American Whitewater Expeditions

H. Cher Zero

2024-04

Booked this trip for a family reunion and had a wonderful time with my family. I greatly appreciate the companies support of active duty military, and the discount and acknowledgment of our service was why I chose this company over other competitors.We drove from Sacramento and orientation and check in was very smooth and the equipment was clean and in great condition.We did the 21 mile all day tour and the guides were knowledgeable and friendly. I highly recommend this company, you won't be disappointed.

D Soeu

2023-08

This was such an amazing experience. The guides were just as amazing. We did the class 2 and 3 rapids, which were so thrilling. Our guide Gilson was very knowledgeable, and we felt really safe with him. He also gave us a lot of cool history facts. They take pictures at every big rapid, we got around a total of 50 pictures for $60, really great deal. They also had a sandwich lunch and even made us cookies the night before. The vibes were great, the rapids were exciting, and the guides were very professional and fun. Highly recommend!!

Michael Risney

2023-05

Had a great day on the water with my 15 yr old son. We took the South Fork Whole River trip, 20 something mile ride.Our guide was Christian, from Costa Rica. Can not say enough on how good he was👍🏼He was a lot if fun and knowledgeable about the history of the area. He controlled the raft expertly, making it look easy😀The camp grounds were also nice. Our package included 2 nights, and food. The tent was set up and ready when we arrived. The dinners and breakfast were all good.The bathrooms were a lot better than most campsites - super clean. Private showers and lots of TP😉Definitely will come back, my son wants to do the North Fork next spring. If they can heat up the water, it would be perfect🤔😆(Edit: Sorry, a couple Starbucks pictures slipped in, do not see a delete option for the two🤔😳)

vinod palan

2023-07

We had an absolutely incredible time on our American whitewater expedition, all thanks to our exceptional captain, Rene. Our group consisted of six people, including two adventurous 7-year-old boys.We opted for the thrilling Gorge Express route, rated at a level 3-4 difficulty. Equipped with life vests, helmets, and paddles, we eagerly prepared for our adventure. Captain Rene advised us to bring water bottles, ensuring we stayed hydrated during the four-hour excursion under the sun. After receiving our instructions, we couldn't wait to jump into the raft.We did hope that the vests and helmets were properly sanitized for our safety.As the kids settled in the middle of the raft with their paddles, they soon realized the paddles were too large for them. Captain Rene kindly suggested that they enjoy the ride and not worry about paddling, which disappointed them initially. However, the captain had a brilliant idea. He invited them to sit in the front, granting them a first-class view of the breathtaking scenery. Initially, as we floated through shallow, slow-moving water, they were unaware of the incredible fun that awaited us.Captain Rene's knowledge and guidance were exceptional. He offered valuable tips on conserving energy while ensuring we had a blast. He even taught us how to safely rejoin the raft if we were to be dislodged in the stream. The kids started to love it as they had the opportunity to practice jumping into the water and returning to the raft.Our journey was filled with thrilling rapids and provided an awe-inspiring showcase of the classic Sierra foothill scenery, with narrow rocky gorges, peaceful calms, and over 50 Class II & III rapids.All in all, it was an unbelievably fun experience, and we highly recommend Captain Rene for anyone looking to embark on an unforgettable whitewater adventure!

Jesse Urbancsik

2024-05

Fantastic experience with my buddies for a bachelor party. Duffy and Gabe are great guides and were safe, hilarious, and personable. Beautiful scenery and mountains. We got lucky with the weather.

Renee Luong

2023-08

My first time to ride on white water rafting. I always thought it was scary but I love it. We had so much fun. I went with boy scout troop family camping. Make some awesome memories with my boys. Beautiful scenery. Staffs have great knowledge with their services.

Shalece Stevens

2023-09

This was such a GREAT team building experience. We can't wait to bring our families back. Melinda is patient & kind when I kept calling to get information before our trip. Chela was an AWESOME tour guide! He made us feel safe the entire staff was GREAT! We had 10 people we split into 2 groups of 5.

