Location: North of Perth, A Short Drive From Edinburgh or Glasgow

The River Tay runs through the southern Highlands of Scotland, its source located high on the slopes of Ben Lui. Whitewater rafting trips begin either in Aberfeldy or Stanley, just north of Perth.

Level of Difficulty: Class III / Beginner

The River Tay is Scotland’s biggest river in terms of volume, which translates into very fast, exciting rapids. Waves are big and rocks are few, making for a good ride with little worry about consequences. The rapids are fun wave trains with fitting names like Zoom Flume, Washing Machine and Grandtully.This is a great run for beginners and families, as well as for the more experienced rafter.

Scenery: Rolling Green Countryside

The River Tay winds between the rugged hills of the highland edge, and rolling slopes with small rural communities and sporadic agriculture. Alders, willows and sandy beaches line the riverbanks, against a backdrop of thick larch, pine and fir forests. Wildlife sightings include dippers, moorhens, otters, lamprey, and Sand Martins. Marsh Marigolds and monkeyflowers add vibrant color to contrast the dark green of the forest.

Season: Year-round

Whitewater rafting trips are available of the River Tay all months of the year. Higher flow conditions are found in the winter months, from September through April. Lower flows during the summer months provide a more gentle and scenic introduction.

Location: In Between Fort William and Inverness, Scotland

The River Morriston is located in Scotland’s Great Glen, a short drive from Lochaber. It flows into Loch Ness at Invermoriston.

Level of Difficulty: Class IV+ / Intermediate

River Morriston translates from Gaelic to English to mean “River of Waterfalls.” In normal, dam-released, flow, the River Moriston is mostly a Class IV whitewater run, with one or two Class Vs. At high flows (during spill events), the river becomes Class V. Either way, attempts at paddling it should be undertaken by the more adventurous and fit traveler.

Scenery: Basaltic Rock, Scots Pine, and Distant Mountains

The River Moriston flows over and around a complex of chunky, black volcanic rocks, which over the course of the last millennia have been stacked in a way that now sometimes resembles childrens’ building blocks. Old stone bridges and tall pine trees add to the scenery, giving the river valley an aura of mysticism fitting for a river of the Scottish Highlands. Osprey and eagles can be seen flying overhead, in front of a backdrop of distant mountains.

Season: April – September

Because it is a dam-controlled river, whitewater rafting trips on Scotland’s Moriston River are only available on specified days throughout the summer. Generally, the dam releases rafting flows on all Tuesdays throughout the summer, and sometimes on additional days. Check with an outfitter for the schedule for this upcoming season.

Location: South of Fort Augustus, in Scotland’s Great Glen

The Garry River flows through Glen Garry, part of the long chain of glens making up Scotland’s Great Glen. Other nearby towns include Lochaber and Invengarry.

Level of Difficulty: Class III+ / Beginner

The River Garry is a Class III+ river, making it a great run for beginners and experienced enthusiasts alike. Rollercoaster rapids and big stopper waves make it a more exciting Class III.

Scenery: Stunning Highlands, Dense Forests, and Rollercoaster Rapids

The rafting section on the Garry River is only about 1.5 miles in length. Rafting operators will generally do one run-through as training, have lunch, and then run it again with more aggressive lines. Many rapids on the Garry provide great spots for playing and “surfing”, which are also often taken advantage of in that second run. In between rapids, boaters have time to enjoy the beautiful scenery of Scotland’s highlands. Smooth, volcanic rocks slope down from dense woods of mature broadleaves and Caledonian Scots pine. Wildlife sightings may include dippers, salmon, grey wagtails, goosander and otters.

Season: March – October

The River Garry is a dam-released river, and rafting trips are therefore only available on certain days of the week. Check with your whitewater rafting operator to find out the upcoming season’s release schedule.

Location: Half Hour from Aviemore and Inverness, Scotland

The Findhorn River originates high in the Monadhliath mountains, flowing through the northern highlands and eventually out into the sandy beaches of Moray Firth in the town of Forres. Most whitewater rafting operators that run the Findhorn are based in Aviemore.

Level of Difficulty: Class IV+ / Intermediate

A rafting trip on the Findhorn River gives little warm-up time for paddlers. Just a few minutes into the trip, rafts enter a deep and impressive gorge of continuous Class IV whitewater rapids. Adventurous beginners are welcome, but the minimum age is usually somewhere around 15.

Scenery: Granite and Serpentine Gorges, Ancient Celtic Memorials

The Findhorn River winds through gorges of granite and serpentine rocks before coming upon walls of red sandstone near the bottom of its journey, at times squeezing through spaces hardly larger than the raft itself. Valley and gorge walls are lined with mature deciduous and coniferous forest, and rafting trips will often stop at places of mystic and historical significance. The Princess Stone is one of the more notable: an ancient sculptured cross slab with Runic knots still visible on its surface, placed there as a memorial to a Celtic princess who died while trying to ford the river. In the main gorge, rafts navigate through several exciting Class IV rapids such as Side Winder, Triple Falls, Cork Screw, and the Slot.

Season: March – October

Whitewater rafting trips are available on the Findhorn River in Scotland’s Spring and Summer months.

Location: Aviemore in Cairngorm National Park, Scotland

Whitewater rafting trips on the Spey River begin in Aviemore and end in Boat of Garden.

Level of Difficulty: Class II-III / Beginner

A rafting trip on the River Spey is more a unique perspective on the surrounding wilderness than a whitewater adventure. Great for kids, beginners, or anyone interested in a mellow river trip, the Spey has mostly Class II rapids and two or three Class III rapids.

