The 13 Best White Water Rafting Trips in New Zealand

1.Rotorua Rafting: Kaituna River White Water Rafting & Free Sauna

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,952 reviews · from $83Our pick

Take on the Kaituna River near Rotorua with a professional guide, full rafting gear, and no previous experience required. You will handle Grade 5 rapids, three waterfalls, and the 7-meter Tutea Falls. A free sauna waits afterward, and children aged 10 to 12 join a shorter half-river route.

“Fantastic experience and so much fun for our entire family. Crew and guides were so cool, hilarious and knowledgeable. They made us all feel safe. My daughters were nervous at the beginning but turned out they are so happy they rafted down the Kaituna River and crushed that big waterfall. All the gear is provided, full explanation of the process and instructions for the rafting trip. I can’t recommend this excursion enough.”

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2.White Water Rafting – Kaituna Cascades, The Originals

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,274 reviews · from $83

Take on a 50-minute Grade 5 rafting run through the Kaituna River’s jungle canyon, including three waterfalls and the 7-meter Tutea Falls. Guides such as Malcolm, Flynn, and Hamish lead small raft crews. You need to reach Okere Falls yourself, and the trip suits active people aged 13 to 65.

“This activity was EVERYTHING you’d imagine. It was beautiful in the valley, the trees and the river. It was fun getting in the water for a swim at the beginning of the journey down the river. It was exciting going down the small waterfalls. The Read more”

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3.Rafting Rotorua Kaituna White Water Rafting | Kaitiaki Adventures

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 759 reviews · from $83

Join Kaitiaki Adventures for a guided Kaituna River rafting run from Rotorua. Expect native forest, steep volcanic gorges, more than 14 rapids, and the famous 7-metre Tutea Falls. Guides such as Jack, Hudson, Ben, and Reiya are known for clear safety briefings and plenty of good humor.

“The tour guides were absolutely amazing and full of confidence which made the experience extremely fun! We went over 3 waterfalls and loads of rapids! The pictures taken were epic & everyone was just great. Don't miss out on this experience.”

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4.Kaituna River White Water Rafting from Rotorua

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 388 reviews · from $84

Join River Rats Raft & Kayak for a three-hour Rotorua adventure on the Kaituna River. After a 15 to 20-minute safety session, paddle through a fern-lined gorge, 14 rapids, and Tutea Falls, the world’s highest commercially rafted waterfall. The pool-drop river suits adventurous beginners aged 13 and up.

“Zack was an awesome guide, and rafting through the lush river scenery was a must-do experience! We always felt safe, in control and most of all, had a thrilling time. Would recommend to anyone!”

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5.Kaituna River and Tutea Falls Whitewater Rafting

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 324 reviews · 2 hours · from $80Best value

Join Kaituna Cascades Rafting for a 2-hour trip from Okere Falls, about 20 minutes from Rotorua. Your guide leads you through 14 grade 5 rapids, warm-water canyons, and the 7-meter Tutea Falls drop. No experience is needed, and winter trips include extra warm gear.

“An absolutely amazing experience. Our guide Alex kept it fun and made us feel safe and confident. The whole team was fantastic and they obviously love their jobs. The scenery was breathtaking. It ended far too soon.”

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6.Queenstown Shotover River White Water Rafting

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 309 reviews · from $154

From Queenstown, ride the dramatic Skippers Canyon Road to Deep Creek, then paddle the Shotover River through grade 3 to 5 rapids, including the 170-metre Oxenbridge Tunnel. Guides such as Jess, Benji, Morgan, and Erin lead the way. Wetsuits, photos, transport, and hot showers are included.

“Beautiful scenery, from the drive in to the river & rafting. what an adrenaline rush we all had so much Fun.”

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7.Shotover River Whitewater Rafting Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 234 reviews · from $175

Ride through historic Skippers Canyon, suit up with trained guides, and raft 16 kilometers of the Shotover River. Expect calm stretches, hard-hitting rapids, the dark Oxenbridge Tunnel, and a hot shower afterward. Guides such as Jess, Benji, and Morgan are praised for clear instruction and steady care.

“We had a great day with Justin out on the shot over river! The rapids were really fun and his instructions were clear. Would highly recommend to anyone visiting Queenstown.”

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8.Rangitaiki River White Water Rafting from Rotorua

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 96 reviews · from $121

Join River Rats Raft Kayak for a six-hour Rangitaiki River run from Rotorua. You’ll learn paddle commands, tackle mostly Grade III rapids and one Grade IV, relax on flat water, and finish with lunch and a hot shower. Guides such as Jesse and Cody have earned strong praise.

“The staff were great, but the rafting itself was not what I expected as was the difficultly! There were 2 rapids I would class a 3 but not class 4's. If you want adventure I would go to the class 5 tour!”

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9.Shotover River Whitewater Rafting Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 72 reviews · 4 hours · from $178

Meet at Challenge Rafting’s base near Queenstown, travel into Skippers Canyon, and paddle six grade 4 to 5 rapids with a trained guide. You’ll wear a wetsuit, pass through the 170-meter Oxenbridge Tunnel, swim in a calm river section, and finish with Cascade Rapid. Guides such as Jess, Raju, and Benj have earned warm praise for clear coaching and good humor.

“Wonderful day with our guide Jess, she was patient and helpful. River was thrilling and scenic, wish I had more pics of the surroundings!”

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10.Half Day, Grade 5, White Water Rafting on the Rangitikei River

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 66 reviews · from $170

Meet at River Valley Lodge, gear up in a wetsuit and safety equipment, then ride 11 kilometres of the Rangitikei River through 10 major rapids, including a Grade 5 gorge. This demanding half-day trip suits strong swimmers with some rafting experience and ends with hot showers.

“Excellent knowledgeable staff, gorgeous river, and a super fun ride! Would highly recommend, and will be back to run it again.”

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11.Queenstown Kawarau River Whitewater Rafting

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 57 reviews · from $148

Join RealNZ for a 4.5-hour introduction to whitewater rafting on the Kawarau River, with guides such as Mark, Matt, Morgan, and Nico. Expect wetsuits, coach transport, grade 2 to 3 rapids, a 400-meter Dog Leg rapid, optional rock jumping, and hot showers afterward.

“The guides were fun and we had the extra privilege of having 3 Polytech students on the trip too! Great work looking after the guests AND THE students! The students were fantastic too! Thanks to all!! Well done.”

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12.Tongariro River: Grade 3 Whitewater Rafting

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 37 reviews · 4 hours · from $112

Join an English-speaking guide at the Turangi base for four hours on the Tongariro River. You’ll ride a short bus to the launch point, learn river skills, then tackle more than 60 Grade 3 rapids, with guides such as Sarah or Fletcher leading the team.

“Great shared team experience. Sarah was wonderful. Great communication. Lovely welcoming.”

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13.Kawarau River Whitewater Rafting

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 18 reviews · from $140

Join RealNZ for a four-hour Queenstown rafting trip on the Kawarau River. With English-speaking guides such as Emma, you will handle grade 2 to 3 rapids, finish with the 400-meter Dog Leg, and choose an optional cliff jump when weather allows.

“The rafting itself was good so far. The organization can be improved. We were stuck in a broken bus in the middle of the highway. It took a long time before a replacement bus was ordered. The communication was not really good. And although we were innocent of the delay, time pressure was put on us when we showered/changed. (Free) photos were taken, but almost exclusively of the same boat(s). We only provided a single group photo for download.”

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