Planning Your Lower Kern River Rafting Trip

These notes will help you prepare for your trip. You'll find information on everything from travel and lodging arrangements, typical weather and appropriate attire, to refund and cancellation policies.

The Rafting Center

Our Rafting Center serves as the meeting place for all our trips. You can rent wetsuits there and purchase last-minute items such as sun block or straps for glasses. The phone number is (760) 376-1455.

Wetsuits

For most of the summer, weather in the Kern region is very warm and sunny, and you'll be comfortable wearing light clothing. For early-season trips, we sometimes require wetsuits. They can be rented at our rafting center the morning of your trip.

Paddling the River

On our Lower Kern trips, we run virtually all paddle rafts. These are exciting, participatory boats in which four to eight guests and a guide work as a team to maneuver the raft through the rapids. Paddling requires physical effort and sometimes strenuous. If you would prefer to ride in an oarboat (a raft rowed by a guide without guest assistance), call our office and we'll try to accomodate you.

Guides

Our guides are skilled, experienced whitewater boaters. They are knowledgeable about canyon ecology and accomplished outdoor cooks. Should the need arise, they're trained to administer first aid.

Meals

All on-river meals are provided, beginning with lunch the first day and ending with lunch the last day. The food is fresh and hearty, and our guides will prepare it for you. We can accomodate special diets with advance notice. We welcome your participation in helping set-up camp, meals, etc. Please feel free to participate in trip work as much, or as little, as you'd like.

Alcohol

Although injuries on river trips are rare, when they do occur alchohol is often a contributing factor. If you bring alcohol on your trip, we ask that 1) you drink in moderation, and 2) you refrain from drinking just prior to departure or while boating. Alcohol impaired guests will not be allowed to participate.

You are welcome to bring beverages as long as they are in unbreakable containers. If you wish to bring a small cooler, we'll deliver it to camp with your gear. It cannot be transported on the rafts.

Care of the Environment

To protect the river, we carry out all trash and use no soap in the river. The guides will instruct you in simple procedures that minimize the impact of our group on the canyon.

Your Health

Our river trips are fun, fast, and challenging. To participate, you should be in good health. You may also need to perform certain physical activities. These include basic swimming, hiking in rugged or uneven terrain, climbing in and out of rafts and assisting in your rescue, if that becomes necessary. Please let us know when you return your Release Agreement if you have any health or dietary restrictions. We'll gladly accomodate reasonable dietary restrictions with advance notice.

Reservation Changes

A transfer fee is charged for changes in trip dates or river choices beginning 60 days prior to the original trip date. The fee is $20.00 per person. No changes are permitted within three weeks of a trip.

Age Limits

The minimum age on the Lower Kern is nine years old (twelve years old during high water). There are no exceptions to this age limit and underage guests will not be allowed to participate and will not be eligible for refunds of fees paid.

Travel Insurance

We recommend you supplement personal insurance with travel insurance. Policies, which include accident, cancellation, and baggage protection, are available through our office, as well as through most travel agents. Cancellation initiated by you may result in substantial loss of fees paid. Available insurance protects against the loss of deposits in the event you must cancel because of unforeseen circumstances.

Cancellations

If you must cancel your reservation, you may be eligible for a partial refund. However, our cancellation policy is firm. We operate under stringent federal regulations which restrict the number of guests per trip and the number of trips per season. We incur substantial expenses before each trip departs and, in the event of late cancellations, cannot recover, nor can we make refunds.

If you must cancel at the last minute and do not have travel insurance, try to find a friend to take your place.

Kern River Outfitters requires a non-refundable deposit of $100 per person to confirm a reservation. For reservations made prior to May 1st, a non-refundable deposit is due within 10 days. The balance of the trip fare is due on or before May 1st or 30 days prior to departure, whichever is earliest. Reservations made after May 1st are payable in full within 10 days.

Written cancellation notice received by our office more than 30 days prior to the trip will result in a refund of fees paid less the non-refundable portion. Within 30 days there are no refunds.

Tipping

Guests sometimes ask whether gratuities are appropriate. If you particularlary enjoyed your trip, please feel free to leave a tip with the Trip Manager at the end of your trip. A typical tip range is 8%-15% of the trip fare. Gratuities will be shared among all the guides on the trip.