White water rafting is a thrill-seekers sport that almost anyone can do, and it’s ideal for groups too. Rushing down a rocky river and with adrenalin rushing through your veins

Booking a rafting trip with a professional,experienced, white water rafting company guarantees high standards of equipment and safety. They use trustworthy, stiff inflatable boats (known as rafts) and supply crash helmets and life jackets for you and your group. Expert training is provided, and your instructor demonstrates all the safety procedures before your paddles get wet, and remains in the raft with you all the way down.

The level of difficulty changes according to the river, and there’s a big difference between rafting on a meandering, waterway, and tackling a rough, pounding torrent. There are established gradings for white water rafting rivers around the world, ranging from Grade 1 which is easy, to Grade 5 which is extremely difficult. (There’s actually another grade 6 above these which is reckoned to be “unrunnable”.)

The level of water in a river will also impact the level of difficulty, so it’s wise to check beforehand with the tour guides about the river conditions. When river levels are low, after a long dry spell for example, a river will run faster, and more boulders will be exposed, affecting navigation and speed. When rivers are high, they tend to slow down and have fewer obstacles. Whichever, the whole aim is to enjoy yourself, so ensure that you’ll have a decent challenge, but not so much that it will scare the living daylights out of you!

White water rafting is a fantastic group activity, and this is another reason why it can be incredibly good fun. It’s brilliant if you’re in a group of mates, or a team of work colleagues looking to enjoy and participate in a thrilling day out. With everyone’s paddles going like blazes, guiding the raft away from boulders and currents, working together and splashing water everywhere, you’re certain to have a great experience.

Screaming down a river with your workmates or group can also do wonders for morale, even if there are shy or untalkative ones amongst you. For the same reason, white water rafting is spot on for hen or stag weekends when members of the party come together for the very first time. By the end of the experience, everyone will be buzzing from the days exhilaration, grinning from ear to ear and utterly bushed!