Whitewater sports are the art of bobbing about in a boat, large or small, in moving water. While whitewater kayaking or whitewater canoeing is a solo or duo sport, their close cousin whitewater rafting uses rafts that seat more people. Rafting is more accessible for the casual traveler, as navigation is handled by a professional and even beginners can come along for a white-knuckled ride.
Rapids are graded by class to indicate their rough difficulty level. The practical scale ranges from class I (no skill needed) to class V (experts only), with class VI rapids considered hazardous even to pros. Don't place too much faith on the letter though: difficulty can vary considerably based on the season and the water level, and rivers of one grade may have harder individual rapids that need to be portaged (boat carried) past.
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Rafting trips and whitewater rafting vacations have been popular for over 30 years. Some of the most remote and beautiful areas of the world can be seen during one of these adventures. There is something for everyone too. Rafting trips are not all fast, big water adventures (although some are) but some are float trips meant for wildlife viewing and nature. There are culinary rafting trips and even spiritual and yoga rafting retreats. The rafting travel industry has branched out to all demographics and travel desires.
The is a voluntary group that focuses on developing paddling sports of all kinds in South Africa.
Many operators offer training courses, guided expeditions and short outings. Clubs will also be able to guide you to the best water around.
SocaRider-Bovec E-mail: info@socarider.com Focusing more on small group trips and nice familiar atmosphere. Offers Whitewater kayak courses from beginner to advance level, easy Kayak Trips for beginners, and Family rafting trips for families with small kids from the age of 4