Global Descents offers expeditions to suit every adventure traveler. We cater trips to six rivers on three continents. The Futaleufu River, the Colca, the Cotahuasi, the Zanskar, the Omo, and the Zambezi River rank among the most sought-after descents in the world of whitewater rafting. The logistical complexities involved in running these rivers cannot be understated, but we have designed proven successful itineraries that produce high-quality, exciting, safe, and exceptionally fun trips every time. Whether you choose the aqua blue wave trains of Patagonia, the exotic wildlife and warm waters of Africa, the ten-thousand foot deep Himalayan canyon of northern India, or the jungle runs of South America, your adventure with Global Descents will be an unforgettable physical and cultural experience of lifetime!
Mission statement - "To explore the world’s many amazing rivers with great groups of people."
Guides - On your expedition with Global Descents, you will get to know your guides, all of whom you will find to be some of the most enthusiastic and dedicated people in the world. All are have more than a decade of experience running rivers across the globe. Simply put, we cut no corners in choosing our staff; Duke, Harvey, Ryan and Jeremy are among the best guides in the world. As the backbone of our company, every one of our guides are knowledgeable about the rivers we run, and are fun, talented, people with exceptional river skills and uncompromising safety practices. Most of all, they are incredibly enthusiastic about sharing their favorite rivers with you.
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Ryan Howe - Born a ranchers son, in the heart of the west, driving headlong towards the unknown has always been the Howe family norm. An innate sense of adventure leads Ryan all over the world chasing wild rivers and snowy peaks. Whether it be deep in Grand Canyon, high up in the San Juan Mountains or in the belly of the Peruvian Andes, this Wyoming boy is right at home. Over a decade of river guiding, snow safety and emergency medical experience balance this adventurous spirit well with solid judgment and sound decision- making. Ryan loves water, in all its forms, and lives to laugh and learn amongst the untamed community of river folks. |
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| Duke Bradford - Duke Bradford has worked in the adventure/tourism industry for more than a decade. From the back of the raft to the forefront of his two adventure-based businesses, Duke excels at finding innovative ways to show wild places to people around the world. He continues to travel and to network extensively in order to maintain the highest levels of creativity and originality in his vision of adventure travel; and somehow he still manages to paddle and ski a couple hundred days a year! Duke lives in Keystone, Colorado with his wife, Anne, and their son, Cassius. |  |
| Jeremy Deem - Jeremy Deem was instilled with a sense of adventure at a young age. Growing up in the Appalachian foothills of West Virginia, he grew up hunting and fishing; backpacking and camping; and exploring and swimming the bountiful lakes and rivers of the Mountain State. Before high school he’d put descended some of the swifter-flowing local streams with friends in a raft they’d won by saving the labels off cereal boxes. Jeremy earned a Master’s Degree in history and writing; and during his college years he began raft guiding and kayaking on the New and the Gauley Rivers. He also took up climbing while living in Fayetteville, West Virginia. The combination of these skills in addition to his sense of adventure led him to the western states, where he instructed multi-environment wilderness expeditions for the Colorado Outward Bound School. As his sense of adventure melded into a passion Jeremy went on to paddle, climb, ski and travel year-round throughout Eastern Europe, the Himalaya, Africa, South America, and extensively throughout the United States and Canada. Today, Jeremy lives with his wife and dog in Silverthorne, Colorado, where he manages several small businesses, freelances as a journalist, and leaves as much time as possible for year-round adventuring. |   |
| Harvey King - Harvey King’s infectious smile and superlative swiftwater skills make him one of the most oft-requested guides on the globe. He enrolled in a guide training school on the Gallatin River, Montana in the spring of 1991 and has never looked back. In sixteen years of river-running, Harvey has traveled and paddled extensively throughout the world, including Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, China, Canada, India, and the United States. He regularly takes trips down the Grand Canyon of the Colorado, and enjoys revealing the wonders of the world to his seven year old boy, Canyon. Harvey lives with Canyon and his wife, Tara, in Taos, New Mexico, where he leads swiftwater rescue seminars and runs an after school program for kids. |  |
| David Dill - David hails from Cincinnati, Ohio. After graduating from Indiana University with a degree in Public and Environmental Affairs in 1990, he made his way to West Virginia and the New and Gauley Rivers to begin a whitewater career that would last a lifetime. It was here that he learned the ropes of paddle boating, kayaking, and big volume as well as technical water. His love for rivers has taken him across the globe - New Zealand, Ecuador, Chile, Brazil, China, Costa Rica, Mexico, Canada, and all over the US. David has worked as a commercial river guide since 1991 on the Gauley and New Rivers, various rivers in Colorado, and is currently working full seasons on the Colorado River through Grand Canyon for Canyon Explorations. In the winter months you can find David ski patrolling at Keystone Resort in Colorado and leading guided cat tours for Keystone Adventure Tours. David has also spent a season in Alaska as a helicopter ski guide for Alaska Rendezvous. David, his wife Marieke, and their dog Rhio split time between Flagstaff, Arizona and their home on the banks of the Arkansas River in Colorado. Currently David is working on obtaining his private pilot license and is looking forward to flying between Colorado and Arizona. Dave is always on the lookout for new adventures, especially on rivers around the globe! |   |
A guided river expedition with Global Descents will offer you the comfort, security and service of a U.S company abroad. We pride ourselves as true professionals, and have systems in place to ensure a safe and fun filled adventure.
