Come and join us on one of the rivers described. We'll give you an experience that you will remember for many years to come, for on no other rivers in the world will you find the diversity of experiences that we offer: The spectacular scenery of Kenya and the multitude of bird and animal life, which, combined with the excitement of White-water Rafting, makes for a totally unique safari.

Alternatively we can customise a river experience to fit your request; be it a serene and scenic float trip along a picturesque waterway, or an adrenaline surging ride down a different wild and raging White-water River. We can even offer experienced rafters the opportunity to attempt, with us, a first descent of a virgin river. (Limited availability).

The Rivers that we most frequently run
Tana River
Due to the high quality of the white-water sections, the prolific bird life and the natural beauty of the whole area, along with its ease of access from Nairobi (just 95 km), this is our most popular river for both the white-water trips and scenic float trips. The white-water section that we do starts some 2½ km above the town of Sagana, and ends at our own campsite some 16 km down stream. The scenic float trip starts from the campsite and takes in 12 km of calm water down to the barrage close to the main road back to Nairobi.

The Mathioya River
Because of the serious nature of this river, we will only make it available to those who have rafted with us before or who have experience on a class V river. 500m of descent over 30 km of river, almost all continuous class III and IV white-water with a dozen or more sections of class V. Low volume and highly technical.

The Athi River
Distance from Nairobi is about 230 km, and hence only viable as a minimum of a three day trip. The description attached covers the more usual 80 km section that we do, but it is possible to start from near the town of Thika and to finally end the trip on the Indian Ocean near Malindi some 500 km on down. Several short portages required. Best described as a scenic river but with perhaps a third of the river being class II and III. Three sections of class IV / V.

The Ewaso-Ng'iro River
Best done as a 4 day expedition from Nairobi though sometimes as just 3 days. This river combines the best of class IV white-water with superb scenery and wildlife viewing. Unfortunately, because of extensive cultivation within the primary catchment area, water level reliability is poor and hence we can seldom confirm a departure much more than a week or so in advance.

Other Rivers
Some still not run for their full length. Upper section of the Tana - Very serious with several kilometres of portage required. Lower section into Meru National Park - Scenic only. Nzoia and Yala - reasonable water but the area is heavily populated. Chania, Thiba, and several others look good from the air and are awaiting exploration.

Specialised training and courses
We do part of the "Adventure Training" for men of the British Army and Royal Navy.
We teach the potential river enthusiast all the river skills necessary for him to run his own rafting adventure, or sufficiently qualified to assist our own full time guides on the river. We teach you how to "read" the river, and to find a safe route through major rapids. We teach oarsmanship and how to command a paddle raft. River rescue, equipment rigging and knot tying. River-orientated first aid. Environmentally sensitive camping procedures and much more.


General Rafting Information
Equipment
All our boats are manufactured by Avon of the UK, arguably the finest White-water boats manufactured anywhere. Crew capacity of each boat is licensed at 8 pax + one guide, though we very seldom have more than 6 crew per boat. Most boats are also self bailers. Our life jackets or PFD's are from Extrasport in the USA, conforming to US Coastguard III / V standards. Helmets are used on most sections of river as well. All rafting trips carry a very comprehensive first aid medical kit with guides trained in its use. Guides all carry a knife, throw bags, binas and pulley.

We prefer client participation, and hence, unless requested in advance, all boats are paddled by the participants themselves. A guide in each boat just gives the commands and steers the boat. "Oar frame", or "guide paddled" boats are available standard on all scenic float trips.

Our river programmes always include:

A professional and experienced guide in command of each boat.
A full river briefing before you set off, plus specific briefings before each set of major rapids.
Top-of-the-line river equipment. Our boats are made by AVON.
Comprehensive safety ( 3a) and first aid equipment. All guides are CPR trained.
The opportunity to bring cameras or video in our water proof boxes, or to rent proper waterproof still cameras
Customised food catering, including complementary beer and soft drinks
Courtesy transport from Nairobi to and from the river.
Due to safety considerations, we use two or more boats and guides on the Mathoya, Athi or Ewaso-Ng'iro Rivers, the minimum number of clients on each of these trips should be four. We do take provisional bookings for lesser numbers and are often able combine those persons with other groups, particularly if one group is flexible over dates.

Minimum age, experience and fitness
The lower age limit to run all the rapids is usually 14, with parental consent. We have no fixed upper limit as it's dependent on the individuals fitness and health. (We regularly have "old" men of 40, and we've even had a "young" lady of 72 with us on the Tana!). With the exception of the Muthoya North River, no previous rafting experience necessary, and an averagely fit person will encounter no physical problems.

