Is it a raft or a plane?

You can stay local or go worldwide - it all depends on how much fun and excitement you can handle?

You can stay (relatively) local in Europe or USA or you can spoil yourself and head for the big rivers (usually below the big mountains).

Europe

1. UK: The top place in the UK is Canolfan Tryweryn. The rapids are a good place to start before launching yourself into a major trip and to find out if you’re going to enjoy this sport. The rapids are up to grade 3 / 4 and include famously named slides like the ’ski slope’. Lots of fun for an afternoon, but bigger adventures await.
2. Switzerland: It’s cold, but its white water and the rapids go up to grade 5 with some unrunnable.
3. Austria: Rafting trips for individuals and groups, families and special activities, half and full day trips on the river Inn, in the Austrian Tyrol.
4. Iceland: Two unforgettable days of rafting the East Glacial River from the highlands down to Skagafj’r'ur. Class 4+ rapids and plenty of white water action. Usually available July and August

USA

1. Grand Canyon
   This is North America’s ultimate river trip, through one of the Seven
   Wonders of the World. What few people realise is that because the water releases are controlled, the early and late-seasons of April or September and October, offer the Canyon at its best. Both smooth and white water rafting available.
2. “Nantahala” is a corruption of the Cherokee word Nundayeli, meaning, and ‘middle sun’ or ‘midday sun’ one thousand years ago and there is evidence of settlers ten thousand years ago.Located in western North Carolina, the scenic Nantahala River is a perfect introductory trip. It is suitable for everyone, including groups, families with small children, and active seniors. Its proximity to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park makes it one of America’s favorite rivers. Fully guided or guide-assisted half-day trips are available down the Nantahala’s 8 miles of constant waves, swift clear currents, and magnificent scenery. Go with either NOC or Wild Water.
3. Tennessee’s Great Smoky Mountain Park is home to the Lower and Upper Pigeon rivers.  The Lower Pigeon Fun Float is great for families with younger children, more relaxed rafters, and seniors. The lazy rapids will challenge those with experience while showing off breathtaking views of The Smoky Mountains.

   Fun waves, ending in an exhilarating Class III rapid, will make this half-day trip a memorable one for newcomers.The Upper Pigeon is a big water river with lots of exciting waves and action.

   Rafters are immediately confronted with fast moving water and standing waves. The rapids are mostly Class III with one Class IV. The Pigeon is a dam-controlled river for good water levels all season. Guided trips with Wild Water Rafting.

4. The Upper Ocoee and lower Ocoee are newer rafting rivers locted in Southwesten Tennessee.

   The exhilarating Upper Ocoee was the site for the 1996 Olympic kayaking competition but is only available for a limited number of days per year.

   The Lower Ocoee is one of the most popular 5-mile stretches of whitewater. Half-day trip on the Middle Ocoee has exciting rapids and continuous waves. Go with the local trained guides and no experience is necessary.

5. The Chattooga III and IV Rivers form the border of western South Carolina and northeast Georgia. Used as the location for the film “Deliverance”, the Chattooga River’s spectacular scenery and exciting whitewater make this our most popular trip. Section III is ideally suited for beginner to intermediate rafters. Section IV of the Chattooga will give you heart pounding class III-V rapids.
6. West Virginia offers some of the best commercially run white water in North America.The New River, touted as the second oldest rafting river in the world, offers exciting spring rafting trips.Swollen by rains and snow melt the New River contains colossal rapids that rival those foundwithin the Grand Canyon.

   Huge waves, monstrous holes and long wave trainsmake this one of the best early season rafting trips.As the rains subside and the river levels decrease, the New River becomes more tranquil and suitable for first-time rafters and people of all ages andability levels.

   At the beginning of September West Virginia becomes the white water rafting capital of the world. The world-famous Gauley River is the premier Whitewater run in the East, but also, offers great excitement to first timers. Visit Drift a bit and experience some of the best Whitewater in the Eastern US. Alternatively check out Songer White Water for another West Viginia rafting specialist.

