Kokopelli Rafting Adventures

What Kokopelli Rafting Adventures does

Kokopelli Rafting Adventures is a New Mexico whitewater rafting outfitter founded in 1990/1991 and operating as a DBA under parent Durango Rivertrippers LLC. The company runs guided river trips across 200+ miles of Class II-V whitewater on the Rio Grande and Rio Chama, with five core products ranging from half-day introductory floats ($66-$85) and Class III-IV Racecourse trips ($82+) to full-day Taos Box Class IV wilderness runs ($171) and a 3-day/2-night Rio Chama camping expedition ($661). All trips are sold direct-to-consumer through a FareHarbor-powered online booking widget, phone, email, or walk-ups, with no intermediaries; supplementary revenue comes from a six-day Rio Grande Raft Guide School ($319.93), gift cards, and photo packages via raftpics.com.

Operations depend on third-party software (FareHarbor, WordPress, CallRail, Google Analytics, Podium) rather than proprietary technology, and require special use permits from the San Juan National Forest, Bureau of Land Management, NPS, and S.U.I.T. The customer base spans first-time rafters, thrill-seekers, multi-day campers, families with children, and group/corporate events; differentiation rests on intentionally small group sizes, locally trained guides, all-inclusive pricing, and a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence streak running every year since 2015. The business is founder/owner-operated under the Durango Rivertrippers LLC umbrella, with no disclosed external venture or private equity funding, 11-50 employees, and a primary operations footprint in Santa Fe and Dixon, New Mexico (with a seasonal reservations office in Durango, Colorado).

Name

Kokopelli Rafting Adventures

Legal name

Durango Rivertrippers LLC

Website

https://kokopelliraft.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Kokopelli Rafting Adventures is a New Mexico whitewater rafting outfitter offering guided Class II-IV trips on the Rio Grande and Rio Chama to families, first-timers, thrill-seekers, and group travelers, sold direct-to-consumer under parent Durango Rivertrippers LLC.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Outdoor Adventure Tourism / Whitewater Rafting Services

NAICS

Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (487210), Tour Operators (561520)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro primary industry

Whitewater Rafting, Kayaking & Canoeing Outfitters (THAAADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Whitewater Rafting, Kayaking & River Adventures (THAJABAB), Rafting & River Float Trips (Whitewater, Leisure Floats) (THAJAJAI), River & Wetland Ecotours (Canoe/Kayak, Mangrove/Swamp Tours) (THAAAEAE)

Keywords

• Whitewater rafting trips
• Guided river rafting
• Outdoor adventure tourism
• Raft guide training
• Multi-day river expeditions

Headquarters

HQ city

Dixon

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Guided Rafting Trips: Primary revenue stream from guided whitewater rafting excursions on the Rio Grande and Rio Chama rivers in New Mexico. Offerings include half-day trips ($66-$85), full-day trips ($125-$171), and multi-day camping trips ($661). All-inclusive pricing with professional guides, equipment, and meals included.
2. Guide School Training: Rio Grande Raft Guide School providing professional guide training over 6 days for aspiring raft guides. Training covers whitewater reading, boat maneuvering, rescues, and safety techniques. Price point of $319.93.
3. Gift Cards: Gift cards sold for use on any activity, valid at both Kokopelli Rafting and Durango Rivertrippers. Never expire and are transferable.
4. Photo Sales: Photo sales through raftpics.com client galleries where customers can purchase photos from their rafting trips.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Kokopelli Rafting Adventures operates as a whitewater rafting outfitter offering professionally guided river trips on the Rio Grande and Rio Chama rivers in New Mexico. The company sells half-day floats, full-day expeditions, multi-day camping trips, and a six-day raft guide training program, supported by gift card and photo package add-ons. All trips include certified guides, safety equipment, and (for full-day/multi-day) riverside meals.

