I don't know what I expected for my first whitewater rafting trip, but I'm so impressed with AVA! Everything was so relaxed, so I didn't feel overwhelmed. I was pretty nervous until the guides showed up and just looked like they knew what they were doing (sounds weird, but you'll see what I mean). You get several quick bursts of instructions and safety briefings, which give you a chance to digest everything (and also prevent you from feeling overwhelmed). Our guide, Joey, was very knowledgeable about the river and the mountains. As for the actual rafting, he let us know what to expect as we approached each Class 2 or 3 - including what was creating that particular feature (the nerd in me loved that!). My kids (20, 16, and 14) loved talking to him, and want to request him for a future rafting trip! Book with AVA- you won't regret it!