While missing the boat isn’t the issue, sometimes getting space on one can be a challenge.
Options for securing seats on a whitewater rafting or dory trip on the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon for 2016 are already growing increasingly thin, reports veteran river outfitter, O.A.R.S.
Contrary to the close-to-departure booking patterns of recent years, now people are demonstrating a willingness to book a year or more in advance, especially on America’s most iconic rivers, observed Steve Markle, Director of Sales and Marketing for the O.A.R.S. Family of Companies.
“The biggest standout for us at this point is seeing the number of bookings coming in for next year. We are enjoying unprecedented numbers of 2016 reservations almost across the board” said Markle. The company reports its five- to-18-day river trips in the Grand Canyon are already more than 90 percent sold out for 2016 and six-day trips on Idaho’s Middle Fork of the Salmon River are nearly 50 percent sold out for next year.
Although it’s still possible to secure space on an O.A.R.S. trip for 2016, many clients are willing to wait until the following year, in this case probably 2017, to secure their first choice of dates. The company expects to begin taking reservations for 2017 Grand Canyon trips this fall.
Other popular trips for 2016 include rafting on the Colorado River through Cataract Canyon in Canyonlands National Park, Oregon’s Wild & Scenic Rogue River, Lodge-to-Lodge Trekking in Grand Canyon and Peru, sea kayaking and hiking in Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Parks and the company’s brand-new Galápagos Islands Explorer, with active exploration of classic Galápagos sites—without the crowds.
Markle’s advice: “For the best chance of securing the trip you want on the dates you can travel, start planning now.”