Frequently Asked Questions
General FAQ
With Whitewater Voyages you get:
- All of California's Best Rivers
- Professional, Friendly, Entertaining River Guides
- 40+ years of Experience
- Our Famous Attention to Detail and Safety
- State-of-the-Art River and Safety Gear
- International Reputation for Leadership and Excellence
- Gourmet camp Cuisine
- A Fantastic Vacation Value
- Group Discounts & Tons of Fun!
- An Entire Company Dedicated to taking Extra Special Care of You!
Prices range from $50.00 for an Upper Kern Lickety Split trip to $1,400.00 for a 3-day Forks of the Kern trip. Prices average between $200.00 to $250.00 for a One Day, Class IV trip with lunch. Compared to the cost of most high quality vacations and taking into account the cost today of travel, lodging, dining and activities, Whitewater Voyages' river trips - where your well being is cared for by our professional guides and your spirit is uplifted by the ongoing relaxed adventure and fun - are a truly exceptional vacation value!
Each of the many trip descriptions on this web site includes the trip price.
For groups of 12 or more, we offer a 10% Group Discount. Additionally, Non Profits and Church Groups are afforded a 15% discount on most of our trips.
Big Groups may join us on either the Upper or Lower Kern Rivers with the Upper able to accomodate groups as large as 90. On the Lower Kern, our Overnight and One Day trips are subject to a maximum of 35 participants, however our 1/2 Day trips can accomodate more via staggared start times. We have an unlimited capacity on our Lickety Split trips on the Upper Kern.
For more about the maximum group size for each of our rivers, give our office a call at 1-800-323-4234 and we'll help you make arrangements for your group.
The recommended minimum age varies according to the difficulty of the rafting run, and ranges from 5 on the Lickety Split to 16 on our Class V trips. A recommended minimum age is listed on each trip's page.
Minimum ages are used as a guideline only; a child who is exceptionally small for their age may not be suitable for a particular rafting run, a particularly high flow or low flow on a particular rafting run, or may not fit correctly into our life jackets. Recommended minimum ages for the Jungle Run on the Lower Kern and Lickety Split on the Upper Kern is 5 (howerver ALL guests must weigh at least 50lbs to participate). Class IV runs on the Upper Kern and the Lower ("Bigwater" Run) is 9.
There are many factors to consider, the most important of which is the safety of your child, you, and others on the trip. In periods of high water, we oftentimes raise the minimum age to account for river conditions. The final decision as to the suitability of a child for a particular run or trip will be left with the Trip Leader of your trip..
If you are unsure, call ahead, or let the booking staff know when you make your reservation.
From fun, forgiving Class III to rip roaring Class V adventures, Whitewater Voyages offers trips to suit just about everyone, young and old! Healthy people of all ages, including spry folks in their 70's and 80's love rafting with Whitewater Voyages!
Non-swimmers: are welcome on Class III, provided they are comfortable with the possibility that they might "take a swim", that is, fall out of the boat. In this case their life jacket would keep them afloat until they are pulled back into the raft. Swimming ability is required on Class IV and V rivers.
Size: Each participant must fit into one of our life jackets with all buckles fastened. Our adult life jackets fit a maximum torso circumference of 52 inches. Youths must weight at least 50lbs to fit in our Youth jackets.
Medical Conditions: People with a history of heart trouble, asthma, epilepsy, allergy to bee stings, or any other potentially serious medical condition should consult their doctor before coming on a rafting trip.
Pregnancy: For safety and liability reasons, we advise pregnant women not to participate in any of our activities.
Language: For safety reasons on Class IV and V, all participants must be able to understand our Safety Talk and guide's instructions, which are normally delivered in English. Japanese, Spanish,and Russian speaking guides may be available by special arrangement. On Class III and IV stretches, non-English speakers are most welcome and, unless other arrangements are made, must bring an interpreter.
If you have any particular concerns about any of these issues, please feel free to call our reservation center at 800-400-RAFT (7238) 9am to 5pm weekdays PST.
Whitewater Voyages offers a broad selection of spectacular river trip choices spanning the full spectrum of excitement and challenge levels. Key factors in choosing the best trip for you are location, level of excitement and challenge, number of days you want to raft, and the age, paddling skills and physical abilities of each member of your group. Other things to consider might include availability of camping and proximity to intriguing nearby attractions such as national parks.
Almost all of the trips we offer on the Kern River are suitable for first-time rafters. Class V trips on the Forks of the Kern and the Thunder Run stretch of the Upper Kern are the exception.Our Adventure Specialists in our reservations center are experts at matching individuals and groups to the perfect stretches of river for them. Call 800-400-7238 from 9am to 5pm Mon-Fri.
