Raftsiberia: River Trips in Russia

Shestaya chast' mira: In Russia, this phrase is a way of describing what we now call the former Soviet Union. It is an immense landmass stretching across two continents from the Baltic Sea to the Pacific Ocean which makes up an impressive one-sixth of the earth's land. Although more than 40,000 rivers drain this huge area, due to perestroika and the collapse of the Iron Curtain, they have only recently become accessible to western white water rafting and kayaking enthusiasts.

Several years ago these western river rafters and kayakers took their first rafting trips down some of the spectacular rivers in Russia. These joint rafting trips took place on the white water rivers of the Altai mountains in South Siberia. Along the way these rafters were introduced to not only unique Russian boats and equipment, but also to a distinct style of Russian river rafting.They learned of these rivers' thrills and challenges. Since then there has been a rise in the interaction between eastern and western white water paddlers. Exchanges take place during joint ventures on rivers of all countries. In addition to these exchanges, there have been rafting competitions in the Altai region of Siberia, the United States, Costa Rica, and other countries.

"Thank you so much for a wonderful trip. First of all, I enjoy your company immensely, so it was a pleasure being able to spend so much time with you. And everything about the trip was excellent. I enjoyed the rafting, and your company is a first class organization. It was much more interesting to be on the river with Russians, rather than just Americans." Ken R., San Francisco, CA

In short, people are learning of this land. They are learning that traveling in this land is always an adventure, even for people who were born there. Ask any outdoor traveler in Russia and they will tell you tons of stories - exciting, funny, sad, and touching. The stories are always colorful, and sometimes almost unbelievable. After your trip you will have some incredible stories of your own.

Rafting enthusiasts from all countries consider outdoor trips in the former Soviet Union as the best and most exciting experiences of their life. It is not just a trip down a river, but rather a river adventure far from civilization. It is an adventure full of contacts with different people from drivers and pilots to farmers and geologists (and of course rafters). The wonderful landscapes that you see from a dusty truck on your way to the river, and the very special smell of taiga combined with the smoke of a real campfire will leave a mark in your memory forever.

Our staff and partners in Russia have over twenty years of experience running rivers in Siberia, Central Asia, and Caucasus. Our custom fishing and rafting trips to Kyrgystan are unique to the adventure travel industry. We have been running and managing river rafting operations in the United States for over ten years, and we bring the American river rafting style to Russian rivers.

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