Scenery: Ancient Forests and Tall Mountain Peaks

A rafting trip on the River Spey takes you through eleven kilometers of the Cairngorm National Park. The river winds through majestic Caledonian Forest and provides excellent views of the Cairngorm, Monadhialth and Sluggan Mountains. Wildlife sightings include the Scottish Crossbill, water vole, ospreys, golden eye ducks, the Atlantic Salmon, otters, and deer.

Season: Year-round

The Spey River never drops too low for rafting trips. Because swims are unlikely, rafting operators are often willing to run trips on this river all year long, even in colder winter months.

Location: Heart of the Crampian Mountains in Argyll, Scotland

Part of the string of scenic glens making up Scotland’s Great Glen, Glen Orchy is thought to be one of the most stunning. The River Orchy runs through it.

Level of Difficulty: Class V / Advanced

The River Orchy is only run in the winter, after large rain events. For this reason, its level of difficulty is not easy to describe succinctly. It ranges from Class IV+ in medium flows, to Class V+ in extremely high flows. Generally, the more water in the river the more challenging and exciting it becomes.

Scenery: Jagged Mountains and Towering Forests

The Orchy River is nestled between several impressive mountains. Beinn Udla (2,529 ft) and Beinn Bhreac-liath (2, 653 ft) rise to the south, and Beinn Mhic-Mhonaidh (2,602 ft) stands tall in the north. Ben Doran stands a little further in the distance. The rocks are mostly smooth black lava, sloping down to the water from thick forests. The canyon’s intense whitewater seems to mirror the rugged landscape from which it was born. Noteworthy rapids include Class V Easan Dubha, (meaning Black Falls) and End of Civilization.

Season: October – March

The River Orchy is still a free-flowing stream. Whitewater rafting is thus only available in the wet winter months, and is very dependent on recent rains. Planning a rafting trip on this river requires dedication and close monitoring of the weather as the trip approaches.

Location: North of Pitlochry in Aberfeldy, Perthshire, in Scotland

The Tummel River is a tributary to the River Tay in Scotland, with its headwaters located in the Rannoch Moor close to Glencoe. A whitewater rafting trip on the Tummel begins just below Cluny Dam and ends in Loch Faskally, near Pitlochry.

Level of Difficulty: Class III-IV / Intermediate

The River Tummel is mainly a Class III river, but it ends with an impressive Class IV+ rapid that drops 18 feet into Loch Faskally. No previous rafting experience is necessary, but first-timers should be fairly adventurous.

Scenery: Dense Forest and Dark, Basaltic Boulders

The Tummel River flows through a narrow, technical forest gorge. It’s chalky water runs over dark, basaltic rocks, at times smooth and shiny. Rocky outcrops and the Faskally House both assert themselves through the dense woods. Rapids gain in speed and difficulty, and end with a two-tiered Class IV+ finale, dumping boats out onto the calm waters of Loch Faskally.

Season: June – September

Whitewater rafting trips are available on the Tummel River on weekends in the summer. Weekday trips are not available because Cluny Dam is not typically releasing enough water.

Location: Aberdeenshire, Scotland

The River Dee flows from Braemar to Aberdeen in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Its journey to the North Sea begins high in the Cairngorms on the plateau of Braeriach.

Level of Difficulty: Class II-III / Beginner

The Dee River is a fun, mellow river with a few Class II and III rapids, so it is suitable for most ages and comfort levels. It is a great way for people to test out whitewater rafting for the first time. The rapids build in strength as you head downriver. Cairnton is the first main rapid, and is described as a “lengthy rollercoaster ride.” The next rapid is Invercannie, which is shorter but more demanding than Cairnton. The whitewater is mostly large waves, some of which should be avoided. After every rapid there is a long stretch of calm water, allowing for plenty of recovery time.

Scenery: Pine Forests of the Balmoral Estate

For the first few miles of the whitewater rafting stretch, the River Dee winds through an open glen. After Braemer, however, the valley becomes deeper and the scenery more varied. There, the river enters the pine forests of the Balmoral Estate, where it flows past native Caledonian pines, alderwoods, mixed broadleaved woods, and scattered meadow grasslands. Balmoral Castle can also be seen from the river. Otter, Water Vole, and salmon are among commonly-spotted wildlife.

Season: March – October

The river can be rafted all year long, but rafting companies generally only run trips in the warmer months of the year. Fall is an especially beautiful time on the River Dee, as many of the trees turn into a vivid display of orange, red and brown leaves.

Although many people visit Scotland to see the castles and explore the lush, green, countryside, the country abounds with whitewater runs. Most trips are one day long and range in technical difficulty from beginner to advanced.

Dee River Rafting Trips (Class II-III):
A fun introduction to rafting, the Dee River flows through the Balmoral Estates.

Findhorn River Rafting Trips (Class IV+):
In a beautiful, deep gorge, the Findhorn River is an exciting run with continuous whitewater.

Garry River Rafting Trips (Class III+):
A very short run with great wildlife viewing, the Garry River is usually run twice in one day.

Morriston River Rafting Trips (Class IV+):
Volcanic rocks form the Morriston River canyon, a great intermediate rafting run.

Orchy River Rafting Trips (Class V):
Run only in the winter months, the Orchy River provides Scotland’s most challenging whitewater.

Spey River Rafting Trips (Class II-III):
Flowing through the Caledonian Forest near Cairngorm National Park, the Spey River is mostly a mellow float trip with a few class II and III rapids.

Tay River Rafting Trips (Class III):
Scotland’s largest volumne river, the Tay flows through rolling green countryside.

Tummel River Rafting Trips (Class III-IV):
The Tummel River offers a technical rafting trip through a narrow gorge.