Frequently Asked Rafting Questions

Our river trips attract all types of people, but they all have one thing in common: a desire to enjoy the great outdoors in comfort. They appreciate that all the details are taken care of by professionals, allowing plenty of opportunity to enjoy time with family and friends. Our guests come from a broad spectrum of backgrounds, careers, age groups (from 6 to 91!) and levels of experience --from having never camped or rafted before to having grown up on rivers. Never boring, our river trips do not require sleeping in the dirt, eating freeze-dried food, heavy lifting or athletic skill. Our trips take you away from phones, traffic and hectic schedules. No special knowledge or equipment is needed (that's our job!). Whether you desire beautiful scenery, a little excitement, the chance to challenge yourself, education, quality time with friends or family, relaxation or all of the above, our river trips offer something for everyone.

Rafting is an activity that involves an element of risk that cannot be completely removed -- much like the risk of a car accident every time you drive to the store. Risk, however, can be minimized. By carefully educating our guests about the general risks of river rafting and the specific risks involved in the wide variety of optional activities associated with a river trip (such as hiking, swimming, climbing on rocks, etc.), we attempt to make good decision makers of everyone. Our guides are ever watchful and well trained. We have special rules for kids, use only top-of-the-line equipment, and require of our guides a higher level of first aid and CPR training than most other outfitters. So, is it safe? From a statistical standpoint, accidents and incidents are rare -- especially on the moderate rivers that we offer at Ouzel. And while we make every effort to minimize risk, we cannot eliminate it. Each guest must assume some risk and be required to sign an Assumption of Risk form prior to departure. Read our participation requirements. Don't hesitate to ask questions of our office or guide staff at any time. 

You can still come rafting, but you should consider the following. You must be comfortable in the water while wearing a personal floatation device and must have the ability to make progress (doggy paddling) toward a raft or shore if you fall out of the raft. It doesn’t have to be pretty or efficient. If you don’t think you can do this, rafting might not be the activity for you. That being said, many of our guests are not strong swimmers, and our trips are designed with your safety in mind. You will be asked to rate your swimming ability on your registration form before the trip. 

If you are a non-swimmer, you must understand that the risk to you may be greater than for a strong swimmer should you end up out of the raft and in the water. Here are a few other considerations:

Every raft is led by a trained river guide. They’ll give you clear instructions before and during the trip. Most importantly they will provide instruction on how to “lock in” to avoid falling out of the raft.

PFDs: You’ll be fitted with a top-quality, Coast Guard–certified PFD (Personal Flotation Device also known as a life jacket). These are designed to help you float if you fall into the water. PFDs are required to be worn at all times when on the water.

Trip Selection: If you’re unsure, our team can help you choose a trip suited to your comfort level — whether that’s a calm scenic float or a more adventurous run.

In many ways, river trips were made for kids. Regardless of a child's age or the current "phase" they happen to be going through, kids thrive on our trips. Our guides are very skilled at drawing out the quiet ones and reining in the wild ones. They'll play bocce and river tug-o-war, learn about plants and animals, hear stories about natural history, sleep out under the stars in a "dream circle," learn to guide a raft or "surf" a kayak, ride an "otter slide," and always make new friends. Parents are often impressed at what their kids are capable of and the opposite is true too! Our guides not only make sure that the kids are never bored, but do the same for parents, creating opportunities for parents and adults to pursue their own interests.

We provide and prepare all meals from lunch the first day to lunch the last. Our guides are fantastic, experienced cooks who prepare high-quality, healthy meals made with fresh ingredients. We serve a variety of fruits and vegetables, and meat and non-meat choices. The evening meals are grilled and baked to perfection. On overnight trips, meals in camp are served on full-sized banquet tables with a selection of wine for adult guests. Beverages also include coffee, tea, ice water, lemonade, hot chocolate, iced tea and breakfast juices served throughout the day. Guests are welcome to bring your own sodas, beers or spirits and we'll keep them on ice. Healthy snacks are always available. 

Our meal plans are designed to be flexible in order to accommodate a variety of dietary restrictions. Since dishes are largely made from scratch, it is usually possible to prepare meat/dairy/gluten/nut-free portions of a dish on the side or simply offer an alternative. Our guides are pretty creative with sauces and dressings, and we typically stock a basic supply of common items that assist in creating alternatives. We collect dietary information on the individual guest registration form. If you have dietary restrictions or food allergies, it is important that you provide as much details as possible on the form.  

Vegetarians  – Vegetarian versions of dishes will be prepared on the side. Meat products are substituted with alternatives such as hummus, tofu, Beyond Meat (and other plant-based meat substitutes), Quinoa, Eggplant, Portabella mushrooms and other protein sources. 