7. California - boasts 12 white water rivers. The favourite of these is the American River (south fork and middle fork). The South Fork has something for everyone. It is the most popular introductory whitewater river in the western United States, yet it also satisfies experienced rafters, offering the diversity of classic scenery, narrow rocky gorges, peaceful calms, and over 50 class II and III rapids.

   The Middle Fork is perfect for either a second whitewater trip or the more adventurous first timer! It is a true wilderness river…dazzling, clear water flowing through a backdrop of green, densely forested canyon walls, rising 2000′ overhead. For the major operator in this region check out All Outdoors.

8. Alaska - For wilderness, camping and white water adventure head for the remote lands of alaska. Alaska River Rafting can take you on trips of a life time to the Tana, Talkeetna and Charley rivers.

Canada

1. In the remote Yukon territory, the Tatshenshini River flows from glaciers high in the St. Elias range to the Pacific Ocean in Alaska’s Dry Bay. On the way down it passes through three park reserves.

   This river offers classic wilderness adventure with class IV rapids, massive canyons, abundantwildlife. Trips can vary from one to ten days, depending onwhere you start and finish. Also, there is unbelievable hiking on yet unnamed mountains around the river. (Contributed by Derrick Law)

2. Ottawa River claims to be the second biggest white water in North America and have the longest ride north of the grand canyon Ottawa River.

India & Nepal

1. Raft the Ganges. A 140 km trip down India’s sacred Ganges is a heady mixture of challenging grade IV rapids and exotic culture The river tumbles down from the high Himalayas, passing temples, ashrams and terraced fields clinging to the steep mountain sides.
2. Nepal Rafting the Karnali, the longest and largest river in Nepal, is an exceptional experience. You can take a 180km white water adventure down the Karnali’s Western Bend, a wild and very remote part of Nepal, only recently opened to visitors.
3. Rafting the SunKosi. This can be one of the longest river-rafting trips in Nepal, a 270 km expedition down the mighty SunKosi or “River of Gold”. This river has an abundance of challenging grade 4 rapids, lots of small villages to explore, plus the jungle of the Terai and numerous Hindu temples too.

Africa

1. Zimbabwe - Zambia
   Raft the Zambezi river - cutting the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia. Often you can combine a day in the explosive Batoka Gorge (below Victoria Falls) with a water safari trip on the upper Zambezi. Check out Afrizim.com - a decent site about Victoria falls.

   You might also consider a trip through the wildlife-rich lower Zambezi as it meanders past Mana Pools National Park.

   The British Canoe Union had defined the grade 5 rapids below the Victoria Falls on the Zambezi as- ‘extremely difficult, long and violent rapids, steep gradients, big drops and pressure areas’.

   This is a high volume, pool-drop river - little exposed rock either in the rapids or in the pools below the rapids. The Zambezi White Water Rafting is internationally acclaimed as being the wildest in the world. The one-day low water trip is considered to be the best one-day white water experience available in the world.

   The Zambezi River floods between mid February and the end of June. Huge volumes, in excess of four times that of the Colorado River flood over the falls at peak. Nearly half of the rapids are classified as Grade 5 - Grade 6 is “unrunnable”.

   The “low water” run occurs when the Zambezi River is at its low level generally between July and mid-February. This is the most exciting time to do rafting.

   Day trips are conducted between rapids 1 and 18. The “high water” run follows after fresh inflow from the catchment areas in Angola and Zambia.

   The water rises and flows more rapidly and the day trips move downstream from rapids 11 to 23. The steep walls of the gorge are not suited for game. Bird life is usually very good.

   There are small crocodiles in the river - they are not a serious threat. Bilhazia is not a risk.

2. White Nile in Uganda Some more adventurous operators are offering trips in this region.

Rest of the world

1. Coruh in Turkey
2. Rio Futaleufu in Chile - a new rafting location. Go with this top US operator aorafting.
3. South America and the Andes offer numerous trips - check out earthriver for more details
4. Borneo ‘The land below the wind’ For first timers, white water rafting at Kiulu River is recommended. This river is a Grade 2 river.If Kiulu River is not a challenge enough for you, try white water rafting in Padas River which can go up to Grade 4 or 5 during rainy season.