Southland, 2 Day, Bikeraft, Out and back.
A fast and continuous run, with multiple approach options. Needs rain to get in condition.
Tag: Class IV
Landsborough River (III/IV)
West Coast, 6 Day, Through trip.
A multi-day trip packed with exciting whitewater, dramatic landscapes and strenuous tramping, the Landsborough provides an unforgettable South Westland wilderness adventure for advanced packrafters.
Waihohonu SH1 to Rangipo Road (IV) or (III+ with portage)
Waikato, 1 Day, Car to car, Through trip.
The Waihohonu has been paddled from well above the road, but this short section between roads provides a good flavour of the river. Waihohonu between the SH1 (Desert Rd) is a short and sharp gorge trip through to Rangipo Road . There are two sections that are portages for most paddlers – be well acquainted…
Waiari Stream IV (III+P)
Bay of Plenty, 1 Day, Through trip.
The Waiari stream is a hidden gem in the Bay of Plenty. It is a must-do run with numerous boofs and crystal clear water. As a bonus it’s a spring fed creek that has a consistent flow year round. It is a typical Taupo Volcanic Zone ignimbrite gorge. The approach crosses private land, and there…
South Branch Ashburton River / Hakatere (III/IV)
Canterbury, 1 Day, Out and back.
With good access, continuous whitewater, grade III gorges plus an optional grade IV upper section with a chockstone, this is bound to become an East Coast classic day trip for intermediate to advanced packrafters. “The run feels similar to the classic narrows section on the Upper Waiau. The tight gorge where you float beneath a…
Ngaruroro Lower Gorge (III+/IV)
Hawkes Bay, 2 Day.
Scenic wilderness overnighter, with some challenging paddling. The Ngaruroro Lower Gorge, from Kuripapango to Whanawhana, has a long history as an overnight kayaking run. (See the Riverguide.co.nz kayaking writeup) This 39km section includes a rocky gorge containing more challenging whitewater than in the upper river. The gorge provides just enough excitement for advanced paddlers at…
Grebe River (II/III/IV)
Southland, 1 Day, Roadside, Through trip.
Something for everyone on this scenic and fairly remote roadside run in central Fiordland
Lower Tuke River (III/IV)
West Coast, 2 Day, Out and back.
A spectacular half to full day side-trip from Mikonui Hut on the West Coast.
Lower Toaroha River (IV)
West Coast, 1 Day, Out and back.
Advanced day-trip, boulder gardens, bedrock gorge and challenging whitewater on the West Coast
Aorere (III/IV) Shakespeare Flat To Brown Hut
Tasman, 1 Day, Loop trip.
A gorgeous day trip for advanced packrafters, in Kahurangi National Park, Golden Bay
Moonlight Creek (I/II/III/IV)
West Coast, 1 Day, Out and back, Roadside.
Something for everyone on this small west coast creek. An amazing day trip near Greymouth
Polnoon Burn (IV) or (III with portages)
Otago, 2 Day, 3 Day, Through trip.
Steep creeking in the Shotover River headwaters. 2-3 days, Otago.
The Lochy River (IV & Portages)
Otago, 2 Day, Out and back.
Overnight out and return trip for advanced paddlers. In Otago, near Lake Wakatipu. Permission required
Young River (III/IV)
Otago, 1 Day, Out and back.
A great day trip for strong packrafters, in Mt Aspiring National Park.
Karamea River (V with portages)
West Coast, 6 Day, 7 day, Loop trip.
6-8 days of remote and very advanced whitewater. Great approach & great huts. West coast, Kahurangi National Park.
Anatoki River (IV) below Anatoki Bend
Tasman, 1 Day, 2 Day, Loop trip.
Steep boulder gardens and spectacular gorges in this grade IV packrafting day trip in Kahurangi National Park.
Kaipo River II/III or up to IV
Southland, 8 Day, 9 Day, Loop trip.
3-4 days side trip to the Hollyford Pyke, to explore a seldom visited valley.
Glenroy River (IV)
Tasman, 1 Day, Roadside, Through trip.
The Glenroy is a technical, short sharp introduction to Class 4 creeking. It can be packrafted at flows lower than recommended for kayaks. It has lots of rocks and pin /wrap hazards at low flow so be wary. Once you are in the gorge there is only one way out! The put in is the…
Lower Slate Gorge (IV) from Moonlight Flat
Tasman, 1 Day, Loop trip.
A low-flow daytrip to a steep and beautiful gorge
Golden Bay, Tasman
Waiatoto River (III/IV) via the Wilkin
West Coast, 5 Day, Through trip.
5 Days | Camping | Wilderness Area
Challenging through trip into the Olivine Wilderness Area
Waingaro River (IV) Forks Hut to Paynes Ford
Tasman, 2 Day, Through trip.