Product overview

Kokopelli Rafting Adventures is a whitewater rafting outfitter offering guided river trips on the Rio Grande and Rio Chama rivers in New Mexico. The portfolio consists of five core guided rafting products: the Rio Grande Racecourse Half Day and Rio Grande Float Half Day (entry-level half-day options), Rio Grande Lower Gorge Full Day (combined experience), Rio Grande Taos Box Full Day (premier class IV wilderness trip), and Rio Chama Multi-Day Rafting (3-day overnight camping adventure). Supporting offerings include a six-day Rio Grande Raft Guide School for training new guides, plus Gift Cards and Photo Packages as add-on services. All trips include professionally trained guides, safety equipment (PFDs, helmets), and safety orientation. The company operates under special use permits with San Juan National Forest and Bureau of Land Management, and is part of the Durango Rivertrippers & Adventure Tours family.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Rio Grande Racecourse Half Day A half-day guided whitewater rafting trip covering a five-mile section of the Rio Grande's Racecourse, with class III-IV rapids that vary seasonally from wild spring high-water to technical summer runs. Includes certified guides and safety equipment. Designed for ages 5+.
• Rio Grande Float Half Day A relaxing half-day guided float trip through the Rio Grande canyon featuring mild class II rapids, positioned as an introductory whitewater experience for families and first-time rafters. Minimum age 3.
• Rio Grande Lower Gorge Full Day A six-hour full-day guided rafting adventure that combines the Float trip with the Racecourse section through the Rio Grande Lower Gorge, featuring class I-III rapids, a riverside lunch, wildlife viewing, and dramatic gorge scenery. Minimum age 6.
• Rio Grande Taos Box Full Day The premier one-day wilderness guided rafting trip on the Rio Grande, covering 15-17 miles of class IV whitewater in the Taos Box section, including named rapids such as Ski Jump, Dead Car, and Powerline Falls. Requires ages 13+.
• Rio Chama Multi-Day Rafting A three-day, two-night multi-day guided rafting expedition on the Rio Chama River including camping, riverside meals, class II-III rapids, and all-inclusive vehicle shuttle service. Requires ages 8+.
• Rio Grande Raft Guide School A six-day intensive professional training program for aspiring raft guides covering whitewater reading, boat maneuvering, rescue techniques, raft rigging, and safety procedures. Participants must be 18+ and obtain Basic First Aid/CPR certification.
• Gift Cards Gift cards redeemable on any rafting activity offered by Kokopelli Rafting and its affiliated Durango Rivertrippers brand. Cards never expire and are transferable.
• Photo Packages A photo purchase service that lets customers buy professional photos of their rafting trip through an integrated raftpics.com / PicThrive client gallery.

Quantifiable outcome

• TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence award recipient for 10+ consecutive years (since 2015)

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Coopers El Vado RanchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoopers El Vado Ranch provides vehicle shuttle services for multi-day Rio Chama trips. Customers meeting the team at the put-in pay cash directly to the ranch for vehicle shuttle to the take-out point. The ranch is located at 3150 NM-112, Tierra Amarilla, NM 87575, and features a western-themed atmosphere.
• Durango Rivertrippers & Adventure TourscoreOthersDurango Rivertrippers LLC is the parent company operating Kokopelli Rafting Adventures as part of the Durango Rivertrippers & Adventure Tours family. The company also operates in Utah and Colorado. Kokopelli operates under special use permits with San Juan National Forest, Bureau of Land Management, NPS, and S.U.I.T. Reservations are handled through the parent company's Durango office.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Desert Sports: Tucson, Arizona-based outfitter focused on Tucson Mountain Park-area rafting, tubing, and river trips. Adjacent regional operator with comparable guided small-group river trips and similar Southwest tourism customer base, though operating on different waterways.

Direct peers

• Santa Fe Rafting Company: Santa Fe-based rafting outfitter running half-day, full-day, and multi-day guided trips on the Rio Grande. Competes for the same Santa Fe tourist and family segments as Kokopelli, with overlapping trip categories and pricing.
• Far Flung Adventures: Texas-based outfitter running Rio Grande-style wilderness and multi-day rafting trips out of Big Bend. Comparable guided whitewater experience model with similar small-group, all-inclusive trip philosophy.
• New Mexico River Adventures: A long-established Santa Fe-based outfitter offering guided rafting on the Rio Grande and Rio Chama — the same rivers Kokopelli runs — across comparable Class II-IV trips. Most direct competitor for Kokopelli's customer base.
• Durango Rivertrippers & Adventure Tours: Parent company and sister brand to Kokopelli, operating guided rafting on the same regional rivers (Colorado's Animas and Ruby Horsethief, plus connections in Utah and NM) under the same reservation infrastructure (FareHarbor). Directly comparable product, customer base, and operating model.
• Wilderness Aware Rafting: Family-owned Colorado-based outfitter (Buena Vista) running guided whitewater trips across the Arkansas and other Western rivers. Comparable in size, philosophy (locally owned, small-group, all-inclusive), and customer orientation to Kokopelli.
• Mild to Wild Rafting: Colorado-based rafting outfitter covering the Colorado, Arkansas, and Dolores rivers with a mix of family-friendly floats and Class III-IV trips. Comparable scope, customer mix, and trip duration range to Kokopelli.
• Echo Canyon River Expeditions: Arizona-based outfitter running guided rafting trips on the Colorado and Salt rivers, with a similar mix of half-day, full-day, and multi-day wilderness experiences. Comparable small-group guided whitewater trip model.

Broad incumbents

• ROW Adventures: Established Idaho-rooted multi-destination rafting company with broader geographic spread but overlapping on guided wilderness rafting experiences and similar customer persona.
• OARS: A large, multi-destination whitewater rafting company with trips across the US (including New Mexico/Colorado). Broader portfolio and scale than Kokopelli, but direct overlap on guided multi-day rafting experiences in the same Southwest region.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/KokopelliRafting
• Instagraminstagram.com/kokopellirafting
• Xx.com/kokopelliraft
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kokopelli-rafting-adventures---new-mexico

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kokopelli Rafting Adventures