Accommodation
On the Athi and Ewaso Rivers, each nights' camp is set up at a scenic point, either on the side of the river or upon a sand bank. Tents are small 2-man dome types, and air beds and sleeping bags are provided.

Food
First class all the way. All perishables are carried in a freezer trailer, as are soft drinks and beer. Breakfasts are in the full "English" style with cereal, bacon and eggs, toast and coffee. Lunch, because it is carried on the boats each day, is more basic, consisting of bread, salad, cheese and cold meat cuts. For dinner, our usual 5 course meals consist of a starter, soup, barbecued main meal and vegetables, followed by fruits and coffee. It's all cooked over a wood fire by the guides, while you relax over a glass of wine or a cold "Tusker" beer.

Guest Requirements
Shorts (or swimming costume) and a shirt, (long sleeves and pants for those with sensitive skins and essential on all multi day trips). A wide brimmed hat. A pair of fastenable shoes or "Teva" type sandals. Sunscreen of factor 25 or more. Additionally, on multi-day trips: personal toiletries and malarial prophylactics. Optional - camera, and sun glasses (with retainer cord), gloves and socks, (anti sunburn). A light weigh nylon rain jacket worn under your life jacket is also useful in cool weather or if it does rain while you are on the river.

Please also bring spare warm clothing to change into at the end of the trip. What you wear on the boat for the white-water WILL get wet.


The Tana River White Water Rafting Kenya
Alt 1,200 - 1,100m Just 95km from Nairobi, this "pool drop" river offers an exciting day of White-Water thrills (and often spills). The adventure starts with 3km. of easy class II and III white-water, where there is plenty of opportunity to gain and practice the paddle skills required to run the lower part of the river. A 6 km section follows, and now we have an hour or more to relax, view the abundance of birdlife around, cool off with a swim - it's very warm compared with rivers in the States or Europe, (around 20C), or just work on the sun tan.

The final 7 km of river back to the campsite starts with some easy class III waters where we go over paddle commands again. It's then into the first of the 3 big rapids (class IV or V), with names like Captains Folly (guides all fall out here sometime during their stay with us), Can of worms because of its four 90 degree bends in succession, and the Sphincter flexor!! Subject to water levels we may be able to "surf" in the "fish eye", and then swim the next couple of minor rapids. Numerous smaller rapids brings one to the last of the big ones - spasm, a series of drops over a 3/4 km section with a big surprise half way through. We reach the take out point / campsite about 5 hours after setting off, where a full barbequed lunch awaits us. Plenty of beer and soft drinks included.

The scenic float trip is of 3 - 4 hours duration over about 12km. distance. From the sides of our oar-boats you view the abundant birdlife that inhabits the lush riverine forest bordering the banks of the river. To date over 110 species of bird have been recorded by our guides.

Both of the above trips leave Nairobi almost daily from just outside the Norfolk Hotel at 0800 hrs. We get back into Nairobi by around 1800 hrs. Minimum numbers required to run the trip is just 3 pax, though of course the more the merrier. With just one or two clients we will either make a provisional booking for you, and then look for other clients to fill the boats on that day. Alternatively we will give you dates where we already have a trip departure and see if these are convenient to you.

We now have our own idyllic camp site at the take out point. Fishing, bird watching, swimming for the kids, watered lawns to pitch tents on, plenty of shade, tables and benches, toilets and shower. Fire grills etc. It's free of charge to river rafters and their family.



The Mathioya River WhiteWater Rafting Kenya
Alt 1,600 - 1,160m Often combined with the Tana making it a 2 day trip based out of our Sagana site.
With a runable distance of about 30km. and with over 500m of descent, this river offers some of the most demanding and continuous White-water to be found in Kenya. Because the Muthoya is a narrow, low volume river, the water is not particularly "big". However it is fast flowing and many of the rapids are technically very difficult. (class IV and V). There are numerous holes and hydraulics. Fallen trees are another potential hazard. Two short portages required. Descriptions of the rapids are not given so that clients can still be facing the unknown at each bend.


The Athi River White Water Rafting Kenya

Alt 800 - 600m

Day 1
Depart Nairobi around 0800, for the 3 hour drive down the Mombasa road to Kibwezi. Here we will leave the tarmac, and take a dirt road for the 35 km to our put in point on the river. Lunch of cold cuts, salads, bread and cheese, cold beer or soft drink, then the afternoon spent drifting / paddling slowly down six kilometres of river. Superb bird life all around, particularly the kingfishers, heron and weavers. The night's camp as with all our night stops on the river, will be upon a sand bank, at a point accessible to our Land Rovers which carry all food and equipment. Four course evening meal, plenty of cold drinks and the evening around a camp fire. Retire to one's sleeping bag as you wish with the sounds of the river and "Africa", lulling one to sleep.

