Join our most popular taos summer outdoor adventure rafting the Rio Grande & savoring lunch at a beautiful local winery!
After we meet at Heritage Inspirations Headquarters & Travel Hub located at El Monte Sagrado Resort in Taos, you will journey into the belly of the Rio Grande Gorge to the water’s edge to start your day with an adrenaline rushed water voyage. You’ll meet with the New Mexico River Adventures team and you’ll see why they pride themselves on full-service amenities.
Your River Adventure guide will give you a safety and orientation talk, preparing you for your whitewater river journey. The Racecourse is a class 2-3 rapid (4 during high water levels) section of the Rio Grande and is for thrill-seeking folks! The most popular rafting excursion in New Mexico, this trip suits both first timers or whitewater enthusiasts. While it’s typically perfect for anyone, when the water levels are high, a minimum age is applied.
This route goes right through the highest walled parts of the canyon, so be prepared to be surrounded by stunning Quartzite and basalt lava cliffsides, as well as possible wildlife sightings of bighorn sheep, beaver or river otters. With the dancing local willow, Apache plume and cane cholla cactus dotting the peachy and orangey covered rock, you’ll be astounded by the beauty, even as you work to navigate the zig zaggy run.
After you’re grinning from ear to ear from your rafting adventure you will journey further down river to Vivác Winery where you will indulge in your lunch to nourish you after working up an appetite.
We encourage you to bring a backpack, water bottle, towel and a change of clothes because of the watery phase of the outing, but rest assured this all-inclusive tour comprises all your water sport needs, as well as lunch, wine, and lively guided perspectives.
So, savor breathtaking views above your rivery escapades where you will then raft the glorious waters of the Rio Grande Gorge, for an unforgettable adventure that will be the highlight of your Taos trip!
New Mexico River Adventures
Wendy and Matt are our local partners and owners of New Mexico River Adventures that have dedicated their lives to exploring and running rivers all over the US and beyond. From Zambia to Chile to New Mexico, they have enjoyed some of the greatest river trips in the world. After meeting in New Mexico in 2001, the Rio Grande and Rio Chama always held a special place in their hearts. Luckily, they were able to start New Mexico River Adventures in 2011 and settle down in gorgeous northern New Mexico. Now with their 4 year daughter, Scout, the adventure continues into the next generation of New Mexico river runners!
Vivác Winery
Our incredibly talented friends and professionals at Vivác Winery have a commitment to excellence & are the Highest Rated Red Wine Producers in New Mexico’s History! Fresh & young, edgy & sophisticated, Vivác offers you something out of the ordinary!
Vivác is the creation of brothers Jesse and Chris Padberg, along with their wives, Michele and Liliana Padberg, respectively. In November of 1998 Jesse and Chris embarked on a new mission “to make the best wine possible and have a good time doing it!” This meant professionally crafted, world-ranked, dry red wines-a first for New Mexico.
Indulge in the local flavor of 100% New Mexican grown grapes while enjoying our picnic lunch offering a breathtaking view of their vineyards along the Rio Grande corridor.
Gourmet Lunch Prepared by Aly’s Taos Eats
ALY HYDER
Originating from New Zealand, Alyson Hyder has traveled the world and experienced her love for food and cooking through her travels. In 2022, Diners, Drive-ins and Dives discovered Aly’s Food Truck, a true Taos culinary treasure and filmed an episode with host Guy Fieri cooking some of her traditional Kiwi Pies. Since the episode aired, Alyson has brought her New Zealand roots to New Mexico in a brick and mortar and is now based in Embudo at an iconic and historic diner called Sugars. Here she offers nutrient meals with a delicious fusion of spices and ultra fresh ingredients. Most vegetable ingredients are home-grown onsite to ensure organic quality and freshness.
