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Rivers & Oceans

Rafting and Adventure Travel

Grand Canyon Rafting Company Reviews

rafters on Grand Canyon Rafting Company trip in whitewater rapid

Grand Canyon Rafting Company Reviews

Reviews for Grand Canyon Rafting Outfitters

We often receive inquiries about the reviews for Grand Canyon rafting outfitters. Our analysis shows that while there are variations in reviews, no single outfitter consistently ranks as the best or worst. It’s important to note that these companies generally have excellent trip leaders, though the quality varies for all outfitters. Interestingly, customer experiences on the same trip can differ significantly, influenced by individual expectations.

Some outfitters are more proactive in gathering positive reviews and there are some questions about online reviews. That said, we advise not to overly rely on these ratings. While every outfitter believes they offer the best Grand Canyon rafting experience, the reality is that all provide high-quality trips. We recommend choosing a trip based on trip type (motor or non-motor), section (full, upper, lower, western), logistics and availability during your vacation window.

Outfitter Preferences

That being said, if after looking through the reviews there is a specific outfitter that you’d rather not use or a few you prefer, let us know and we can adjust the results of your trip search accordingly.

If you appreciate the information we are providing, consider supporting us by booking your Grand Canyon Rafting trip using our services, we guarantee the same rate as booking directly with our partner outfitters.

Summary of ratings and reviews for various outfitters:

Updated December 1, 2024

See more outfitter links below.

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Questions About Grand Canyon Rafting Reviews

While updating this list, we noticed some interesting discrepancies, which we’ve outlined below. Although reviews can be helpful—and we regularly rely on them in our own lives—comparing numerical ratings provides limited insight. Instead, we find it more valuable to read negative reviews, look for recurring patterns, and observe how a business responds to criticism. For example, consistent complaints about poor communication might indicate a deeper operational issue, whereas one-off complaints, especially when addressed thoughtfully by the business, often reflect individual expectations rather than systemic problems.

TripAdvisor

One outfitter appeared to have the same total number of Trip Advisor reviews for two consecutive years, even though 4 new reviews were added this year. What’s even more interesting is that their rating mysteriously increased from 4.5 to 5.0. As of 12/1/2024, they had 13 total reviews—12 rated 5 stars and one rated 2 stars—which should result in an average rating of 4.8.

This experience has left us with questions about how the review process works on TripAdvisor.

Trip Advisor Grand Canyon Company Reviews were numbers don't make sense
Screen Shot – Trip Advisor 12/1/2024

A Note About Yelp

Yelp has a reputation for practices that many small business owners find troubling, including aggressive sales tactics and questionable review filtering. We’ve observed these issues firsthand and encourage you to use alternative review platforms.

For perspective, the Better Business Bureau gives Yelp a C+ rating, compared to TripAdvisor’s A+ rating and far fewer complaints. One of the primary complaints about Yelp is its practice of filtering out legitimate reviews by labeling them as “Not Recommended,” thereby excluding them from a company’s overall rating. The 2019 documentary Billion Dollar Bully delves into Yelp’s practices and their impact on small business owners.

One outfitter, Canyoneers, had 18 reviews when we checked last year. This year, they have 15 reviews, along with 3 marked as “Not Recommended.” Interestingly, these “Not Recommended” reviews date from 2018 and 2023, yet Yelp continues to include other reviews from the same periods, as well as even older ones dating back to 2012. This inconsistency raises questions about why Yelp decided that certain reviews, which had been included for years—including over half a decade—should now be excluded.

Facebook Reviews

When we updated the Facebook review numbers, we noticed some inconsistencies. The number of reviews displayed online for most companies has decreased, and the data shown in Google search results is typically higher than what appears on the actual Facebook page.

For example, in the case of Grand Canyon Whitewater, they had 75 reviews on Facebook when we checked last year. However, as of today (12/1/2024), Google shows 48 reviews for them on Facebook, while Facebook itself lists only 41 reviews (see images below).

Google search result for Facebook Grand Canyon whitewater rafting company reviewa
Screen Shot – Google results
Facebook Grand Canyon whitewater rafting company reviews total.
Screen Shot – Facebook

Concluding Thoughts on Grand Canyon Rafting Reviews

While each outfitter believes they are the best Grand Canyon Rafting Company, there isn’t a clear stand-out. Another equally common and challenging question is “What is the Best Grand Canyon Rafting Trip?” While both questions have merit, most people end up deciding upon a trip based upon what is available when they can take vacation time and the logistics getting to and from the river.

Video for Grand Canyon Rafting Paddle Trip

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