Cagayan de Oro River
Also known as: Cagayan River (Mindanao), CDO River
Canyon walls, rock formations, jungle; separates Bukidnon and CDO
Is there water?
Whether there is a river here on your dates, and what kind of water it is.
Rain-fed from Bukidnon highlands; wet-season spate raises level/speed
Jan-Dec
Year-round (only PH river rafted year-round); Feb-May calmer; Jun-Dec rainy = bigger water
Warm tropical; no wetsuit (est)
Flash floods in heavy rain (river caused the deadly 2011 Sendong/Washi flood); operators suspend at extreme levels. Confirm cutoffs.
Grade & who can come
A river changes grade with its level. These grades describe a normal flow - in flood the same run is harder, and often a different run entirely. Check the gauge before you commit.
Class 1-2 (beginner) up to Class 4 (Extreme)
Commercial raft; whitewater kayak (lower section)
Three graded courses (Beginner / Advance-1 / Advance-2) by skill; rapids spaced ~10-15 min apart
Beginners to experienced; swimming advised for Extreme; families on beginner course
The run
Class 4 rapids on the Extreme course (named individual rapids not documented). Confirm crux name.
Boulders, hydraulics at high water; strainers post-storm (est)
Beginner (Aura, Mambuaya) to Advance (Ugiaban) / Extreme (Quarry) to Cabula / Taguanao
Popular, DOT-accredited operator fleet; busy weekends
Access & shuttle
Kagay: Beginner ~PHP 1,200; Advance-1 ~1,800; Extreme ~2,500 per head (incl. transport/gear/guide). Confirm.
Permits and operators change - confirm before booking.
Put-ins Mambuaya/Aura/Ugiaban/Quarry ~30-40 min from city; take-out Cabula/Taguanao (road)
Operator van shuttle incl. in package
Operator base / riverside stops; city hotels 30-40 min
Helmet, PFD, paddle furnished; limited signal in gorge (est)
Cagayan de Oro city (30-40 min); Bukidnon highlands upstream
Hazards & exits
Flash-flood risk in downpours; Extreme course needs experience + swimming
Road-accessible bridges (Ugiaban, Cabula, Taguanao) give exits; safety kayakers
Guided only; DOT-accredited certified river guides
This profile is desk research, compiled from public sources - not a first-hand river run report. Coordinates are approximate.