We planned our trip to the Smokies with the definite plan of going white water rafting. We had never been and our kids (15 &1 4) were thrilled at the chance of experiencing it. We got to Rafting in the Smokies the recommended 45 minutes early and actually zip lined before our rafting experience. Nice that they had zip lining available at this location too.
We gathered to find out who our guides were, instructed on gearing up (helmets, life vests and paddles), then headed to the buses for the trip up river. On the ride over we got the basic instructions on how to paddle our rafts, basically, listen to your guide! Once we arrived at the boat launch we disembarked, met our guide and loaded our rafts into the river.
Elli was great! She was very knowledgeable of the river and lead us into the rapids with ease and excitement. If you go in ready for adventure, we felt like the guides can read that and give you the best experience. Elli for sure could see that and we felt like we had the best boat on the river. Way more adventures, laughs and fun.
Come prepared to get wet, wear sandals that are comfortable enough to lock your feet into the boat to keep secure ( I personally was nervous of being bounced out of the raft, but actually felt secure and didn't bounce out! Yeah!), and interact with your guide for the best experience.
Again, highly recommend Elli, so ask for her this summer if you head down to Rafting in the Smokies!