Guided Kayaking NSW,frequently asked questions about kayaking with Walking Rivers.

All watersports are thrilling, exciting, wet, wild and an enormous amount of fun. However, as in all adventure sports, an inherent risk is involved. Even after training, there is still a risk, and you must accept that risk when you elect to participate. That uncertainty contributes to the excitement and is one of the reasons people love it so much. It is important as you learn how to kayak you stay within your experience limits.

No, you don’t. Everyone can learn with guided kayaking NSW both flatwater and whitewater. We teach you how to kayak correctly during your trip and provide a full safety briefing daily. In addition, any of our qualified guides will be happy to give you any extra personal instruction you may require.

Ideally, we would like you to be capable of swimming 25 meters in some fashion. Breaststroke, doggy paddle, freestyle, anything, it doesn’t matter. It would help if you were comfortable in the water. You should always be wearing a PFD (personal floatation device). We will train you on all our trips what to do if the boat rolls over, so don’t worry.

While height is not an issue on a Guided kayaking NSW kayking journey for a person with a higher weight, it may be. We require people to be under 110 Kilo’s on our whitewater tours for safety reasons. A medium level of fitness and agility is also required. You will need to be able to paddle for approx six hours a day, scramble over rocks and walk through sand carrying your kayak. If you have concerns, don’t hesitate to contact us directly.

All our whitewater river adventures are strenuous to a degree, so we like people to have some fitness level and good health. However, it’s ok to not be being paddling fit as the river is flowing downstream and the boats will drift downstream even without paddling sometimes. It’s essential to have an adventurous spirit and a willingness to have a go.

We recommend a sports strap or tie while to learning how to kayak. Because of the nature of the adventure, we can’t guarantee the safety of your glasses. If they are vital to your vision, we recommend bringing a spare pair. We also recommend two pairs of sunglasses, one pair as a spare.

Everyone participating in one of our Guided kayaking NSW multi-day trips needs to complete our medical questionnaire. Significantly few medical conditions will prevent you from taking part.
However, our guides need to be aware of any issues in case something goes wrong and you need their assistance.
Pregnant people are not able to participate, as the risk is too high.

Firstly, we spend whatever time is needed to ensure everyone has the necessary skills for safely paddling their kayak. Secondly, as we progress downstream for the first time, we stop at each set of rapids and give detailed instructions on a variety of topics to ensure everyone paddles the rapid safely. The rapids are all grade one and two, well within the capabilities of people new to kayaking. If you think Kayaking is going to be difficult for you to master then don’t forget we also have Snowy River Whitewater Rafting here.

Internationally all whitewater rivers are graded as follows:-
Class I: Waves small, passages clear; no serious obstacles. Also described as gravel races. Often no deeper than knees.
Class II: Rapids of moderate difficulty with passages clear. (Great Kayaking for families or for people looking for an introduction to kayaking.)
Class III: Waves numerous, high, irregular; rocks; eddies; rapids with passages clear though narrow openings, requiring moderate expertise in maneuvering. (This is the most popular classification for whitewater, and is the recommended level for beginning Kayakers)
Class IV: Long rapids; waves mighty, irregular; dangerous rocks; boiling eddies; powerful and precise maneuvering required. (Kayak paddlers seeking action and having extensive experience search out these rivers.)
Class V: Exceedingly difficult, long and violent rapids, following each other almost without interruption; riverbed extremely obstructed; big drops; fierce currents; very steep gradient. (Paddlers must have prior Class IV or better Kayak experience. High level of fitness required as well as the right mental attitude for very high-risk activities)
Class VI: Commercially unrunnable.

Our Guided kayaking NSW whitewater boats are Liquid Logic’s and our sea kayaks are Brittany’s. Both well known commercial brands. The liquid logic’s are designed for touring on rivers. They make good time on the flat stretches and are fun in the rapids. Additionally, they are easy to paddle, safe, and carry a lot of gear.

Walking Rivers P/L caters to all ages of adventurers. However, we prefer a minimum of 14 years for our multi-day river tours. Family tours are available for younger children on flat water. People concerned with being in ‘their older years are welcome to contact us to discuss their physical abilities.

No problem. We cater for a variety of diets every day. Before our multi-day trips, there is a pre-trip questionnaire covering medical and dietary requirements. Please call our office at +61 438563307 if you have any concerns you would like to discuss further.

When there is the right amount of water in the rivers is super important. We have tried to make Guided kayaking NSW dates coincide with the best times of the year. For instance, the Snowy River Kayak Adventure located in the Kosciuszko National Park is best paddled during spring on the snow melt while the Barrington River can be paddled anytime after a decent squirt of rain . Our Nymboida River is the most unpredictable and often requires flexibility by everyone to try and get everything just right water level wise.