Yufugawa Gorge Packraft Tour

Posted By : Dalailawma
This was an incredible experience and one of my highlights of my visit to Oita. I joined with my family (ranging from late twenties to retirement age). We're from California so the weather was pretty comfortable in May. I'll leave some pointers since we learned a lot along the way. #Directions# Entering the address in Google Maps takes you 99.9% there. From the direction we were going from (route 2 from Yufuin on their website) it'll take you onto a short road next to the destination, but it's the back entrance. You'll need to continue past for like 30 seconds and take the steep sharp right turn up to the front of the school. There you will sign waivers, change, etc. By the time you head out, you are in a wetsuit bottom, water shoes, and gloves. #Start of the trip# You'll drive your car and follow the host for 5-10 min to get to the trail head. Here you will get set up with a helmet and the pack raft set. Before you start on the trail, you can leave most of your things (including gats, sunglasses). You will hike down a fairly steep trail to the water. Some parts include chains for you to hold onto while you walk. This part takes 10-15 minutes. #Start of the gorge tour# At this point you inflate your rafts and go over basic instructions. You practice paddling and getting on/off the raft. #The main tour# At this point you will switch off from hopping into your raft and paddling, and walking with your raft and paddles. You'll need to climb some rocks, wade through water on rocks, and lift your raft from time to time. The guides point out interesting parts of the tour but you can appreciate the sights even without the background. At some point they'll provide some snacks with a beautiful backdrop. They will also take photos along the way. At the time I visited, the water was pretty much a perfect temperature, but your results may vary. By the end you will help deflate the rafts, repack, and hike back up to the car. They will provide sandals and towels. You'll drive back and change back at the school. #Pointers# - You don't need to bring water shoes, a hat, sunglasses, gloves, a towel (unless you want extra), or water (unless you want your own; they provide a sports drink) - You don't need to bring your own bug spray but you can - Bringing a waterproof phone holder is highly recommended - No restrooms after you leave the school - Bring a bathing suit of sort - It's pretty shady so sunglasses not needed - Big breakfast recommended - Their photos are shared via email/Drive/Airdrop - There will be animals/creatures along the way
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Posted On : 2024-05-11

Posted By : Boulderites
I suppose this float tour is quite nice , but the tour company refused to allow me to participate as they will not allow anyone over 65 to float the river. The stated reason was liability concerns due to insufficient insurance. In other countries the tour operator requires all guests to sign a liability waiver and make an assessment at the departure point as to the physical abilities of each participant. Simply refusing all potential clients above a certain age is discriminatory and arbitrary. Many people over 65 are more capable and athletic than people 20 years younger. This tour operator can do better than this !
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Posted On : 2023-11-01

Posted By : 677bradh
This was an amazing experience. I'm 66 years old and have seen a lot, this is right at the top of the list. Absolutely beautiful ! Our guide Rui was wonderful and very knowledgeable, and the lunch very traditional and tasty using local ingredients. Do not miss doing this if you come to Beppu. Brad
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Posted On : 2023-10-18

Posted By : sylviahL3137JR
For those who like to be amongst pure nature and only want to drive 20 min. out from Beppu, then this tour should be your first choice. I had a wonderful day out with my excellent guide, Rui (spoke fluent English) exploring the gorge. The sights were simply breath-taking. Total value-for-money!
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Posted On : 2023-10-18

Posted By : Lam_N
Rui was our guide and was fantastic. She grew up in the area so knows it well from a local's perspective. Having also worked in the US, her English was also perfect so we felt like we had the best of both worlds. We were lucky to have her all to ourselves so were able to proceed along at our own pace. Being in the gorge was such a magical experience and a very welcome respite from the heat. Be prepared for some physical exertion but it's nothing anyone in reasonable physical shape (or in our case, middle aged physical shape) can't handle. The "snack" at the end was a full blown lunch made from locally sourced ingredients that easily filled this American's stomach (it's vegetarian, fyi). I would highly recommend this as a welcome change of pace from the usual tourist activities in Japan. It was nice to be able to relax in an onsen in nearby Beppu afterwards too.
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Posted On : 2023-08-10

Posted By : 460chengt
Such an spectacular view! Physical strength is necessary, but definitely worth it. We loved the lunch prepared by the sweet local ladies.
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Posted On : 2023-07-05

Posted By : michaellK7970TF
The Yufuism tour through the yufugawa gorge is a must do! It's a beautiful gorge with waterfalls and plenty of wildlife. My guide Rui spoke fluent English and made sure the trip was enjoyable and safe! If you're visiting Kyushu, even fukuoka, I highly recommend adding this tour to your itinerary. It will be the highlight of your trip. The pack rafting is very easy and beginner friendly.
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Posted On : 2023-06-28

Posted By : joannamV8828TL
This was absolutely the most wonderful adventure in my entire life! I'm not easily impressed by sights, because I have seen a lot in my life, but when I had the first look at the place, I needed a couple of seconds to make sure I'm not dreaming. Yufu River Valley is stunning and looks like taken straight out of a Ghibli movie! When it comes to the organisation of the tour, it was perfect! The base is located in the building of an old school and has some nostalgic feel about it. The organisers explained to me all the rules, handed me my gear and we headed to the canyon. My guide was Rui. She is super friendly and extremely knowledgeable about the local ecosystem. She also entertained me with some funny stories related to the canyon along the way. I had so much fun that I can't even put it into words! This is something you can't just talk about! This is something you need to experience first hand at least once in a lifetime (although I'll definitely be coming back in the future). Thank you Yufuism for the magic you're giving people!
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Posted On : 2023-05-22