9 Reasons Travelers Trust WRO With Their River Experience

You’ve decided you’d like to go on a raft trip! There are many motivations behind choosing a river trip for your valuable time off. We don’t take it lightly that you are devoting your hard earned vacation time to venture into the wild with us- but why us? All of the logistical decisions and choices you have to make when you are researching which company to go with can feel overwhelming and tedious. Let’s cut to the chase.

What makes WRO shine next to competitors?

1. Family Founded/Owned/Operated- There aren’t many companies that have stayed in the same family for over 50 years. Franny and Joe Tonsmeire founded Wilderness River Outfitters in 1972 with a passion for sharing wild places with people just like you. Their two children, Amy and Seth, grew up steeped in the culture and ethos of wilderness adventure. Today, Seth runs the family business with a lifetime of experience on rivers AND running a small business. Not only has Seth been on the oars since he was 10 years old, but he was raised in the family business of hospitality. Anyone who meets Seth is enamored with his quiet and peaceful disposition, likely from so many years on the river. A family-run business has several advantages to its more corporate alternatives. It is commonly known that the culture and differences of each company are a direct reflection of the management at the top, and for this reason WRO trips have a real family vibe. Many of our guests leave their trip saying things like “The trip felt like a family”. We strive to eliminate distance between the expertise of our guides and the experience of the guest. Everyone should leave a WRO trip feeling like they made a new river family. We all rely on support of one another throughout the week just like a real family should. We make sure everyone is taken care of and has the help they need. Small family-run businesses are more agile than corporate ones. We have the flexibility to customize trips based on each individual group’s needs and desires. Sometimes making unique trips can be tougher for larger companies with corporate structure, and we enjoy piecing together custom charters and trips for people with big vision! If you call our office, you are going to talk to either Kate or Seth who both feel frustrated with the automation of the modern world. You can count on a friendly voice on the other end of our business line that will find joy in chatting with you about your memories of the last trip, and the best opportunities for your next!

2. The BEST guides– Our guides are FUN, professional, relatable, thoughtful, kind, caring and of course skilled at their craft of running rivers. Our crew is often described as mellow and it is noticeable that they take great care of themselves and one-another. This is a great sign of well rounded and grounded individuals. There aren’t many companies where the guides go above and beyond to make sure each trip is surpassing the expectations of its guests as the guides at WRO do. The reviews on our website are a testament to this truth. The type of people who gravitate to our family style culture are adventuresome, wise beyond their years, flexible and lead with their listening skills. All of our guides are held to a professional level of training, all trip leaders and most guides are Wilderness First Responders or EMTs (Wilderness First Aid – being the minimum WRO requirement), swift water rescue training, critical response plan trained and often come in with more certifications in addition to our requirements. Our crew is highly knowledgeable about the corridors they travel, taking great pride in their interpretive talks for guests who want to gain a better understanding of the place they are traveling through.

3. Safety!- Let’s face it, the same thing that attracts us to river trips is the very thing that leads us to prioritize a company who values safety. Our company has a high standard when it comes to safety and provides consistent continuing education opportunities and trainings to ensure our guide’s skills are up to date. Our outlook on our trips is a safety first mentality as a foundation for smart decision making and risk management. River trips will always have inherent risk, and we are constantly striving to manage the balance between fun and exciting adventure and safety.

4. Wilderness ethos-

It is our privilege to travel wild and protected waterways and to share them with all of you. At WRO we embrace the leave no trace ethics, and a gentle way of existing in these wild spaces. Wilderness vacations are more than a getaway—they are a return to what makes us human. On a wilderness river trip, the constant buzz of screens fades into birdsong and rushing water, and something inside us finally exhales. Days shaped by sun and river current restore our nervous systems, quiet our minds, and remind our bodies how good it feels to move, laugh, and sleep deeply. Families reconnect without distractions, sharing real conversations, campfire stories, and moments of awe that become lifelong memories. These are the experiences children remember when they grow up—not the apps, but the feeling of belonging, adventure, and wonder. Our trips don’t place you in a bubble, observing wilderness from behind a window—they invite you fully in. Through immersion and true connection, you experience wild places in a way that deepens your understanding of who we are as humans and why these landscapes are worth protecting. At WRO, we believe we are guests in these places, and with that comes the responsibility to care for them so future generations can return and be inspired.

Wilderness ethics matter more now than ever. As modern life pulls us further from the natural world, protecting wild places—and teaching people how to travel through them with care—is an act of hope. When you join one of our river trips, you’re not just escaping technology; you’re choosing to be a steward of the wilderness landscape. You’ll learn to travel lightly, respect the land, and understand your place within something much larger than yourself. These rivers heal us, but they also depend on us. Come float with us, unplug from the noise, and reconnect—to your family, your spirit, and the wild places that still make all of it possible.

5. The BEST Family Trips- Hey, we are a family, so it checks out that we know how to host the best family trips around! Bringing families together on river trips is natural for us. We do all of the leg-work so you and your family can simply show up, relax, create lasting memories, and bond on a level that is hard to do in any other setting. We absolutely love creating the perfect environment for families to connect, create lasting memories and enjoy one another. WRO runs the best family trips ever!

6. Customized Charters- WRO is known for our highly customizable offerings. Many companies offer what they offer. That is to say that a lot of companies love to say no as soon as something starts looking different than their norm. This is for good reason, it is definitely easier. WRO culture encourages and thrives through unique adventure and creativity. We are here to listen to your ideas and make customizations wherever it is possible and safety isn’t compromised. We have built custom trips for bachelorette and bachelor parties, family reunions, corporate retreats, music trips, kayak skills courses, fishing trips, empowered mother daughter trips, last hoorah for a high school graduate, and last year we even held a wedding! We believe the sky is the limit when it comes to custom charter trips.

7. Diversity in River Offerings- WRO offers a world of adventure options to explore. Our river profile is impressive for a small scale company, including rivers like the Alsek and Tatshenshini in Alaska, and the Owyhee and Jarbidge rivers in Southern Idaho and Oregon. Each trip we offer is unique and there is something for everyone. The thrill seeking guest and seasoned river expert will be as satisfied with WRO’s options as a first-timer or family with an age range from six to the most mature and wise of ages.

8. Open Fire Cooked Meals- Our fire culture is unrivaled. Most all companies who run river trips these days bring propane to cook their meals. At WRO we pride the art of cooking over open fire. Each day we move about the river corridor with an eye out for the perfect wood gathering locations to collect and cook with. The slow paced intentionality of our cooking practice is a philosophy in its own rite and you can taste the difference! Recently we started bringing a small back up propane for extreme weather or when the main stage gets too crowded! It’s always good to have a plan B for insurance

9. A Commitment to Excellence- We care. A lot. This isn’t just a job or hobby for us—it’s a life we’ve chosen, and we take deep pride in delivering experiences that genuinely shape people for the better. What we do often feels like a form of midwifery: we facilitate transformational trips that remind people how simple being human can be.

We are also in the business of advocacy. We share landscapes and experiences that are profoundly meaningful to us- with you, your friends, and your family. We hope you’ll be as moved and changed by them as we are. We move forward with humility and a desire to grow, learn, and evolve. When we make mistakes—as all humans do—we own them, learn from them, and make things right. We welcome feedback and stand by our guests, though dissatisfaction is rare for one simple reason: we truly care.

Once you go WRO, you’ll likely come back. This isn’t ego, it is our statistical reality. Much of our customer base has done more than one WRO trip- and that means the world to us because it means that our dedicated work is resonating with you all, and manifests the kinds of trips that are worth coming back for. If you join one of our trips, you’re welcomed like family—and that’s why so many people choose to return.