Horseshoe Canyon Whitewater Rafting
Starts atCA$ 150US$ 112€ 98£ 84A$ 161
Duration: 4 Hours
Age: 12+
Departure: 8:30am
Season: May-Sep
Guaranteed departure. This tour runs as scheduled with no minimum group size — book with confidence, it won’t be cancelled for low numbers.
Overview
What do expect with this Alberta Rafting Trip through Horseshoe Canyon
Surrounded by shale cliffs, the Bow River thunders through the Horseshoe Canyon. Here you come, clad in neoprene and whooping with excitement as the rapids surge. During the quiet stretches, you lift your eyes skyward and see large birds of prey soaring above. You might even try cliff jumping – if you dare.
Intensity Level: Moderate
- Predominantly class 3 and 4
- Three major rapids
- Your trip finishes with a short stretch of calm and relaxing Class 1-2 rapids to splash and have fun
- During the end of the season, the last section will become a class 3+ or 3 by the end of the season when the water level typically drops
- Many Hollywood movies have been shot here in the spectacular geology of the Canyon – your guide will tell you all about it!
Highlights
The best parts of the tour for most people include the following:
1.5 - 2 Hours on the Bow River
Optional cliff jump and swim
Everything is provided!Tour Details
Tour Duration
4 Hours
Departure Time
8:30am
Age Required
12+
Season
May-Sep
Included
- Professional river guide on each raft
- Safety instruction and practice paddle
- River fee
- River time 1.5-2hrs
- Wetsuits, lifejacket, helmet, rainjacket, wetsuit booties and gloves
- Light refreshments
- Complimentary photos (online)
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is the tour?+
The tour starts at the Chinook Rafting Base at 8:30am (meet time 8:25am) and finishes at 12pm, approximately 4 hours. This includes a short drive to the river and 1.5 to 2 hours on the water.
What does the tour include?+
The tour includes 1.5 - 2 hours on the river (including a 20 minute float to finish up), a professional river guide with each boat, an optional river swim and free professional photos. All safety equipment including clean and dry wetsuits, wetsuit booties, fleece, spray jacket, life jacket and a helmet is provided. The tour winds through scenic views of the front range of the Rocky Mountain Ranges and occasionally we see wildlife such as osprey, bald eagles, deer and bears.
The Chinook Rafting Base has clean port-a-potties, male and female change tents and ample free parking.
Where is the meeting point?+
The meeting point is at the Chinook Rafting Base, located on Highway 1A approximately 25 minutes from Canmore and 45 minutes from Banff and Calgary. Detailed driving directions are included in your booking confirmation. There is ample free parking at the riverbase and you will be brought back to your vehicle at the end of the tour.
What should I wear/bring?+
Please wear your swimsuit under your clothes and bring warm clothes, and a towel in a bag for after the tour. We also suggest bringing a toque or hat for colder days, to wear under the helmet. Your belongings can be stored on the bus or in your own car while you are on the river.
You can wear sunglasses/glasses as long as these are secured with a strap or piece of string, and contact lenses are usually okay if you are comfortable swimming with them and tell your guide. Sunscreen is great on a hot day for any areas not covered by the wetsuit, but avoid putting it above or near your eyes. You can bring your own waterproof camera or GoPro which can be secured with your own chest harness or on a helmet with a GoPro mount, but we are not responsible for loss or damage of your equipment
What shouldn't I bring?+
Anything else! It isn’t recommended to bring your camera and rafters aren’t permitted to wear their own wetsuit or to wear anything that could cause a hazard while on the tour.
I have some medical concerns, what should I do?+
When you are making your reservation please let the agent know and they will check with the rafting team. On the day please bring any medication you may need and inform your guide of any medical conditions.
Do I need to sign a waiver?+
Every guest needs to sign a waiver form. This is a condition of participation before any adventure activity in North America and worldwide. You’ll receive a waiver in your inbox after booking. If you would like to review the contents of our waiver form prior to booking, please use the links below to access a read-only version. These versions are for your review only, upon booking, you will receive a fillable version to complete.
Participants must read and agree to the terms and conditions of the waiver, before we can take you on our white water rafting trip. Please complete the waiver 24 hours before your trip starts.
If you choose not to sign the waiver, you can contact us to receive a full refund.
Preview Adult Waiver: Here
Preview Child Waiver: Here
Do you need any rafting/swimming experience?+
No rafting experience is necessary, and we provide a Professional River Guide with each boat who will explain and demonstrate paddle, safety and emergency techniques. This includes dryland safety instructions and practicing paddling on the river before the waves.
Guests should be physically fit and have a reasonable swimming ability. If you have never rafted before or do not know how to swim, we recommend the Kananaskis Whitewater Rafting Tour , as the rapids and river are not as strong as the other tours.
How big are the rapids? Is it safe?+
You will go through class 3 & 4 rapids during your tour, which is ideal for adventure lovers. This is a moderate trip, exciting but not difficult. Check out the Whitewater Rafting Rapid Classification Guide for more information: http://chinookrafting.com/plan-and-book/river-classifications/ .
The tour is run by Chinook Rafting who have been operating whitewater rafting tours as a licensed company in the province of Alberta since 1983 and all of the rafting guides are trained in Swiftwater Rescue and First Aid & CPR. What this means for you is that they are confident that they can manage, not eliminate, the risks today to offer you an exciting and fun day on the river, creating as safe a framework as they can, given what we are doing. However, it is important to remember that we are not on a track, this isn’t Disneyland! The fact that we’re not on a track adds excitement to what we’re doing, but it also adds inherent risks.
What is the cancellation policy?+
There is a 24 hour cancellation policy, which allows you to change, cancel, or refund your booking up to 24 hours prior to your tour (or up to 7 days prior for group bookings).
Should I tip my guide?+
Tips are not expected, but are certainly appreciated. If you think your guide did a wonderful job and would like to indicate that with a tip, it will be graciously accepted.
Where can I find photos from my rafting trip?+
You can search photos based on tour name and date in our photo gallery here .
Booking Terms
- A waiver must be completed prior to the trip and is a condition of participation, this will be sent through upon booking. In addition, a Parental Consent form must be completed by the parent or legal guardian of any child under the age of 18 years prior to arrival at the riverbase. This is especially important if you are bringing someone else’s child (under 18 years old) rafting.
- The minimum age is 12 years and the minimum weight per person is 90 lbs. If the guest is unaccompanied by an adult then the minimum age is 16 years old.
- The maximum weight per person is 350 lbs.
- Photo ID may be required for identity verification.
- Please note that this tour requires a minimum of 8 participants, please call the day prior to confirm the tour.
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