Rafting trips are thrilling, exciting, wet, wild and unbelievably fun. That said, as with all outdoor adventure activities, rafting involves an element of inherent risk. Our guides are trained to minimize these risks, and, statistically, rafting is far safer than many other outdoor sports. The most common injury on most rafting trips is sunburn, and most other injuries occur on land, especially when getting into and out of the boats.
We take many first timers as well as those who do not consider themselves strong swimmers on our rafting trips every day and they have a great time! When you boat with Whitewater Voyages, all of your equipment, from your Coast Guard approved, high-float life jacket, to your rugged yet lightweight, high-tech, reinforced, T-grip paddle, to your virtually indestructible, self-bailing, compartmented and unsinkable raft, are state-of-the-art and will serve you well. Your guide will teach you the principle of self-rescue and will also have his or her eye on you should you accidentally bump out of the raft. He or she will quickly work with your paddle companions to help you get back in the boat.
It's easy! Our experienced guides will teach you the basics including everything from how to hold your paddle, how to turn the boat, how to stop or pick up speed and what to do if you fall out. We make sure you are comfortable, relaxed and having fun from start to finish.
Guiding rafts is more difficult, and we offer whitewater guide schools that will give you the basic skills you'll need to start running rivers on your own, or for guiding commercially. Click here for more information on our world-renowned Guide School.
You'll meet your Trip Leader at your trips designated rendezvous place and time. He or she will collect your release forms if they have not already been filled out on-line, distribute helmets and lifejacketss and wet suits if you need them and invite everyone to join him or her on our shuttle bus.
After a very fun shuttle ride, we arrive at our riverside raft "put-in" location where the trip leader will distribute paddles and provide our 20 minute instructional "Safety Talk" covering how you, your paddle crew, and your guide will work together as a team on the water. Then you and your friends will head to your boat!
On most of our trips we run paddle boats or oar-paddle combination boats. You will be paddling with the rest of your crew to power your boat down the river. The boats typically seat six to eight people and a guide. Before you leave shore, our guides will instruct you on efficient paddling technique. Once in the boat, your crew will push off out onto the water where your guide will give you further instruction on how to follow his or her speed and turning commands. Then you'll head down river, and have the time of your life!
Dress with both the water temperature and the air temperature in mind, since you'll be getting wet. In the warm weather of summer, shorts and a T-shirt are good. In the spring time and on cooler days (and always on Class V stretches), we require wet suits or wet suit/paddle jacket combinations. Ask us about renting wetsuits when you call to book your trip. For extra warmth on cool days, it is a good idea to also bring some synthetic fleece, polypro, capilene, or wool garments. In cold weather, don't wear cotton. Wet cotton saps heat, while fleece, poly, wool, and similar fabrics provide insulation even when wet.
Shoes: An old pair of tennis shoes or running shoes provide the best foot protection on the river. Wet suit booties are good if it is cold. Tevas and other aquatic/strap-on sandals are okay in warmer weather, but don't offer as much protection.
Sunglasses, especially prescription glasses, should have a pair Chums or other retainer that cinches tight. Instead of contact lenses, it is better to wear an old pair of glasses with a head strap.
Sunscreen: Use sunscreen, especially on your more horizontal surfaces, including tops of upper legs, shoulders, back of neck and top of nose. However don't put sunscreen on your forehead or the backs of your legs. It may run into your eyes, or cause you to slip off the boat. Protect your forehead and face and back of neck with a hat secured by a chin strap.
On most of our trips, the essentials will include a personal water bottle, and some sunscreen to touch-up during the day. Keys, prescription glasses without a retention strap, wallets, or anything you can't lose, should not be brought on the boat with you.
If you have medications such as an EpiPen (for bee-sting or food allergies) or other items that should stay complete dry but remain accessible, place them inside two ziplock bags, and let your guide and the trip leader know. They may put them in with the first aid kit that is brought on every trip, or some other more secure location.
If you have any questions, ask your guide, or our friendly staff members when you check in for your trip. They're always willing to help.
Medical Condition Alert: Bring Your Own Medication Our staff is prepared to provide basic First Aid, but we are prohibited by law from providing, and we are not trained to administer medications or advanced medical care. So, all guests with medical conditions such as susceptibility to anaphylactic shock from bee stings, etc., should bring and keep handy and inform their guide(s) about their own medication/anaphylactic kit.
River Classifications
Rapids vary in their intensity. The International Rating system classifies rapids as follows:
Class I
Easy. Smooth water; light riffles; clear passages, occasional sand banks and gentle curves.