Barry

2023-08

Amazing fun adventure. We love our guide Cristian from Chile. He is one of the few guide wear a GoPro at his helmet. He filmed our ride and gave us this amazing memory. Look him up at your next rafting adventure. 👍👍👍

Janay Taua

2023-05

We took a group of girls, 5 boats, on a half day rafting trip. We launched from American River Resort where we were camping. The guides made it fun for the girls. The lunch was a spread of tortillas, lunch meat and delicious fillings like guacamole, hummus, bell peppers and artichoke. My daughter said it was her favorite meal she’s ever eaten 😆 Guides stopped two times at spots for the girls to jump off rocks. It was a fun and memorable day.

Francia Dewerk

2023-07

My family and I had a great time at American Whaterwater. I recommend it to anyone who wants to have the best experience. Our guide Cristian from Chile was very cool, professional and explained everything to us very well. Thank you very much for being part of our vacation!

Sam McClendon

2023-10

Amazing time on the middle fork! Campground was great, guides were awesome. Both safe & fun!! Would recommend to anyone looking for some white water adventure

Kent Becker

2024-04

Was a great all day trip with lunch 4/21/24 my boat had an amazing guide Rebeca kept us laughing and engaged for the whole day a must do and buy the picture package. Thanks for a great day

Regina Amaral

2019-05

Best place ever. Epic weekend. We purchased the weekend package, came with 5 meals, friday and saturday night camping, and of course 21 miles on The river with The best guides ever. The superb adventure and excellent service started with checking in at reception continued with the people who served the food, the guides who took us down the American River, and then ended with the photographers who took our pictures while we were on the raft. Best pics ever. Everyone was full of smiles and wonderful conversation. I can't say enough on how extremely pleasant and wonderful the people were. Oh yeah and the camp ground was very peaceful, relaxing, and Clean. The pond was awesome to sit at during sunset and listen to the crickets, frogs, and of course the river. The swimming pool was perfect and the showers were hot. I will definitely be taking the family back for more river fun and just a good old time. Can't wait to plan my next trip 👍🤗😁

Matt Zealand

2022-05

We went on the Middle Fork tour, so that we could experience tunnel Chute. We are a family of 6 and it youngest is 12. We had a wonderful time and it was primarily because of our guide, his name is Alex Segura, and he is/was on the national whitewater rafting team for Costa Rica! I strongly recommend this company and this guide. The river rafting was an experience of a lifetime .... Thanks Alex!!!!

Neha Khisty

2023-05

We had the best whitewater rafting experience as a beginners and all thanks to this company. Their service is so good, right from reservations, providing all the gear and their staff. We did the south fork lower gorge express half day trip. Our instructor, Aldo was great. Highly recommend this place for rafting.

john mortensen

2023-08

Went out with American white water expeditions yesterday with a lifelong friend - it was an amazing day!! They made it special and I have the pictures to prove it !! Great outfit - great time!!

Jenny Van Slyke

2023-05

Best river rafting we’ve done (others include in Colorado, Oregon, and Alaska)!! We did the all day lower fork. 2adults and 2teens. It was perfect. Lunch was healthy and filling, fresh and tasty. Our trip leader was Joe, organized, fun, ensured we had what we needed and kept us all safe. Our guide, Carol who ROCKED. Best guide ever! Friendly, knowledgeable, fun and relaxed! We highly recommend. Only wish was a bit more shade at lunch, the heat was relentless and while the water felt amazing a bit of shade I found was very helpful. I highly recommend bringing cheap sunglasses (eyes got too much sun) and a cheap baseball hat for face shade (helmet fits over). We bought the pics also, they’re great!! We plan to come back for middle fork next time! Thanks again for a fantastic day!

hsin-fei tu

2023-05

Experience is amazing and I will definitely like to go back again! The guides are super friendly and knowledgeable, the lunch is really tasty and it’s vegetarian friendly. The only thing we were allowed to bring with us were sun screens and water, but we can refill the water during lunch. Highly recommended!

Claudine Sipili

2022-05

Always an amazing experience! This was my 4th time within the last year…I’ve used AWE every time. I also request the same RIver Guide every time because she is the most experienced with 25 years of experience on the South Fork of the American River. Thank you, American Whitewater Expeditions for a phenomenal experience!

