action whitewater adventures - day trips

Our family went on a half day trip last week. The price was excellent as they honored the Groupon rate....registering in advance was easy and everything was in order when we arrived to Lotus for the trip. Carlos was our guide and he was very skilled and pleasant to spend the day with. He made extra efforts to point out historical landmarks which I appreciated. They provided a lunch after our trip which was a big treat. I also liked that the half day trip ended where we parked our car which made for a leisurely end to the day. Thank you!

The river rafting was very fun. Our guide was probably not the most experienced, but he was a certified life guard who was fun and took us down the river safely. When I booked the trip, it said, raft, life vest, paddle and helmet included. But when we got to the river, there were no helmets provided. They were the only outfitter on the river without helmets and it made us a bit nervous. There are a LOT of BIG rocks down the river and many chances to get knocked out of the raft. Fortunately everyone made it and had a great time. At the end of the trip, the staff grilled burgers and hot dogs which made for a nice lunch after a morning of working up an appetite. The staff was very friendly overall.

Great time rafting. We did a lot more paddling than normal. Our guide was new. But had a good time. We laughed a lot. My no going out the boat streak is still intact. Would do the longer whole day trip next time.

This was my first time white water rafting and got a deal through Groupon. We ended up getting an awesome guide from Alabama and he allowed us to ride the front of the raft while we went through rapids and allowed us to swim when possible and whatnot. He was very talkative and never made us feel out of place. The rapids were good and fun. Our group had a blast. We ended the half day tour with their BBQ lunch provided so we stuffed ourselves before we headed home. This is a must do activity and this company is great!

Overall the rafting was a lot of fun (until my accident) and customer service was good. However, I feel our guide from Costa Rica was a bit reckless. Due to his overzealousness, I am sitting here with a fractured leg and off my feet for 6-8 weeks. Our group was four middle-aged people in a small 5-person raft plus the guide. Being in a small raft has the advantage of being more maneuverable but the raft tends to bend easier and is less stable than the larger, up to 8 man rafts. Our guide was taking us down the very center of every rapid which had all the steep drops and holes. I have been rafting before many times (always in larger rafts) but was never bounced around so much as in this small raft. You'd think after me falling into the boat three times and my husband falling out because the guide intentionally hit a large rock that he could have maneuvered around, he would have mellowed out a bit. But noooooo. He told us to lock our feet in good for the next rapid and we went down a steep drop. Due to the raft bending as it hit a hole, I got thrown forward hard but couldn't "unlock" my left leg - my heal was stuck under the seat so my foot basically bent up almost to my shin and as a result, my fibula bone got a compression fracture. After that our guide didn't have any problem maneuvering around the big drops in the rapids which allowed for a much smoother ride. I totally understand him wanting to give us the most thrills (probably so he can get better tips) and that may have been more appropriate with a younger crowd or a middle-aged crowd in a larger, safer boat but he should have used better judgement. If he had, I probably would not be sitting here with a fractured fibula. If you use this company, don't be afraid to be in good communication with your guide - it could save you from getting hurt or worse.

Anthony from New Zealand was our guide and he made our experience exciting and wild, but he was so skilled at keeping us safe at the same time. We laughed and talked and navigated the Middle Fork of the American River. The outfitters served us plenty of lunch. We had a couple class 4 rapids. What a wonderful day!

This company operates from the Lotus campground and there are 3 different trip variants: short, medium and long. We went for the medium 11 mile version due to a good deal from Amazon local... and we were certainly not disappointed. We parked at the campground and waited for everyone to arrive. While the start was a little delayed (laid back attitude, plus the river height depends on the release of water from the dam upstream), once we had our safety talk it got going. Our raft had 8 people, and the group consisted of 4 rafts. Our Brazilian guide manouvered us safely through the first easy rapids and provided great and clear instructions. After about an hour we stopped for lunch (picknic supplies had been carried along) where everyone built their own sandwich, (meats, cheeses, lettuce, tomato, chips, drinks, organic grapes, oreos) and then ate in the shade. Some went swimming in the chilly river. 30 minutes later the rafting continued, and the tour became a little 'rowdier' in the afternoon - an unamed Argentinian guide used a bucket to get the other rafter groups into water fights, and this was perfect to cool off in the afternoon weather. We stopped at a jumping rock, also made a water slide (from rafts upside down) and then got into the fast rapids. We almost lost one person at the narrows, but our guide came through to the rescue. The shuttle back to camp was already waiting for us at the end of the raft.Would not hesitate to go with Action Whitewater Adventures again, felt safe and well taken care of.Oh, if you are going, please tip your guide!

