Rotorua Rafting: Kaituna River White Water Rafting & Free Sauna
Description
Spend one adrenaline-crammed hour of white water rafting down the Kaituna River on this tour from Rotorua. Start at a spot where wild waters meet subtropical rainforests and canyons engraved in the earth. Raft over beautiful cascading waterfalls, including the stunning Tutea Falls, and even take the opportunity to do some swimming through some of the rapids. This tour is good for novice and expert rafters. Free Sauna included.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Experience the best rafting section in New Zealand on this exciting 2-hour white water rafting excursion from Rotorua. After getting a full safety briefing, including safety procedures and some tips, hop on the raft and get ready for some adrenaline-flowing fun. Float down a deep canyon on the Kaituna River, which is lined with beautiful New Zealand native flora. Admire the subtropical scenery while flowing down the river, which starts off with some easy white water. Then continue on where the river builds in difficulty. Eventually, float right under a couple of majestic waterfalls. Experience warm water, and amazing rapids with three waterfalls, including the highest commercially rafted waterfall in the world - the 23-foot (7-metre) Tutea Falls. Then head down the river for more action-packed rafting. After the tour, enjoy a hot shower and check out your faces on the big screen, as you enjoy seeing your professional photos.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Age limit: Minimum 10 yrs. 10-12 yr olds, will partake in the half river experience. They will walk with the photographer to the half way point and join the raft below Tutea Falls.
- Grade 5 action
- 1 hour is spent on the river, allow 2 hours for the trip.
- During the summer months, the river can reach temperatures of 25 degrees.
- Transfers from Rotorua, must be prebooked 24 hrs prior at a cost of $15pp by calling 0800 772 384.
- By accepting this Risk Disclosure, you at this moment acknowledge that in participating on a trip run by Rotorua Rafting, there are inherent dangers and risks and that while Rotorua Rafting will use a high degree of skill in ensuring the safety and welfare of participants, it will not be responsible for loss, injury or damage sustained by a participant or their dependents in circumstances where the exercise of reasonable care could not have avoided such an event. While the staff and management of Rotorua Rafting will take all practicable steps to identify and minimise potential dangers, I acknowledge that I must follow the guide's instructions and use the safety equipment when instructed. If I am responsible for a person under 18, I must ensure that the underage person follows the Guides' instructions at all times. I release and indemnify Rotorua Rafting and its staff from any responsibility or consequences resulting from my failure to follow Rotorua Rafting instructions or the failure of any underage person accompanying me to follow the Guides' instructions. Rotorua Rafting reserves the right to withdraw any person who, in their opinion, is likely to endanger themselves or others. This exclusion includes the overuse of alcohol and/or recreational drugs. I also recognise that Rotorua Rafting reserves the right to cancel, modify, or curtail any trip if my safety or that of any other person becomes a concern. I am aware that Rafting is an Adventure Activity with a degree of risk inherent to the grade of the river being rafted, and participation in a “Rotorua Rafting Tour" may have extreme dangers and risks, some of which include: River Hazards - Rivers are dynamic environments with hidden risks in their natural state and have many obstacles and severe hazards that may not have been identified before, examined and identified Raft Flipping - which may frequently occur in certain rivers Weather - weather conditions may be extreme and change rapidly without warning. Vehicle - additional risks are posed by road travel. Conduct of the Guide - the behaviour of the Guide and the Guiding Staff and the conduct of other rafters. I willingly accept all the risks of rafting, including the risks described above and the possibility of personal injury, death, property damage or loss resulting from any reason. I acknowledge that the enjoyment and excitement of rafting are derived partly from rafting on grade 5 rivers. The inherent risks of rafting contribute to such joy and excitement. I accept that Rotorua Rafting is not responsible for any loss or damage to my property, disruption to travel plans, or mental injury. This exclusion is subject to any rights or remedies a customer has under Health and Safety at Work (Adventure Activities) Regulations 2017 or any other New Zealand law. By accepting this Risk Disclosure, I confirm that I am of the Age of Majority and that I have read and understood this Agreement and agree that this Agreement will be binding upon my heirs, next of kin, executors, administrators and successors. If under 18 years, the parent or legal guardian must accept this Risk Disclosure.
- Free Sauna
- Weight limit of 130kg
Reviews(2,122)
Had an amazing experience. It was really fun rafting down Kaituna River and the guide was very friendly and helpful, making sure we got the best experience possible. Worth the cost and I would go again.
