What To Wear Rafting

& Other Frequently Asked Questions

Here you’ll find answers to common questions. If you don’t see what you need – call or contact us online.

706-321-4720
whitewaterexpressoffice@gmail.com

General

Yes! We are open daily from 9 am to 6 pm. Your safety on and off the river is our #1 priority. While our hours of operation remain the same, our daily operations have been modified significantly.

For more information about the precautions we are taking as they relate to Coronavirus, please call our office at (706) 321-4720.

Yes! We require waivers both for activities and rentals! They can be found here.

Our retail hours are 9:00am-6:00pm EST, seven days a week. We do have extended hours available to accomdate customers returning from all our adventures.

Because memories of your trip are important to us, we have photographers on-standby for each trip (weather permitting). You can view your photos as you return from your adventure! Choose your location, trip time, and purchase your photos for $24.95 on our PicThrive site.

Walk-ins are welcome, but to guarantee space on the trip of your choice, we recommend reservations! This holds true even more so on holidays and summer weekends. A lot goes into the planning of a river trip, including scheduling of guides, photographers, and bus drivers.

Learn more and book your Chattahoochee River white water rafting and Columbus zipline experiences.

There are small parking lots adjacent to both our locations and several free parking decks less than a block away from our Columbus location. One of these is the City of Columbus Front Avenue Parking Garage. We do not provide exclusive parking for campers/RVs. However, there is a large, public parking lot located near our Columbus location and an even larger parking lot which is great for RV’s at our Phenix City location.

We ask all our guests to arrive 30 minutes prior to you trip. This extra time is to complete our check-in process, and gear up for your Adventure. Please allow 15 extra minutes in your travel as occasionally parking can occupy more time than expected, especially in the Downtown Columbus GA location.

ALL OUR TRIPS RUN ON EASTERN TIME (Both GA and AL trips)

We ask all our guests to arrive 30 minutes prior to your trip. This extra time is needed to fill out waivers, complete our check-in process, and gear up for your Adventure. Please allow 15 extra minutes in your travel as occasionally parking can occupy more time than expected, especially in the Downtown Columbus GA location.

Yes. We provide top-of-the-line safety equipment, including raft, personal flotation device, helmet and paddle (and cold-weather gear as necessary).

Yes. We love our Fort Benning soldiers and support our troops in offering a 10% off military discount on all trips. Military personnel must show official military ID to qualify (in-store only).

Contact us by phone or email no later than 24-hours in advance of your trip for a cancellation.

Yes! Our Season Pass gives you unlimited access to Classic and Challenge rafting trips on the Chattahoochee River. Additionally, passes allow unlimited use of the Blue Heron Zip Line. This pass is valid one year from the date of purchase. Learn more and purchase your whitewater rafting season pass.

Rafting & Zipline

Because memories of your trip are important to us, we have photographers on-standby for each trip (weather permitting). You can view your photos as you return from your adventure! Choose your location, trip time, and purchase your photos for $24.95 on our PicThrive site.

The weight limit for Columbus ziplining is 265 lbs. For Chattahoochee River rafting we have no upper weight limit however each guest must fit into one of our provided personal flotation devices (PFD).

Chattahoochee River Rafting

For the Classic trip, customers must be at least 7 years old or 60Ibs. For the Challenge and Carnage trips, customers must be at least 12 years old.

Columbus Ziplining

We ask that your child is at least 10 years old and weighs 70 lbs to go ziplining. If your child does not meet those requirements, they can still experience our aerial course as long as they are at least five years old and can fit into a harness.

Both Whitewater rafting and Zipline trips run “rain or shine.” Whitewater rafting is an inherently wet activity, in fact we think this is the very best outdoor activity for a rainy day!

We accommodate 4-7 guests per boat but have a limited number of larger boats that hold up to 8 guests that are subject to availability.

Wear clothes that you don’t mind getting wet (because you will)! We recommend Quick dry activewear, swimsuits, and Sunscreen!  Avoid cotton clothing. All our guests must wear shoes that stay on their feet. Swim shoes, Sandals with a heel strap or even old sneakers work great. Flip flops are not recommended and shouldn’t be worn.

We raft year round and are closed only Christmas and Thanksgiving.

