Athabasca Expressway Whitewater Rafting

Recommended by 98% of travelers

Badge of Excellence

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

All necessary technical equipment
Highly experienced, certified river guide
Pickup and drop-off from designated meeting point

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

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

638 Connaught Dr, Jasper, AB T0E 0A8, Canada
Check-in 15 minutes before your tour at 638 Connaught Drive (Corner Connaught Dr. & Hazel Ave) — next to public washrooms & across street from Shell gas station. Look for black Maligne Rafting trailer.

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.

Athabasca River

1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Maligne Adventures

2 hours • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Service animals allowed
Most travelers can participate
All day parking is located in the parking lot directly across the street from Shell Gas station on Connaught drive
All departure times listed are in Alberta Mountain Standard Time Zone (MST)
Children must be a minimum of 5 years of age. Children ages must be confirmed to Maligne Adventures before date of rafting experience.
Minimum numbers apply. There is a possibility of cancellation after confirmation if there is not enough passengers to meet requirements. In the event of this occurring, you will be offered an alternative or full refund

Participants under 18 must be accompanied by an adult
The duration of transfers are approximate, the exact duration will depend on the time of day and traffic conditions
Dress with a swimsuit underneath your street clothing and bring warm clothing for afterwards. It is also recommended to bring a drink and snack for after the tour
This trip runs in all weather conditions. Participants will be provided with all the necessary technical equipment including wet-suits, spray jackets, neoprene booties and life-jackets, however on cooler days, those prone to feeling the cold should bring either a fleece or wool jacket to wear underneath the spray jacket (no cotton should be worn)
You are required to check-in and sign waivers at least 15 minutes prior to departure time
No Pets – Service Dogs with Valid Paperwork Only
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 46 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!