Rafting Grades

2014-10-30

  Tour difficulty rating

The difficulty of rafting and kayaking grades is measured by a scale of FIVE as Class I, II, III, IV and V. Each tour difficulty grade is indicated by our color gauge. On this page, the difficulty grade is listed in ascending order of difficulty.

Please make sure to read the explanation on difficulty grades before booking tours with us.

Obviously, length of the day, terrain, altitude, water level and weather conditions are main factors that contribute to the difficulty of our tours. Since some of those factors are changeable, any system of grades can only provide a general indication of tour conditions. If you have any special physical or health conditions that we must be aware of, please report them when filling in our booking form or by contacting us by email.

 

EXPLORE THE GREAT ALTAI’S RAFTING GRADES

A love for adventure and a passion for the great outdoors is top priority. More practical things to pack include a good sunscreen, dark glasses, shorts, T-shirts (or other light, quick-dry clothing) and suitable shoes- sneakers or heavy duty rubber sandals may be a good idea. Also pack in a windproof jacket, a light sweater, towels, and a flashlight- and don’t forget the first aid box and the camera! There are two main sets of routes along the rivers, graded I to III (for amateurs) and IV to V (for veterans).

CLASS I: Small, easy waves; mainly flat water
CLASS II: Mainly clear passages; some areas of difficulty
CLASS III: Difficult passages; narrow in places and with high waves
CLASS IV: Very difficult, narrow and requiring precise maneuvering
CLASS V: Extremely difficult. Very fast-flowing waters which can be maneuvered only by experts