Zephyr Whitewater Expeditions

Zephyr Whitewater Expeditions

Zephyr Whitewater Expeditions
5
7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Monday
7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Tuesday
7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Wednesday
7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Thursday
7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Friday
7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Sunday
8:00 AM - 2:00 PM
About
Zephyr Whitewater is one of the most popular and experienced outfitters in California. We offer river rafting trips near Yosemite on the Merced, Kings, and Tuolumne rivers. Family and group rates, and internet special discounts are available. Our trips range in length from 1/2 to 3-days. On the Merced river, the closest river to Yosemite, we offer both morning and afternoon 11 mile 1/2 day trips, plus full day trips every day. Many guests have said their rafting trip on the Merced river near Yosemite was the highlight of their Yosemite Vacation. Join us and see why!
Columbia, United States

Awards
Travellers' Choice
2024

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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles271 reviews
Excellent
259
Very good
10
Average
2
Poor
0
Terrible
0

David A
London, UK32 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2023
Our family took a full day trip with Zepher down the Merced in Jul 2023. Two adults and grown up children aged 21 and 18.
Wow! This was one of the highlights if not the highlight of our two week holiday.
Our guide ‘Nat’ was great, provided a brilliant commentary on the wildlife, the environment, the river, the rapids and much more. He was fantastic and made a great day really special. We did a full day and stopped for lunch which was lovely, thank you to the guides who helped prepare this. Towards the end of our journey we approached ‘Split Rock’ and all felt adrenaline and relief as we ‘Absolutely Stoked It’. Thank you Nat and the whole team, very professional, we felt we were aware of the risks but in very capable hands (Skylar in a canoe had our back if we were really in trouble). If you’re in Yosemite, this has to be a must do. Zepher were fantastic, thank you for creating some wonderful memories for our family.
Written 18 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Anna M
2 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2023 • Family
Whitewater rafting was the thing my 10-year old was most looking forward to on our trip to California and Zephyr didn't disappoint. They were very helpful in helping choose an appropriate trip (given the unusual river conditions this year our first choice wasn't available) and their pre-trip information regarding what to bring/wear, directions, etc. was excellent.
The trip itself was pitched just right for families, with fast enough rapids to get a sense of adventure without ever feeling in danger or out of control. Our guide was very experienced and clearly knew the river well, providing us with detailed explanations of the rocks and rapids we encountered.
As we were on a late-season trip, the stretch of the river we rafted was shorter than that used earlier in the year when water levels were higher. Zephyr make up for the shorter rafting time by stopping at a swimming hole where you can jump off a high rock and one of the rafts was flipped over on the edge of the beach to make a water slide into the river. This was a lot of fun, especially for the kids, and added an extra element to the day.
To top it all, off Zephyr have photographers along the route to capture the action and there is the option to purchase a photo package at the end of the day. It's not cheap, but given how many fantastic shots there are of us all (I'm struggling to choose between them for the album) I'd say it's good value.
Written 15 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Ken B
2 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2022
Zephyr provided a fun and exciting experience for our family of 6. We've done alot of rafting all over the country........not experts, but full of experiences. These guys run a great rafting service. Trevor was our guide and he was very interactive. He worked hard to make our experience special....not just rushing down the river. They included time for swimming in the river and a special jump rock area.

We did the half-day because the river water level (Merced) wasn't high enough for the full day in June 2022. Still enjoyed plenty of white water and adventure.

