*Our practices and policies continue to evolve, striving for a balance between safe, healthy travel and convenience. Please be sure to check back as your trip date approaches.
Healthy Travel
Dear Traveler,
As the world adjusts to ever-changing health concerns, we join you in doing our best to navigate these uncharted waters. We continued to operate throughout the pandemic and are happy that we’ve been able to provide much-needed respite and life-changing travel experiences for thousands of people. Our trips in the USA, Baja, Mexico and British Columbia, Canada have been busy and we’ve seen a resurgence in travel to other international destinations including South America, Africa, Europe and Antarctica. We have well-practiced protocols in place to be responsible travelers during these trying times.
We continue to believe in the transformative power of travel, and that your journeys build connection and meaning wherever you go. As well, they provide purpose, hope and tangible support to our staff and the people and communities we work with around the world.
We invite you to contact us with questions and very much look forward to sharing this magnificent, magical and wonderful world with you!
Yours Faithfully,
Peter Grubb
Founder & President
And the entire team at ROW Adventures
Important Updates for Travel with ROW Adventures
Your safety, as well as the safety of our employees, partners and host communities, has always been a top priority for ROW Adventures. Since the onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic we’ve been operating with increased rigor and precautions. We take standards for hygiene and cleanliness seriously and regardless of the status of the pandemic, we will continue to take additional steps to protect our guests, employees and everyone we contact, from virus spread.
The decision about whether or not to travel is a personal one. As you consider your options, it’s key that you feel comfortable with the uncertainties of the world today. We are working hard to mitigate risk with additional operational precautions and procedures, but the risk of exposure to, or contraction of, COVID-19 cannot be eliminated. Participants of commercially outfitted trips must accept the inherent risk presented by the fact that it is not reasonable to expect the outfitter to effectively eliminate the virus from the environment.
Time in the outdoors is always rejuvenating, and now, may be more important than ever. Being with others to share the joys of nature, connection and camaraderie in a healthy, supportive atmosphere has always been central to what we do. On our adventures and tours, we plan to continue our operational procedures as detailed below. Our policy will continue to evolve as time goes on and we continue to monitor global, national and local health recommendations, but what will never change is our desire and commitment to keep you safe and provide a life-enriching travel experience!
Traveler Requirements and Safety Measures:
Effective July 29th, 2024.
ROW Adventures is no longer requiring guests to be vaccinated against COVID-19. However, we do strongly recommend vaccination. Please note that some international destinations do have requirements and/or documents needed for entry. Note that in July of 2024 we are witnessing a resurgence of COVID and we have had a number of last-minute cancellations due to people getting sick from the virus.
ROW Adventures strongly urges all eligible guests to be vaccinated. Vaccination has the added benefit of making the vaccinated person less likely to get severely ill, a huge benefit given the remote nature of many of our trips. Regional travel requirements continue to evolve, sometimes with little notice, so traveling as an unvaccinated person may cause trip disruption. ROW Adventures will not offer reimbursement, refunds, or trip credit to those who are unable to join a trip or take part in certain activities due to any requirements in place during the trip, or for anyone who cannot attend because they test positive and/or have COVID.
Please see the FAQ section below for additional information and detailed answers to our most frequently asked questions.
Do I need to be vaccinated in order to travel with ROW Adventures?
No. While we strongly recommend vaccination as it offers you better protection in the remote, wilderness environments where many of our trips take place, as of November 14, 2022 we no longer require vaccination against COVID-19. Note that all travelers will be required to follow and understand the entry/exit requirements of their destination country (and home country), which may require full vaccination, testing or other documentation. It is the passenger's responsibility to ensure they meet all applicable entry requirements in effect at the time of travel.
Will my guides be vaccinated?
ROW Adventures continues to require all guides to be vaccinated when eligible.
What if someone has symptoms during a trip?
We have protocols in place to safely address any COVID-19 related situations. We ask our guests to immediately notify their guides if they experience any symptoms on trip. The general protocol is to isolate any symptomatic person from the group and provide a COVID-19 test. If the test is negative, no further action will be taken.
What if someone tests positive for COVID-19 on a trip?
We will follow our COVID-19 protocols in addition to current CDC guidance, for any person on a trip that tests positive. On wilderness trips in remote areas, this means isolating the positive individual as much as is practical and possible. For trips in less remote environments, this would likely mean that the person will be asked to leave the trip and possibly also, the person they shared a room with, and to follow CDC isolation guidelines. Our guides will coordinate this and communicate other necessary measures if other members of the group had close contact with the positive individual. We highly recommend that you protect your trip investment through the purchase of travel insurance.
Will this policy change over time?
Given the constantly changing global health environment and newly updated medical guidance, our plans and requirements may evolve. Decisions will be based on current recommendations from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) as well as the World Health Organization (WHO). We reserve the right to modify our policies as required by state and federal governments and in consultation with the various entities we rely on for guidance. It will be your responsibility to stay abreast of changes by frequently visiting our site before your travels.
Information, Communication and Support:
Our Team is Here to Help you Prepare - Our experienced staff is here to provide advice and answer any questions you have as you prepare for your adventure. We keep a constant eye on what is happening in the world and how it impacts our trips, including the current pandemic situation. To guide our decisions, we follow recommendations from the CDC and WHO, in addition to local authorities where we travel. We will communicate any pertinent information related to your trip by email.
Trained Guides and Staff Offer 24/7 Support:
Our organization is staffed for emergencies, and we'll be there to provide support for you and our guides in the field when needed. We have training and detailed internal protocols and support for any COVID related or other medical issues that may arise. Although many of our trips operate in wilderness environments, we carry satellite phones for emergencies and have other communication strategies in place so that guides have additional resources as needed. Our guides are trained in First Aid and CPR, and for this season are getting additional training regarding possible COVID-19 situations. This includes our long-standing protocols for evacuation should that be necessary.
Courtesy & Respect:
Since our trips are all group activities, we’ve always expected people to act with courtesy and respect towards others. If necessary due to spikes of COVID-19, we may require all guests to wear masks in vehicles, to maintain physical distancing and follow any other precautions that may be necessary to protect the health of everyone.
Maintaining Distance:
Choosing outdoor adventure in wild places affords opportunities to spread out. ROW is committed to maintaining recommended distances during all aspects of our trips whenever possible. Our rafts will be rigged to allow as much distance as possible between our guides and your travel party. Paddle rafts create some unique challenges and often physical distancing of six feet is not possible, so riding in these rafts is optional and a personal choice. Camping areas have plenty of space to spread out.
Hand Washing & Sanitizing:
At camp hand wash stations will be set up as they always have been. Hand sanitizer will be available in our dining area. We encourage you to bring your own hand sanitizer too.
Bring a Face Covering:
Wearing masks is recommended but not required when riding in our vans or shuttles, per CDC guidelines. Masks are optional for all other activities. Because local regulations or vendors may require masks, please travel with one. These local requirements will supersede ROW Adventures’ policy on our travels. We believe that traveling responsibly during this time means having recommended resources at your disposal should the need arise.