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Nantahala River White Water Rafting

At Carolina Outfitters we are white water fanatics, sharing our passion for mountain rivers. Read More…

Nantahala River Rafting near Bryson City, NC

Thank you for considering Carolina Outfitters for your Nantahala River white water rafting adventure. We are a second-generation family-owned and -operated small business. Since the spring of 1991, we have helped our guests create wonderful whitewater rafting vacation experiences and memories here on the scenic Nantahala River.

The Nantahala—or “Land of the Noon Day Sun” in Cherokee—is located at the bottom of the scenic Nantahala Gorge in Western North Carolina’s Nantahala National Forest. The Nantahala River Rafting offers beginner to intermediate classes II-III whitewater rafting for a beautiful and exhilarating adventure the whole family can enjoy.

Nantahala – ‘Land of the Noon Day Sun’

Carolina Outfitters offers you more than just getting splashed, having fun, and enjoying the beautiful scenery that comes along with whitewater rafting down the Nantahala River.

Family Friendly Rafting with these additional benefits:

Modern self bailing rafts and equipment
Enjoying more time on the river
Supporting a locally owned small business
Rafting with the most family-friendly outfitter on the Nantahala River

On top of these benefits, our experienced and professional raft guides will provide you and your family a fun and memorable Nantahala River white water rafting trip.

Guided or Unguided Nantahala whitewater rafting trip

We can outfit you with a “Guided Nantahala Rafting Trip” if you are new to rafting or set you up with a more adventurous “Non Guided Nantahala Rafting Trip” or “Nantahala Funyak (ducky) Trip.”

At Carolina Outfitters we aim to provide the best whitewater rafting experience that can be had on the Nantahala River through our commitment to professionalism, value, and FUN. Come Nantahala River Rafting with us and experience the Carolina Outfitters difference.

BOOK A TRIP today or CONTACT US with questions!

The Nantahala River in the Nantahala National Forest near Bryson City, NC, offers beauty that can only be seen from the river. With mellow whitewater that builds into an exciting finish. Offering up something for all ages and experience levels. The outpost at Carolina Outfitters provides everything you need to have a safe, fun whitewater adventure for the whole family. With decades of experience, we know the Nantahala River’s turns and twists. Our guides are experienced and they will make the day enjoyable and memorable. Read More…

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“The song of the river ends not at her banks, but in the hearts of those who loved her.”

~Buffalo Joe

    
 
 
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   Luke Kreitner 
 October 13, 2026
 
 
  Excellent customer service and a fun group of guides that take care of their guests!
  
 
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   alesia welch 
 October 11, 2026
 
 
  We had a great rafting experience!
  
 
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   David Webster 
 October 10, 2026
 
 
  My Son and went on Nantahala in late September. Everyone associated with our few hours on the river made us feel like family Buckeye and Seven led our trip with Buckeye being our guide. Incredible friendly, safe, knowledgeable and professional. We had a great trip! So much  fun! We will go again!  Strongly recommend  ! Cheers!
  
 
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   Windy Taylor 
 October 7, 2026
 
 
  We had a great time at Carolina Outfitters! It was my first time going water rafting, so I was a bit nervous. We elected to have a guide, which I think made the experience that much better!  Before we left, we had a safety talk. The staff made sure we were suited up correctly and off we went. Our guide, Buckeye, was great at telling us about upcoming rocks, dips, etc. but also kept the jokes coming. He had us twirling the raft, positioning us to get splashed, and really just showing our family a good time. When we arrived back, the staff helped us get our gear set up for a washing and then really made it a point to make sure we enjoyed ourselves. We will definitely return!
  
 
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   Heather Coffelt 
 October 6, 2026
 
 
  Amazing adventure with family & friends! All 8 of us had such a great time, ages 7-40! We will for sure be back.
  
 
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   Dustin Jenkins 
 October 6, 2026
 
 
  Buckeye was a great guide, we had a blast! Very fun and some peaceful spots to enjoy the mountians and nature
  
 
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   Paul Demiao 
 October 4, 2026
 
 
  We took our corgi, Bonnie, whitewater rafting with Carolina Outfitters today, and I don’t think any of us will ever forget this trip.
There’s a little more to the story than just a family taking their dog rafting. Bonnie has cancer, and we’ve decided that whatever time we have with her is going to be filled with experiences. We call it “Bonnie’s Big Adventure.” We’re trying to give her the best year we possibly can and make memories with her that someday we’ll be able to look back on and smile.
When we started looking into whitewater rafting, we honestly didn’t know how bringing a corgi along was going to go. Carolina Outfitters was amazing about accommodating her. They didn’t make us feel like Bonnie was a problem they had to work around—they welcomed her and helped us give our girl another adventure.
Our guide, David, was fantastic. He kept us safe, kept us laughing, and treated Bonnie like another member of his rafting crew.
And Bonnie? She absolutely crushed it.
This was her first whitewater trip, but apparently Bonnie didn’t get that memo. She rode through the waves like she had been doing it her whole life and never fell out once. Most of the time she had her little front paws propped up on the side of the raft, hanging over the edge and watching the water. She was taking in the river, the trees, the waves, and everything around her. Every once in a while she would turn around and check on us, and then it was right back to supervising the river.
Looking at the pictures afterward is what really got me. There’s Bonnie in her life jacket with her paws hanging over the bright blue raft, completely focused on whatever was coming around the next bend. There’s another picture of her soaking wet and looking out over the water. Then there’s our group photo: a bunch of grown men standing around in matching hot-pink shirts with Bonnie’s face on them while Bonnie sits front and center like the celebrity she apparently believes she is. It’s funny, but that picture also means more to me than I can explain.
Bonnie doesn’t know she has cancer. She doesn’t know that these trips are on a list of experiences we desperately want to give her while we still can. She doesn’t know why everybody suddenly owns a hot-pink shirt with her face on it. She just knows she went somewhere with her family, met some new friends, got on a big blue raft, and spent the day riding down a river.
That’s the part I’ll remember most. For Bonnie, today wasn’t about cancer. It was just another really great day.
Someday when we look back at these pictures, I know there will probably be some tears. But I think there will be even more smiles because we’ll remember the day our little corgi went whitewater rafting in the mountains of North Carolina, rode the waves like a champ, and never fell in.
David and everyone at Carolina Outfitters, thank you for being part of Bonnie’s Big Adventure. You probably didn’t realize just how much this day meant to our family, but you helped give us a memory with our girl that we’ll have forever.
Bonnie can officially add “whitewater rafting dog” to her résumé. ❤️🐾
Feel free to copy that for the review!
  
 
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   hannah derry 
 October 2, 2026
 
 
  Great experience! My husband and I took a two person raft down the river and had a great time. Great people, 10/10
  
 
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   kevin elders 
 September 28, 2026
 
 
  We use Carolina Outfitters every fall and always have a great experience with them.  They start on time, pick us up when we're finished in a timely manner, have plenty of changing rooms and bathrooms, and are helpful with any changes/additions we need to make.  The rafts and equipment are clean and in great condition, too.
  
 
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   Alan Wilson 
 September 24, 2026
 
 
  Best outfitter ever! So much fun!
  
 
  
  
 
 
   Google rating score: 4.9 of 5, based on 1234 reviews 
 
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