Where can I find river rafting near me?
Float With RiverWatch in Edmonton & Calgary #YourRiverIsCalling
Guided Urban River Experiences  – Join us for the 2023 float season!
- Our Bookings go live in April! Join us for 10km float tour of stories, culture, history and science! Our guided floats for Calgary and Edmonton begin mid-May and will run through to early September.
- Get on the waitlist! Join the EcoFloat Priority List HERE to receive advance notifications for our expanded 2023 season.
- Check out our new experiences below, and don’t miss out!
- Get the dates you want by joining the EcoFloat Priority List, and get advance access to your choice of the best possible float dates and additional single seats before they are accessible to the public.
Thank you for an incredible 2022! RiverWatch is Alberta’s largest not-for-profit guided river rafting organization with a fleet of nearly 40 commercial rafts and support vehicles and a staff of experienced, certified and professional river guides ready to provide a safe, fun, fully immersive rafting experience. RiverWatch invites you to experience our guided EcoFloat tours in Edmonton (on the North Saskatchewan River) and Calgary (on the Bow River.) Get ready for stunning scenery and a once-in-a-lifetime experience you’ll never forget.
WE MAKE POSITIVE IMPACT! Looking for a summer experience that makes a difference? Look no further than RiverWatch, the not-for-profit group that has been delivering award-winning guided river experiences since 1995. When you reserve a spot on one of our guided Eco Float experiences, you’re helping us put thousands of local junior high or high school science students on the river to explore their local river ecosystem like never before. Our school science float experiences are like no other, with rafts equipped as mobile water quality laboratories that allow students to learn about the river ecosystem while having a fun and exciting adventure.
WHAT TO EXPECT: You’ll join the Official River Guides of Edmonton and Calgary as they take you on a safe, fun, personalized, and guided raft experience down the North Saskatchewan or Bow River right through the city’s heart. All our river guides complete an intense week of training involving swift water rafting, emergency response, health and safety, bus driving, equipment maintenance, water quality monitoring, and local/natural history and interpretation. Your RiverWatch raft guide will help participants gain new insights and appreciation for our rivers’ history, culture, bio-diversity and stewardship. Everyone will finish the day more connected to nature and your river. Expand our “WHAT TO EXPECT” section below for more detailed information.
THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNERS – RiverWatch is pleased to welcome back EPCOR as our lead EcoFloat partner in Edmonton and the City of Calgary as our lead partner in Calgary.
This year our EcoFloat team is hosting privately curated experiences, custom tailored just for you. Whether you want something unique and memorable for your partner, family, friends, corporate group, or a VIP, we’ll make you the fleet admiral and create something special just for you. From transportation to culinary delights… we can handle it all.Â
- Romance Floats (Think – date night and a sunset float for two. It’s awesome, trust us.)
- Family Floats (Are all the cousins coming to town this summer? Make them do all the paddling while you show them how proud you are of your city!)
- Workplace Team Builders (Want to impress the boss and create an unforgettable team experience? Â We can help!)
- How about an early morning weekend meditation float? (Breathe, and soak in the soothing sounds of your river. Our guides can take you on a peaceful excursion and even find a secluded shore or island for a unique self-care experience.)
- Science clubs, photography clubs, bird clubs and wildlife spotting. (Let us host your adult or youth club for an unforgettable experience.)
- Private Charters / VIP Hosting (Whether you’re trying to close a big deal or impress a potential recruit, celebrity, or government leader, we can help make the right impression by providing a private VIP hosting experience that is both extraordinary and discreet.)
Need more details?  Join the EcoFloat Priority List HERE  to help us learn a little more about the experience you want!
PLEASE READ THE SECTION BELOW FOR IMPORTANT DETAILS ON WHERE TO MEET, CHILDREN ON BOARD AND MORE.
WHERE TO MEET FOR YOUR FLOAT
- CALGARY: An exciting new route is being planned in Calgary for the 2023 season. Details will be announced soon!
- EDMONTON: The pre-float meeting point for all guests is at our END POINT on the float – Dawson Park (10298-89 St NW, Edmonton T5Z 0E7). A member of the RiverWatch team will meet you in the parking lot, where you will board a shuttle bus which will take you to the Laurier Park Boat Launch, the start of your RiverWatch Eco Float. Your trip will end downriver at Dawson Park, right where you left your vehicle!Â
WHAT TO BRING: It’s summer in Alberta, so anything can happen, right? Please dress for the weather and bring warm or cool clothes, a hat, sunscreen and plenty of water. This trip includes time for lunch on the raft or a stop on shore, so please bring a packed lunch. For footwear, we provide rubber boots, but if you would be more comfortable, you can bring your closed-toed shoes that can get wet! RiverWatch provides all other safety equipment, such as first aid kits, PFDs and rain jackets.
PHYSICAL EXPECTATIONS: All in all, this isn’t a strenuous day, but able-bodied sailors are a definite asset. The first part of your adventure is a walk to the river edge, followed by the teamwork of raft paddling. Those who can at the trip’s end are asked to help carry their raft back to the RiverWatch bus.
CHILDREN ON BOARD: For the comfort of children on the water, our minimum age policy is 6 years old. If your child has a PFD, please bring it. RiverWatch also has a few child-size PFDs.
HAZARDS: Rest assured, our certified raft guides are there to navigate all the obstacles and safety concerns of an urban river float trip. Once booked, we’ll provide you with a more detailed Acknowledgement of Risk. Our river guides will also lead a detailed safety talk for your group at your raft before you get on the water!
WEATHER GUIDELINES: Yes, we float and SING in the rain!! Don’t worry. RiverWatch provides raingear on each raft. Trips may be modified or shortened in the event of light rain, cold or wind but are usually not cancelled. Forecasts can change or be inaccurate, and in the event of an unlikely cancellation due to lightning or high-water events, you will be notified as soon as possible.
ANIMALS ON BOARD: For the comfort of other guests, no animals are permitted on rafts except for service animals. Only dogs will be recognized as service animals. Service animals are required to wear a PFD (life jacket) and leashed at all times except when performing work or tasks where such tethering would interfere with the dog’s ability to perform.
REFUND POLICY: Due to the demand and our limited trip sizes, we turn away others once your reservation has been submitted. Please notify us if you must cancel your trip as soon as possible. We will first find an alternate date for your group to float. If we cannot find a suitable float date, we will offer you credit or a refund (less a 15% admin charge).