Class II
Moderate. Medium-quick water; rapids with regular waves; clear and open passages between rocks and ledges.
Maneuvering required.
Class III
Moderately difficult. Numerous high and irregular waves; rocks and eddies with passages clear but narrow
and requiring experience to run.
Class IV
Difficult. Long and powerful rapids and standing waves, holes and boiling eddies. Powerful and precise
maneuvering required.
Class V
Extremely difficult. Long and violent rapids that follow each other almost without interruption.
River filled with obstructions. Big drops and violent currents. Extremely steep gradient. Can be run
only by top experts in rafts and specially equipped whitewater canoes, decked craft, and kayaks.
Class VI
Extraordinarily difficult. Paddlers face constant threat of death because of extreme danger.
Navigable only when water levels and conditions are favorable. This violent whitewater should be
left to paddlers of Olympic ability or avoided altogether. Every safety precaution must be taken if you're to drop into a Class VI stretch of whitewater.
River Locations
The Kern River is the primary river we run, but we have operated on many other rivers in California including:
Kern
Kaweah
Kings
Merced
Tuolumne
American
Yuba
Kern River
The Kern River, originally Rio de San Felipe, later La Porciuncula, is approximately 165 miles (270 km) long. It drains an area of the Southern Sierra Nevada mountains northeast of Bakersfield. Fed by snowmelt near Mount Whitney, the river passes through scenic canyons in the mountains and is a popular destination for world-class whitewater rafting. It is the southernmost major river system in the Sierra Nevada, and is the only major river in the Sierra that drains in a southerly direction. The Kern's 60+ miles of prodigious whitewater recreational opportunities have fulfilled Southern California's ever-growing need for outside play for over 50 years. World Class fishing abounds along the river's edge as does boating in nearby Lake Isabella.
Upper Kern & Forks of the Kern
The Kern begins in the Sierra Nevada in Sequoia National Park in northeastern Tulare County, near the border with Inyo County. The main branch of the river (sometimes called the North Fork Kern River) rises from several small lakes in a basin northwest of Mount Whitney. The Kern River flows due south through a deep glacier-carved valley, passing through Inyo and Sequoia National Forests and the Golden Trout Wilderness, and receiving numerous tributaries including Rock Creek, Big Arroyo, Golden Trout Creek and Rattlesnake Creek. After deviating briefly from its due south course as it flows east around Hockett Peak, it is joined by the Little Kern River from the northwest at a site called Forks of the Kern. This is the launch point for our backcountry, Class V, Forks of the Kern Two and Three-Day trips. Downstream of this confluence, the Kern River continues south, and is joined by more tributaries including Freeman Creek, Durrwood Creek, Peppermint Creek, and Dry Meadow Creek. The Johnsondale Bridge designates the farthest upstream put-in for our Upper Kern trips. South Creek, Brush Creek, and Salmon Creek, which all form large waterfalls as they tumble into the Kern River Canyon downstream of the bridge. This 20-mile reach of river is where we run our Class III and IV Upper Kern and Class V Thunder Run trips.
Lower Kern
At Kernville the river emerges from its narrow canyon into a wide valley where it is impounded in Lake Isabella, formed by Isabella Dam. The area was once known as Whiskey Flat, the former location of the town of Kernville. In Lake Isabella, it is joined by its largest tributary, the South Fork Kern River, which drains a high plateau area to the east of the North Fork drainage. The 95-mile (153 km)-long South Fork rises in Tulare County and flows south through Inyo National Forest, turning west after entering Kern County. Directly downstream from the Isabella Dam lie the starting points for our Lower Kern trips. This 20-mile reach of river offers outstanding Class III and IV One Day, 1/2 Day, and Multi Day Overnight trips. We maintain a beautiful, private, riverside campground for guests joining us on our overnight adventures.
Pricing and Policies
Deposit, Payment, and Cancellation Policy
$50.00/person for One Day and 1/2 Day trips
$100.00/person for Two Day “Sierra Escape” and “Jungle Run and Camp Fun” trips
$250.00/person for Two or Three Day Forks of the Kern trips
To secure your trip, your non-refundable deposit is due when your reservation is placed. Your balance is due 30 days prior to your trip’s launch.
Should you pay for your trip in full ahead of the balance payment deadline and have to cancel prior to this date, Whitewater Voyages will refund the balance portion of your payment but will retain the non-refundable deposit. Inside of 30 days, there are no refunds for cancellations, however, you are allowed substitute replacements for no-shows up until the morning of your trip.
