ZZ-RAFTH-03-N

Excluded:
• 2.5% Goods and Services Tax (5% for Canadian residents)    4% Park User Fee
• accommodations and meals before and after trip dates
• tent, sleeping bag & sleeping mattress 
• insurance of any kind
• optional tipping of leader, guides and local staff
• personal belongings as listed on 'Clothing & Equipment List'

This is a great combination with our  Chilko Explorer Ride before the trip for some relaxation or world class fly fishing and horseback riding.
A liability waiver and list of recommended personal gear and clothing will be sent when we receive your application.

Trip Description / General Info / Itinerary

Sample Itinerary:   Chilko/Chilcotin/Fraser
Trip Description / General Info / Itinerary

Day 1  Saturday night -- pre trip meeting:
Saturday night at 8:00 pm our group meets in one of the meeting rooms at the Airport Hotel (accent In).  We will go over any last minute questions and give the guests their dry bags for the trip. Hotel room is included - no meals today.
Day 2:  Sunday
Our flight leaves the Vancouver airport from the south terminal –Avitat building at 7:00 am in the morning.  Beginning with a flight over Howe Sound and Whistler, we soar over the 10,000 foot high Pemberton ice fields.  Below us huge glaciers fill the valleys, while Mount Waddington, BC’s highest peak can be seen over our left wing.  Our chartered plane lands at Chilko Lake where guides and rigged rafts are waiting.  Fishing licenses can be purchased at the Chilko Lake Lodge before we push off.  Sunday morning is spent meandering down the upper stretches of the Chilko River.  In the afternoon, the swift current and gentle rapids carry us away from the mountains to our meadow camp in the pine forest.  A gourmet meal completes the perfect introduction to the six-day adventure.
Day 3:  Monday
Today is whitewater!  The morning is spent going over paddling and safety instructions as world-renowned Lava Canyon (class V), the longest and most continuous rapid section of our journey, is just around the corner.  The next two hours are spent running the “White Mile”, “May Tag” and twelve miles of virtually unending whitewater.  We descend over 1000 vertical feet as the river drops through lava rock formations and pine forests.  After Lava Canyon, the river doubles in size as the turquoise Taseko River rejoins the Chilko.  We run the dramatic “GAP” at Siwash Bridge where the river squeezes through a twenty-foot hole cut in the lava flow.
Day 4:  Tuesday
Today we join the Chilcotin, which crosses the lush Chilcotin Plateau, home to many osprey and bald eagles.  This is a perfect opportunity to try an inflatable kayak as this section affords many playful class II and III rapids.  We camp upon the bluff at the top of Gooseneck Canyon.  After a short hike, we can investigate bat caves or watch the locals dip-net for salmon.|
Day 5:  Wednesday
We begin the day by entering the 5-mile long Gooseneck rapids, exciting in raft and kayak alike.  The densely forested landscape slowly begins to transform into dry desert.  An early arrival at camp for a hot lunch allows plenty of time to climb nearby Dome Mountain for a remarkable panoramic view, angle for trout in Big Creek, or wander with a camera through the beautiful setting.  The evening is capped off by a starlit sky and, if we’re lucky, we may witness the Northern Lights.
Day 6:  Thursday
We head down river to challenge the largest rapids so far.  The one-mile long Big Creek rapids provide an instant eye opener.  The Chilcotin winds its way deeper into the canyons, which provide the perfect habitat for herds of California bighorn sheep.  This area is a designated reserve for bighorn sheep of over 3000 strong, so keep your camera at hand.  We then run the BIG rapids at Farwell Canyon, which are dwarfed, only by the dramatic towering “badlands” around us.  Next we challenge Railroad, the largest rapid on our journey, deep beneath the granite walls of Big John Canyon.  The Chilcotin sweeps into the vast and historic Fraser River, ten times larger, where we make our final evening’s camp on one of the fine, untouched sandy beaches.
Day 7:  Friday
The final morning is spent floating on the Fraser through Gang Ranch, North America’s largest working ranch.  Before noon, we arrive at Churn Creek, where our mini-bus waits to shuttle us to the airstrip for our return flight down the Thompson & Fraser Rivers back to Vancouver.

You will experience the three rivers that many experts consider the premier whitewater rafting adventure in North America. This unique corridor provides access to British Columbia’s untamed wilderness known as “Super Natural”

Note:
This is a sample itinerary and may change due to weather and tidal conditions.

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Trip Description / General Info / Itinerary
 

General Information
Your Guides ~ Your Rafts ~ Meals ~ Weather ~ Experience ~ Safety
Trip Description / General Info / Itinerary

Your Guides

On each rafting expedition you have a fully qualified licensed guide for each raft. The guides are very knowledgeable in the local history and environment surrounding the rivers. Each guide has safety and first aid training and several years experience rafting down the three rivers. Apart from their outdoor skills, they are superb chefs, great hosts and enjoy making the most of your vacation. They are BC government licensed with safety and first aid training.

Your Rafts

Oar and paddle powered rafts (no motors) for silent, peaceful drifting are used. The rafts are steered by a guide who does the rowing. Those who wish to be more active can grab a paddle and help out some or all the time.

Meals

Our outfitter takes special care in preparing nutritious and delicious meals for all trips. Fresh, first class and plenty of it. Breakfasts are hearty with lots of fresh fruit, and lunches always have something for every taste. Dinners are superb: baked salmon, barbecue chicken or juicy steaks accompanied by big salads and dessert treats. Three beer per person per day, wine with dinner and special coffees are provided. If you bring your own supply of alcohol, only beer in cans and wine and liquor in plastic containers are acceptable. There will be no consumption of alcohol during the day until camp is reached late afternoon.

Weather

The Chilko/Chilcotin/Fraser River system is on the leeward side of the Coast Mountains of B.C. The weather is generally dry, sunny and bug free. This is semi-arid area receiving under 15 inches of rain annually. Ponderosa pine, sage brush and prickly pear cactus gives a good indication of the weather to expect. Summer daytime temperatures typically range from 20°-30° Celsius (70°-80° F) with nighttime lows of 10° Celsius (50° F).

No Experience is Required

No prior outdoors or rafting experience is required. Some of our guests have never rafted before, while others have rafted a dozen rivers or more. You are as active as you want to be. The hikers and fishermen can indulge all they want while those wishing to take it easy can relax with a good book.

Safety

Your safety while participating in this expedition is one of our prime concerns and therefore we provide you with the best equipment and extremely competent guides. The guides are well trained in wilderness first aid techniques, and well experienced in this environment. Ultimately your guide makes decisions with your comfort and safety in mind, yet tries to maximize the experience of the adventure for each individual. We must stress that listening to instructions and directions given by the guide is your ultimate responsibility and in the best interest of yourself and the group. The expedition is equipped with a VHF radio communication for logistics and emergency transmissions.

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Trip Description / General Info / Itinerary