Maine Rafting Expeditions
Maine Rafting Expeditions
5
Full view

About
Maine Rafting Expeditions specializes in small personalized whitewater rafting trips to ensure you get the best whitewater experience possible. MRE prides it's self on spending the most possible time on the river and letting you experience every aspect of the trip to the fullest! Our whitewater guides are highly trained to make sure you have a safe and enjoyable trip. Check out our variety of trip options to make either your first or next Maine whitewater rafting experience a perfect adventure. Whether you're looking for thrilling excitement or a calm and safe adventure, our trip options and staff can let you control how mild or wild you would like your ride. Our Maine whitewater rafting trips are back dropped by a breathtaking view of Mt Katahdin and Baxter State Park where moose and eagles are commonly seen daily. Every trip includes all the whitewater rafting gear, registered Maine guide, a riverside steak and chicken barbeque and photo/videos of the trip. We have a skilled and knowledgeable whitewater reservation specialist waiting to help you plan your trip and ensure that you get "The Maine Whitewater Experience" that you deserve!
Similar Experiences
Maine Rafting Expeditions
Booking unavailable on Tripadvisor
Want other options you can book now?
Show optionsTravelers talk about



Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
71 reviews
Excellent
69
Very good
0
Average
0
Poor
0
Terrible
2
Brenda C
Maine3 contributions
Jul 2022 • Family
Great trip! Our all day family adventure was fantastic. The guides were very knowledgeable, experienced, and personable. Love that everything (lunch, pictures, and equipment usage) was all included in the price. Some other places charge extra.
Written July 20, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sarah W
15 contributions
Jun 2024 • Family
We had the absolute best time! Arthur and his team took care of all of our needs! We had an absolute blast! He fed us well, educated us and kept our family safe! They even provide a free photo slideshow of your mighty adventure! What a treat being able to leave our cameras and phones behind! It was the time of our lives! Highly recommend!!
Written June 16, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AmyFVolk
Saco, ME17 contributions
Aug 2017 • Family
This was my third time rafting the Penobscot and our largest group. There were 8 of us, ranging in age from 13-48, and we all had a blast. The guides took the time to let us relax and play, as well as experience some major adrenaline rushes in Class 2-5 rapids. Everyone was professional and fun, including Sandy, Chris, Derik and Corey. Derik and Chris in particular really seemed to know the river and are both accomplished "surfers." Thanks for an amazing day experiencing one of Maine's most beautiful areas, MRE! We will see you again.
Written August 9, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
7873110
1 contribution
Jul 2013
I wouldn't say our guide was very experienced at all! We weren't on the river more than 5 mins, when we hit the first class 5 rapid & the whole raft tipped over & the only sights we saw were white water rapids trying to drown us 4 adults & our 4 teenage children! Which none of us had ever rafted b4,& my 14 yr. old daughter & I r very experienced swimmers -& there was no point when we could consider aggressive self rescue(as they taught us) the rapids just kept taking us under & watching your child floating away from u helplessly is the most horrible feeling as a parent u could ever experience!!! After all 8 of us being rescued into different rafts, they tried encouraging us to continue down the river- not even conserned w/ what type of unjuries we had! After having to b very persistent that we weren't continuing, they let us off the rafts & told us we would have to wait on the bus for up to 2 hours & they might b able to get us a ride back to the camp(45 mins away) w/ 4 teenagers in shock & banged up pretty good, us 4 adults were also in a bit of shock & disbelieve they weren't going to help us get any kind of medical attention! My friend thought she had broken ribs & I had a large piece of flesh hanging out of my leg, they threw a band aid on & they continued down the river leaving us stranded in the side of the river bank, w/ not even a bottle of water- we had nothing! This was when our aggressive self rescue came into play- my man flagged down some old men fishing & begged 4 a ride, which they took him to camp, as the 7 of us waited on the side of a dirt rd, in the middle of nowhere hoping he would find us again! After retuning to camp we realized just how bad my leg was- no first aid help @ camp either, so off we went to find the hospital..... Couple hours there & 7 stitches later, we returned to camp- where no body ever even came to apologize or ask if everyone was ok!!! The guys had to go down & argue w/ Arthur just to get a refund & they won't even release the video of the trip too us!!! We were hoping to see what actually happened to us! So w/ 7 stitches in one leg, a large black eye,& rock rash all down my other leg, summer was not very fun after that experience (& I am a 36 yr old women who is very active & swims everyday!) I am still continuing to have problems w/ my leg everyday, so just b aware when u sign the waiver from mre rafting company your fate lies in there hands ( or should I say the hands of the Penobscot) I assure u, we would not have put our children into class 5 rapids if we had known we had choices of different levels- we had made it very clear to them we had never done this b4, & surely weren't looking to kill ourselves! I've done some research & most companies say class 5 rapids r for teams of experienced rafters & the most of them also have emergency stations along the river- we got a bus & that was it, oh yah- & a $882.00 bill from the hospital for stitches, which after such a horrible experience I believe MRE should b held responsible for?!!! Think twice b4 signing up w/ mre & do your research b4 ever letting them guide u into what we went through!!!
Written August 26, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MRE prides itself on following safety protocols for all river trips that are regulated by the State of Maine and by the industry. Our number one concern is safety on and off the river. Whitewater rafting is an extreme sport and our goal is to allow all levels of trips so that anyone can get the whitewater experience that they desire.
Written April 21, 2014
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Jim N
Woburn, MA7 contributions
Jul 2014 • Friends
Had a great experience with MRE. Many of the other rafting companies I've been with take these large trips down and you almost feel like cattle being herded. The smaller trip means you don't have to wait around after ever rapid and makes for a much more personal experience. Andy was an excellent guide who hit every rapid he could going down the river.
