Location: Denpasar, Bali

Located approximately one hour from Bali’s capitol city Denpasar, whitewater rafting trips on the Melangit River give rafters the opportunity to explore some of Bali’s beautiful natural scenery.

Level of Difficulty: Class III-IV / Intermediate

Melangit River rafting trips twist and turn through a rainforest canyon. Steep cliffs line parts of the river. Steep gradient in some places creates waterfalls ranging from one to four meters. The Melangit River is one of the more challenging river trips available in Bali.

Season: Year-round

Like other river trips in Bali, excursions on the Melangit tend to be fairly short, lasting a few hours. Trips are available throughout the year.

Bali’s volcanic slopes and freshwater springs feed whitewater rivers, creating many opportunities for Bali river rafting trips. Most trips are fairly short, but give rafters the chance to see jungle wildlife and the tropical riparian environment from a unique perspective.

Ayung River Rafting Trips (Class II-III):
Ayung River rafting trips bring rafters close to rainforests, rice paddies, and steep gorge walls. This is a good family rafting trip.

Telaga Waja River Rafting Trips (Class II-III):
Flowing below Mt. Agung, river trips on the Telaga Waja offer class II-III whitewater. Rafters will see both tropical and open valley environments on short half-day trips.

Melangit River Rafting Trips (Class IV):
The Melangit River is very conveniently located for people visiting Bali’s capitol city Denpasar. Steep cliffs and cascading water mark this as the most challenging and technical Bali river rafting trip.

More About Rafting in Bali

The wonders of Bali are legion: intricate rice paddies whose terraces wrap around jungle canyons and give new richness to the word “green,” master artists, dancers and Gamelan players, and a vibrant Hindu culture unique in Southeast Asia.

Location: Geneva, Switzerland

Rising in the Savoy Alps, the Arve River is the closest available whitewater rafting to Geneva, Switzerland. In fact, most trips end in the lake, very close to the town.

Level of Difficulty: Class III-IV / Beginner

The Arve River is rated Class III-IV, making it an exciting run that is also accessible for the adventurous beginner.

The Canyon: 6 Waterfalls Ending in Lake Geneva

A rafting trip on the Arve River takes boaters over 6 waterfalls in a short 8 kilometers. Whitewater rafting companies will often run up to three trips daily. The scenery is classic Swiss Alpine scenery, with snow-capped mountains in the distance. Rafts descend the Arve all the way into Lake Geneva.

Season: May through August

Rafting trips are available on the Arve River in Switzerland from May through August.

Location: Interlaken, Switzerland

The Sarine River runs through a deep valley from Saanen in the Berner Oberland to Les Moulins in the Pays d’Enhaut, Switzerland. It’s source is a glacier at the foot of the Sanetschhorn, in the western part of the Bernese Oberland. Rafting trips on the Saane / Sarine River meet in either Rougemont or Interlaken.

Level of Difficulty: Class III-IV / Intermediate

The Saane / Sarine River is rated Class III-IV, or beginner Class IV. Most companies will take kids as young as ten years old.

The Canyon: Narrow Rock Walls into Green Alpine Meadows

A whitewater rafting trip on the Saane / Sarine River takes boaters through the Vanel and Gerignoz gorges. The water is high volume, but not extremely challenging, as it flows between narrow rock walls that are often only twenty feet apart. Towards the end of the rafting trip, the river exits the gorges and flows out onto green alpine meadows dotted with grazing cows and classic Swiss villages.

Season: May through August

Rafting trips are available on the Saane River from May through August.

Location: Near Geneva, in the Valais Region of Switzerland

The Rhone River flows through the famous Valais region of Switzerland, home of the Matterhorn. Nearby towns include Geneva, Sierre, Riddes, Oberwald, and Gluringen. The whitewater rafting section of the Rhone River in Switzerland begins near its source below the Rhone Glacier and ends where the river empties into Lake Geneva.

Level of Difficulty: Class III and Class IV / Beginner

The Rhone River can be broken into three separate sections for whitewater rafting. The upper Valais section between Oberwald and Gluringen is Class II-III, the section between Susten and Sierre is Class IV, and the section between Sierre and Riddes is Class II. Beginners and veterans alike can find a trip that suits them.

The Canyon: Highest Mountains in the Alps, Vineyards, and Glacial Meadows

The Rhone River cuts a path through Switzerland’s famous Valais Valley, winding between the Bernese Alps to the north and the Pennine Alps to the South. Rafting trips on the Rhone River give access to some of Switzerland’s most dramatic scenery: the highest mountains in the Alps, sprawling vineyards, medieval villages, craggy gorges, and glacial meadows. Rafting the lower section of the Rhone has the added benefit of getting to raft directly into Lake Geneva, which is a spectacular scene in and of itself.

Season: May through August

Rafting trips are available on the Rhone River in Switzerland from May through August.

Location: Graubunden in Eastern Switzerland

The Switzerland portion of the Rhine River is located in eastern Switzerland in the canton of Graubunden.

