If you’re up for a little outdoor rough and tumble in the water, then you probably want to go white water rafting.

Rafting is a recreational activity which uses a raft to navigate a river or other bodies of water. This is usually done on whitewater or different degrees of rough water, in order to thrill and excite the raft passengers such as yourself! The development of this activity as a leisure sport has become popular since the mid 1970s.

Whitewater rafting is not all fun and games as it can be a very dangerous sport, especially if basic safety precautions are not practiced. Depending on the area, legislated safety measures now exist for rafting operators. These range from certification of outfitters, rafts, and raft leaders, to more strict regulations about equipment and procedures.

To make it known that rafting is not just some thrilling ride, rafting outfitters ensure that each rafter understands the personal responsibility they face on a trip by requiring them to sign waiver forms. This is to indicate that they understand and accept the potential serious risks. Rafting trips often begin with safety presentations to educate customers about problems that may arise.

Like all wilderness sports, rafting has to balance the conflict between nature protection and nature use. Because of frequent problems in the past, some rivers now have regulations restricting or specifying the annual and daily operating times.

It is advisable to discuss safety measures with a rafting operator before signing on for a trip. The equipment used and the qualifications of the company and raft guides are essential information to be considered as well.

For more information and resources for rafting, check out the Traveller Trail's Travelogues and Directory.