Red Wine and Whitewater

"What a unique and rare opportunity your company provides. We were completely taken by the quality of the wines, the hospitality of the winery personnel and, in particular, the knowledge and expertise exhibited by our guide -- Ray -- as he took us on Saturday to the wineries and on Sunday down the river. We're bringing our friends next summer." Bob and Laurie M., Mountain View, CA

Red Wine and White Water 2-Day Trip, True Wine Tasting!

1 Day Rafting and 1 Day Chauffeured Wine Tasting

Central California, One hour east of Sacramento near Coloma
Difficulty: Class III, Beginner/Intermediate
Available daily, Mid-April through October
Minimum Age: 21 Years Old (Legal age for alcohol in California)
$299 Per Person Thursday / Friday, $319 Per Person Saturday / Sunday
» Trip Details/Itineraries [PDF]

El Dorado County is home to some of the finest wineries in California. These wine makers have earned a national reputation for numerous varietals, and it is this quality that has inspired us to offer our Red Wine – Whitewater River trips this year. We are the ONLY professional river outfitter in California to do so, and we welcome your exploring and experiencing the best that our community has to offer!

Two-Day Trips

The Gorge or Chili Bar Runs, 13 miles. One-day rafting, one-day wine tasting, 2 Nights camping, and 5 meals.

We start our two-day trips on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Each of our wine tasting trips includes rafting on either day one or day two and wine tasting the day we are off the river. That choice is dependent upon numerous factors including weather; permit restrictions, size of trips, etc. If you have a preference please let us know in advance and we will always attempt to accommodate your wishes.

On the morning of your day on the river we'll meet for a river orientation and safety talk. Then you and your other crewmembers will board your boat at our campsite put-in and practice basic paddle strokes with your guide before setting out to raft the lower thirteen miles of the river known as the "Gorge Run".

Before lunch, the river winds through rolling hills and the rapids are fun and easy- a good chance to warm up and get to know your crew and guide. We'll stop midday for a delicious deli-style lunch on the riverbank, and then it's off to the bigger rapids in the lower section of the Gorge run. By the end of the day, you'll have rafted some of the greatest rapids in California.

We'll drive back to camp where you can shower, relax, and play while your guides prepare dinner. After dinner we'll enjoy a hilarious slide show of each of our boats negotiating Satan's Cesspool, one of the bigger exciting rapids of the day. Then we'll gather around a roaring campfire to end the evening in the glow of a day well spent.

Your day at the wineries will start with a hearty breakfast in the morning followed by a chauffeured drive to some of the local award winning wineries in the area. We might even stop at the Gold Hill Olive Oil Company’s tasting room for a change of pace! Lunch will be provided as we guide you through one of California’s premiere undiscovered wine regions.

Please Note: If you and/or members of your group wish to tackle a more difficult river, such as the Middle or North Forks of the American, those rivers can be incorporated into our Red Wine – White Water River Trips also.