Discover white water rafting locations and providers in Wales

Up for a challenge? How about a roller-coaster of rapids packed into 1 mile of steep, fast river? The National White Water Centre is located in Bala in the heart of Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park. The upper Tryweryn is one of the most intense sections of white water rafting in Wales. There’s barely time to catch your breath and reset your paddle before you drop into the next big rapid. With names like Ski Slope and The Graveyard you know this is going to be the white water ride of your life.

If you prefer your water a little calmer, then the 4-mile lower Tryweryn offers a more relaxed experience. This is a scenic journey through woodland and rolling countryside but still with enough fun rapids to keep you entertained. If you’re lucky you might even see an otter, however, they are exceptionally elusive.

You can enjoy the Dee Valley by narrowboat or steam train, or for something a little more adventurous, by raft! The Llangollen section of the Dee is 2.5 miles of exhilarating white water, starting at the Horseshoe Falls and finishing at Town Falls. There are some demanding rapids along the way, such as the formidable Serpent’s Tail. However, there are plenty of easier sections where you can steady your nerve and take in the scenery. This trip has one of the best finishes; Town Falls, which is in the centre of Llangollen. Your friends and family can watch from the bridge above as you plunge over the dramatic falls!

The upper Teifi needs a good dose of rain to bring it to rafting level, but when it’s up it has some heart-pounding white water. The lower Teifi is a more relaxed journey with easier rapids. You’ll paddle past the castles at Cilgerran and Cardigan, and through the remarkable Teifi gorge, where you might catch the flash of a kingfisher. The lower section is tidal, so you’ll start in fresh water and finish in salt water. Not many rafting trips offer that!

White water rafting on the River Wye, through Powys in Mid Wales is an exhilarating experience, especially in the upper reaches of the river between Builth Wells and Glasbury-on-Wye, where you can encounter several grade 2-4 rapids. The infamous 'Hell Hole' rapid is one of the most challenging sections and is a popular spot for experienced rafters.

If you prefer a more ‘urban’ white water experience then Cardiff International White Water is the rafting venue for you. A stone’s throw from Cardiff Bay this purpose-built site pumps water round a looped course. And it has been designed to pack a proper white water punch. With drops and waves this is white-knuckle rafting action right in the heart of Cardiff city centre.

As the water is pumped the levels can be controlled; it’s lowered for family adventures and taken to the max for extreme white water rafting (if you’re up for the challenge?). And it’s not just the water that goes to the max – the rafting shuttle is epic too; a giant conveyor belt carries the raft (and you) back to the top of the course so you can raft it all again.