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French Broad Gorge Whitewater Rafting Trip

Recommended by 99% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Asheville, USA
High interest
Booked 3 times today.
  • 4 hours (approx.)
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

Why travelers loved this

4.9
·
· Fatima_M ·
Apr 2026
Our guide and driver were amazing! First solo trip and I felt comfortable and safe doing this activity. I also had a great group :) would recommend and do again
· Jared_L ·
Apr 2026
Great experience all around! We had an amazing time with Laney as our guide, and the river itself was a good compromise for those that had some rafting experience and a few that had none. I would recommend this tour to pretty much anyone!

Overview

One of the country’s favorite rafting rivers, experiencing Asheville’s French Broad River is a paddler’s rite of passage. On this guided tour, you’ll raft through four miles of Class II and III rapids, stopping for river dips, taking in the views of the surrounding Pisgah National Forest.
  • Easy transfers to and from the French Broad River
  • Life jacket, paddle, and helmet provided
  • Spend two hours navigating whitewater, rafting through the forest, even stopping for a swim

What's Included

  • Helmet, Life Jacket, and Paddle
  • Air-conditioned vehicle

    Meeting and Pickup

    Meeting point

    • 521 Amboy Rd, Asheville, NC 28806, USA

      We will meet at our River Outpost at 521 Amboy Road, Asheville, NC! PLEASE ARRIVE 30 MINUTES PRIOR TO YOUR TRIP TIME!

    End point

    This activity ends back at the meeting point.

    What To Expect

    Additional Info

    • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
    • Not wheelchair accessible
    • Not recommended for pregnant travelers
    • No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
    • Most travelers can participate
    • Please arrive 30 minutes prior to your trip time
    • CLOSED TOE SHOES ARE REQUIRED!
    • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travelers

    Cancellation Policy

    You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

    Traveler Photos

    Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)
    Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)
    Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)
    Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)
    Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

    Featured review

    Jared_L
    Great experience all around! We had an amazing time with Laney as our guide, and the river itself was a good compromise for those that had some rafting experience and a few that had none. I would recommend this tour to pretty much anyone!

    Reviews

    4.9
    based on 318 reviews
    Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

    Fun rafting, Laney was great!

    Jared_L, Apr 2026
    Great experience all around! We had an amazing time with Laney as our guide, and the river itself was a good compromise for those that had some rafting experience and a few that had none. I would recommend this tour to pretty much anyone!

    It was very exciting and...

    Fabiola_C, Apr 2026
    It was very exciting and different . You learn a lot of facts while also having fun. I highly recommend if you like nature.

    Amazing and a must

    Fatima_M, Apr 2026
    Our guide and driver were amazing! First solo trip and I felt comfortable and safe doing this activity. I also had a great group :) would recommend and do again

    Great time on the water

    Jessica_R, Apr 2026
    This was such a fun experience. John had lots of information about the history of the river as well. Beginners can definitely participate.

    Great Time

    Garrett_F, Sep 2025
    I’ve always loved the water, even though I have a bit of a fear of it—so this experience was a big item on my bucket list. I’m so glad I went for it! It was an incredible time from start to finish. You don’t need a lot of physical strength, and I felt completely safe the entire time. The equipment was in great condition, and the instructors were not only friendly and professional, but clearly experienced and genuinely caring. Check-in was warm and welcoming, and our driver did an excellent job. My only suggestion would be to add a microphone in the van—those of us in the back had a hard time hearing some of the interesting facts and stories the guides were sharing about the area. All in all, it was an unforgettable experience. I can’t wait to do it again. Thank you for making it so great!

    Awesome fun on a warm...

    diwanji, Sep 2025
    Awesome fun on a warm early fall day in Asheville. We were four guests in one raft and our guide was not only skilled but knowledgable and humorous

    River Rafting

    John_H, Sep 2025
    It was very fun and scenic. Great people to work with! Loved the challenging sections of the river. Looking forward to doing more!

    So much fun! Our tour...

    Boguslawa_M, Sep 2025
    So much fun! Our tour guide John was great and very informative. He also took photos which was great because we didn't need to take our phones. We were also able to leave our stuff on the bus which was convenient.

    It was amazing! Andy was...

    Reshma_P, Sep 2025
    It was amazing! Andy was super knowledgeable about the river and kept us safe and on the raft the whole time. It was my first time so I was really nervous but Andy kept us entertained with his jokes and made the whole adventure fun!

    Ask for Andy!

    Evan_B, Sep 2025
    This rafting trip was super fun. We felt safe the entire time and our guide Andy was the best! Definitely recommend.

