Kalinga rafting now booming

WHITE water rafting in the province is on a roll.

Natividad Sugguiyao, who organized white water rafting in the province a decade ago, said bookings for rafting adventures peaked because of its online presence.

She said the schedule for rafting has gone back to the original June to December month after being affected by climate change years ago moving the schedule to erratic months.

Sugguiyao and American Ned Sickles embarked on the first exploratory run of the Chico River’s white water rafting potentials -- now hailed as the white water rafting capital of the North the Chico River Quest Inc. (CRQI).

Sugguiyao said there are more bookings from the younger crowd now as well as family outings. “We also get a lot of guests from our website.”

The CRQI is equipped with eight rafts and twelve kayaks, with fifteen internationally trained rafting guides all members of the Kalinga Rafting Guides Association (Karga) overseeing each raft in their trek along the Chico River.

Imported rafts tag-named as Allasiw, Kalinga, Bodong, Lagunawa and Isabel led the fleet equipped to traverse the rapids of the river with a capacity of eight persons per raft, two Karga guides will serve as historian, lifeguard and most often verbal and moral support source for all aboard.

Sugguiyao said the rafting schedule is sure to peak anew next month as the province celebrates its Foundation Day.