White Water Rafting Holiday

White water rafting - it pays to keep your head above water and stay afloat!

Raft or catamaran, experienced or beginner, this is a rewarding holiday that you will always remember

A white water rafting holiday may run from a few hours to a week or more depending upon how much instruction you require, the degree of difficulty and how much commitment you wish to give the activity.

White water rafting is a highly challenging pursuit where a turbulent section of a river is navigated by means of a specially-made raft. Rafting itself is exciting but combined with the white water element makes it truly thrilling - both to participate in and also to spectate.

In white water rafting there are two main types and forms of rafts - the symmetrical and the asymmetrical type. The former requires you to steer by means of a paddle and the latter by use of a rudder with a central helm. A normal raft may hold up to about twelve people. Russia, the USA and Nepal are popular destinations for a white water rafting holiday.

In Russia, white water rafting requires two paddlers to paddle because the rafts are mostly of catamaran design. Catamaran models have inflated tubes adjoined to its main frame and this is what makes paddling difficult for one person. The best rivers you can do this type of white water rafting are those that have very high currents and these obviously make it even more challenging.

Places such as Nepal have high current rivers where water pours down from the Himalayas - particularly in Spring when the snow melt swells the rivers to bursting. If you want to experience an adventure of a lifetime, then you should try going for a white water rafting holiday in Nepal. Before you get into the raft, make sure you are dressed in body floaters, which assist in keeping you afloat in case the raft topples over. It is necessary that you put this on to avoid drowning - remember the water is very deep, very fast flowing and the bed is full of large rocks.

The Rocky Mountains in the USA are similar although not quite as extreme.

While white water rafting is an adventurous sport, you should ensure that you take heed of the safety measures provided. You should also prepare specialized equipment for this activity to avoid injuring yourself. This sport is only suitable for fit adults as it requires strength and stability. It is more enjoyable when you form teams. You may also make the rafting challenges harder by adding tasks to such as carrying a rose in your mouth until you reach the finish line. The game should have a referee who will ensure that the participants adhere to the rules.

A white water rafting holiday will give you a great deal of fun and exercise. This, ultimately, is very relaxing and an ideal way of reducing stress. It is also a test of personal strength - both physical and mental - and something to be proud of long after the holiday has ended. In the summer, the river is a great refuge from the rays of the sun and a good way of keeping cool.

Each location is different - a different level of challenge which in itself will vary according to the time of year and river flow - different resources available and different weather conditions.

When you have finished all there is to do is to pat yourself on the back and start planning your next white water rafting holiday.