The only globally recognised raft guiding certification
The IRF Guide Training & Education (GTE) Award was created to provide commercial operators, industry organisations, national rafting federations, government regulators and other interested parties worldwide with a common standard for whitewater guiding professionals. To date, the IRF GTE system is the only globally recognised raft guiding certification.
The IRF is recognised by the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) and the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), the two largest tourism bodies in the world, as the world body responsible for establishing and administering commercial raft guiding standards.
The GTE system is managed by the IRF through the Guide Training & Education (GTE) Committee. The system was first published in 2001 and has been revised several times since then. Significant changes were introduced in 2016/17. Version 6.0 was launched in July 2021 which includes improvements overall to the award system and supporting documents and introduced teh new Whitewater Guide Award.
Learn more about raft guiding:
- IRF GTE Certification History and Development
- GTE Certification Requirements, Processes and Fees
- GTE Certificate renewal – how to renew your IRF GTE certificate
- GTE Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) – two page overview of the system
- GTE Workshops / Assessments – list of authorised guide qualification courses
- Certified Guides / Instructors – list of all current IRF GTE qualified persons
- GTE Instructor Resources – resources, forms & templates for GTE Instructors & Assessors (password protected)
- River Signals – globally recognised river signals
- River Safety articles and videos – further reading on river safety
Recent guide / safety news
USAID BiH supports raft guides for safety at WRC 2022
Today, 24 candidates started their training for the IRF Guide Training & Education (GTE) raft guide qualification as part of the support that USAID BiH Sustainable Tourism Development Project has provided to the hosts of the 2022 World Rafting Championships (WRC). Following the course, all candidates will get the unique opportunity to support the official
Rafting Operator Accreditation launched
The IRF’s Rafting Operator Accreditation (ROA) was recently launched with the issuing of its first accreditation to Cardiff International White Water (CIWW). CIWW is home to the UK’s very first on-demand Olympic standard White Water Rafting and Indoor Wave facility. Their 250m white water course is designed for rafts, canoes and kayaks. Besides offering white
Rafting Rhapsody: A 2021 Grand Canyon Coming of Age
IRF media contributor Annalee Decker took the plunge at the end of last year and shares with us her 2021 Grand Canyon Coming of Age story – a Rafting Rhapsody. Rafting Rhapsody: A 2021 Grand Canyon Coming of Age The angle was wrong. I knew it and he knew it. Hunched down in the front
