Our Top Five Guide Tips for First Time Rafters

Have questions before rafting the Ocoee River for the first time?

Ocoee Outdoors is the longest standing rafting company on the Ocoee River, and we pride ourselves on our experienced raft guides that have been doing this for over 25 years! Our raft guides are extreme boaters who live, eat, and breathe whitewater. They guide different people from all walks of life almost every day in the summer, so they’ve seen it all! We asked them about common fears first time rafters have, and they provided tips for first time rafters on the Ocoee River!

  1. Plan Your Trip 
  2. Pack Your Swim Attire and Shoes
  3. Calm Your Nerves
  4. Do Your Research
  5. Embrace the Adventure

1. Plan Your Trip

The Ocoee River is one of the most popular guided whitewater rafting rivers with over 300,000 rafters annually. Don’t forget to plan ahead and make reservations for rafting the Ocoee River, so that you don’t miss your chance!

2. Pack Your Swim Attire and Shoes

At Ocoee Outdoors, we provide you with all the gear you will need for rafting the Ocoee River. This includes everything from a helmet to a lifejacket and a paddle. But, as you can imagine, everyone rafting the Ocoee River gets pretty wet! Make sure you pack a swimsuit, water shoes and a change of clothes for after you finish rafting. Leave valuables at home, or locked in your car, to ensure that they don’t get damaged on the rafting trip!

3. Nervous About Your Trip

So, you’ve booked your trip. Now what? You’re probably a little nervous about white water rafting the Ocoee River, but don’t worry, that’s completely normal! Nervous about falling in the water? Nervous about your raft flipping? Feel like you know nothing about whitewater rafting? All of these things, and more, are included in the proper training our guides provide BEFORE getting on the river. Like we said above, our experienced raft guides have safety as their number one priority, so if you were to take a swim, they know how to get you back on the boat as safely and as soon as possible.

4. Do Your Research

Cost shouldn’t be the determining factor when it comes to whitewater rafting on the Ocoee River. Instead of focusing on the cheapest trip, focus on using a rafting company that has experience, a proven track record, and safety as their number one concern. You get what you pay for! Lucky for you, Ocoee Outdoors offers not only the longest rafting trips but also has the most experienced rafting guides on the Ocoee River!

5. Embrace It

Whitewater rafting on The Ocoee River is not your everyday activity so break free from your daily routine and try something new and exciting. See places you’ve never seen before and get a different perspective you wind your way through the river gorge in a raft. Make new friends and make memories with old friends. And let Ocoee Outdoors be a part of the magic that helps make your first rafting trip on the Ocoee River a great one!

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