Level of Difficulty: Class III-IV / Beginner

The Rhine River in Switzerland is rated Class III-IV. The river’s class IV rapids are beginner Class IV, making them suitable for the more adventurous beginner. Minimum age is usually somewhere around 12 years old.

The Canyon: Folded Granite Walls, Towering Pillars of Sand, Evergreen Trees

Scenery InfoIn Switzerland, the Rhine River flows through a place called Ruinaulta, which is nicknamed the “Swiss Grand Canyon.” The nickname stems more from the canyon’s size than from any resemblance to the sandstone walls of America’s Grand Canyon. Instead, the Rhein River in Switzerland cut its deep canyon relatively recently, after landslides 9000 years ago demolished the river’s original course. Because of this history, the river winds past dramatic folds in granite walls, sheer cliffs hundreds of meters high, and towering pillars of sand. The water is a light aqua blue, which together with the white canyon walls contrasts beautifully against the thick evergreen trees that cover the more gently sloped hills of the canyon.

Season: May through October

Whitewater rafting trips are available on the Rhine River in Switzerland from May through October.

Location: Between Thun and Bern, Switzerland

The Aare River connects the two cities of Thun and Bern, emptying out of Thunersee Lake. It originates in the Aar glaciers of the Bernese Alps, in the canton of Bern near Interlaken, Switzerland.

Level of Difficulty: Class II / Beginner

The Aare River is a Class I-II float, and is mainly a unique and relaxing way to absorb some Swiss culture and see the two quintessential Swiss towns of Thun and Bern. Boats can take anywhere from 8 to 28 people. Rafting trips on the Aare are great for large groups and for families with young kids.

The Canyon: Distant Alpine Peaks, Quaint Swiss Towns

The waters of the Aare are wide, swift-flowing, and a pristine turquoise color. Locals sunbathe on the banks and often will hop in and float its waters for small stretches. The banks are liberally wooded, and the town of Bern sits on a bluff high above the water’s edge. The triangular peak of Niesen and flat-topped Stockhorn rise just above Lake Thun, and Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau all can be seen in the distance.

Season: May through October

Rafting trips on the Aare River are available from May to October.

Although Switzerland is known for its chocolate, Swiss Army Knives, and banks, the Swiss Alps also provide great rafting opportunities. Rafting trips in Switzerland offer dramatic scenery in the Swiss Alps. Some trips float through quaint Swiss towns and others meander through lush alpine valleys.

Aare River Rafting Trips (Class I-II):
This beginner float trip through charming Swiss towns is a great way to see the countryside and culture.

Arve River Rafting Trips (Class III-IV):
A scenic rafting trip over six small waterfalls.

Lütschine River Rafting Trips (Class IV+):
Just outside Interlaken, this glacial river is an excellent intermediate run.

Rhine River Rafting Trips (Class III-IV):
Called the "Swiss Grand Canyon," the Rhine river is great for intermediate rafters and adventurous beginners.

Rhone River Rafting Trips (Class III & IV):
Flowing through the Bernese and Pennine Alps, the Rhone offers dramatic scenery and outstanding whitewater.

Saane / Sarine River Rafting Trips (Class III-IV):
Just outside of the famous Interlaken, the high-volume Saane / Sarine River flows through a narrow gorge.

Simme River Rafting Trips (Class III-IV):
The Simmer meanders through green pastures in a high alpine valley with unusual river rafting wildlife: speckled cows!

More About Rafting in Switzerland

Interlaken is well-known for adventure sports ranging from paragliding to cycling and it is a great place to base an adventure vacation. Several rafting trips are based out of this picturesque Swiss village. With snowcapped mountains, Swiss chalets, and some of the most stunning scenery in Europe, the Alps are the perfect place to plan a whitewater rafting excursion.

Location: Boltigen, near Bern

The Simme River is located in the Bernese Oberland area, in the canton of Bern, Switzerland. It originates as a spring on the Rezli alp, underneath which it forms the Simmenfälle, which is a series of several waterfalls adding up to a drop of 200 meters. Rafting trips on the Simme take place on the section of river that flows through the famous Simmental Valley. Whitewater rafts usually put on the river in the town of Boltigen, and take out in either Därstetten or Erlenbach.

Level of Difficulty: Class III-IV / Intermediate

The Simme River is rated easy Class IV, making it suitable for families with kids age 12 and above, and for more adventurous beginners. Veteran rafters will appreciate its larger waves and unique scenery.

The Canyon: Gentle Green Slopes, Famous Cows, and Alpine Peaks

The Simmental Valley is one of the whitewater rafting world’s more unique riverside environments. Rather than steep gorges, thick forests, or rolling foothills, rafters float and paddle through a high alpine valley. The Simmental is actually most famous for a speckled breed of cow that grazes there on its wide, gentle slopes, but it also boasts luxurious Swiss houses and distant alpine peaks. The rapids are fairly continuous, but not necessarily big, as the Simme’s gradient is consistent and gentle.

Season: May – September

Whitewater rafting trips are available on the Simme River from May through September.