It means a lot to hear you'd come back and do it all again! 😄 We're so pleased you enjoyed your time on the Kaituna River and that your guide helped make the experience both fun and memorable. Thanks for choosing to adventure with us, and we can't wait to welcome you back for another trip down the river!
Very good guides! Had some good laughs. Photos were decent too.
Sounds like you got the full Rotorua Rafting experience—good banter, a fun trip, and plenty of memories to take home! Thanks for the kind words, and we hope we'll catch you on the river again one day.
Really good experience. Sauna right after is the cherry on top
We're glad you had such a good experience! We have to agree, the sauna at the end is the perfect way to warm up and relax after an adrenaline-filled trip down the river.
Amazing time, staff were super friendly and experienced. Justin was a legend, talked a bit about the history of the river also which was super cool.
We're stoked you had an amazing time on the river. Justin will be wrapped to hear the shout-out! It's great to know you enjoyed learning a bit about the history of the Kaituna River as well—it makes the adventure even more special. Thanks for coming along.
Went last year and came back !!
Thanks for coming back to see us! We think the best compliment we can receive is someone choosing to raft with us again. We're so glad you enjoyed it enough to return, and we can't wait to welcome you back for round three! 🌊
The adventure of a lifetime! Jack was an incredible guide and with his expertise we felt safe experiencing this thrill on our trip. The crew educated us about the rapids and ensured we were safe at all times. Thank you so much for an unforgettable experience. A must do if you are in Rotorua!
Thanks so much for the amazing review! 😄 We're honoured to have been part of your adventure of a lifetime! Jack will be thrilled to hear your kind words, and we'll be sure to pass them on. It's great to know the team's safety briefings and knowledge helped you feel confident while enjoying all the thrills the Kaituna River has to offer. Thanks for the recommendation, and we hope to see you back for another unforgettable adventure someday!
We did 3 different activities with this company. First we went zip lining with Ollie and Maria. We had a great time and they were really excellent guides. It wasn’t just zip lining it was also a cultural experience. They taught us about the birds, the ferns, the river, and even gave us Māori tea. Because we were a small group, a family of 5, we had extra time and they let us hang out on the zip line above the big waterfall which was magical! After zip lining we went rafting with Nate! All of the rafting guides were hysterically funny and made us super comfortable even though I was really nervous about signing up my kids to go over the tallest commercially rafted waterfall in the world. Nate kept our raft upright over the fall, and we had an absolute blast! They also had a professional photographer take pics of us. To end the day we took a boat ride to the hot pools on the lake. Matt was our boat driver and was also wonderful just like the rest. It was great to end our very adventurous day with some time in the hot pools! Overall i would highly recommend this company and would y you to do all 3 activity options. You won’t be disappointed!
Thanks so much for such an incredible review! It sounds like you experienced the best of everything we have to offer! We're so pleased Ollie and Maria made your zipline adventure extra special with the cultural and conservation stories—and getting to spend a little extra time above the waterfall is pretty magical indeed. Nate is an awesome guide, and we are stoked that the rafting crew helped turn those pre-waterfall nerves into an unforgettable adventure, and we're glad you managed to stay upright over the big drop! Finishing the day with Matt and a relaxing soak in the hot pools sounds like the perfect way to round it all off. Thank you for recommending all three experiences. We'll be sure to pass your kind words on to Ollie, Maria, Nate, Matt, and the rest of the team. We loved having your family with us and hope to welcome you back for another adventure in the future!
What a great day! Jesper was our guide. So much fun, we want to do it again.
Thanks for the review! We're thrilled to hear you had such a fun day on the river! Jesper will be stoked to hear the shout-out, and we'll be sure to pass it on.
Fantastic activity for anyone seeking adventure. The rafting experience was full of excitement, stunning scenery and plenty of adrenaline. The famous waterfall drop was incredible. Highly recommend for adventure lovers.
We're so pleased you enjoyed the perfect mix of adventure, stunning scenery, and adrenaline on the Kaituna River. The 7-metre waterfall is definitely a highlight and one that never gets old!
Definitely the highlight of my trip to NZ. Amazing guides, I felt very safe. A must do experience!
Thanks so much for the amazing review! Being the highlight of your trip to New Zealand is such a huge compliment! We're thrilled to hear you felt safe with our guides while having an unforgettable experience. Thanks for the recommendation.
