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If you’re seeking the ultimate adrenaline-pumping adventure, there’s nothing like hovering high above the dense pine forests of the Canadian Rockies in a helicopter.
We’ll fly you over the river, then take you on a thrilling ride down foamy white water through narrow vertical canyons.
You’ll be far off the beaten track, in the legendary lower canyon of the Kicking Horse River. The water is wild and unruly here, rushing through the canyon walls with intense energy.
You’ll realize how accurate the name “Kicking Horse” really is: riding this river feels like trying to stay on a bucking bronco!
Throughout your unforgettable journey down these class 4 rapids, you’ll be led by your expert guides who know the river inside and out. Splashing down the river with your friends, paddling furiously and whooping with excitement is a Rocky Mountain bucket list experience you’ll never forget.
Choose from two heli trips – the Ultimate Heli Adventure (full day) or the Pure Heli White Water (half day). The Ultimate trip includes all 3 sections of the Kicking Horse River, and a delicious riverside BBQ lunch. If you’d like to have your time on the water a bit shorter, than the Pure trip is for you. It will raft the middle and lower canyons and will not include a lunch.
We are excited to announce that Alpine Rafting has merged with our friends at Glacier Raft Company. Click here to read more.
ITINERARY
- The adventure begins at the Alpine Rafting office at 9:15 a.m., but you must check in15 minutes prior to the start time.
- You’ll get a full safety briefing before you get on the river, so you’ll know exactly what to do when you hit the whitewater.
- Lunch is served between the upper and middle canyons.
- You’ll also get a yummy snack between the middle and lower canyon, before flying into the lower canyon – all that paddling certainly works up an appetite.
- We’ll end up back at the Alpine Rafting office at approximately 5:15 p.m.
All rafting guests must be at least 14 years of age. This trip requires a minimum number of 12 guests in order to run. If that number isn’t met, or if there is inclement weather, your trip will be substituted for a normal full day or half day rafting trip, and refunded the difference. Please see our complete policies below.
BRING
- A craving for adventure.
- Your bathing suit and towel – we provide all of the other rafting gear. Please come with your bathing suit on under your clothes.
Why WE Love This Trip
- It’s a surprisingly affordable opportunity to try heli-rafting, an exciting bucket-list outdoor experience. Flying in a helicopter through the canyon is an experience like no other.
- It’s a dream come true for adrenaline junkies. Four kilometers of continuous class 4 whitewater? Challenge accepted!
- You’ll get a chance to explore a truly wild and unspoiled section of the Canadian backcountry that most visitors don’t get to see.
Heli Rafting Policies
- All guests are required to read and agree to a Release of Liability, Waiver of Claims and Assumption of Risks and Indemnity Agreement prior to rafting. Guests 19 and older must sign their own, and those under 19 must be signed by a guardian. VIEW THE WAIVER HERE.
- This trip is offered on Saturdays and Wednesdays starting mid-July.
- No rafting experience is required. Our guides will train you up.
- We can only raft the lower canyon at specific water levels. It closes at certain times throughout the summer when the water becomes too high for us to safely raft it. This is typically June and early July, but can extend into late July or early August. When this occurs, we run the middle canyon whitewater section twice.
- If we can’t raft the lower canyon due to high water you WILL STILL be flying in the helicopter. The heli will fly you back up the canyon to raft the second lap of the middle. The flying time is the same for both trips. If you’ve booked a heli trip you will be flying – you DO NOT have the option downgrade your trip day of.
- We cannot give advance notice of whether or not we’ll be rafting the lower canyon, as river levels are dependent on Mother Nature and can change very quickly. The decision to raft the lower canyon is often made the morning of the trip when we have realtime information on water levels and weather. Please try to understand that river levels are completely out of our control.
- We hold the right to cancel trips entirely if water levels fluctuate to a level that makes it unsafe for us to be on the Kicking Horse. Safety is the only consideration when making this decision. If we cancel a trip for this reason you will receive a full refund.
- If you have to cancel your heli trip, the full amount is refundable (less a $20.00 per person processing fee) provided we receive at least 30 days notice prior to your trip date. If notice occurs within 30 days of your trip, the $100.00 per person deposit becomes non-refundable, and within 21 days of your trip the full amount is non-refundable.
- We need a minimum number of people for heli trips to run. If those numbers are not met we will not be able to book the helicopter. If minimum numbers are not met we will not charge you for the lower canyon portion of your trip, or for the heli flight.
- A $5.50 Land Use Fee and 5% tax is added to all trips.
Have more questions? Check our our Frequently Asked Questions Page or Contact Us.
Meet Our Guides
Experienced, Engaged & Confident. Our team is nothing short of outstanding.