Written July 13, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MKF1991
Galion, OH123 contributions
Jul 2013 • Family
I would definately recommend this rafting company! It provided a safe fun time for my family. They are a newer company that provided excellent service without depleting our vacation fund. When we were there another rafting company had a bus full of people. It didn't look like they provided the personal touch like this company did ! The lunch they provided was great! This was the highlight of our vacation. If you want a great rafting adventure that doesn't cost an arm and a leg this is the one to go with!
Written July 7, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
nnmartin
Doha, Qatar83 contributions
Jul 2012 • Friends
This is a new company with very experienced team of guides. They keep the tours small and time the launches so you aren't with the mob of the larger companies. PLUS! They personalize the tour to your tastes, like if you want a crazier trip they will take you to surf the class five rapids or jump off of cliffs. I went with a group of 11 friends all eager for adventure, and they definitely let us spend extra time on each rapid so we could paddle upstream and surf. I felt really safe with the guides because they had been working on the Penobscot for years. Couldn't have been more happy with my experience.
Written August 4, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jared M
11 contributions
Aug 2021
BEST RAFTING COMPANY
Where to start? Their guides are clearly better. In fact, they had to bail out a rival company twice. We went through rapids unscathed and pulled off into the eddy. Then we saw one red raft floating downstream UPSIDE DOWN with no one in it! Then another one! And then a red raft floating downstream with two very concerned customers on board with NO GUIDE! This other company didn't know what they were doing, and it showed. Our guide, Jesse, jumped into the water and saved the other company's boat. Derek, one of the other guides with Maine Rafting Expeditions literally saved 10 people from the other company. Not exaggerating. I sat there and counted.
Rafting is AWESOME if you are with well trained and experienced guides. But if you are with someone who doesn't know what they are doing, it can be dangerous. Every single guide with Maine Rafting Expeditions had at least 10 YEARS of experience. At one part of the river there were rocks on either side of us. It was a tight fit. Had Jesse taken us too far right or too far left we would have hit one of the two rocks dead on. Jesse brought us in backwards and then spun us around just in time so that we fit through the rocks perfectly with literally one foot of clearance on either side.
We had a tremendous amount of fun, but at the same time I could feel that our guide had everything under control. He knew every inch of the Penobscot River. He had a plan for every turn, every rapid, and every waterfall. He was personable. Fun to talk to. And genuine. This was a TRUE Maine Experience. You felt the culture. The sense of community. And the commitment that we were all in this together. Truly one of the best experiences I have had. The price is very reasonable. And it was worth every penny. The BEST RAFTING COMPANY on the Penobscot. If you are thinking of white water rafting, you should give these guys a chance. They do it right, and you feel the difference.
Where to start? Their guides are clearly better. In fact, they had to bail out a rival company twice. We went through rapids unscathed and pulled off into the eddy. Then we saw one red raft floating downstream UPSIDE DOWN with no one in it! Then another one! And then a red raft floating downstream with two very concerned customers on board with NO GUIDE! This other company didn't know what they were doing, and it showed. Our guide, Jesse, jumped into the water and saved the other company's boat. Derek, one of the other guides with Maine Rafting Expeditions literally saved 10 people from the other company. Not exaggerating. I sat there and counted.
Rafting is AWESOME if you are with well trained and experienced guides. But if you are with someone who doesn't know what they are doing, it can be dangerous. Every single guide with Maine Rafting Expeditions had at least 10 YEARS of experience. At one part of the river there were rocks on either side of us. It was a tight fit. Had Jesse taken us too far right or too far left we would have hit one of the two rocks dead on. Jesse brought us in backwards and then spun us around just in time so that we fit through the rocks perfectly with literally one foot of clearance on either side.
We had a tremendous amount of fun, but at the same time I could feel that our guide had everything under control. He knew every inch of the Penobscot River. He had a plan for every turn, every rapid, and every waterfall. He was personable. Fun to talk to. And genuine. This was a TRUE Maine Experience. You felt the culture. The sense of community. And the commitment that we were all in this together. Truly one of the best experiences I have had. The price is very reasonable. And it was worth every penny. The BEST RAFTING COMPANY on the Penobscot. If you are thinking of white water rafting, you should give these guys a chance. They do it right, and you feel the difference.
Written September 17, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
driester7
4 contributions
Aug 2018 • Family
Had a great time rafting the upper part of the Penobscot River. Multiple class IV and V rapids. Chris was an awesome guide. He offered multiple options during our trip down. Made the most of each rapid. Matt took great photos. Thank you Matt and Chris.
Written August 3, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jillpalmer70
Brunswick, ME5 contributions
Jul 2018 • Family
My family had the best day ever because of MRE. My daughter had never rafted before and Arthur made sure that everyone felt comfortable and safe from the beginning till the end of the trip. He went above and beyond to fulfill our day with waterfalls, rapids, jokes, cliff jumping, natural waterslides and floating down the river. Not to mention the best lunch ever and spectacular views of Kathadin all day!!! We are already planning our next trip and still talk about our adventure today. Highly recommend MRE to anyone. Experienced or not- you will sure to have an amazing day!!
Written August 2, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
My husband and I have done rafting a couple of times before while on vacation in Tennessee with our adult kids. We are thinking about the Kennebec or Penobscot River but are worried that Penobscot may be to much too handle for us. Thoughts?
Written April 2, 2019
Showing results 1-1 of 1
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.