The Waingaro in Golden bay has been run mostly as a heli- kayak trip from the forks hut but it’s probably only been run 10-15 times in total, it is definitely an exploratory type adventure run. For advanced packrafters, I’d suggest that it is bucket list material: incredibly spectacular country, prolific Whio numbers and over…
Lower Harrison (III/IV) via Milford Sound
Southland, 1 Day, Out and back.
Day trip to quality III paddling with two IV drops.
Fiordland National Park
Gorge River (III/IV)
West Coast, 7 day, Loop trip.
7 day loop in South Westland
Gorgeous gorges, up to IV
Shotover River, upstream of Arthurs Point II+ to IV (P)
Otago, 1 Day, 2 Day, 4 Day, 5 Day, Out and back, Roadside, Through trip.
A classic Otago run, with options for road, foot and heli access, and trips from 1 to 5 days in length.
Motu (III+/ IV)
Bay of Plenty, 4 Day, 5 Day, Through trip.
This wild and remote epic through East Cape country is one of the top multi-day Packrafting trips in the North Island. It flows through spectacular dense forest and gorgy scenery. It is a popular rafting trip particularly with hunters who also utilise jet boats for access. The Motu River is the premier whitewater wilderness trip in…
Taruarau (IV)
Hawkes Bay, 2 Day, Roadside, Through trip.
The Taruarau River is a tributary of the Ngaruroro River it has a very steep and tricky gorge below the Napier Taihape Road. It is only runnable through winter and early spring or after rain. It has a great Class III+ – IV section known as the Hot Springs gorge, The run is very highly…
Arahura River (sections from V to II)
West Coast, 1 Day, 2 Day, 3 Day, Loop trip, Out and back, Roadside.
One of the most sought after and enjoyed runs in New Zealand: high quality, high difficulty paddling, Near Lake Kaniere, on the West Coast.
Thomas River (III & IV/V P) via Mataketake tops
West Coast, 2 Day, 3 Day, Out and back, Through trip.
Haast area, West Coast
3 day through trip with good huts, tops, bush bashing and challenging paddling.
Upper Rangitikei (III/IV)
Manawatu-Wanganui, 5 Day, Through trip.
This hard to get to and hard-to-time remote experience is one of the North Islands best-kept secrets. From tussock covered desert plateau to beech forest, to scrub and high country sheep station it has so much scenery packed in. It is also one of our premier trout fisheries and is protected by a Water Conservation…
Greenstone River (III+/IV)
Otago, 1 Day, 2 Day, Out and back.
Epic scenery, challenging whitewater and huge potential for creative approaches: a long day trip, an overnighter or as part of a larger mission.
Mangahao (III+ / IV)
Manawatu-Wanganui, 2 Day.
This has always been regarded as the premier Tararua river for kayaking but it is dammed. On scheduled release days it was pretty popular and has some heavy Class IV features unsuitable for Packrafts. It was once a popular tubing river in low flows but residual flows are insufficient for it to receive much paddler…
Otaki River (III/IV) from Waitewaewae Hut to Otaki Forks
Wellington, 2 Day, Loop trip.
Historically, a classic Wellington region kayak run, it doesn’t get done very often due to the tricky flows needed and tough access. At the right flow, it’s a much more accessible packrafting trip, through a very scenic and wild gorge in the heart of the Tararuas. The trip is normally done over two days, by…
Wangapeka River (III/IV) from Kings Creek Hut to Rolling Junction
Tasman, 1 Day, 2 Day, Out and back.
An out and back day mission to a challenging river in Kahurangi National Park. Thanks to Aaron Reimer for permission to use his trip report as a basis for this trip page. Aaron thinks there are options to extend the trip upstream (with harder rapids than this section) and downstream (more mellow rapids) of this…
Upper Waiau River (III/IV) from Lake Guyon to Hope River
Canterbury, 3 Day, 4 Day, Through trip.
The Upper Waiau has long been regarded by the NZ Paddling community as a classic multi-day intermediate trip. Access was usually by Helicopter or walking in over Mailings pass, an expensive or exhausting option with hardshell kayaks. The below information is from a packraft trip by Chris Coutts and Thomas Land in January 2015. Chris…
South Temple Stream (II/III-/IV)
Canterbury, 1 Day, 2 Day, Loop trip, Out and back.
A beautiful, continuous alpine rain-run The South Temple is normally a small stream, but when there’s enough water, it provides a fast, technical packrafting trip along most of its length. The out-and-return trip style means you can easily choose your trip length, depending on your motivation, flow and paddling ability. This river requires spring melt…
West Matukituki River (II/IV) above Raspberry Creek
Otago, 1 Day, 2 Day, Be aware of Jetboats, Out and back.
Out and back trip with a chill middle section and challenging upper/lower sections for the keen ones.
Copland River (III/-IV) from Architect Creek Hut
West Coast, 2 Day, Hot pools, Out and back.
Classic west coast packrafting, with the option of a side trip to the hot pools.