Frequently asked questions

Got questions? We’ve probably got answers! We don’t know everything, but there’s a good chance we’ve heard most of them. From how much does that mountain weigh to what shoes to wear, we’ve got all the info.

Canmore float tours

Our smallest lifejackets are rated for children that are 30 lbs or more in weight. That’s 13.7 kgs if you work in metric. We would love for everyone to be able to join us on the river but safety is always our top priority. If you have young children please ensure that they meet the minimum weight requirement.

This is a tricky one to answer! In most cases, no you will not. That said, on a few occasions we experience the odd splash or two…

Our rafts are what is know in the industry as ‘self-bailing’ rafts, meaning that there are manufactured spaces around the join of the floor and side structure of the raft. Because the raft is inflatable, the whole structure floats on the surface of the water. This allows any water to drain out of the boat without the need to bail it out with a bucket (which isn’t fun for anyone involved!). Occasionally water splashes in through these holes as the raft floats along the river. Therefore we recommend you wear footwear that you wouldn’t mind a few splashes on, even though this is rare.

Our tours run daily during the summer months and the weather is typically beautiful. That said, we know that the mountains can change their mood quite quickly. Just in case the weather turns and you forget your rain gear, we carry rain jackets for all ages and sizes on board our rafts.

Our guides ensure that all you have to do is sit back and relax. Our 16 foot inflatable rafts have what is called a ‘stern oar frame’ mounted on the back. This means the guide will be at the stern of the raft (the back) propelling and steering the raft along the float tour with oars. We are more than happy to share the experience of sitting in the guide’s seat as someone takes over the oars (normally the little ones, we take no offence Mom and Dad if you’d rather chill and don’t take us up on this offer!). Our guides are always completely aware however, of where and when this is safe.

Rest assured adults of all ages are welcome on our float tours. We’ve had those well into their 80’s enjoy our adventures. The pathway to the river where we begin and end the tour is very gentle and manageable for any age or ability and our guides are very helpful in lending a hand.

Ah, thats one of our favourites! We can tell you a lot about these mountains, how the glaciers formed them, how long the process of erosion has been wearing away at them and why they’re named the way they are, but how much they weigh… yeah that one has us stumped too!

Guests are more than welcome to bring a camera, or any other means of photography device with them. Naturally, we advise caution since they don’t float so well if you drop them overboard! The Bow River in Canmore is a very gentle float but there is the possibility that one chooses to take a picture just as a small wave rocks the boat, and there goes your favourite selfie stick with your phone attached!

As an alternative our guides carry with them a camera in the event that there are any unique wildlife sightings along your river adventure. Depending on the location of the sighting we cannot guarantee that it is a safe spot on the river to pull over for photos, or in the interests of not disturbing the wildlife’s natural activities we may have to gently float on. Our support staff will also take a series of riverside shots with high quality DSLR zoom lens cameras to provide guests without cameras, or those that wish to purchase a copy, to leave the trip with high quality photos of their Canmore float tour with us.

Thats great! They’ll probably be recounting their adventure and showing their friends that picture frame for years!

There are a number of ways you can purchase your Adventure Photos. Your first option is to request a copy of your Adventure Photos at the time of booking. This often is the quickest way to do it as our support staff know ahead of time to prep your Adventure Photos so they’re ready the moment you arrive at the end of the trip.

Alternatively you can view the selection of Adventure Photos at the end of the float tour. We’ll already have them loaded onto a hand held tablet to allow you to view them before you buy. In the interests of our continued environmental commitment to minimize paper use, we provide guests the option to receive their purchased Adventure Photos digitally. This way you have all the options at your finger tips. Upload them to Facebook before you’ve even arrived back at the hotel; post on Instagram and share the great day you’ve just had; or even print at home and give the grandparents a wonderful gift they’ll proudly be showing to friends and family for years!

Absolutely. All you need to do is give our office a quick call with the date and trip departure time of your Canmore float tour and we’ll send the images right over.

Rivers are powerful and they deserve respect. The floods in Alberta in 2013 proved to us just how extraordinary a river can be. Here at Canmore River Adventures your safety is our highest priority and no matter how pretty those mountains look, we will never take you down the river if we feel it is unsafe. Water levels are assessed daily, but thankfully during the summer months, on this stretch of the Bow River the water is very calm. A professionally guided float tour along the Bow River in Canmore is probably one of the best river float sections for someone new to traveling on rivers.

Have a question?

Email us any questions you have and we’ll reply as quickly as possible. We look forward to being part of your next Canmore Adventure.

Packages

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What to expect

All of the details and information about our float trips down the Bow River in Canmore, Alberta.