This was one of the best trips I've taken - can't recommend River Runners enough, and can't wait to go back next year, if not before.
I booked with River Runners partially because their website seemed personal and friendly, and partially because they were the only outfit running a two-night camping trip - and we wanted two nights in a tent! I went with a friend and her 7.5-year-old daughter - her first rafting trip! - and we were excited to introduce her to the river and get in some fun for the grown-ups as well. Sarah was super responsive by e-mail - replying within an hour of my trip request - and helped us get the details squared away ahead of our trip.
We arrived at Camp Lotus to find a Welcome note with our names written on the big chalkboard outside of camp - and it was just our three names! I can't express how appreciative we were that the trip wasn't cancelled despite us being their only clients for that trip. From the moment we arrived it was personal and intimate and fun. The tents were already set up (and FYI, that two-people-per-tent note means two people in what must be a six-person tent - they were huge!), and before we headed out for dinner we found that Sarah had set up the makings of a campfire (bring your s'mores materials!) as well as the extra-large Jenga (made from 2x4s, we got a little obsessive about that game) for us before calling it a night.
Mornings involved hot drinks ready to go at 7AM, and breakfast at 8AM, under the covered, lighted eating area next to their large kitchen. The food was fantastic - eggs to order (again, only three of us on the trip) and bacon (cooked by vegetarians, no less!), pastries, fruit, pancakes... And when they found out I am a Diet Coke drinker, a DC appeared at every meal. Super thoughtful. Lunch on the river was great as well - really high-quality ingredients (Sun-dried tomatoes! Avocado! *Actual* turkey and not that weird processed deli meat!) for thick sandwiches, and big bags of salty chips (perfect!). Dinner was going to be steak AND fish AND chicken but we protested as a small party of three, so went with the steak (which was SO good). Did not feel like "camp food" - we felt really spoiled.
Our guide, Chris, was *fantastic.* He was super friendly, knew the river and the history of the area ridiculously well, and made running the rapids super smooth (of course, this included the calculated runs into the smooth boulders to spin the boat around, and diving us headfirst into the big waves in the rapids to get us all wet, "surfing" as much as we could that also involved getting completely soaked - it was great!). We stopped wherever we could - jumped off ~10-foot rocks (at two different spots!), sat in the warm "Queen's bath", picked blackberries (Chris had to brave the thorny bushes to get to the ripe ones), spun around in a whirlpool, swam the "swimmers rapids" (both times!), and were able to hop out of the boat at every (safe) opportunity to enjoy the water. Chris avoided the "red horde" (another company that had TONS of boats on the river) so that it felt like the river was ours. He even fished out a baton (no joke) from the river bottom and gave it to our youngest companion, who may now become part of a marching band (or use it as a weapon, it's unclear at this point). We spent 7 hours on the river on the first day. It was spectacular. We were picked up with a cooler of cold drinks and an easy ride back to camp. The second day was equally spectacular - more rock-jumping, a swimmers rapid, floating in the calm sections, surfing, avoiding the red horde. We returned to a meal of huge burgers and stuffed ourselves. We were lucky to sit and chat with Sarah and John and Chris while we ate, and learned about the history of River Runners and how it's passed from owner to RR guide through the years. It feels like a family operation, and we loved it.
We saw the camp gaggle of geese and their goslings (too close and they hiss, watch out), herons and huge fish on the river, and only a few mosquitos overall.
There aren't enough nice things I can say about this trip. It was magical. It felt custom, personal, and even luxurious (if you can feel that while camping on the river!). read more