Medellin Rafting day-trip, Rio Calderas
Description
Our Intermediate Rafting trip takes you to the Rio Calderas, located just 2 hours east of Medellin. We pick you up at our offices or at your own doorstep, and everything is included for the day. You don't need any previous experiences, but even the most experienced rafters will have fun on this river! The trips starts with a coffee and a short 4*4 ride to the river, and a safety talk. Then, we head down stream! Enjoy over 3 hours of great whitewater ( class 3/4) and enjoy the stunning ambiance of the jungle! Our guides will also fill you in on the history of the region, and lead you to discover many fun facts about the fauna and flora of the area! We will stop halfway for a great lunch on a pristine beach, when you will also get to relax and swim! At the end of the trip, our professional drivers and comfy vans will take you back to Medellin, and a few days after your trip, you will even get an email with your free photos of the day ;) Let's get out of the city for a day!
Tour Options
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Reviews(106)
We took several tours while we were in Medellin and this one stands out as one of the best! The rapids are exhilarating and the guides are experienced and fantastic! The rapids are class 3-4 and more than enough for an exciting time on the rafts. We had 6 in our party and everyone agreed that it was such a fun experience. Steven was our guide along with Jonathan and Daniel in the kayaks for support. If you want some videos, opt for the GoPro package. The videos come out great! You will meet at the Hotel Masaya in El Pablado and take an air-conditioned van (2 hours) to the river. They serve you a great traditional lunch wrapped in a banana leaf before you take about a 10-minute hike through the jungle to the put-in. The rapids get progressively more challenging as you go down the river, which is great because it gives you time to get used to the water and the guide's commands. They will also let you practice rescue techniques in the calmer areas, which helps you feel more comfortable. The Rio Calderas is a beautiful river with huge boulders and amazing scenery. You may even get lucky and see some gold miners on the river! You will want to bring some bug spray, sunscreen, and a dry set of clothes as the van has cloth seats and they don't want to get them wet. You can safely leave your items in the 4x4 that they take you to the rive in. They will give you helmets and life jackets. You will probably want to bring water shoes as well (not flip flops), since the hike to the put-in is a little difficult. The water temp is great once you get in. Be prepared to get completely soaked! There are some pretty good drops in the rapids and you will be asked to paddle quite a bit to give the guide some control over the boat. This is a physical activity, and not a passive tour. Grab some arrepas from the restaurant after the trip, they're delicious! We would definitely recommend this tour and will take it again on our next trip to Medellin! Cheers
Dear John, Thank you so much for taking the time to share such a detailed review of your experience with us! We are thrilled to know that rafting on the Río Calderas was one of the highlights of your trip to Medellín and that you enjoyed the adventure, the scenery, the traditional lunch, and the work of our guides. We will be sure to share your kind words with Estiven, Jonathan, and Daniel, they will be delighted to hear them. It was a pleasure having your group with us, and we truly appreciate your recommendation. Reviews like yours inspire us to continue creating memorable experiences for our travelers. We will be waiting for you with open arms on your next visit to Colombia. Until then, we wish you many more great adventures! Warm regards, Expedition Colombia Team 💙
It was an amazing experience. The guides were very professional and friendly. They were very clear with the safety and overall instructions.
Hi Oliver! Thank you so much for your kind words! We’re really happy to hear you enjoyed the experience. Our team always strives to create a safe, welcoming, and memorable adventure for every traveler. Don't forget to tag or follow us on social media, and we'll follow you back! 🌱 Instagram: @Expedition.colombia 🌱 Facebook: @expeditioncolombiatravel Thanks again, and please tell all your friends! We look forward to seeing you again soon! Best, Expedition Colombia Team 🚣🏽♀️
Hands down the most fun we’ve had on a river. All of the staff at Expedition Colombia were friendly, helpful, and professional. Starting days before our trip, Camila was in contact to make sure we had all of the information we needed. David, our driver, was so polite and informative about the countryside we were driving through. When we arrived at the start of our trip (a beautiful 2 hour drive through the mountains), we were greeted by our guides, Steven, Jonathan, and Daniel. Safety instructions were clear and very useful. They fed us an amazing traditional lunch of rice, plantain, sausage and vegetables wrapped in a banana leaf. Once we got on the river, we were allowed to practice rescue techniques using both the raft and the two kayakers that were always with us on our trip. We always felt safe. The class of rapids steadily increased the further along we went. They ranged from class 1-4 but most of them seemed to be class 3 with some really technical rapids in class 4. Steven really knows what he’s doing and got us through some huge rapids. The river was way better than we expected and our group of 6 had such an amazing time. If you want to see some of the wilds of Medellin while riding some serious rapids (safely), you really need to book this tour!! If I could give these folks 6 stars, I would. A truly unforgettable experience.
