Browns Canyon Half-Day Whitewater Rafting Tour from Buena Vista

We had a great timr on this tour. The area drought caused the water levels to be low so it wasn’t too fast and our family of six had to be split up in two groups. The guides are really great, especially Cody and Brigham. Mac wasn’t too friendly according to my adult kids. The scenery was beautiful sbd 1/2 day was just enough time. We had communication in advance to wear long sleeves and pants and that was opposite of what we should have worn on a summer day.waterproof shoes are helpful too. Overall, we do recommend this excursion.

The refund/cancelation policy needs to be revised--we are from out of town and booked a 1:00pm trip but got caught in Labor Day weekend traffic in the mountains (two lane roads with no passing). When we called to notify them we would be 20 mins late (it's a two hour drive from Denver), we were told the reservation would be canceled but our money would not be refunded. Even after a 30 minute conversation pleading with the Sales Manager, the best they would offer us was a zip-lining package as an alternative, for which they wanted us to pay and additional $200 dollars (beyond the $400 we had already paid)! The Sales Manager even had the gall to say, "I always tell people to allow extra time on holiday weekends," which was in fact not something that was never communicated to us in any form through any of their correspondence. Our group ended up renting tubes and spending the afternoon tubing in Golden for a fraction of the price. I would recommend that as an alternative to any out-of-towners who would rather not deal with rude and predatory business practices.

Six family members - some experienced, some not - set out on a half-day adventure on the Arkansas River with Cade as our trusty guide. It was a beautiful float through Browns Canyon - not too crowded on the river - with lots of technical bumps and turns around rocks. The water was on the low-side but that didn't dilute our fun! Facilities, equipment, safety, and guide were all top-notch - would highly recommend!

Awesome! What a great experience. The entire staff made sure that you were well equipped with a PFD (Personal Flotation Doo Hickey (aka life jacket), optional splash jacket and/or optional wet suit and helmet. Our guide Katie was very nice and did a great job explaining the ins and outs of the boat, what to do when, what not to do, and had a great narration of different spots and rocks as we explored down the river. The different rapids were also quite and adventure. We would highly recommend this tour. You don't want to miss it.

What an amazing experience! This trip was perfect for our family - mom, dad, 20 yr old, & 14 yr old. The entire staff was professional and helpful, but our guide, Keen, knocked it out of the park! He was extremely knowledgeable about rafting and the Arkansas River & shared personal experiences which totally enhanced our trip. We can’t wait to come back and do a trip with more difficulty!!!! Paddles up to Keen & the rest of the staff!

This trip was amazing and so much fun. My family and I did the 830am rafting trip on the Arkansas River. The attention to safety and friendliness of the group made us feel at ease. Our instructor was Parker. On top of his amazing hair and sweet beard, he was super knowledgeable, patient and put up with all of our questions and random conversations. I fell out of the boat at one time during a rapid and the entire group worked together to communicate and help get me back in a boat. Parker stayed calm and communicated very well even when things didn’t exactly go as planned. 2 days before the trip our girls wanted to do zip-lining and I was able to call AVA and set it up for them after the rafting trip. It was super easy! We are already talking about coming up here and rafting again, as long as we can have Parker’s raft. Thank you AVA for an amazing experience!!

Oh my god! It was so beautiful and Our guide Joey was exceptional! Not only did we get the experience of white water rafting, but Joey knew alot of history of the river and pointed out a bunch of features in the canyon. Very educational and fun. I highly recommend Joey for a guide. Absolutely a great first experience.....

I was very impressed with staff navigating a very complicated check in process getting everybody's gear handed out. They had a great attitude and made if fun and efficient. Our guide Shawn was extremely impressive. His safety speech on the bus was very informative but fun at the same time. My son was very nervous and he put him at ease. We were fortunate enough to have him as a guide as well. The man is a combination of geologist, master of ceremonies, comedian, paramedic, and bad ass rafting expert. He kept us entertained and safe while looking after all boats and his crew at the same time. We were blown away with his talents and will never forget him. Can't wait to come back to see him again!!

What an amazing adventure!!! From the moment we arrived to the second we were done the energy was high and the excitement even higher!!! Randy our team lead kept us laughing but was well informed! He was super experienced and it showed! We maneuvered around the rapids smoothly and enjoyed the dips greatly! I really enjoyed the engaging conversation and genuine facts he shared along the ride. The twists and turns were so quick and thrilling and I absolutely loved the views down the River! This was such a great experience! I highly recommend!!!!

This was the perfect trip for my son's first rafting experience. The Buena Vista team was knowledgeable and fun! Kennedy was a strong team leader, assuring were in good hands. Caleb was our boat guide. He was personable and funny, engaging the six of us on the boat. He was a good communicator, keeping us well informed as to what was ahead and making sure we worked as a team with each of the strokes. My son now wants to go on another trip, at the next level. Thanks for the great experience.