Please understand that, due to the limited number of available space on our trips, we must strictly adhere to our Payment and Cancellation Policies. Once your reservation is placed, the space you’ve reserved is off the table for other interested parties. In the rare event Whitewater Voyages is unable to run your trip, a full refund will be issued.
Our Price List outlines the prices on all of our Kern River trips.
What To Bring
This can be dependent upon the season and the weather at the time of the trip.
Essentials
- Lip Balm
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses. Sunglasses are a key item.
- Eyeglass Retainers (Chums, Croakies). These items are available at our Kern Outdoor Center.
- Water Bottle. (Each raft has a gallon of water onboard for refills; this is a great item for on-water as well as beside your bed in the evening.)
- Caps or Visors. Helmets are required on all of our trips but visors and ball caps can be worn underneath to provide some shade for your eyes and face.
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Protective footwear. Tennis shoes that lace tightly, wet suit booties, or rugged, protective aquatic sandals such as Tevas or Chacos sandals that securely strap on.
Bare feet and flip flops are not safe or permissible.
Optional
- Waterproof or disposable camera
- Change of clothes for the drive home. Changing rooms available at the KOC.
Clothing
Summer / Warm Weather
- Bathing Suit or quick drying shorts.
- Long-Sleeved Shirt. UV Protecting Rashguard. (Note: It's okay to wear cotton on the water in June-September trips.)
Spring / Fall - Cool Weather
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Warm Clothing. Warm clothes made of synchilla, polarplus, wool, fleece, capilene and similar materials which insulate well even when damp.
Please avoid wearing cotton when, when wet, does not provide insulation and in cool or cold weather make you colder! Wool or neoprene socks will keep your feet toasty. -
Wet Suits. Wet suits and paddling jackets (a type of "windbreaker" made specifically for whitewater rafting) are provided, if needed, on a complimentary basis.
Booties and other footwear are not provided. Guests must provide their own footwear.
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Warm Clothing. Warm clothes made of synchilla, polarplus, wool, fleece, capilene and similar materials which insulate well even when damp.
What Not To Bring
The river is a place where things can easily slip out of pockets and can be lost. Because of this it's important to consider refraining from bringing certain items on the river.
Keys
Do not take your keys on the river with you. If you wish, you may leave your keys/wallets/phones, etc. in our secure safe at the KOC.Wallet
Unless you have a secure means to secure your wallet, it is not a good idea to bring it. If you wish, you may leave your wallets in our secure safe at the KOC.Cell Phone
Unless you have a means to secure your cell phone and insure it is 100% waterproof, it is not a good idea to take it with you. If you wish, you may leave your phones in our secure safe at the KOC.
Dining
Dining Out in the Kern River Valley
Here is a list of the restaurants our staff recommends for our rafting guests. Enjoy!
Breakfast / Lunch
The Cracked Egg
9 Big Blue Road
Kernville
(760) 376-2185
Great Little Breakfast Place
Big Blue Bear
101 Piute Drive
Kernville
(760) 376- 2442
Wonderful Hand Crafted Sandwiches Etc.
Cheryl's Diner
11030 Kernville Road
Kernville
(760) 376-6131
Kernville's Oldest and Best Diner
McNally's Outpost
11301 Kernville Road
Kernville, CA. 93238
(760) 376-2442
McNally's burgers in town - the best burgers in the West
Kern River Ceviche Company
36 CA-155
Lake Isabella, CA 93240
(760) 278-1854
Yes, it really is fresh and delicious!
El Rio
13423 Sierra Way
Kernville, CA. 93238
(760) 376 3246
The best Mexican food in town
Dinner
That's Italian
9 Big Blue Road
Kernville
(760) 376-6020
Best Italian Food in Kern County
Kern River Brewing Co. (KRBC)
13415 Sierra Way
Kernville
(760) 376-2337
Outstanding Hand Crafted Beer and Food
Pizza Barn
11401 Kernville Road
Kernville
(760) 376-1856
Great Pizza and Salad Bar
Johnny McNally's Fairview Lodge
7300 Kern River Highway
Kernville, CA 93238
(760) 376-2438
15 miles north of Kernville
AMAZING Steaks and home of the 40oz Porterhouse
Ewing's on the Kern
125 Buena Vista Drive
Kernville, CA 93238
(760) 376-2411
Best Dining View in Town
178 Bar and Grill
6107 Lake Isabella Blvd
Lake Isabella, CA. 93240
(760) 379-0178
(The old Shady's)
Dick Weed's Brews and Pub
6301 Lake Isabella Blvd.
Lake Isabella, CA. 93240