An independent photography company was on sight....not directly associated with Zephyr. They took tons of pictures and made good deals to just buy all of the pics with a web link. Nice
Written 13 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sebastien C
1 contribution
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Couples
Well organized but too short. We were back by 11 a.m. (stated it goes till 12:30 p.m.). After booking, realized that this time of the year [early August] it runs only 5.5 miles instead of the usual 11 miles. Plus, we stopped on a beach for kids to go jumping off a rock, which was a time waster in my opinion, as I wanted to go rafting. There were a few rapids but most of the river was fairly calm. Probably o.k. for a first timer or a tourist, but would not recommend for someone looking for an adventure -- at least this time of the year. The other rivers Zephyr runs are both cheaper and longer in duration. Probably, because it's near Yosemite they can upcharge and not deliver the most exciting run. I've rafted a number of times on the American River, which was much better especially later in the season since it's controlled water.
Written 11 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Danielle C
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2022
Maggie was THE BEST!!! My mom demanded to do this for her 71st birthday and had to talk me into this. One, I don't like being cold and two I was certain I would be deposited into the river unwillingly. It was an incredible experience on a beautiful day. Zephyr was easy to find and between the wetsuits and outer clothing they let you borrow I was warm and comfortable. We did the 1/2 day trip which starts at 1:30pm and that was a perfect amount of time. Not only was this so much fun but my mom can't even swim so if safety is a concern, this review should help. Maggie was incredibly personable and very informative about the river, local community, the wildlife and history. Solid 5 Stars! Oh...and the pictures that are taken are a must see! For a nominal price you get all the pictures taken of your raft which enables you to not have to pick and choose.
Written 25 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Brooke
Lake Worth, FL1 contribution
3.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2022 • Couples
Staff was great. The gear was extremely old and worn out. My body was stained with black marks that appeared to be an adhesive that I couldn’t get off. Could be a little nicer base camp and take a bit more pride in the appearance. Wet suits had holes and broken zippers, jackets were ripped, no available water shoes for purchase. We rode in front of raft which was fine but for a 3 hr cold trip, we were freezing and blocked the water for the rest of the group. I feel like we should have been paid for this excursion rather than paying or at least free photos for shaking uncontrollably for half the trip bc it was so cold. I would have preferred a 1.5 hr trip. I don’t want to do this as a sport but due to the temperature and comfort…I would have been happy with that. The guides were excellent though.
Written 12 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Christine
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2022 • Couples
This half day rafting trip down the Merced River was the best part of our 2022 summer vacation. Heather was our raft pilot and she was very knowledgeable and helpful. Adam the bus driver had some legit driving skills. The safety discussion at the beginning of the trip was very informative and eased any anxiety I had. I highly recommend this rafting trip for beginners to intermediate experienced rafters. And don’t be afraid to sit in the front seat to enjoy the ride and the views!
Written 20 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Carolyn G
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2023 • Couples
The entire experience was amazing, from start to finish. Our guides Dane and Danny, and the safety kayaker and driver whose names I forget; were all very skilled and inspired confidence. I really appreciated the safety swim test, even considering the fact that most of our group were experienced rafters, and especially since one of us fell out of the raft and was quickly retrieved from the water. This was the first time on the Merced for all of us. The whole way down the river Dane was really on top of his stuff with the instructions/commands. The water level was very high and the rapids did not disappoint! Very well done. It was an absolute blast. We stopped along the way for a nice lunch by the river. There we had the option to continue on through the most challenging section of the trip. That option was nice to have; we all chose to continue. The only advice I have for future rafters is to be prepared that you will have a swim safety drill to get you familiar with the feeling of swimming with a wetsuit/life vest on, being pulled up into the raft, and pulling someone else into the raft at the beginning if the river is high and to just follow instructions and have fun.
Written 16 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Matt Z
4 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2022
Our experience with Zephyr Whitewater Rafting was amazing! If you want to go whitewater rafting near Yosemite National Park, I highly recommend that you choose Zephyr Whitewater. We had Trevor as our guide for the day and were very impressed with his experience, knowledge and overall fun that he shared with us throughout our rafting adventure. It was the first time my son and I visited Yosemite National Park and the rafting trip with Zephyr was definitely one of the most memorable highlights of our entire trip.
Written 17 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Chris
Westminster, CO86 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2023 • Family
This was a blast! My parents (in their low 60s), wife, and I went in early June during record water levels. The guides were very helpful and are very straightforward with the risks and dangers which can scare some people (plus there is a swim test where they have you jump out of the raft and into the cold water). Dustin is the absolute best guide–he really knows his stuff and was a lot of fun, giving us what was a unique experience compared to the rest of the rafts. We did the full day Merced River trip and it was well worth it. The rapids were class 3 and 4 and so fun to raft through. I highly recommend doing this one! If I ever visit Yosemite again, I'm going to see if I can book a multi-day trip with Zephyr because I just couldn't get enough!
Written 11 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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ZEPHYR WHITEWATER EXPEDITIONS (2025) All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos) - Tripadvisor

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