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Faq

Have some questions before you hit the river?

Check out the answers to a few of our Frequently Asked Questions below!
Do I need experience to raft?

No you don’t. Most of our guests are first time rafters and our trips, equipment and briefings are designed to put the novice rafter at ease. Our guides will provide a thorough safety talk before getting into the water.

Typically we start rafting May 14th until September 15th (water level and trip numbers permitting).
Your safety is our biggest priority, which is why each of our guides is Government Certified and carries Wilderness First Aid and Swift water Rescue Certificates. We have on-going in-house training and safety meetings throughout the season to constantly maintain and improve our skills. The expert team consists of guides who possess experience from numerous years of rafting around the world. Our head guide has been rafting the Kicking Horse River for 25+ years!
  • OUR EXPERIENCE – We have been rafting the Kicking Horse for over 30 years. With time comes experience and Hydra prides itself on its qualified staff and impressive safety record. Each year we refine our trips, organization and guest experience.
  • GREAT TEAM – Hydra River Guides is a family owned company. Our team is passionate, experienced and return year upon year. Our head guide has been with us for over 25 years! Our people, from our guides,land manager, reservation staff and owner, are there to make sure you have an amazing rafting experience; from start to finish..
  • PRIVATE RIVER BASE – We are fortunate to have 6 acres of land located on the banks of the Kicking Horse River. The private land and stunning views make for a pretty amazing River Base. Our site is fully equipped with flushing toilets and change rooms! Our secure parking lot allows rafters to leave their personal belongings and vehicles in safety. 
  • CLOSEST TO BANFF / RIVER ACCESS – Our River Base is located 25kms east of Golden, so we are the closest rafting operator to Banff, AB and right at the top of the river! For those driving west from Calgary or Banff, we save you the hassle of driving right into Golden, BC to just be shuttled back 25kms to start your rafting trip. We would rather you spend time on the river than in a bus! For those driving east, we are a convenient stop on the way! Our location allows us to access the river right from our river base. We put in directly from the shore, there’s no shuttle bus to get you to the rapids. So once you’re kitted out with gear, we’re off!
  • OUR REPUTATION – We take care in ensuring guest safety and in offering the very best guest experience. But don’t just take our word for it. Check out our Trip Advisor reviews, to get the low down from past guests. We are proud of our rankings and comments! Rafting is what we love to do and how we earned the trust and loyalty of our many return guests, sales agents, tour guides, hoteliers and locals who faithfully recommend our rafting trips year after year.

We ask that you wear your bathing suit underneath your clothes when you arrive at our base, and bring a towel and a bag for your personal belongings and a change of underwear for after your trip! Once you make a booking, you will receive an email confirmation detailing what time to arrive and directions to the river base. Hydra River Guides provides all of the gear necessary for your raft trip including wetsuits, neoprene booties, fleece sweaters, spray jackets, life jackets and helmets.

Rafting is a great adventure at any time of the season. To ensure you are protected from the elements, we provide all of the necessary gear. We raft rain or shine, as you’ll get wet anyway!
Yes. The Kicking Horse River is glacier fed, so the water is always cold no matter the time of day or year. To keep our rafters warm we provide wetsuits, neoprene booties, fleece sweaters and spray jackets – as well as life jackets and helmets for safety. For the thermally challenged you can even rent a full neoprene jacket for $5.
As rafting is an adventurous activity, there is a chance you may fall in. Our guides do everything they can to look out for your safety and it’s important to listen to everything they say. There will be various points throughout the trip when they tell you to hold on or get down, and it’s necessary to follow their instructions. We prefer our guests to have basic swimming ability.
We ask that you keep your belongings in your vehicle while on the raft. You don’t need to take anything on the raft, unless it is medication such as inhalers that must be kept with you. Our guides have a dry bag onboard where these can be kept safe.
Yes, you can, however, please be aware that they may get damaged or fall off. Don’t bring your expensive sunglasses! We recommend you wear contacts but if you need your glasses, secure them with a sunglass strap.
Yes, we have a professional photographer that will take some awesome shots of the rapids. These are available for purchase after your raft trip.
We typically have 8 rafters plus a river guide in each raft. We do keep group bookings together, however if your group is larger, then you’ll have to be split up into smaller groups. We also have book a boat option this season for groups that want a private raft.
Our weight restrictions depend on the type of trip chosen and are dictated by the life jacket manufacturers. For the Kicking Horse Classic and Last Waltz trips, 12+ years and minimum 90 lbs is required. For the Family Whitewater, minimum age is 8 yrs and 50lbs. Our maximum weight limit is approximately 350 lbs due to safety reasons and the size of our gear. There is no age limit for rafting!

Yes. Every guest must read and sign a Release of Liability, Waiver of Claims and Assumption of Risks and Indemnity Agreement prior to their rafting trip. Parents will co-sign for children under 18 years of age. This year, guests must agree to provide full details due to contact tracing purposes.

To view our liability waiver, click here.

We have trips to suit all abilities and budgets. See below for some of our most common group types:

  • First Time Rafter
    We’ve designed our trips, equipment and safety briefings to be “first timer friendly” so no experience is necessary. The Classic is the trip designed for the adult first timer.
  • Families with Young Children
    We recommend the The Family Whitewater, for ages 8 and up!
  • Are on a Stag / Stagette
    We recommend the Kicking Horse Classic or Last Waltz which departs twice daily. We can even package this with accommodation if you need it!
  • Want an ‘All Around’ River Experience
    We recommend the Kicking Horse Classic, a great balance of the Upper and Middle Canyons, this is our most popular river trip.

Groups of 8 or more receive a group discount. Please contact us for a personalized quote. If you would like to pay separately simply contact our office via phone or email. Let us know your group details and we will set up a group code for you to use. That way, everyone can enter their own credit card information, and pay for their trip.

Yes! We absolutely welcome solo travellers!

You can book online, over the phone on 1 -800-644-8888 or in person at our booking offices in Banff.  Check out our contact us page for location details. We do get very busy, especially on weekends, so recommend a reservation well in advance. If plans change you can cancel up to 48 hours prior to the trip and get a full refund!

We realize people’s travel plans can change. That’s why we provide you with a 48 hour cancellation policy where you will receive a full refund if cancelled 48 hours prior to tour time. If you feel unwell before your tour, contact our team to arrange a credit for use another time in the season.

In the unlikely event that Hydra must cancel a trip, full refunds or alternate dates will be given.

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