Located in Riggins, Idaho on the Salmon River. Gary (Wildlife Biologist & Owner of Wapiti and the man who has been guiding guests down the river now for over 40 years) will be your host and lead guide on most every trip we offer. Our highly personalized itineraries allow you to avoid crowds and enjoy more unfettered elbow room. Our back to nature getaways are professional journeys WITHOUT the com
mercial feel. As you browse our page, you will see the many things we DO have...but most importantly it's what we DON'T have (like crowds of people) that makes us unique and special. We are the "ALTERNATIVE DESTINATION"
Our company was started by Gary over 47 years ago and has never changed hands in all that time. He is also on every trip that we run, as we try to book our trips so he can be the lead guide. We hire experienced extra guides on a as needed basis. Small group travel is the only genuine way to achieve this more authentic experience of nature. We believe that most people are doing river trips to "get away" from crowds of people and the city rat race they must endure to make a living. Thus the reason we run a different type of trip in order to better accommodate the expectations of our guests.Our priority is to allow you to have a unique,fun, and safe river experience without crowds of people. We book our trips in a manner that will allow YOU, our guests in most cases to go on a river trip with their OWN family or friends. Most of the time we are able to do this and our guest tell us over and over how much they appreciate not being added onto a trip with with 20 or 30 people. This way we actually get to know and talk one on one with every guest on our trip. We have made many lifelong friends because of this, which is one of the big rewards of this business. Contact Gary or Barb Lane, we would love to make you one of our friends !! Wapiti doesn’t conform to the normal cookie-cutter guide or river company business model. Yes, we dance to a different drum beat. However, whom would you rather travel with, a 19 year old (or younger) guide for hire (guiding while out of school for summer break) or the owner of the company with over 50 years of actual hands-on guiding experience? Gary Lane is also a trained wildlife biologist with a great appreciation for indigenous knowledge and worldview. WHY DOES IT MATTER WHO YOU CHOOSE TO TRAVEL WITH ? The same reason it matters when you choose to fly on an airline with a highly experienced pilot like “Sully” Sullenberger who successfully crash-landed a US Airways jet in the Hudson River after it lost both engines in a collision with a flock of geese. Or the same reason it matters when choosing a surgeon to operate on you or a family member. EXPERIENCE MATTERS when you choose to participate in a risk taking adventure.
** Just a side note: Many people ask why the name "Wapiti" River Guides? They sometimes ask where the Wapiti River is? Because there was a time when we did guided "Elk" trips on the Grande Ronde River in Oregon and "Wapiti" is a Shawnee word meaning "Elk".... and no, I do not know where the Wapiti River is..(this is also a question I have been asked.. :)
