 8-mile Snake River run through Class II and III rapids, including Lunch Counter and Big Kahuna. The standard raft holds up to 16 people, with 10 paddle positions. Guides such as Bryce, Hailey, Zach, and Savannah are known for clear instruction and lively river commentary.

“Bryce was a very skilled river guide and also a lot of fun. We would love to ride down the snake with him again.”

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11.Whitewater Rafting on the River Dee in Llangollen

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 939 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $90 a head

Meet Bearded Men Adventures in Llangollen, gear up in a wetsuit, buoyancy aid, and helmet, then ride a bus to Horseshoe Falls. Guides such as Harry, Alex, Dan, Sol, and Nathan lead your raft through River Dee rapids, with safety coaching and plenty of splashes. The water time lasts about 80 minutes within a three-hour outing.

“We were instructed by Hugh in an easy to understand manner, he made the experience fun and exciting.”

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12.Whitewater Rafting on Soca River, Slovenia

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 931 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $87 a head

Meet Sport Mix in Bovec, collect your rafting gear, and ride about 15 minutes to the Soča River. With guides such as Guillermo, Barna, Trevor, or Eoin, you will raft roughly 9 kilometers, swim, slide, and enjoy the valley scenery. The full outing takes about three hours, with around 1 to 1.5 hours on the water.

“Amazing experience! We really enjoyed this rafting activity! Our guide Barney made it extra fun! Would highly recommend it to anyone visiting Bovec!”

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13.Rafting Rotorua Kaituna White Water Rafting | Kaitiaki Adventures

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 759 reviews · from $83 a head

Raft the Kaituna River near Rotorua with a professional Kiwi and Māori guide, passing more than 14 rapids and dropping over 7-metre Tutea Falls. Kaitiaki Adventures provides wetsuits, helmets, booties, life vests, hotel transfers, safety training, and optional action photos. Allow about 3.5 hours in total.

“We had such a phenomenal experience. Jack, our guide, made the trip that much better. Would recommend!”

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14.Tully River Full-Day White Water Rafting

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 669 reviews · from $142 a head

Spend about 12 hours rafting the Tully River from Cairns, including a scenic drive, safety training, more than 40 rapids, rainforest views, and a pub meal. Guides such as Daz, Max, Tom, Johnny, and Paul are known for clear instruction and good humor. Bring lace-up shoes, swimwear, a towel, sunscreen, and dry clothes.

“Getting stuck Floating down without the boat through the rapids The guide’s knowledge We seamed to go forever n ever”

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15.Bali ATV Quad Bike Through Tunnel, Waterfall, White Water Rafting

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 610 reviews · from $26 a head

Spend about six hours pairing two very different Bali adventures: guided rafting on the Ayung River and a 90-minute ATV ride through rice fields, jungle, mud, tunnels, canyons, and a waterfall. Guides such as Riko, Kenny, Justin, and Usman have helped make the day fun and safe, while lunch, showers, lockers, and transport keep the logistics simple.

“This was absolutely amazing. The local driver was brilliant, quad biking was out of this world and the whitewater rafting was brilliant. Would highly recommend”

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