My friends and I planned a trip out to Yosemite Valley to enjoy some spring camping. Our reservation was canceled at the last minute due to flooding in the valley from melting snow. We were lucky enough to make camping reservations at Pine Flat Lake and were in the market for a white water rafting adventure. We came across Mountain Descents, and found their service to be exactly what we needed. Most of my group consisted of beginners; a few of us had gone once or twice before but were novices nonetheless. Our guides consisted of Amicaya and Ivan, in addition to a few other trainees / employees. Everyone was super friendly and did an excellent job preparing us for our excursion. With their excellent guidance, NOBODY FELL OUT OF THE BOAT; a little surprising, if you ask me. The tide was high and the waters were fierce at times, but we had an absolute freakin' blast with the team over at Mountain Descents. Highly recommend! read more

My sister and I took the intermediate course with Mountain Descents River Rafting, and it completely exceeded our expectations. It was definitely more intense than I originally thought, but in a way that made the whole experience even more thrilling. Our guide, DJ (I think!), had a sense of humor that made the whole ride even more fun. We both left feeling exhilarated and already talking about doing it again next time we're visiting Sequoia. read more

Lots of fun with a safe and knowledgeable staff to guide us! Staff went out of their way to make sure we had what we needed, including making us straps for our sunglasses. Crystal, our raft guide, clearly explained all the safety info and gave us a really fun experience on the river! It was an outstanding experience, and we would definitely be repeat customers of this buisness! read more

Everyone was very chill, and more than knowledgeable. Plenty of range for experience. Definitely a must try. read more

This was our first white water rafting we did the easy one I really enjoyed our raft captain "AMA" he is calm funny and experienced. We will def go again very fun adventure I encourage everyone to try it once, the one bad part was at the end carrying our rafts up to a spot to be rolled on a cart. I'm glad it was only like 74 degrees because if it was 100 out I don't think I could do it. read more

Mountain Descents - Pics of rafts very strong sturdy and safe - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Three Rivers, California

This was My group and mine first time rafting. We were really excited, but our instructor totally killed our spirit. We were ready to call it quits because of how condescending he was towards us. He was so rude and impatient with us. He screamed at us the first half of the ride. It was really embarrassing seeing how all the other rafts were looking at us. He would say things like look at me while I'm talking! Are you deaf?! Why are you not doing what I'm asking you to do! He would not give us time to react to the commands given. And would get so mad because we were not fast enough. We even told him to be patient with us because we were not messing up on purpose, but this was our first time. One of the other groups told him to stop screaming, that he was the only one screaming. After that he did calm down and started to encouraged us. We tried to end the trip on a good note. We would definitely want to go back. But not with this instructor. He made a really bad impression on us. He ruined our first time rafting experience. We all felt like scolded children at the end. As far as the rafting experience on the river, that was great. read more

What an enjoyable time! My partner and I did a family fun run. As it was my first time white water rafting, I was very excited and nervous. They stopped twice to give us the oppurtunity to swim and we had a little break in the middle of the trip. The staff here are great and very good at making you feel at ease. read more

Had a great day out with Mountain Descents, booked online, with no issues. Staff were friendly and very helpful. Trip was on time and had no issue the river is still running nice and high, so lots of fun. read more

Took my husband rafting for the first time on the Intermediate Run and we absolutely loved it! Our guide, John, was very knowledgeable and the entire staff were super friendly and well organized. The equipment -- helmet, lifejackets, and raft were in great condition. (I've been to places with smelly life jackets and it just grossed me out.) Mountain Descents also has a kayaker that goes ahead of the rafts to check the rapids and take pictures. Then a bus takes you back to the parking area. TIPS: 1) Put on lots on sunblock 2) Buy a Croaky/sunglasses wrap beforehand 3) Wear water shoes that won't slide off easily. No slippers. You will get soaked! read more

See all

Guides were awesome! GREAT price! The family fun run was perfect for our family of 6 and our guide Crystal made the trip amazing. GREAT fun for the entire family. Awesome memories to end our trip. read more

First time rafting over memorial weekend and these guys made me feel safe! Super friendly, very communicative, super professional and fun. Highly recommend. read more

Awesome experience with the Mountain Descents crew! Ivan was an excellent guide and made the whole experience fun! There were just two of us as paying customers and 2 guides in training. They made the entire experience custom to us and what we liked. We booked the 1/2 day intermediate trip and the river was running so fast, it only took about 2 1/2 hours instead of the listed 4 but that was ok! Such a beautiful place to raft. read more