Egg Allergies –  We distinguish between being able to tolerate ages in baked goods vs. not tolerating eggs at all. If you can tolerate eggs in baked goods, we will have an egg alternative product or replacement item for egg-based breakfasts. We will not check labels for other items. If you have a serious allergy and cannot tolerate eggs as an ingredient, we will have substitutes for egg-based breakfasts and we will check labels for dessert and snack items to ensure there is an acceptable alternative. We will not check labels for pre-made items such as dressings, dips, condiments, bread products and dry or canned goods. 

Nut Allergies –  We distinguish between serious peanut allergies and other nut allergies.  If you have a serious peanut allergy, we will eliminate all dishes with peanut butter or peanut products from the meal plan and peanut butter will not be present on the trip. We will check labels of dessert and snack items to ensure that desserts and snacks are peanut-free or we will have peanut-free alternatives.  For other nut allergies, we will eliminate those nuts as ingredients from dishes or prepare nut-free portions on the side. We will also check labels of dessert and snack items for those specific nuts to ensure that those items are nut-free or we will provide a nut-free alternative. In both cases, we will NOT check labels of pre-made items such as dressings, dips, condiments, bread products and dry or canned goods. 

Gluten Allergies – We will ask for your sensitivity level on the registration form. We will have gluten-free alternatives for all bread products, desserts and snacks. We will not check labels for pre-made items such as dressings, dips, condiments and dry or canned goods.  For those with cross-contamination issues, we will prepare gluten-free alternatives first and separately, avoiding cross-contamination through the use of dishes, utensils or cooking surfaces. Our river kitchens are not certified as gluten-free, but we will do our best to keep you healthy.

Dairy Allergies  – We distinguish between “lactose intolerance” and those with a serious allergy to dairy products. For lactose intolerant guests, we will have alternatives for any raw dairy products served alone or as ingredients to dishes, such as milk, cream, butter and cheese. We will not check labels for pre-made items such as dressings, dips, condiments, bread products and dry or canned goods. For those with a serious dairy allergy the same applies but we will take the further step of checking labels for dessert and snack items to ensure that desserts and snacks are dairy-free or we have dairy free alternatives.

Vegans – For vegans, we will follow what is outlined above for dairy allergies and vegetarians. 

Organic – While some food items on our trip may be organic, it is only because that happened to be the best option available for that particular product. Unfortunately, we cannot honor requests for organic meals or ingredients. 

Checking in with the Crew and Checking Ingredients –  If you are concerned about ingredients or how meals are being prepared, please check in with your guides when they begin meal preparation. You are welcome to read labels and talk to the guides about how the meal is prepared and served.

Cross-Contamination – For those with serious food allergies we strive to prepare relevant dishes separately and prior to other dishes to avoid cross-contamination through use of utensils and preparation/cooking surfaces. To further avoid cross-contamination, those guests will be invited first through the buffet line at lunch and through the cafeteria-style buffet line (guides serve the dishes) at dinner and breakfast. 

Bringing Your Own Items –  You are welcome to   bring your own food items to supplement our meal plan if it is necessary to accommodate your dietary needs. This should be coordinated with our office. Otherwise, personal snacks will need to be kept in the day-use dry bag provided to each guest. If you are bringing items to supplement our meal plan, non-refrigerated foods should be packed in a single, durable bag (not paper or plastic). Items needing refrigeration should be packed in a small cooler (ideally soft-sided and not more than 20 qt. capacity). You only need enough ice for the first day. After the first day, there will be room in our large coolers for your items. 

If you need access to medications during your trip we will make sure you have it. We will provide you with a small dry bag that you can keep with you during the day.  It is important to make this known when you fill out your registration forms and when you first meet your guides prior to the trip. If your medication needs to be refrigerated we will provide  cooler space.  For half and one-day trips it is crucial that you let us know about the need for refrigeration ahead of time since we don’t usually have coolers on the rafts.

Reservations are required on all trips and can be made by phone or securely online. A payment or deposit will be due at time of reservation. Since availability on all trips is limited, our cancellation policies apply in all cases. We highly recommend that you purchase travel insurance to protect your investment. Meeting instructions, packing lists, area information and helpful planning tips are e-mailed on receipt of your deposit.

We do not cancel trips due to inclement weather. If your trip departs in the early or late season, we provide you with information on how to prepare for inclement weather. If we cancel your trip due to unsafe river conditions, inadequate bookings or for any other reason, all payments will be refunded. Multi-day trip reservations require a deposit of 20% per person, due at time of reservation. Your deposit is non-refundable. Final Payment is due 30 days prior to departure and is non-refundable. Our Half & One-Day Trip reservations require payment at time of reservation. After 30 days prior to your trip there is a $10/person cancellation fee. No refunds for cancellations received after 48 hours prior to your trip. Read our full policies. 

