First time going with The Adventure Company and first time rafting in a long time for me and first time for my teens. I called to ask some questions and their call center staff was nice, informative, and helped me understand all I needed to know. I called back shortly and booked for me and my kids. It was just over an hour drive from Breck. We were welcomed by Swan (the knowledgeable, skillful, comedic guide extraordinaire) and Valdez (the 20 yr veteran guide) who would spend the next 5 hours making this a great experience for us all. We were partnered with a couple so 5 to our raft and the rest went in the second raft. Before you know it, we were in the water and headed down the Arkansas and into Browns Canyon. The first few miles were just ripple water so you got to practice a little and get the hang of things. Then you cross under the gateway bridge and hit it with your paddle for good luck and the real fun begins. We had rain the day before and the water was running just perfect volume. The rapids were just the right balance of fun and thrills but also manageable for first timers. At the half way point we pulled to the shore and they prepared a nice lunch of salad, chips and salsa and fajitas! That was one of the selling points for me and didn’t disappoint! Swan toured us outside this camp to walk off the lunch showing us the remnants of an old gold mining operation that the river had since reclaimed and was now just ruins. Then, back in the water for the rest of our rapids adventure.
I can’t say enough about this outfit. Swan had us laughing the whole time while telling us all about the geography and history of this gorgeous national monument (declared in 2015). Both guides were all about safety and professionalism and did everything they could to make this a wonderful day and a fun time for me and my kids. Highly recommend!