Jasper Athabasca River: Family-Friendly Whitewater Rafting

Recommended by 98% of travelers

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Jasper, Canada

2 hours (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

Paddle a fun, 5-mile (8-km.) section of the Athabasca River on a 2-hour whitewater adventure from Jasper that’s perfect for first-time rafters. You’ll ride frothing Class II rapids through ‘The Expressway,’ a wide stretch of river that combines rapids with calm, flowing water. This 2-hour Jasper whitewater trip includes all equipment, as well as round-trip transport from downtown Jasper.

2-hour beginner-friendly whitewater rafting trip from Jasper
Paddle "The Expressway" section of the Athabasca River
Includes all necessary equipment and instruction
Round-trip transport from a central location in Jasper
Ideal choice for families

What's Included

Approximately 1 hour of rafting (2-hour round trip from Jasper)
Round-trip transportation from the designated meeting point in Jasper
Wetsuit, paddle jacket, life jacket and neoprene booties
Professional, certified river guide

Hotel pickup and drop-off
Food and drinks
Souvenir photos (available to purchase)
Gratuities (optional)

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

638 Connaught Dr, Jasper, AB T0E 0A8, Canada
Check in 15 minutes before your scheduled departure at the white Maligne Rafting van in the public parking lot at the corner of Connaught Drive and Hazel Avenue (638 Connaught Drive, Jasper). Look for the van parked near the public washrooms, opposite the Shell gas station.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Itinerary

Make your way to a centrally-located meeting point in Jasper for 5:30pm departure, then travel 15 minutes to a put-in spot by the Athabasca River. Wear a swimsuit under your clothes so you’ll be ready for a quick change into a wetsuit, neoprene booties, and a paddle jacket, and on cooler days, bring a pair of wool socks to wear inside the neoprene booties.

Join the river guides for a briefing on rafting technique and safety, then board a whitewater raft that accommodates between six and 10 passengers and a river guide. Put your paddle in the water to help propel the boat through five sets of Class II rapids, so you can practice your rafting skills between laid-back stretches of flat water.

Throughout the trip, watch for wildlife at the edge of the river, as elk, deer, coyotes, osprey, and bears thrive in the surrounding mountains. After roughly one hour on the water, you’ll pull to shore at a take out point (it’s a good idea to bring a change of clothes, towel, and a warm jacket for after the river). This 2-hour whitewater trip concludes with transfer back to the original departure point.

Jasper

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Athabasca River

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Jasper

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Most travelers can participate
Participants must be at least 5 years old.
Participants under 18 must be accompanied by an adult parent or guardian.
No previous rafting experience is required.
Wear a swimsuit under your regular clothes to make changing into rafting gear easier. Bring a towel and warm clothing for afterward, plus water and a snack.
Wetsuits, paddle jackets, life jackets and neoprene booties are provided. On colder days, bring an additional fleece, wool or other non-cotton layer to wear under your paddle jacket.

Trips depart rain or shine.
Check in 15 minutes before your scheduled departure at the white Maligne Rafting van in the public parking lot at the corner of Connaught Drive and Hazel Avenue (638 Connaught Drive, Jasper).
All participants must complete a liability waiver before rafting.
All departure times are in Alberta Mountain Time (MT).
The complete experience takes approximately 2 hours, including transportation, changing, safety briefing and approximately 1 hour on the river. Return times are approximate and may vary due to traffic and river conditions.
Minimum participant numbers apply. If minimum numbers are not met, you will be offered an alternative departure or a full refund.
Raft assignments are made at the guides' discretion based on group size and safety considerations. We will make every effort to keep parties together.
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 20 travelers

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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

Simon_M

Amazing fun, great views of sensations Canadian scenery and incredible guides, who not only are experienced, but also tell a story about the environment you are in. Worth every penny and you don’t need to be an expert on water.

Reviews

4.9

based on 50 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Rafting experience

Mary_L, Sep 2025

The ride was fabulous. Chris was our guide on the boat. Safety was his first priority and making sure we were comfortable.He was very knowledgeable and personable. Luke took great pictures of our experience.

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Thank you for your review! We’re glad Chris made your boat ride safe, comfortable, and enjoyable with his knowledge and personable approach. It’s great to hear Luke captured the experience perfectly with his photography!

Great Experience

Aarav_G, May 2025

Chill river rafting experience especially if it’s your first time. Really friendly tour guides and very knowledgeable about the surroundings!

Response from Host, Jun 2025

Thank you for the kind review, we're glad you had as much fun as we did!

Very friendly and professional

Charanpreet_B, Jul 2024

If I had to choose more start I would choose 7 star but they are very friendly and professional I would definitely choose them when ever I’ll go back Jasper

Response from Host, Jul 2024

Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback and your generous rating! We're delighted to hear that you had such a positive experience with our friendly and professional team at Maligne Adventures. It means a lot to us that you would choose us again for your future visits to Jasper. We look forward to welcoming you back and creating more memorable experiences together! If there's anything else you'd like to share or if you need assistance with anything, feel free to let us know. Regards, Maligne Adventures

Great experience

Ruth_S, Jun 2024

Tour guides were very knowledgeable and engaging. We had Ben and Francois. This is a perfect beginner whitewater rafting adventure, great for the whole family.

Response from Host, Jun 2024

Thank you for your feedback! We're glad you enjoyed your beginner whitewater rafting adventure with Ben and Francois. It's wonderful to hear that they made the experience engaging and enjoyable for the whole family. We look forward to hosting you again soon! Best regards, Maligne Adventures

We were only two persona...

Oriol_Q, Jun 2024

We were only two persona and they didn’t put any problems with it, we did the rafting with two guides who explain a lot of things to us and we had a great time. It is true that is not a very challenging rafting, which make it perfect to do it with kids, but the experience was really great! Thank you

Response from Host, Jun 2024

Thank you for sharing your experience with us! We're delighted to hear that you had a great time rafting with just the two of you. Our team is always happy to accommodate small groups to ensure everyone has a wonderful adventure.

I would love to do it again, great tour :)

Lydia_J, Aug 2022

Nice and competent guides, easygoing but also focused on safety, great experience on the water, is was really beautiful!!

Response from Host, Aug 2022

Hi Lydia Great to hear that our Maligne Adventure guides helped you to feel safe and comfortable on your recent Athabasca Expressway raft trip with us. Next time Level 2+!! Regards

Great fun

Simon_M, Aug 2022

Response from Host, Aug 2022

Hi Simon Thank you for taking the time to review your recent Athabasca Expressway Raft trip with Maligne Adventures. Great to hear that our guides provided a safe and informative experience for you. We will be certain to pass you comments on to them, and look forward to seeing you again on future adventures.

Little Disappointment

Mahwish_B, Aug 2022

This time it was not that much fun! A very short ride in the river and no splash! The money and time we spent on rafting did not give us the enjoyment we expected.

Response from Host, Aug 2022

Good Morning, Thank you for coming on the expressway to family fun with Maligne Adventures rafting. We are sorry to hear that you found it a waste of time the expressway is definitely not the most challenging one that we offer but you still get good splashes and amazing scenery! The expressway is a family friendly run, we apologize that it did not meet your standards, we hope you still enjoyed your time with the company!

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