My family went rafting here yesterday. It was everyone's first time river rafting so we did the fun run! It was much more exciting than we anticipated. We had 4 adults and 2 kids 9 & 11 yrs old. We all had an amazing experience! Our guide was amazing and so was the kayaker! They gave us very thorough instructions before we headed out which I am grateful for. Our raft tipped on a rough part of the run and we all fell out which was a bit scary with the kiddos but we were all quickly rescued back into the boat due to them telling us what to do before hand and the quick action they took in getting us all back to the boat safely. The water was surprisingly refreshing! It gave us an INCREDIBLE story to look back on and the whole point is to have a bit of adventure and adrenaline going! Mission accomplished! It was the topic of our conversation for the rest of the evening and this morning. Highly recommend! Also want to note that every staff member was very kind and friendly too! Great group of people read more

Mountain Descents - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Three Rivers, California

June 2023 Mountain Descents river rafting was an amazing adventure! Hats off to the guides, Cory, Ivan, Sid, and Valentino for making the river rafting experience off the charts fun!! Our family of 5 (ages 10 to 51) enjoyed our first time river rafting so much that we all came back the next day for a repeat. Thank you Mountain Descents for accommodating our next day reservations. Hands down, you've turned our family into BIG fans of river rafting. We will be seeking it out in future vacations. It's the best time to enjoy river rafting in the Kaweah River. The melted snow makes the river extra refreshing. The water has a sweet taste. read more

Booked a river trip for me and my family over the July 4th weekend. And even though my parents were very nervous to go on their first white water rafting trip, our guide, Ivan, made sure we were all comfortable and safe. He even found a way to accommodate my mom who was nervous about having to row the entire time. We had so much fun, we couldn't stop talking about it for the rest of our vacation. Ivan made our experience one of the best memories from our time in Sequoia. I can't recommend this enough, definitely would do again! read more

I booked this as an extra thing to do on our trip to Sequoia National Park. It was a great start to our vacation and I 10/10 would do it again if I'm in the area. Everyone was super friendly starting with my questions over the phone to make me feel comfortable. Our guide, Mikayla, was super sweet and genuinely so. The family fun run was perfect for younger kids and maybe adults that don't want as wild of a ride. There were stops to enjoy the river and swim a bit as well. My only critique is that our boat had two adults and three children, not including the guide. The smallest child did not paddle, and the second youngest was not super effective. I think if we had another adult on board we would have not gotten stuck and run into trees as often. But, all was well in the end, and we stayed afloat. It's just something to keep in mind. An extra perk was the fantastic photographer that took some memorable candid shots so we could always remember our rafting trip. All in all, I would definitely return and recommend this business. read more

The best. Such a solid experience. If you haven't gone white water rafting or even if you're a bit more seasoned, I totally recommend these guys. This years river season on the Kaweah River isn't one you want to miss!!! read more

Definitely a 5 star plus for our guide John from Mountain Descents. Took my kids along with my cousins white water rafting thru the Kaweah River today and it was amazingly beautiful. John was super nice and friendly and answered all our questions while we cruised down the river. Thank you for making my first time rafting memorable. read more

See all

Amicaya (our guide and business owner) was laid back, funny, and knowledgeable-- and don't even get me started on the rafting....it was super fun! If you're a first-time river rafter, Mountain Descents is your place. I was nervous but I felt safe the entire time. Looking forward to doing it again next year. =) read more

We went this past week! We did the 4 hour Intermediate trip! Disclaimer you probably need to be in okay shape to do this trip! About 80% is really fun fairly intense rapids! My boys and I go every year at a different place! This was probably one of the best ones we have ever done! The guide was knowledgeable and fun he taught us a lot about the river and a few things we didn't previously know about rafting! Overall excellent experience we highly recommend it!!! read more

Mountain Descents - Pre-rafting photo opportunity - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Three Rivers, California

The owner and all his employees are very friendly and welcoming to new comers. I'm definitely coming back.

For $50 per person (Aug, 2017) was well worth it. Our guide Michael was very relaxed and seasoned. Made it fun for everyone. The trip was about 2 hours from the store location. The woman at the shop seemed very disorganized and making a reservation was initially difficult because of her, but once we spoke w the owner, all worked perfectly and smooth. There are 9 am and 3 pm start time. We get on the boat from the back of the store, and ends at the lake. A van was there to take us back to the store. Really fun for the whole family. read more

Mountain Descents - Find this sign. The river rafting season is usually from March to June, but in 2017, the season extended to August. Worth $50 per. - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Three Rivers, California

This was so much fun! The owner and staff were great they were knowledgeable about safety but also aware that you are doing this for the adventure and fun of it. My thirteen year old daughter was very nervous about falling out after their safety talk and we went down our first rapids she was laughing and having a blast. If you are thinking about doing this while visiting, YOU SHOULD you won't regret it especially if you have kids with you. I'm looking forward to doing it again next spring. P.S The wetsuits and top layer really do keep you warm as it was a cloudy mild spring day when we went. read more

We booked the intermediate trip. Our guide John was one of the best we've ever had. He has knowledge of local history and more than 15 years experience on this river. We will be back to rafting this river with them again. Thank you to the entire team at Mountain Descents. read more

We had an amazing day with Mountain Descents. Our guides were wonderful, the water was refreshing, best day ever!