The riverside campsites we select most often have a variety of options for tent sites. We find that most guests enjoy selecting their own personal site and setting up our easy-to-set-up tents on their own. Our guides will be happy to teach you how to set up your tent at the first campsite and are always available for “troubleshooting” during the trip. If you find that setting up your tent is difficult and don’t mind the guides selecting your site, feel free to let your trip leader know that you would like your tent set up for you each night. We will be happy to accommodate your request. We provide roomy tents (family- sized tents available on request), cozy sleeping bags and thick pads. Each year, we host many people who have never camped before, but we have always been able to make the camping experience fun and comfortable for them. Our camps are clean and well-organized, complete with dining tables and chairs, toilet facilities, hand washing stations, tables for snacks, a river library, games and other amenities. The guides make sure that you are comfortable and know your way around on the first evening.

For the river, wear comfortable clothes that can get wet; swimsuits, quick-drying shorts and t-shirts. Bring quick-drying long pants and long-sleeve shirts for protection from the sun (if you are sensitive) or for cooler days. Keep in mind that wet cotton clothing will cool you on a hot day and rob you of all heat on a cold day. Comfortable cotton pants and shirts are great for camp. You'll want shoes that can get wet; sandals that have a heel strap and are secure on your feet are good. Prior to your trip, we will send you a detailed clothing list. You can also purchase clothing for all of your outdoor activities from Northwest River Supplies.

For shoulder-season or cold-weather trips refer to our Cold Weather Trip Suggestions. 

Some camps on some of our rivers have toilet facilities installed by the forest service, but most do not. For rivers without facilities, we bring portable toilets downriver with us. These are state-of-the art units with a molded seat that is about the same size, shape and height of a regular toilet. Toilets are set up in a screened location away from camp and an "occupied" indicator will ensure privacy. During the day it is provided as needed. There is always a portable station available for washing hands with soap and water. For women rafters who desire more information about feminine hygiene on a river trip, more information is available here.

Certainly! We have a tremendous supply of water: the river! The water temperature varies with the river and time of year, but it's always refreshing. We suggest that you bring biodegradable soap. We also carry solar showers that use the sun to heat water (not available on 2-day trips). These work very well, even on cloudy days. Let your guide know in the morning that you would like a hot shower that afternoon or evening. The guides will set up the shower on a tripod in or near the river and make every attempt to provide enough hot water for everyone. 

Cell service depends on the river trip. Cell service is available but spotty on half and full-day McKenzie and Deschutes River trips. Cell service is generally NOT available on all of our mutli-day trips and the North Umpqua River, however newer phones are capable of satellite texting - check with your provider for availability.  We carry Garmin InReach devices on multi-day trips and where cell service is not available. These devices are not for casual use but trip logistics and emergency situations only.

Each trip planner will discuss specific plant and animal concerns for each river. Insects, rodents and reptiles are always present, but bother us very little on river trips. Snakes are rarely seen and usually avoid us before we know they're even there. Ticks are sometimes present in the early part of the season, as are mosquitoes, but you usually have to get away from the river and into the woods or tall grass to find them. As such, creepy crawlers are usually not abundant and easily avoided on river trips. The guides will let you know what is present and how best to avoid it. While you may never need it, we do recommend bringing insect repellent -- just in case.

Most of our paddle rafts will accommodate up to six paddlers, but a few will accommodate up to eight paddlers. On multi-day trips, in addition to paddle rafts we include oar rafts which will accommodate up to 3 passengers and inflatable kayaks which will accommodate a single paddler. We do not assign seats in rafts on multi-day trips since it is common for guests to switch around during the course of a trip. For half and full-day trips, only paddle rafts are available. It is extremely rare for us to have to split up groups of less than six and we can usually accommodate groups of up to 8 in one raft. On half and full-day trips it is possible for groups of less than six to book a private raft by paying for six spaces - some additional details apply so please check with our reservation office. 

Each river trip is different. We offer round trip transportation from Bend for half and full-day McKenzie and Deschutes River trips. For those meeting us at the river, we will provide transportation back to your vehicle after the trip or we will have your vehicle shuttled from the meeting location to the end point during the trip.  We use permitted and professional shuttle services when this is necessary.  For multi-day trips, we will have your vehicle shuttled from the meeting location to the end point during the trip. The single exception is the Rogue River where we provide a van shuttle back to the meeting location after the trip. One way or another, we will get you back to your vehicle or have your vehicle waiting for you at the end point.

Ouzel does not employ a photographer to take photos of our trips. For every multi-day trip there is a social site for guests and guides to share photos, videos and comments. We encourage folks to take pictures and add them to the site for other people on the trip to enjoy.

No. Rafts, shuttles, and riverbanks aren’t safe or comfortable for pets and not everyone enjoys dogs. Better to find a local kennel where they will be safe and cared for during your adventure!

If you have enjoyed your trip and feel that your guides have done an outstanding job, it is customary to thank them with a gratuity. A gratuity of between 15% and 20% of your trip fare is much appreciated. The guide staff has a tradition of sharing gratuities.