EDGE of the WORLD NC Whitewater Rafting, Rock Climbing and Rappelling — Attraction in Banner Elk

We've been home from our trip with Edge of the World for less than an hour and I wanted to leave my review before I forget one single detail.

Allow me to detail the ways I am incredibly impressed with this business:

Each and every one (and I mean EACH AND EVERY ONE) of their employees are unbelievably friendly and professional. We interacted with at least 10 different people and they were all absolutely amazing!

These folks are high-energy employees and very clearly love their work. They go wide-open from start to finish to make sure your trip is enjoyable.

The lunch they provide is surprisingly delicious. A rafting lunch didn't instill in me high hopes for a tasty meal. I couldn't have been more wrong. Delicious honey biscuits, trail mix, fried chicken (trust me, it's unreal!), and fresh-squeezed lemonade make for a great lunch. They won't let you get back in the raft without taking a tasty blondie for dessert.

Edge of the World owns a private piece of land along the river, just past Anaconda Falls, the most exciting rapids on the river. This means you have plenty of picnic table seating for lunch. More importantly, it means you get to run these exciting rapids over and over again, while other outfitters simply drift on by, running them once. What a bonus!

The ride to and from the river is a bit long, but the guides provide an excellent comedy show each way. It really makes the trip more entertaining and feel much shorter.

Much to my surprise, at the end of the trip, during our ride back, they stopped at a convenience store and bought everyone on the two buses a drink of their choice. Don't get me wrong, I realize this is built into their pricing model, but it was unexpected and very generous. We're just lucky the cops didn't take us down in the process! You'll understand when you experience it!

The only negative I can come up with has to do with parking. Parking at their facility is extremely limited, so they pack everyone in, literally bumper to bumper. That means when you get back after your trip, you have to wait for the vehicles behind you to leave before you can leave. We were one of the first ones to arrive, so we spent about a half hour waiting to get out. In the end, not a big deal in exchange for a great trip.

To summarize, this is one of the best experiences I've ever had with a small business. We ended up getting the owner as the guide on our raft and he was amazing. During our conversations down the river, you could tell that he's a good, decent family man with Christian principles. He was so professional and friendly, just like each of his employees. Their zeal for living a good life is obvious and is reflected in their company. I highly recommend Edge of the World for your next High Country rafting trip (or any of the other services...

This is the first time I have ever left a negative review for anything. But I wish someone had written one that I could have read and gotten a more full understanding of what the day would be like. I guess if you are an 8 year old, or parents of such this works for you. I truly wish when booking they would have mentioned how much 'comedy' is injected into this experience. I don't dig constant fart jokes, which isn't something I thought I'd be facing for the better part of a day. I really cannot describe the juvenile nature of this wasted day in less than time than it has already sucked out of my life. But I will sum up for those who want an honest description. The bus ride (an hour) going consisted of ill humored, toilet based *jokes, the enjoyment of which was minimal by even the most base standards. The 'rafting' experience was oddly short for the length of the day we endured. The much ballyhooed lunch was worse than cafeteria food a hungry kid might even pass up. They cannot hand out any food without comparing it to some bodily function or disgusting droppings of a random animal. The bus ride going back was, if possible, worse. (I realize it should be the same amount of time returning but my nerves were such they'd swear it was a time warp and somehow we endured hours upon hours...) We are a busload of tired adults, who have managed to make the best of the nice weather and the short time on the river, which was lovely, doing what we actually paid to do, alas the childish tour guides literally yells at us the whole time. I do not exaggerate; he's inches from people's faces hollering and pretending to be a mind reader. Save your money, sanity, time, hearing, digestive process, intellectual integrity and do anything else. Literally anything. I'd rather be in a bear pit with one arm and a stick then do this again. It seems to be working for them, as most reviews are positive, so good for them and this business model! I just wanted to let others know...

It's not very often I remember to write a review for somewhere I enjoyed, but if there was ever a time for me to get to one, this is it. My sister, niece and I went out for a river-rafting excursion, right before fourth of july weekend. Before even getting off the bus, our guides came out to explain what was going to happen, rules and expectations along the way, and what to do in case of an emergency. They made a point of having jokes throughout, to keep everyone focused on them to ensure all were listening. Along the drive to and from the river (45 minutes both ways) Garrett and Luke Ryan kept the jokes up, keeping everyone entertained. With their natural charisma fueling each other to keep things light-hearted, I imagine the bus could have been empty and they would still have a great time. During the excursion, despite all the fun and jokes the guides were having with both the patrons and each other, they handled the situation very well, prioritizing safety and order. On the ride back, we had to be re-routed due to an accident on the road. Our detour led us to a stop with a U-turn halfway through a hill, unfortunately causing the bus to stall out. As someone who at the moment is learning how to drive a clutch, I would have been stuck on the hill with nowhere to go; yet Luke Ryan still managed to find a way through this, without raising any sort of alarm for the guests along for the ride. As stated before, despite the dynamic duo in our bus being young, light-hearted, and full of laughter, they handled each situation with a level of maturity and understanding that I don't think I even have. I very highly recommend if you find yourself in the area, to go through with Edge of the World, and trust me, you won't be bored...