Firstly let me begin by stating that I 100%, two thumbs up, 5 stars recommend Mountain Descents for white water rafting in Three Rivers. My family and I stayed in Three Rivers last week to visit Sequoia National Park, and while there we saw advertisements for white water rafting. My dad and I were more gung-ho about going rafting than my brother, mom and grandmother but when I explained to them that there was a Fun Run option they began to be more on board with the experience. My parents, siblings and I have rafted through a river in Yosemite when I was younger but we had never gone white water rafting before, so we were extremely fresh beginners. This appeared to be a small challenge for Amicaya (Kayaked next to us to help guide and free us from anything our raft could get stuck on. He is also a registered nurse) and Erica (our guide who was in the raft with us), who were extremely professional, knowledgable, kind and just so much fun. To begin the trip, we drove to a meet up spot about 5 minutes from their office location. We got geared up with helmets and life jackets that, fun fact, are made to help your body and head float should you become unconscious in the river. Erica went over detailed safety and basic white water rafting instructions with us. She explained the types of paddling strokes we would perform in the river, commands we should follow (like GET DOWN, means to get your body fully in the raft) and what to do should we fall out of the raft. Erica's humor and calming nature really helped to neutralize my Mom's growing fear in the river (she's a worry wort and tends to work her anxiety up - my 85 year old grandmother was more relaxed) and made the overall trip truly enjoyable. At the start, my dad and I made it known that we would basically be the only two people really focused on paddling and getting the raft to where it needs to be. I especially liked how between rapids and when the river was more calm, Erica worked with the whole crew on practicing strokes and commands. This only ensured that we were knowledgable about what to do in the river and decreased our chances of falling into the river. We went through about 5 rapids. Erica expertly guided us through the river and Amicaya was kayaking close by helping to guide us through as well. The trip ends in the beautiful Lake Kaweah, where we then paddled about 15 minutes to reach the docks. It was a fully body workout, and so worth it! Not one person in our raft (which remember includes my terrified mother, my 85 year old grandmother and my less than focused younger brother) fell in the river. I largely credit this to Erica's expertise, calming nature and her overall ability to foresee what is needed in the moment before it has happened. I felt extremely safe and most importantly my family thoroughly enjoyed the trip. It is a story we are telling over and over again to the rest of our family. My other brother is already planning a future trip to Three Rivers, and it will include white water rafting with Mountain Descents. Thank you Amicaya, Erica and Mountain Descents for this amazing experience! read more

Currently writing this review while cradling my fluffiest pillow. Oooh little did I know I'd get a complete total body workout... hahaaa! The meeting area is really easy to find. Coming from 198 E destination is on the LEFT do NOT pass the CHEVRON gas station. The rafting team is held by professional water peeps that know how to take care of you in the water. I did not get to know all the rafting instructors. I do know that Amicaya is a Registered Nurse (RN), and I have no doubt that if I were to fallout and be unconsciously floating along the river he would rescue me and work his magic. My rafting leader was Ivan, and he knew how to instruct and best keep us all safe. He gave warnings beforehand on the rapids to come, and how to prepare. Class IV rapids are intense in my opinion. When he shouts out "HOLD ON!!" Prepare. Sit as instructed. Work your balance, and HOLD ON. Falling out can definitely happen to anyone, and it did happen to several guest in other rafts. Everyone was safe. In class III rapids Ivan confidently allowed any willing guest to sit on the forefront of the raft, and take the rodeo bull ride. Definitely a fun ride :D What to bring: 1.) Capability to balance while seated on a moving turbulent raft. It is vital, otherwise there's a high probability of falling out into the roaring class IV rapids, or falling on top of someone which is also dangerous (my friend fell on me TWICE...not coo). 2.) Small Sunscreen (can be stashed in a small mesh bag with rafting leader) 3.) Water bottle with a hook top that can attach securely to the raft. 4.) Chums to secure sunglasses, also purchased on Amazon. 5.) Long bill cap, or visor. 6.) If wanting to capture videos or photos using a phone, purchase a waterproof case. I purchased mine on Amazon, "FRiEQ Universal Waterproof Case Bag" for $7.99 You won't need nothing else. Enjoy. Have fun. Get drenched! Cheers! read more