Hi guys! We’re thrilled to hear that your group had such an unforgettable experience on the Calderas River and felt safe and well taken care of throughout the adventure. It means a lot to us that you chose Expedition Colombia for this experience, and we truly hope to welcome you back for more rapids and adventures in the future! 🚣♂️🌿 Don't forget to tag or follow us on social media, and we'll follow you back! 🌱 Instagram: @Expedition.colombia 🌱 Facebook: @expeditioncolombiatravel Thanks again, and please tell all your friends! Best, Expedition Colombia Team 🚣🏽♀️
Tour Guide Was Excellent It Was About Two In A Half Hour Drive Beautiful Views The Actual Rafting Was About 2-3 Hours Me And My Friends Fell Off The Raft Lol But We Had Fun Would Definitely Recommend
Hi Brandon! Thank you so much for your review! We’re happy to hear you enjoyed the beautiful views and had a great time rafting with your friends. Falling off the raft definitely makes for an unforgettable adventure 😂 Don't forget to tag or follow us on social media, and we'll follow you back! 🌱 Instagram: @Expedition.colombia 🌱 Facebook: @expeditioncolombiatravel Thanks again, and please tell all your friends! We look forward to seeing you again soon! Best, Expedition Colombia Team 🚣🏽♀️
The guides were very friendly and explanatory. We were safe throughout and it was a great experience for everyone!
Salut Edouar Merci beaucoup pour votre gentil commentaire ! 😊 Nous sommes ravis d’apprendre que vous avez apprécié l’expérience et que vous vous êtes sentis en sécurité tout au long de la descente. Ce fut un vrai plaisir de partager cette aventure sur la rivière avec vous. Nous espérons vous revoir très bientôt pour une nouvelle sortie pleine d’émotions ! 🚣♂️🌊
It was an amazing experience with a nice chauffeur who brought us from medellin to the rafting meeting point. We had amazing people who were helping us that were, friendly, funny and real experts at what they do. You start of the day with an amazing lunch and are on the water having fun for 2-3 hours. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is down for a cool experience!
It was a really great experience. The guides were excellent. I would absolutely recommend it to others.
Hi Tim! Thank you so much! We’re very happy you enjoyed your adventure in our region. Don’t forget to tag or follow us on social media — we’ll follow you back! 🌱 Instagram: @Expedition.colombia 🌱 Facebook: @expeditioncolombiatravel Thanks again, and please tell your friends! We hope to see you again soon. Best, Expedition Colombia Team 🚣🏽♀️
Very nice experience, the guides were professional and the river was perfect for both beginners and advanced.
We had a blast rafting! Our guide Stephen was funny and amazing, explained everything so we felt safe the whole time, we also had deliscious dinner, really recommend
Dear Izabela, Thank you so much for sharing your experience! 😊 We’re really happy to hear you had such a great time and that our guides made you feel safe while keeping the experience fun. :D You’re always welcome to join us again, there are many more rivers and adventures waiting for you in Colombia 🌊✨ Hope to see you on your next trip! Expedition Colombia team.
Amazing guides! Great rafting. Good English if you need it. Definitely get the video package to enjoy the experience later. Good for beginners.
Dear William, Thank you so much for your review! 🌊💚 We’re really happy to hear that you enjoyed the rafting and had a great experience with our guides. We’d love to have you back for another adventure whenever you’re ready to explore more of Colombia’s rivers and landscapes. See you on the next one! 🚣♂️✨ Expedition Colombia Team. 💙
