Rafting began more than forty years ago on the rivers of America and the famous Grand Canyon. At first, it was a necessity to access difficult areas by simply crossing the river, and slowly over time it evolved into an impressive sport. Today it is a well-known sport throughout the world. The most popular destinations for rafting, apart from the United States and the Grand Canyon, are Latin America, with Costa Rica and Chile boasting perhaps the most impressive rivers in the world, Nepal and the Himalayan region, as well as the Zambezi River in Africa. In Europe, rafting is well known and particularly popular in almost all countries bordering the Alps, such as France, Austria, Switzerland and Italy, but also in areas such as Slovenia and the Pyrenees in Spain. In Greece, the most popular rivers where rafting can be done all year round are the Lousios and Alpheios in the Peloponnese. Other rivers where rafting can be done at certain times are the Arachthos, the Evinos, the Trikeriotis, the Venetikos, the Tavropos and the Voidomatis.
But what is rafting?
Rafting is the act of descending a river in a specially designed inflatable boat. Its name comes from the English word raft, which means raft. This boat has no keel and consists of at least five different floats (air chambers) so that if one of them punctures, it can safely continue its descent. It is also self-emptying and the water that enters it can come out on its own based on the principle of communicating vessels. Their maximum capacity varies depending on the size of the boat from four to ten people, with six to eight people being the most popular for Greek rivers. Of course, fewer people can fit in each boat since the lighter it is, the easier it is to control. The boat is taken down to the river by a specially trained guide. How difficult is it? Rafting is a sport that is primarily aimed at everyone without requiring any particular physical condition or muscle strength. However, we should keep in mind that as with all activities in nature, even here, despite the precautions taken, there are some risks. There are various levels of difficulty in rafting on a scale from one to six. Anyone can participate in routes up to the third degree of difficulty, provided that they know how to swim and are cooperative, while routes with a degree of difficulty above three require good physical condition and relevant experience. The degree of difficulty of a route depends on the morphology of the river, the number of passages and the difficulty of accessing them.
When is it done?
The rafting season is usually from October to June. However, there are rivers such as Lousios that can be rafted throughout the year. The most impressive season for those who ask for something more is usually from December to March.
Can children go rafting?
Of course, children can go rafting, as long as there is consent from their parents and on the condition that they participate in routes that are not particularly difficult. However, because the difficulty also depends on the water level, it may be prohibited for children to participate even on very easy routes when there is a lot of water or vice versa, on more difficult routes their participation may be possible when there is very little water, which sometimes happens during the winter or summer season respectively. Therefore, it would be a good idea to contact us before deciding whether or not to participate for your children, to avoid whining and crying later on….
What should I bring with me?
A second pair of shoes that will get wet, a swimsuit or a second pair of underwear and a towel. During the winter season you can bring with you a thin fleece or a woolen T-shirt to wear under the suit.
Equipment that we provide you!
All the necessary equipment that will protect us from the cold such as a special isothermal neoprene suit, socks made of the same material and waterproof, as well as a life jacket, helmet, paddle and of course the boat. All the special equipment that we provide is the most appropriate strictly in accordance with the specifications of the international federation of the sport