Yew!! Had such a blast with Amicaya ! Had a smile on my face from ear to ear. We did the whole trip, from up top at the class 4 Rapids, and it was totally worth it! This river is so fun and these guys really know what they are doing, I felt safe the whole time, but still had enough adventure. This river trip is a must do on your visit to sequoia national park, it's the perfect respite from the hot summer sun, jump on in!! Definetly call these guys up and bring the whole fam, saw some little kids on there too and everyone had a blast! Yew!! Thanks for an awesome adventure, I will definetly be back! Who knew Three Rivers was such an awesome white water destination?! I guess with that name, I should have! So many Rapids, it was definitely a thrilling ride.. Not like the boring float trips you do elsewhere. Also, go inside next door to the Kahwea Trading Post, these gals have a bunch of awesome merchandise, and they are incredibly friendly and knowledgeable ! read more

Had a great class 3 run with John Brown as our guide. My family had a blast! The 1 pm run was perfect at 3 hours long. This crew was top notch. read more

Just got back from this wonderful adventure. All of the guides were great. Originally, my friend and I had signed up and paid only for the 2/3 trip instead of going all the way down from the starting point to Lake Kaweah. Once we got to the end of our stop, we encouraged and both felt like pressing on, fully ready to pay the rest once we got back to our cars. Once we got back, one of the guides named Amicaya, was incredibly generous, deciding not to charge us the upgrade,bathe only condition being to spread the word, which I will gladly do. It was an incredible adventure led by all of the guides and enjoyed by the other guests who were riding in the boats with and alongside us. There were plenty of rapids that we went through, providing plenty of opportunities to get splashed and wet. Lunch was also provided before we reached Lake Kaweah. My friend and I had an absolute blast and I highly recommend this adventure to anyone with the desire to raft. It's a great ride led by wonderful and fun people. Do this! Give them your business! You won't regret it! read more

Loved it! We were a party of 16 and they arranged it all in minutes. The guides were great - funny, professional, thorough and genuinely engaged with each of us. The trip down the river was so much fun. I've been visiting Three Rivers for over 45 years and had never rafted the river before. Now I don't think I can visit without booking a trip with Mountain Descents. read more

This is a premier white water rafting company. The owner paid incredible attention to all the patrons and safety. Johnny -our Guide we had had been on the river for 15 years, very knowledgeable. Their rafts were of the highest quality and some of the best we saw on the entire river. I highly highly recommend this outfitter over all the others. You will not be disappointed read more

Professional. Fun. Planned. Quality gear. Great guides who are friendly and river smart. Great times to be had. read more

Guide brings his kid along. Pushes my wife in the water! WHAT THE HECK? Good guides and safe but this kid ruined it for us read more

Too much fun!! Is that even possible? We had a great birthday trip last summer and the staff did an outstanding job keeping our wild bunch alive haha. Highly recommend! read more

All I can say is that this was an amazing adventure. The water and weather were excellent. John was the perfect guide. We couldn't have asked for better first experience. We will be returning soon. read more

Our group did the beginner run yesterday and let me tell you about the excitement! As a beginner, there are many safety rules to learn and thank God we paid attention! The leader of the excursion was awesome--very clear and helpful and encouraging. When you get in the rafts, however, you get one of three guides and we had a guide who was pretty impatient with our beginner's status ‍ I mean, we told you we were beginners! We had trouble paddling in sync. Well, when we got to the roughest part of the beginner run... Our raft went sideways and two adults and a teen were on that side and they all fell off. It. Was. Frightening. One adult was able to get right back in the raft. The teen and other adult went under the raft and then drifted way past the raft. All I'm saying is pay attention to the safety instructions! Even though it was scary, we knew what to do and everyone was ok. We'll talk about it forever. read more

Great beginner Fun Run and first time experience overall, thanks to our guide Mike and office staff Ama and Holly! The photographer hidden towards the end of the run was perfectly located, nice action shots of your fun taking place since you don't have your own phone/camera with you for obvious reasons. Cute souvineers in the shop and make sure to tip these guys well, working hard to bring the rafts back. It's worth the far drive, you'll see! read more

Just got back from the most amazing White Water Rafting trip ever! Good Time Adventures is an awesome company - fun and laid back, but also super knowledgable and skilled. Our guide John was great and made all of us feel comfortable. We had all done some rafting in the past, but not a whole lot of it and nothing as exciting as the Kaweah. John boosted our confidence with our skill level, and helped us so that as the trip progressed, we became much better than when we started. The whole thing from start to finish was awesome and I can't wait to go again! read more

The idea of whitewater rafting sounds amazingly exciting, but lets face it, a little bit scary as well? At least that's how i felt when contimplating my first trip down the Kaweah River. All i can say is Amicaya of Good Times Adventures is as good as it gets. To start our trip Amicaya gave us a breakdown of the day, all of the exciting things we were about to experience, as well as very detailed safety talk. Amicaya was professional, friendly and most of all a TON of fun to be in a boat with for the afternoon. To say nothing of the beautiful Kaweah River...it's a once in a life time experience, THRILLING and not to be missed! I would not hesitate to take my entire family on a raft trip with Amicaya. As good as it gets! read more