Global Descents focus is personal service to each individual. Understanding your needs, passions, and interests help us use create the travel experience of a lifetime.
We pride ourselves on using the best equipment in the industry: self-bailing rafts; US Coast Guard approved life jackets; fully adjustable helmets; thick, inflatable sleeping pads; and quality expedition tents. By staying up to date with the latest in gear technology, we are able to provide a higher level of comfort and safety. Let’s face it: it’s just more fun with good gear.
Cuisine
We have mastered the art of creating great cuisine in remote locations. We prepare regional cuisine highlighting specialties of each area. We invite you to sit back, relax and enjoy the warm campfire as we prepare your meal to remember.
There are constant threats to rivers all over the globe. From potential dams to other environmental threats to the watershed, it is the river community’s duty to inform both its guests and local communities about the benefits of protecting the resource. Global Descents strives to do its part in demonstrating the benefits of tourism to rivers by supporting the local economy as much as possible. We do this through buying locally and employing a large local support team.
Each expedition's destination is full of Incredible mountains, valleys, communitites, and cultures. There are many ways to minimize your impact while you travel and while you are at home, these are some easy and effective ways that you can help in creating sustainable travel. Please review these traveller's codes prior to your adventure.• Stay on hiking trails. Clean up your own mess and dispose of waste properly. Keep a distance from wildlife.
• Support local economies by seeking out locally owned lodging and dining establishments, locally grown food and locally manufactured products and crafts.
• Patronize green hotels whose managers have programs that save water and energy.
• Travel by mass transit as much as possible.
• Avoid vehicles with two-stroke engines such as jet skis, scooters and certain boats, which are enormously polluting.
• Be culturally sensitive to local customs, greetings, dress codes and food habits.
• Treat others with the same respect that you would ask for in your own community.
• Designate one glass for your drinking water each day. This will cut down on the number of times you run your dishwasher.
• Soak your pots and pans instead of letting the water run while you scrape them clean.
• Encourage your school system and local government to help develop and promote a water conservation ethic among children and adults.
• Make suggestions to your employer to save water (and dollars) at work.
• Support projects that use reclaimed wastewater for irrigation and other uses.
• Encourage your friends and neighbors to be part of a water-conscious community.
• Cook food in as little water as possible. This will also retain more of the nutrients.
• Turn the water off while you shampoo and condition your hair.
• While staying in a hotel or at home, reuse your towels.
• When you are washing your hands, don't let the water run while you lather.
Home Specific Water Usage
• Have your plumber re-route your gray water to trees and gardens rather than letting it run into the sewer line. Check with your city codes, and if it isn't allowed in your area, start a movement to get that changed.
• Listen for dripping faucets and toilets that flush themselves. Fixing a leak can save 500 gallons each month.
• Leave lower branches on trees and shrubs and allow leaf litter to accumulate on top of the soil. This keeps the soil cooler and reduces evaporation.
• When you clean your fish tank, use the water you've drained on your plants. The water is rich in nitrogen and phosphorus, providing you with a free and effective fertilizer.
• Direct downspouts and other runoff towards shrubs and trees, or collect and use for your garden.
• Don’t use a garbage disposal. Compost instead and save gallons every time.
www.futafriends.org , www.africa-rainforest.org , www.nature.org
