Whitewater rafting is what you do when you want the river to surprise you. Whitewater kayaking is what you do when you want to talk back.
This trip puts you in a creek-boat or a river-runner — sized to your build and experience — and we run the same upper-Soča rapids the rafts run, plus a few that the rafts can’t get into. Class II–III with one cleaner-looking IV that we’ll scout from the bank and run only if conditions and your skill level match. The Soča is technical without being malicious: read-and-run holes, well-defined eddies, no recirculating death-features.
This is not a “have a go” trip. You need basic whitewater skills before you book. If you don’t have them, take a [Kayak Lesson](/activities/kayak-lesson/) first — that’s exactly what it’s for.
### What’s included
– Whitewater kayak (Prijon Curve, Pyranha Burn, or similar — sized to you)
– Paddle, helmet, PFD, spraydeck, wetsuit + drytop
– One certified guide per group of two to four paddlers
– Transport between Camp Gabrje and the launch points
– Hot drinks at the take-out
– Video coaching: short clips reviewed with the guide between runs
– Photos via WhatsApp after
### What’s NOT included
– **Soča River Pass** — required by Slovenian law. €18/day, [gosoca.si](https://gosoca.si/). Buy it before you arrive.
– Personal accident insurance — bring your own.
### Difficulty and skill prerequisites
This is **moderate** terrain on the Soča scale, which is the international class II–III range. To enjoy it (and stay safe) you should be comfortable with:
– A reliable wet exit
– Forward stroke, sweep, low brace
– Reading downstream Vs and avoiding obvious holes
– Self-rescue swimming in moving water
A combat roll is helpful but not required — our guides are trained for swimmer rescue and we run with enough margin that an unplanned swim is annoying, not dangerous.
If you’ve done one rolling course at a UK pool, you’re probably not ready for this yet. If you’ve run rivers like the Tryweryn, the Verzasca lower, or any class III in the Alps, you’ll have a great day.
### What to bring
– Swimsuit or thermals to wear under the wetsuit
– Water shoes or old trainers — neoprene boots if you have them
– Towel and dry clothes
– Sunscreen, lip balm, and a snack
– A roll if you have one
### Schedule and meeting point
May through September. Two slots: **9:30** and **14:00**. Total time: about three hours including kit-up and transport, with 1.5–2 hours on the water across two runs.
Meet at **Camp Gabrje 29, 5220 Tolmin** fifteen minutes early. Parking on site.
### Why book with us
The four guides who run this trip have a combined sixty-plus years on the upper Soča. They paddle in their off-time and they all know the lines that look impossible from upstream and turn out to be the easy ones. The trip is capped at four paddlers per guide so you get real coaching, not crowd control.
The price (€75) is at the higher end for Soča kayaking because we run small groups and we don’t skimp on kit. Cheaper options exist; we don’t think they’re a good deal.