Wetsuits are not needed for the majority of the year as we have warm water for the  majority of the year. If you’re rafting during the colder months, we’ve got you covered! Wetsuits and Splash Jackets are provided free of charge! Most guests choose to wear a pair of sneakers or sandals for river use to provide the best fit. If you have a light weight fleece you may wear it in addition to the gear we provide. Our trips run rain or shine.

It is important that you dress appropriately for the weather. Please wear clothing you can be active in. Thin layers or workout type clothing is recommended.

On hot days wear clothing you can be active in and don’t mind working up a sweat in.

 If you are arriving on a cooler day there are 2 elements of clothing that can make all the difference. In this case we highly recommend bringing a light weight fleece base layer and or a lightweight shell. You will also need proper foot wear with secure heels and covered toes such as sneakers.

Yes. We provide top-of-the-line safety equipment, including raft, personal flotation device, helmet and paddle (and cold-weather gear as necessary).

The river is low-risk. With over 40 years of experience, Whitewater Express’ risk management procedures are unsurpassed. We train our guides extensively and follow the most up-to-date industry standards. However, it is important that you and your group know this: Whitewater rafting, like all adventure activities, involves inherent risks. It is important that guests know their comfort level and take proper responsibility for their own safety. If Whitewater Express staff feel that any individual is not in the proper condition to raft, we reserve the right to not allow that individual to raft for his or her own safety.

We offer packages that include our Blue Heron zip line adventure and either a Classic or Challenge rafting trip. Calling our store at 706-321-4720 is the best way for us to help you with your packages.
Yes, there are whitewater rapids on the Chattahoochee River. Below explains the class levels.
Class IV is the hardest level of whitewater rafting. It is npredictable, with extreme rapids that pose severe risks and are generally attempted only by expert teams under favourable conditions. On the Chattahoochee River we raft up to Class V rapids.
The Chattahoochee River’s rapids vary greatly, with calm sections classified as Class I, while the Columbus, Georgia section ranges from Class II to Class V depending on water release schedules. The conditions can change drastically, thus checking with local authorities or outfitters is crucial before embarking on a rafting trip.
Swimming in the Chattahoochee River varies in safety based on location, water conditions, bacteria presence, and the swimmer’s abilities. Always heed local guidelines and advisories, and take precautions such as never swimming alone, using a life vest if necessary, and avoiding the water after heavy rain due to increased bacteria levels.
Typically, the Classic Trip runs for about 2 hours and the Challenge is anywhere from 2.5 – 3 hours of fun and excitement!
At Whitewater Express, we provide a unique ziplining experience that allows participants to traverse state lines. The journey begins in Columbus, Georgia and ends in Phenix City, Alabama, crossing over the Chattahoochee River. This offers a distinct perspective of the region and a memorable experience of traveling from one state to another. We recommend checking with us for the most current conditions and availability before planning your trip.
The ziplines across the Chattahoochee River are our fastest ziplines, reaching speeds of an exciting 30 to 40 miles per hour!
Our ziplines are equiped with automatic breaks, so you will not be required to slow yourself down. All you will have to do is sit back and enjoy the ride.
Yes! You are more than welcome to bring your phone on the Ziplines. We recommend having your phone in a pouch or bag to limit the risk of dropping your phone. When you arrive to zipline, we recommend checking in with the staff to see what they are recommending based on current experiances and weather conditions.
You do not need experience to Ducky as all trips are Professionally Guided. You should be comfortable in and around water as guides will be in a separate boat near you (but not in your boat).

Rentals

At our Riverwalk Island we offer bike rentals, stand up paddleboard (SUP) rentals, kayak rentals, and tube rentals. Our bike rentals are $15/day or $10 for 4 hours. Our SUP and kayak rentals are $20/person for 2 hours and include a paddle and personal flotation device (PFD). Our tube rentals are $20/person for 2 hours. Please visit our Rentals page for more information and call 706-321-4720 to book.

No we do not. We have great single and 3-speed adult bikes.

Rentals are available from our Rental Island located at 1200 Bay Ave in Columbus.

Rentals are available on a first-come-first-serve basis.

Chattahoochee River tube rentals can be returned either directly back to the Rental Island, or at our take-out located directly behind the Columbus Iron Works Convention Center.

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