Out of all the incredible, world-class river outfitters across the United States we have been officially voted the #1 Best Whitewater Rafting Tour in America for 2026 by USA Today!
Thank you to our guests, friends, families, guides, and our conservation partners who showed up and voted for us every single day. We know how much love you have for river trips and seeing that love reflected back in a national spotlight like this is incredibly meaningful.
Seven Years of Recognition
This isn’t our first time recognized as one of the best outfitters in the country. Thanks to our incredible community we has been voted as one of the top two rafting tours in the entire country for the past seven consecutive years:
- 2026: #1 Best Whitewater Rafting Tour
- 2025: #2 Best Whitewater Rafting Tour
- 2024: #2 Best Whitewater Rafting Tour
- 2023: #1 Best Whitewater Rafting Tour
- 2022: #2 Best Rafting Tour
- 2021: #1 Best Whitewater Rafting Tour
- 2020: #2 Best Rafting Tour
We’re fortunate to guide trips on the finest multi-day rivers in the United States: the Middle Fork of the Salmon River, the Rogue River, the Owyhee River, and the Illinois River. These remarkable wild rivers flow through some of the most protected and awe-inspiring landscapes in the country. We pair these extraordinary places with a team of fun, professional, and highly trained guides.
River Guides (The Magic Ingredient)
The river is the canvas and our guides are the artists who bring each trip to life. They’re backcountry gourmet chefs, natural storytellers, adventure hike leaders, game coordinators, ducky instructors, and skilled boat captains.
Here is what a couple of our guests recently shared:
“The rafting was a blast, the nature was absolutely stunning, and the wildlife sightings had me feeling like a National Geographic host. But let’s be real: the GUIDES were the real magic. From the second we met them, it was clear we were in good hands. These women (and Will!) were total rockstars! Calm, collected, hilarious, and outrageously competent. They cooked delicious meals like backcountry chefs, set up camp like it was a luxury resort, and made every person feel safe, seen, and hyped up. Also? Their emotional intelligence and communication skills were off the charts. I’ve met CEOs who could take a masterclass from this team.“
– Victorina Arvelo
“I’ve been on a handful of guided trips in my life and have guided a lot and this group completely blew every other experience out of the water. They worked well together, complemented one another incredibly well, clearly enjoyed each other, and were openly communicating/giving feedback in front of the group. I aspire to operate as a human as well as they did and will recommend this course/company to anyone I encounter. Thank you!”
– Riley Hopeman
Our Rowing School Instructors
In addition to our river trips we offer a variety of instructional programs designed to help people become more confident and capable river runners. Our instructors lead five day Class III Rowing Schools on the Rogue River, where students learn far more than just how to row a raft.
The course covers river safety, rescue skills, river etiquette, trip planning, and the techniques needed to successfully navigate whitewater rivers. For many students, it’s the beginning of a lifelong passion for river travel. Below are a couple comments we’ve received over the past few weeks.
“Just got off the Rogue for the Class III Rowing School. I understood quickly the Instructors were absolutely best of the best. Professionalism from booking to completion was unparalleled. The Instructors’ decades of expansive experience on rivers formulated instruction that was exceptional. Alternating Instructors captured perfectly a blending of teaching styles but all with the same underlying river philosophy. The entire team start to finish was engaging, good vibes all the time, and just truly so impactful from a personal and river knowledge perspective. 11 out of 10. I’ll recommend NWRC to friends or anyone interested in river trips or instruction. Thank you for a truly incredible week!!”
– Melissa Clark
“The guides blended expert instruction with deep, intuitive knowledge of the river, making every rapid feel safe and exciting. The gear setup was flawless, the meals were a delighter, and the vibe was pure professionalism mixed with authentic, good‑hearted people who clearly love what they do. Couldn’t recommend them more…”
– Steve Beinner
The Land of the Thunder Dragon
In addition to running the best river trips and rowing schools in the U.S. we offer a unique opportunity to visit the Kingdom of Bhutan. In 2011 our Rivers and Dzongs of Bhutan trip was named Trip of the Year by Outside Magazine and we’ve been going back every year since!
Our guides and friends in Bhutan are key to making these trips special and helped add to our vote tally. Thank you!
To everyone who voted, joined us on a trip, attended a rowing school, shared a kind word, or recommended us to a friend, thank you. We can’t wait to welcome both new and returning guests in the seasons ahead. Here’s to more whitewater, more campfire stories, more laughter, and more unforgettable days on the river.