We just used our groupon vouchers yesterday, and my family had a blast. Action Whitewater Adventures was very friendly, low keyed, but professional and I always felt my family was in good hands. Our guide Jim was assume and hit all the rapids perfect for a great ride, but didn't lose anyone overboard.We will defiantly use Action Whitewater again for another river trip.

Apparently, this company is under new management, because our experience was entirely different than the negative reviews. A group of 6 of us found this company on LivingSocial and decided to take advantage of the deal. We made reservations well in advance and had good communication from the company as we prepared for the adventure. We did the Lower South Fork Gorge run. We arrived at around 10:00AM to check in. At 11:00 they gathered everyone for a safety briefing and instructions on how to paddle. Then, we were on the river. I've been rafting several times in the past and have had both good an not-so-good experiences. Our guide, Jim was excellent. He has a lot of rafting experience and was both skilled and fun to talk with during the trip.After about an hour on the river, we pulled over for lunch, which was set up in a nice shady area. The food was excellent. Deli-style sandwiches with lots of choices to build whatever you like, chips, cookies, veggies, salad, etc. There was plenty to eat. Unfortunately, they ran out of plates and cups, but we still managed.This run is great for first-timers, but it's a lot of fun for experienced rafters, as well. It starts with class 2 rapids and builds to a couple of nice class 3's to get you wet toward the end. There are a few calm areas along the way to jump in the water and float along with the raft, if you like. At the end of the run, as you reach the Salmon Falls Bridge, a jet ski gives the group a tow to the ramp where you grab a drink and meet up with a bus for the ride back to Lotus Camp. Overall, it was a great experience and we would certainly go with this company again.

First of all, let me begin by saying, this company BITES!!!! DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME OR WORSE YOUR MONEY!!!! If I could give this company "No Stars" I would definitely do it. As an avid whitewater rafter, I was thrilled to buy discount trips through Living Social and Groupon as I raft frequently which can get expensive. Thank God, both companies refunded my money.Trying to contact Action was a dilemma in itself. The phone message states to send an email as the phone service is "experiencing difficulties". So, I sent an email requesting available dates to run the Middle Fork of the American River. Waited, waited and waited some more... Finally a return email two weeks later listing the dates available on the South Fork ONLY when I clearly stated we had purchased the vouchers for the Middle Fork. I emailed back and gave them the dates plus secondary dates we wanted. Waited, waited and waited some more as we watched both dates pass by with no response. Finally after three more weeks of waiting, I received an email stating they only were able to run on Wednesdays.... Nowhere in either voucher did Action relay that info. Sent a return email stating we could not run a Wednesday asking for weekend options with new dates. AGAIN NOTHING!!!! I started researching the company and could not find any indication they even had the appropriate permits/ license's to run the Middle Fork. Immediately I think, "Pirate Runs". Sent an email to Action AGAIN letting them know I was VERY unhappy with their lack of customer service in response to emails and phone calls and questioning their lack of a viable permit. Got a very snippy email back from "Dylan" stating they do have a permit, etc. Continued to research through CA Parks and Rec, Water Reclamation Board, etc. Never did find a permit.... This company has offered vouchers through Groupon, Living Social and Fox Frugal Fridays. They are understaffed, unreliable and will leave you "at the curb" without a second thought. Do yourself a favor and find a different rafting company as there are plenty of them to choose from. Whitewater Voyages is GREAT as is OARS.

Really great time on the river -highly recommend this group for your white water adventure. Staffed mainly by Kiwis (don't call them Australians!), we were lucky to have Lindsey as our guide. The flow rate was really high due to the exceptional snowmelt, 5600 CFM vs. the usual 1500 to 3000 CFM. The day was 100 degrees and we had an absolute blast. Great lunch too.