    Do this - you won’t be disappointed

    Eva_S, Aug 2025
    Great experience. Hit some amazing rapids and had a blast with every guide! The bus ride was quick and easy and then we headed down the river. Highly recommend water shoes!

    A well run activity.

    Fiona_R, Aug 2025
    A well organized activity and clearly safety was a top priority. This was a first time experience for myself and my friend. Our guide Conor went above and beyond to make us feel safe. We had a family including a 13 and a 15 year old added to our boat Conor went out of his way to teach them so extra rafting skills. The rapids themselves were the right amount of adventure not boring but not too much that people were falling out of boats. I would recommend this company.

    Great Time

    PierreJustin_L, Aug 2025
    Great experience with great people. Asheville is open and eager to provide such unique, thrilling experiences.

    Great experience,...

    Tim_H, Aug 2025
    Great experience, beautiful setting, god exercise, safe! Highly recommended. Staff is professional and courteous.

    Didn't let the name scare you.

    Raji_S, Jul 2025
    Awesome. Highly recommend. Easier than it sounds. Don't let the name scare you. Kids can easily do it.

    Connor was super

    Ronda_D, Jul 2025
    Great oh lort best ever I couldn’t have had abetted time all of the ppl were great What a kid non job rinhave

    Rafting Fun!!

    Tracie_C, Jul 2025
    We went into the rafting experience knowing it would be fun. What made it so great was Conor, our guide. His kept us updated every step of the way and was hilarious! We were with an awesome group of people as well. The water was perfect; which allowed us to take in the sights. We braved for the the rapids which were so fun! I saw some rain clouds approaching and asked Conor if he had any concerns. He responded’No’ and that calmed us. We ended this adventure being caught in the rain for the last 10 minutes which made it even better! We had an absolute blast! Thanks Conor!

    Hannah rocks!

    Garrett_G, Jul 2025
    Hannah was an incredible tour guide! Very fun, safe, and did a great job guiding our raft. Thank you for a great experience and for the exciting laughs.

    Fun raft trip

    Karen_P, Jul 2025
    Great trip down the river with Mason! Very knowledgeable and professional staff. Went above and beyond to make it fun for our family.

    Great experience!

    Maria_L, Jul 2025
    We had such a wonderful time! It was a fun whitewater rafting adventure that anyone with or without experience can enjoy. Well organized and safe! Highly recommended when in Asheville 😃

    Great experience!

    Stephanie_P, Jul 2025
    Hannah was river guide and bus leader. She was personable, funny and overall great attitude. Really enjoyed the entire experience

    Great experience and staff!

    Christian_D, Jun 2025
    We had an absolute blast! Katie was an awesome guide — super funny, kept the whole group laughing with her jokes, and made the trip so much fun while still keeping us safe. The rapids were a perfect mix of excitement and adventure. Highly recommend if you’re looking for a great time on the water!

    Fun day!

    Kerri_H, Jun 2025
    Enjoyed our outing, beautiful scenery. Andy was a good guide, he made it fun and safe! The snacks and water at the end was appreciated.

    Great family activity

    Dan_A, Jun 2025
    This was the first white water rafting trip with my son & his friends. They all enjoyed it thoroughly.

    Very well run and...

    Irina_J, Jun 2025
    Very well run and organized. Our main guide was Hannah, who is engaging and bubbly. She was welcoming and gave excellent instructions. There were several guides on our trip - one per raft. Ana has years of experience of being a guide and had a lot of stories and facts to share as well. Be prepared to allocate up to 4 hours for the experience - the actual rafting takes place higher in the mountains about 40 minutes away from the meeting place. Being towels and clothes to change into as well. There were quite a few kids on this trip as well - and the guides have a lot of experience working with kids. This would be a great introduction into white water rafting. I will definitely do it again in the future.

    We had so much fun. The...

    Aimee_B, Jun 2025
    We had so much fun. The tour guides were amazing. And our party of 7 had a great time. Nice experience

    We had the best time...

    Michael_G, Jun 2025
    We had the best time Whitewater rafting. Our guide Hannah was amazing. Highly recommend this activity for families.

    Grey adventure! Fun...

    FelixE_B, Jun 2025
    Grey adventure! Fun experience Hanna was an incredible tour guide! Would book again with bigger group

    Loved it

    Michelle_N, May 2025
    Fun ride with great guides, wonderful boatmates, amazing views. This is a must do if you are in Ashville.

    Easy for first-timers,...

    Jason_L, May 2025
    Easy for first-timers, but also fun if you've done it before. A fun time, with fun guides. If you have 4 hours while in AVL, it's worth spending it on the river.
    Likely to Sell Out

    From $71.00

    per person

    up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)

    Book ahead!
    On average, this is booked 23 days in advance.

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