White water rafting in Kenya

Kenya is well known for safaris and beach. But also adventurous travelers can find activities. Beside hiking or biking you can do white water rafting. This became popular in 1990. 

Here are some spots for a good rafting experience.

resource: Tuko.co.ke

Athi River

The best white water rafting in Kenya can be experienced in four major rivers. Athi River is one of them, and it’s classified as one of the top 10 river trips in the world. Here, you will get to enjoy rafting fun and stunning views of African wildlife. Some of the most popular animals include giraffes, buffaloes, elephants, crocodiles, monkeys, baboons, and hippos, all in their natural habitat. So here's the fun part. Rafting here takes place on a section of the river that borders Tsavo National park. You will navigate stretches of class II to IV and also areas with calm water where you can catch your breath and enjoy viewing the wildlife. Moreover, you'll get to spend your nights on mobile moored hotels on the sandy riverbanks. We can provide rafting adventures mainly on mid-April to mid-June, and from mid-October to end of December. The minimum number of people required for each trip is 6 and a maximum of 24. However, it’s worth noting that the river is subject to water levels which fluctuate with time. Partner camps provides all the rafting equipment, a professional qualified guide per boat, as well as three to four days of rafting.

Tana River

If you have not been to Tana River, then you are missing out a lifetime experience. The river, which is just 95 kilometres from Nairobi, is a beehive of activities and has an excellent opportunity for you to enjoy white water rafting whether you're a first-timer or experienced. Notably, Tana River rafting involves navigating white water stretches of class II to V. 

In the Sagana area white water rafting is scary and unbelievably amazing in equal measure. All you need for you to engage in this adventurous activity is a good inflatable kayak or a raft and you are good to go. This location offers a combination of 16 kilometers of white water up to class V in then another 12 kilometers of clear river. In this final bit, you will shift to bird watching while enjoying the ambiance and beautiful scenery. First of all, the river itself is a home to crocodiles and hippos. The river banks attract herds of elephants, antelopes, zebras, giraffes, and lions. There is no better way to enjoy an African night like spending it on a sandbank as you gaze at the stars in the clear night sky. Sagana is the perfect place of rafting along River Tana and it provides grade 3 to 5 rapids depending with seasons. Notably, this is where the very first African Olympic Canoe qualifiers/kayaking championships were held in January 2008 and 16 African countries took part. The rafting trip is done under the supervision of qualified guides and it’s about 12 km long. You will negotiate different river routes which have different grades of rapids. They begin from grade one which is basically flat water to grade 5 rapids, all these depending on the season. For instance, Monsoon long rains in Kenya experienced during April to May and November to December raises the water levels. Before the trip starts, you are first briefed on general safety for about 10 to 15 minutes. You will then be introduced to the rafting guide. So in case you have any questions, you can always consult with the guide. A waiver form is also filled at the beginning of every rafting trip. Since there are many routes followed when rafting in Sagana, you'll definitely need an expert going down the stream with fellow rafters. 

Mathioya river

Water rafting in Mathioya River can only be done by people with knowledge and experience since it has the most technical rapids in Kenya. The trips here are available on mid April to mid June or October and November since they are the rainy seasons in the region. Here, you'll enjoy two trips a day, the first trip beginning at 9 am and the second one at 2 pm. The minimum number of people required for rafting is 4 and a maximum of 60 people. Camps provide all rafting equipment, a professional qualified guide per boat, transport between camp and the river and 3 to 4 hours of rafting.