Rafting Trip Advice

Water by Nature Blog

Give yourself the gift of a digital detox

Hamish McMaster


How many times have you been out to a restaurant these days and seen a whole family on their devices not even talking to each other? How often do you feel compelled to check your social media notifications or emails? Does your phone ping endlessly with text messages or WhatsApp notifications? Have you noticed how […]

Is Rafting Scary, Or Am I Just A Wimp?

Hamish McMaster


Whitewater rafting over the years has been plagued by a number of myths scaring regular people away from this safe and fun vacation. We are sure you have heard a few of these over the years. When it comes to going on a rafting holiday, ask plenty of questions to your outfitter. You will flip […]

Family Rafting Adventures

Hamish McMaster


Last summer, I was fortunate enough to share an amazing adventure with my wife and 2 kids on the Salmon River in Idaho. What made it amazing, was sharing with my family a passion for what I do and what takes me away from family life at home. For any of us with families, that […]

Interview With A Serial Rafter – Dave Hard.

Hamish McMaster


How many rafting trips have you done with Water By Nature Dave? Well I reckon it is about 17 but I might be wrong, it is a lot though and dates back to the creation of Water By Nature. Which was the most memorable and why? The million dollar question! People are always asking for […]

An Emotional 120 Hours In Nepal

Hamish McMaster


Given the generous donations from our guests, I wanted to ensure the money got into the hands of the guides it was intended for. Having worked in Nepal for more than 25 years, the country that has given me personally and many of our guests such joy, needed help. Given the grand scale of the […]

What Is Your Real Job? I’m A River Guide.

Hamish McMaster


This is a fairly comical question almost every river guide is asked. In actual fact whilst working in Switzerland, it was a question I was asked on a daily basis. I guess it seemed strange to the Swiss that somebody might spend their life guiding people down the world’s best rivers. So what is it, […]

Zambezi Rapids Explained. Scary or Fun & Fluffy?

Hamish McMaster


If you don’t know your ‘Stairway to Heaven’ from your ‘Creamy White Buttocks’, this we hope will give you a rundown on the Zambezi whitewater rafting rapids featured on a multi day trip to Ghostrider in the low water season, when the rapids are at their biggest from August until November. The Zambezi Rapids were […]

15 Bucket List Rivers & Adventure Trips for 2015

Hamish McMaster


With another fun filled year upon us, what are the must do adventure trips for 2015? Here are our ‘bucket list’ (in no particular order) of wonderful trips for the New Year. 1. The Zambezi: Big, fluffy and FUN: Far from being the scary massive river you see on Youtube videos, a trip on the […]

Just What Makes A Good Guide, Great?

Hamish McMaster


The essence to a great river trip are the guides who accompany you on your adventure. Many times guides are asked, “so, what’s your real job”? Many have chosen to make guiding a career, where their skills always involves wonderful river guiding skills, it is what lies beneath these fascinating characters, that makes them special. […]