History

Back in 1975, Kumsheen offered the first Raft Guide Training Course in Canada when Bernie Fandrich, founder of Kumsheen Raft Adventures Ltd (1973), taught a Raft Guide Course through the Continuing Education Centre at Langara College in Vancouver, B.C.

Recognizing the need for and importance of formal guide training, he began an in-house training program each spring at Kumsheen’s headquarters in Lytton, B.C. The Kumsheen Raft Guide Training School has been in operation ever since.

Our Brand

Kumsheen’s Raft Guide Training School is known and respected the world over.

We’re proud to say that graduates of our 12-Day Raft Guide School are working around the world as commercial rafting guides, including in all parts of Canada, in the USA, New Zealand, Chile, Peru, Iceland, Australia, Zimbabwe, Italy, Nepal, Indonesia, Japan, and beyond.

2022 marks our 47th year of raft guide training and our 49th year of rafting operations.

Our Focus

The past 40+ years of raft guide training have shown us that the best way to teach guiding skills is to focus solely on individual students. Rather than students doing tag-along trips with our commercial trips, our course is run completely by itself; freedom from the trip’s time schedule, less pressure on “performing” in front of paying customers, and guiding on a variety of different rivers. These allow us to take the time to customize the material to each individual student and ensure a thorough comprehension of the basics.

The Equipment

At Kumsheen, we pride ourselves in having the top equipment in the rafting industry. We use the same superior equipment for our Guide School as for our commercial rafting trips; in the case of the school, most days are spent on 16-ft AIRE rafts and our AIRE cataraft.

Course Schedule

We are offering one Commercial Guide course for 2022 from May 2-15th. The training time includes twelve days of on-the-water instruction, including a day for written and practical exams for both oar and paddle rafts. Typically, training days start at 8 am in the classroom and end after a river session, between 5 and 6 pm.

Rafting practical training occurs mainly on the Thompson, Nicola, Nahatlatch, and Chilliwack rivers; location is subject to change at the discretion of the Instructors.

Course Contents

– 12 on-river training days with a focus on practical skills
– Instruction on a minimum of 3 different rivers
– Off-river lectures and lessons
– Lunch daily for the entire course, and breakfast & dinner for the second week (26 meals)
– Shared accommodation in a cozy Cabin Tent while onsite at the Kumsheen Resort
– Campsite space while at a commercial campground in Chilliwack
– All training manuals and literature
– Shuttle transportation during the course
– Paddle & oar written and practical exams, including all exam fees
– Use of the Kumsheen Rafting Resort amenities
– Subsidized River Rescue Training.

Kumsheen Resort

Another thing which sets Kumsheen’s Raft Guide Training School apart from the others is the use of our resort facilities during the course. Resort facilities include a swimming pool and giant hot-tub, beach volleyball courts, 3-on-3 basketball court, disc golf course, and the licensed Cutting Board Restaurant and the poolside bar. All indoor classes are held in “The Loft,” our onsite classroom/meeting room.

More Info

For our information package or any additional information on KUMSHEEN’s Raft Guide Training School, don’t hesitate to email us at rafting@kumsheen.com or call our office at 1-250-455-2296. We look forward to seeing you at KUMSHEEN in the spring.