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New for 2009!
A Sobek Signature Series Trip with John Yost

Here’s your opportunity to raft one of the classic whitewater runs of the world, a river with wilderness excitement virtually unmatched anywhere else! The seventh annual entry in our popular Sobek Signature Series—in which each year we bring back one of our classic river trips—takes us to the wild island of Tasmania. Set adrift from the Australian mainland ten thousand years ago, this lushly forested wilderness is home to exotic wildlife, rugged volcanic mountains, and millennia of aboriginal history. There’s no better way (in fact, it’s the only way!) to see this frontier than by riding the waves of the Class V Franklin River. This trip is for serious paddlers only—the whitewater here is extreme, with massive drops and radical, thrashing S-turns. This relentless run is one of the jewels of the international whitewater scene, and we’re fortunate to have Sobek co-founder and international river runner John Yost as our guide. Nobody does big whitewater better than MTS. Come test your limits.

TRIP HIGHLIGHTS

• Raft one of the world's most pristine wild rivers with Sobek co-founder John Yost
• Paddle through deep gorges, quiet pools, and magnificent temperate rainforest of rugged Southwest Tasmania—not offered by any other U.S. company!
• Challenge demanding whitewater and enjoy waterfalls, jungle hikes, colorful bird life, and years of aboriginal history!

"Certain places occupy a special place in one’s imagination. For me, Tasmania is one of these. It is exotic, mysterious, and distant, and boasts a great river that gained protected status with the help of an international campaign supported by Sobek. The opportunity to test its famous rapids and explore a rainforest frontier is irresistible. Bring it on!" ~ John Yost

The Sobek Signature Series
Every year we feature a Sobek river classic from the past featuring the expertise of Sobek co-founder John Yost, plus your other favorite river guides! In 2008, we continue the tradition with runs on the Naryn (Kyrgyzstan) and Rufiji (Tanzania) Rivers. In 2009, we'll celebrate the 40th anniversary of the founding of Mountain Travel Sobek with trips down the Franklin River as well as our International Whitewater Rafting Adventure: 6 Continents, 9 Rivers, 25 Days. Upcoming Signature Series trips include the Sala Sadang/Lariang (Sulawesi, Indonesia) in 2010, the Brahmaputra (India) in 2011, the Tuichi (Bolivia) in 2011, and the Yarkand (Xinjiang, China) in 2012!

Day 1 - Arrive in Hobart, Tasmania.

Day 2 - After a briefing and equipment check we’ll drive to Bronte Park Chalet.

Day 3 - Put in on the Franklin, with gentle rapids becoming more challenging as the country steepens. Forests of myrtle beech and Huon pine crowd the steep slopes of the river's deep gorge, a reminder of the glaciers that once covered this region.

Days 4-5 - The river steadily increases in size and grandeur and we face minor portages and areas where river flows in every direction of the compass!

Day 6 - The most intense and rewarding day of rafting as we enter the Great Ravine, a six-mile stretch of wild rapids framed by deep beautiful gorges, towering peaks, tumbling waterfalls, and peaceful reaches.

Day 7 - A well earned (and much needed!) rest day.

Day 8 - Raft one of the river's most beautiful stretches, "Glen Calder," followed by some of the best raftable whitewater on the river, the nearly 2,000-foot-long “Newland Cascades.” Camp tonight at the tail of the rapid.

Day 9 – The river widens and slows as we enter the lower Franklin. We’ll have ample time to explore the caves along the river and look for ancient Aboriginal artifacts—some of them 20,000 years old!

Day 10 - We board a yacht for the cruise to Strahan. Drive to Hobart. Farewell dinner.

Day 11 - Depart Hobart.

Photo Credits
©Richard Bangs (Sobek Co-founder)