Family Rafting

Most rafting operators tell families to wait until the kids are eight. We don’t, because the lower Soča lets us run a real rafting trip on water that’s calm enough for a four-year-old to enjoy and shallow enough that the worst-case scenario is a wet swimsuit.

Family Rafting uses the same boats, guides, and equipment as our regular [Whitewater Rafting](/activities/whitewater-rafting/) trip. The only thing that changes is the stretch of river. We launch on the lower Soča below Tolmin, where the gradient flattens out and the rapids you’d see upstream turn into gentle wave trains — fast enough to feel like an adventure, slow enough that nobody panics.

It’s 2.5 hours total: kit fitting and briefing, an hour or so on the water, then transport, dry-off, and a hot drink. Kids leave grinning, parents leave relieved that nobody got dunked.

### Why this works for younger kids

Two things make Family Rafting genuinely family-safe rather than marketing-safe.

First, the river itself does the work. The lower stretch we run sits at class I with a couple of small class-I+ riffles — that’s “moving water” rather than “rapids.” Nothing recirculates, nothing holds you down, and the channels are wide enough that the raft has lots of room. Your guide is reading water that doesn’t have any nasty surprises in it.

Second, the kit is sized. We carry child PFDs from 25 kg up, child wetsuits from age 4, and a pair of small helmets. We’re not pretending an adult vest will work if we cinch it tight enough.

### Dogs

This is unusual and worth being clear about. Yes, we take dogs. One calm dog per raft. They sit in your lap or between your legs. We do not provide a dog PFD, but you’re welcome to bring your own.

What we ask: your dog is comfortable around water and strangers, walks on a lead without freaking out, and is fine with the noise of paddles in water. We’ve had retrievers, terriers, collies, and one suspiciously calm pug. We’ve turned away one Belgian Malinois that did not want to be on the boat. We err on the side of “if your dog seems anxious in the parking lot, we’ll skip it.”

There’s no extra charge for the dog, but they don’t count toward the booking total either — book for the humans only.

### What’s included

– Wetsuit, splash jacket, helmet, and PFD — sized to each person, including child sizes

– Certified IRF guide per raft

– Waterproof bag for car keys and phones

– Transport from Camp Gabrje to the put-in and back from the take-out

– Hot tea, coffee, or cocoa at the take-out

– Photos via WhatsApp from the guide’s GoPro

### What’s NOT included

– **Soča River Pass** — required by Slovenian law for everyone on the river, including kids over 7. €18/day at gosoca.si. Pets don’t need one. Buy yours before you arrive; we’ll check on the day.

– Snacks for kids. Bring whatever they’ll actually eat.

### Age, fitness, and what to bring

– **Minimum age:** 4 years old, accompanied by a parent in the same raft.

– **Maximum age:** none. Grandparents are welcome.

– **Swimming:** Not required for kids in a PFD. The PFD keeps them afloat; the guide watches them.

– **What to bring per person:**

  – Swimsuit (worn under the wetsuit)

  – Water shoes — old trainers work, **no flip-flops** (they fall off in the river)

  – Towel and a full change of dry clothes per person

  – Sunscreen

  – Sun hat for the drive back (we provide the helmet for the river)

  – Snacks and water for the kids

  – Phone in a waterproof bag if you want one — we have one bag per raft

### Schedule and meeting point

We run Family Rafting **June through September**. Two slots per day: **10:00** and **14:00**. The morning slot is generally calmer (smaller groups, lower temperatures). The afternoon slot is warmer water and warmer air.

Meet us at **Camp Gabrje 29, 5220 Tolmin** fifteen minutes early for kit fitting. Free parking on site. By bus from Tolmin station: ten-minute walk.

Total time door-to-door: about 2.5 hours from arrival to back at your car.

### How it’s different from regular Whitewater Rafting

| Detail | Family Rafting | Whitewater Rafting |

|—|—|—|

| Stretch of river | Lower Soča (calmer) | Upper Soča (rapids) |

| Difficulty | Class I (moving water) | Class II–III (proper rapids) |

| Minimum age | 4 (with parent) | 8 (min 30 kg) |

| Dogs | Welcome | Not allowed |

| Wetness | Damp, splashes | Fully soaked |

| Duration | 2.5 hours total | 3 hours total |

| Price | €45 per person | €60 per person |

The kid who finishes Family Rafting at six is the kid who finishes Whitewater Rafting at nine. We’ve watched that progression several times.

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## Internal cross-sells

– **Older kids ready for the proper version?** → [Whitewater Rafting](/activities/whitewater-rafting/) — €60, age 8+

– **Calmer day for the parents while a guide watches?** → [Kayak Lesson](/activities/kayak-lesson/) — €80, beginner-friendly

– **Self-guided afternoon paddle?** → [Kayak Rental](/activities/kayak-rental/) — €38, flatwater route with pickup