Yifu Yao

2023-10

Wonderful experience! Our guide Chole is super professional and friendly! Will come again next year!

Anastasia Lucignani

2023-05

Awesome time rafting! The guides are safe, skilled, and fun. My guide was Ryan and he was kickass. I did the upper & lower river and both parts were full of excitement. Great company to go with and beautiful area to raft in!!!

Damon Van Deusen

2023-07

We had an amazing adventure! So much fun! My wife and two kids (10 & 13) loved it! Our guide, Christian of Chile, was awesome! He was super skilled and friendly, teaching us all the moves, and bringing the action. Bonus, he shot a video of our rapid rides as a keepsake. Thank you Christian! It started out really chill jumping in and swimming along then we headed into some action packed Class 3 rapids, bouncing and splashing all over. Love every minute!

Jessica M

2023-09

We had an amazing experience with AWE! You can tell this company is one of the highest-rated ones for a reason. My dad and I completed the Middle Fork yesterday and had such a blast with Ben as our guide (aka the son of Thor). Greg drove us through the winding roads without a hitch, while Juan explained safety to us and made us belly-laugh with stories. All in all, I cannot recommend this company enough. We felt safe but definitely got outside of our comfort zones to enjoy the adventure. Thank you guys!

Judit Sedillos

2023-08

I have taken my daughter rafting with AWE two years in a row. We have done two different trips and both were very good, fun, and safe experiences. Our guides were friendly and knowledgeable - but also made sure we minded safety rules. I started our first trip with a little dread about what I signed us up for - but am now looking forward to going back again and again.

Heather Allred

2023-08

I cannot say enough good about this Organization. We took we a group of 161 youth and adult from our church to enjoy 2 days on the river. Christian (chi chi) and Greg were beyond amazing! They were thorough, kind and accommodating. They provided safe and fun experiences for our first time rafters and those looking for more adventure. My family and I will be returning next summer to enjoy more time on the river with this organization. We loved every minute of our time there - from the campsite, to the food, to the river experience. I would give it 6 out of 5 stars!

Alvin Zhu

2023-08

I love this company. I did the South Fork of the river with a group and my guide Oscar was awesome. He was nice, and very experienced so I trusted him with my life. The lunch was pretty simple but it was still good. Oscar pointed it historical landmarks along the way like the place where James Marshall found a gold which triggered the California Gold Rush. It was very fun, loved the rapids, and waters were high that day to our advantage. I will be going with this company next year and highly recommend.

David Lucas-Garner

2023-08

Had an awesome family experience rafting down the South Fork for half a day. Our guide was Chole who was excellent at reassuring our nervous 9 year old and very nervous 6 year old. We all had an absolute blast and can’t thank all of the crew enough. The trip was a good balance of rapids and floating with the current to cool down on a hot afternoon. Definitely recommend for family groups!

Karthic Raj Thiruvengadam

2019-05

We had a great time in River rafting and we never fell down, even though we were first timers. Chris was our instructor and he's always busy with entertaining us and we never felt bored in 4 hours of journey.

Diane T

2023-09

We went on the morning rafting trip with AWE and had a great time! The guides were kind and helpful, we received all of the equipment needed and instructions on how to use the equipment, and had so much fun rafting on the river! A special need came up before our trip and Melinda was kind and helpful to us in resolving our need. The store at the meeting place has a lot of supplies and nice t-shirts too. We definitely plan to go rafting with AWE again! Thank you AWE!

Sneha Shastri

2023-07

We had a great time with our guide Carol on the full day South Fork rafting trip! Carol was very clear with her instructions and we didn't feel too tired at all while navigating the Class II/III rapids. She was super encouraging and checked in with us to make sure we were doing alright. The water was chilly but felt amazing considering it was a classic 100F+ day. Lunch was a DIY tortilla wrap and it was delicious after a couple hours out on the water. Overall, an excellent way to spend a hot summer day and beat the heat, can't wait to do it again and can hopefully do some Class IV rapids!