Day 2
After a leisurely breakfast and having packed up and loaded the camp onto the Rovers, we continue down river. During the first kilometres or so we will recap on the previous afternoon's safety briefing and continue to practice the basic techniques of paddling the raft, ready for the class III white water sections soon to follow. Again aviflora abounds and as we approach the boundary with Tsavo East National Park, so to does the animal life: Numerous species of antelope, giraffe, buffalo; sometimes elephant, and more rarely, one of the big cats come to the river to drink. Crocodile are a certainty, hippo almost as certain.

Day 3
Four kilometres of calm water then it's into the class IV white water proper, for about 6 km. Larger and more exciting than on the previous day. This superb section is followed by several sections of calm water interspersed with more, though shorter sections, of exciting class III white water.

Day 4
Quite a short day on the river today, again with several sections of good class III rapids, with scenic calm water between. Arrive at the parking lot near Tsavo Safari Camp around 1100, and after an early lunch and having packed away the boats and river gear, we depart by road for Nairobi.

Total Distance covered on the river - about 82 km. but is dependent on time available and prevailing water level and conditions

Cost: US $390.00 per person
Minimum group size 4


The Ewaso-Ng'iro River White Water Rafting Kenya


Alt 900 - 750m.

When water levels are suitable, this river is without a doubt the best combined white-water river / scenic river expedition any of our guides have ever done. Like the Athi River, the minimum time required is 3 days, however because there are much longer and more difficult sections of white-water, a lesser distance is covered each day. We start from about 10km. west of Barsalinga and are able to raft for over 30km. on almost continuous class II, III and IV rapids, plus there are several rapids of class V.

This trip can also be extended, to cover a further 100km. of river. From our usual take out point near Kipsing, we can continue rafting eastwards, through Samburu National Park, to as far as Chandler Falls in Shaba National Park. It's a scenic river all the way, with plenty of game to be seen, particularly elephant and crocodile, we've even seen lion from the boats.

Day 1
Depart Nairobi around 0700, for the 5 hour drive towards Samburu National Park. At Isiolo we will leave the tarmac, and take a dirt road for the 65 km to our put in point on the river, (another hour ½), to near Barsalinga. Lunch of cold cuts, salads, bread and cheese, cold beer or soft drink, then the mid to late afternoon spent drifting / paddling slowly down six kilometres of river. Reasonable class II and III rapids so suited for learning the paddle skills required to run the bigger rapids next day. Superb bird life all around, particularly the kingfishers, heron and weavers, and quite a lot of the smaller game as well. The nights camp as with all our night stops on the river, will be up on the rivers bank, well above any possibility of a "Flash flood" taking out the camp. Four course evening meal, plenty of cold drinks and the evening around a camp fire. Retire to ones sleeping bag as you wish with the sounds of the river and "Africa", lulling one to sleep.

Day 2
After a leisurely breakfast and having packed up and loaded the camp onto the Rovers, we continue down river. During the ½ kilometre or so we will recap on the previous afternoons safety briefing and continue to practice the basic techniques of paddling the raft, ready for the class III, IV & V white water sections soon to follow. Again aviflora abounds and as we get nearer to Samburu National Park, so to does the animal life: Numerous species of antelope, giraffe, warthogs; regularly elephant, and more rarely, one of the big cats that must come daily to the river to drink. Crocodile are a certainty, hippo less frequent. During the afternoon we will exit the gorge we've been in all morning, out onto the plains. From here to our selected campsite its all calm water.

Day 3 - 8 or more
Calm water all the way to, and through Samburu N.P. as far as Archers Post and the start of the river through Shaba N.P. Minor rapids, interspersed with calm sections leads one into another section of gorges. Spectacular scenery. Longer and more demanding than on the upper section. This superb section is followed by several sections of calm water, again interspersed with more, though shorter sections, of exciting class III white water.

Final day
Quite a short day on the river today, dependent on where we are pulling off the river ready for the long drive back to Nairobi

Total Distance covered on the river - up to about 180 km. but is very dependent on time available and prevailing water level and conditions

Cost: US $460.00 per person for the first three days, thereafter $95.00 per person per day.
Minimum group size 4