Taseko, Chilko & Chilcotin Rivers
Departing August 23, 2025
Join us for a rafting adventure on the Taseko, Chilko & Chilcotin rivers and experience the best of British Columbia, from exquisite alpine scenery and mystical canyons to rich boreal forests and desert badlands.
The Chilcotin River is rated as one of the best and most challenging in North America for whitewater rafting. Some of the most spectacular scenery is found near the Chilcotin’s confluence with the Fraser River, south of Riske Creek. The river winds its way through mountains, open valleys, grasslands and canyons as it hurries to meet the Fraser.
The Fraser River is British Columbia’s longest river and the fifth longest river in Canada. With its headwaters originating in the Rocky Mountains at Mount Robson, the Fraser stretches for 1,368 kilometres (848 miles), ultimately flowing into the Pacific Ocean, and is a prime destination for whitewater rafters in search of adventure.
The Fraser River Canyon is both scenic and impressive with the walls rising more than 914 metres (3000 feet) and the waters of the river passing through a 27-metre (90 feet) gorge at Hell’s Gate.
The Chilcotin Plateau boasts a distinguished biodiversity; bighorn sheep, grizzlies, pelicans and even wild horses are just a few of the captivating species we see on the river. The Taseko River is even on a major migratory flyway, and we time our expeditions to coincide with the southerly migration of species such as sandhill cranes, trumpeter swans and Clark’s nuthatch.
Botanists will be enthralled by vibrant displays of Indian paintbrush and fireweed, as well as the enigmatic prickly pear cacti peppering the grasslands and the fascinating ethnoecology of the rubber rabbitbrush.
Rich in cultural history and present day use, these rivers are of vital importance to the First Nations communities who rely on them. The Tsilhtqot’in National Government recently announced plans to open a permanent salmon hatchery, marking a historic move for Indigenous-led river conservation.
The perfect river journey for whitewater enthusiasts, wildlife watchers, photographers and history buffs alike, this expedition will take you into the very heart of British Columbia and leave you with memories to last a lifetime.
Itinerary
- Day 0: Williams Lake, B.C.
- Day 1: Nemiah Valley and Taseko River
- Day 2: Taseko Canyons and Chilko-Taseko Junction
- Day 3: The Chilko to the Chilcotin River
- Days 4 & 5: Hanceville Canyon and Big Creek
- Day 6: Farwell Canyon, sand dunes and hoodoos
- Day 7: Big John’s Canyon and the Fraser River
- Day 8: Return to Williams Lake
Meet your RCGS Travel Ambassador
David Gray
With more than three decades of experience as a journalist, former CBC Radio host David Gray has filed stories from around the world, focusing on Europe and North America. Based in Calgary, David is an avid adventurer, diver, skier, and cyclist.
Whether it’s skiing from the heights of the Chic-Choc Mountains down to the shores of Gaspe, kayaking Johnstone Strait with the orcas of Robson Bight, or hiking the ridges of the Bugaboos above the glaciers of the Purcells, David has a deep passion for Canada’s wild spaces. He is an amateur ornithologist and former park naturalist, with a growing passion for photography. He has also launched a new Canada-wide podcast, GraydioCanada.
His documentary work has won numerous national and international awards and he is a frequent guest host on well known CBC radio programs such as “As it Happens”, “Sunday Edition” and “Cross Country Checkup”. His daily morning program “The Calgary Eyeopener” was one of Canada’s top-rated local radio shows for over a decade.
In his spare time, he performs with Calgary band Sweet Potato. David and his wife Kim have two children.