You don’t have to know all the elements of a rafting tour in order to have an amazing time, but it certainly helps to know a little bit about what makes rafting tours so much fun. Find out the anatomy of a rafting tour through our infographic.

Guest: Without a doubt the most valuable part of the trip. Because, without our guests, we would most likely be doing some boring office jobs, and would not be having this much fun! People from all over the world come here to experience the magic of Tara river and beauty of the whole region.

Image source: https://www.whitewatermag.com/

Stern mount: This is a metal frame which houses either a slanting board or a seat on which our IRF licensed guide can sit and maneuver the raft through big rapids, using two large oars. The oars give the skipper ability to overcome lack of cooperation between paddlers and guide the raft as needed.

Foot Cup: Usually this is a piece of fabric under which you can put one of your feet in order to gain some stability in the raft. People using paddles need to have a strong base from which they can propel the raft forward using their paddle. By utilising foot cups, thwats and paddles, people can attain a good amount of stability which minimises the chances of falling out from the raft. Foot cups are usually reserved for the front of the raft only.

Thwarts: They consist of cross tubes filled with air, which provide rigidity to the raft. Rigidity is needed in order to keep the boat relatively stiff when sliding through gaps in rocks and to withstand the forces of nature and maintain it’s shape. They provide assistance to those people who are not placed in the front of the raft, so they can keep their balance when paddling by wedging their feet under the thwart in front of them or behind.

Paddle: These are the wheels for our vehicle, and you are the motor! When you hold the paddles firmly and utilize great technique, we can easily conquer everything Tara throws at us. Teamwork is necessary between you and your fellow rafters, and this is a great way to bond with people. Saving each others butts from falling out of the raft bring people together. This is why rafting is a great team building activity in the outdoors. Paddle is made of 3 parts: the blade - which pushes through the water; shaft - which you hold onto; and at the end of the paddle there is a T shaped handle on which you also hold onto.

PFD & Helmet: These are what keep you safe on the river. PFD is short for personal flotation device and is basically a jacket with abundant space filled with air which is designed to keep you floating. In an event of falling out of the raft, it is designed to orientate you onto your back, because this is much safer for you. Before we go on the river, you will be instructed with the basic safety rules. As always, helmets are used for head protection from physical damage. There are hard objects on the river, such as rocks, paddles which can hit pretty hard.

Grab Rope: There are series of metal rings that can be found around the outside of the raft, called D rings. Through them goes a rope on which you hold on as we drop into some large rapids. When tight enough, this rope is very helpful.

Raft: It isn’t called rafting for nothing. Without it, we would all be just swimmers. Invention of inflatable rafts made this activity possible and they are an essential element. They are made using very strong fabrics which among others are PVC, hypalon and urethane. Our rafts can fit a maximum of 8 people. However, we usually fit 6 people, as this makes maneuvering more doable.

Rapid: We saved the best for last. Rapids are what make rafting such an amazing activity. They provide the adrenaline rush that captivates and pushes you to your limits. Depending on their speed, they are classified into 6 categories. Out of those 6, the ones ranging from I to V are commercially runnable, and they increase in power as the number goes up. Category VI rapids are considered dangerous and life threatening. Don’t think you will not be able to handle Tara river, rafting is suitable for everyone.

Want to learn more about rafting on Tara river? Find out where rafting on Tara is better, or experience it yourself and reserve a tour!