Gentle
An Ideal Introduction To Whitewater Rafting on the Kicking Horse River
The Gentle is ideal for families and those seeking a milder whitewater experience! It is the perfect half-day introduction to whitewater rafting. Guests can expect to get splashed and sprayed on this trip with Class II and III waves and rapids (compared to getting totally soaked on the Whitewater Exciter). Alarm Clock rapid, at the very beginning, will wake everyone up and Hopi’s Hole, at the end, finishes the trip with a grand flourish!
Starting within Yoho National Park boundaries, with its pine, spruce and fir forests lining the river, guests are treated to Rocky Mountain scenery beyond compare. In between the waves and rapids, stunning scenery unfolds for all to enjoy. Wild Water guides are MPHIA certified (Mountain Parks Heritage Interpretation Association) and can answer all sorts of questions about the area and tell tales of the early explorers, what they searched for . . . and what they found!
2023 Departures
June 24 & 25, 2023: Departures at 8:45AM
June 30 – September 3, 2023: Departures at 8:45AM; Sundays and Thursdays at 1:45 PM
Private Rafts
Enjoy the Kicking Horse River on your exclusively private raft! For those wishing to have only their own family or friends on board, our Build Your Own Boatload special (or, BYOB) is perfect. Feel more at ease on the river with your own guide and raft, while still being part of a larger flotilla. All it takes is 4 to 8 guests to have your own boat on a regularly-scheduled Gentle departure. Simply give us a call at 1-888-647-6444 to chat further.
As with all Wild Water Adventure trips, guests meet at our RiverBase Daylodge; all our Golden, BC rafting trips depart from here. It’s easy to find us with the downloadable self-drive map of the Banff area, and we have loads of secure parking on site for vehicles of all shapes and sizes.
At Wild Water, we place a strong emphasis on safety and guest satisfaction. Our team of river rafting professionals, or ‘guides’, will size everyone up for Canada rafting equipment, (all clean, dry, sterilized … and FREE!). Guests comfortably change into provided gear in heated changing rooms before being shuttled to the river. An easy-to-understand safety briefing will be delivered covering proper seating and paddling techniques.
Once on the river, guests experience 6 named rapids during the 1½ hour whitewater adventure (the entire trip, from ‘greetings to goodbyes’, takes about 3 ½ hours.) The trip can be best compared to a sandwich: Fun and splashy Class II and Class III waves and rapids on either end with a stunningly scenic float section in the middle!
Back at the RiverBase, in warm, dry land clothes once again, guests refuel with a selection of hot and cold beverages on our spacious deck overlooking the Kicking Horse Valley. This is the time to share more laughs with the crew and fellow rafters, check out the trip photographs, and, maybe, start planning your next Kicking Horse rafting adventure (different water levels do make for an entirely different experience!).
FUEL UP!
Fuel up for your afternoon Rocky Mountain adventures! Guests joining us for morning Gentle departures (8:45 AM) can upgrade to enjoy a delicious post-trip gourmet BBQ lunch at the RiverBase. The cost per person is $27 + 5% GST.
The delicious menu consists of your choice of 3 BBQ items: Salmon fillet, Mediterranean-marinated chicken breast, or premium quality plant-based burger. Accompanying the main dish are three different salads, vegetable condiments, watermelon, fresh-baked bread, fresh-baked cookies, and a selection of hot and cold beverages.
Please give us a call at 1-888-647-6444 for further details.
Photo Gallery
Family rafting in Canada at its finest!
For the family or those seeking a milder river experience (sometimes known as “reluctant rafters”), this trip is ideal! Starting inside of Yoho National Park, enjoy the “float less traveled”. But, it’s not all gentle and calm. In fact, there are six excellent rapids from class II to III to splash or soak you during the 1½ hour journey. “The Alarm Clock” rapid (sure to wake you up!) is just moments after pushing off shore, and “Hopi Hole” will dowse the crew!
How did the Kicking Horse River earn its name? What wildlife inhabits the area? What
makes the river such a beautiful colour? Discover the answer to these questions by enjoying the quieter, upper reaches of the Kicking Horse River. You will marvel at the varied scenery, and enjoy numerous playful waves and splashes, while your guide reveals the river’s hidden secrets and stories.
2023 Departures
June 24 & 25, 2023: Departures at 8:45AM
June 30 – September 3, 2023: Departures at 8:45AM; Sundays and Thursdays at 1:45 PM
Private Rafts
Enjoy the Kicking Horse River on your exclusively private raft! For those wishing to have only their own family or friends on board, our Build Your Own Boatload special (or, BYOB) is perfect. Feel more at ease on the river with your own guide and raft, while still being part of a larger flotilla. All it takes is 4 to 8 guests to have your own boat on a regularly-scheduled Whitewater Exciter departure. Simply give us a call at 1-888-647-6444 to chat further.
You’ll marvel at the scenery while your MPHIA (Mountain Parks Heritage Interpretation Association) Certified guide tells you tales of the area, it’s early explorers, what they searched for . . . and what they found!
As with all our trips, you’ll start at our RiverBase Daylodge by taking our bus from Lake Louise or following our self-drive map and traveling at your own pace to the RiverBase. You’ll be outfitted with the appropriate gear to keep you comfortable while rafting, receive a thorough safety briefing, and be shuttled to the starting point inside of Yoho National Park where the rafts are ready and waiting for your arrival.
You will be on the river for about 1½ hours through splashing rapids mixed with periods of calm and peaceful floating as the river carries us past the pine, spruce and fir forests that line the river.
At trip’s end, enjoy fresh fruit, cookies and hot and cold beverages back at the RiverBase after having changed into dry clothes—A perfect end to a perfect trip on the Kicking Horse River.
Photo Gallery
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