The usual line items
| Item | How often it is included |
|---|---|
| Wetsuit, helmet, vest, paddle | Standard |
| Guide / skipper | Standard |
| Safety kayak on the water | Varies — ask |
| Transfer to the put-in | Often, but check from where |
| Transfer from the coast | Rarely |
| Food | Varies — a snack, a meal, or nothing |
| Photographs | Varies |
| Insurance that covers you | Rarely — check your own policy |
The transfer is the big one
If you are staying on the coast, getting to the river is a long drive and may be the biggest single part of the day. It is often quoted separately or not at all.
Ask specifically: from where, and is the return included. "Transfer included" sometimes means from the camp car park to the put-in, which is fifteen minutes and not what you were asking about.
Photographs
Somebody on the bank or in the boat photographs the rapids. Some operators charge for the photos afterwards, others include them.
Ask before you book so there is no surprise at the end of the day.
Insurance
Most operators carry liability insurance. That covers them, not you. Your own travel policy very often excludes rafting by name, along with canyoning and via ferrata, and people find out at the claim.
Check for the activity by name before you travel. Montenegro is not in the EU, so do not count on an EHIC card here.
What is never included
- Drinks at the camp bar after the run
- Accommodation the night before, which the full-day and two-day trips effectively require
- Your own transport to the meeting point, unless a transfer was specifically bought
- A towel — bring one
- Dry bags, and you should not need one because your phone should be in the car
How to compare two quotes
Write both down as a total for your actual situation: your start point, your group size, the return journey, and whether you want the photographs. Then compare those two numbers.
Compared that way, the cheapest headline price is not always the cheapest day.