The Original Kaituna Rafting Company !

Kaituna Cascades

EXPERIENCE THE THRILL OF WHITE WATER RAFTING FROM ROTORUA…

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Kia Ora & welcome to the Original Kaituna Rafting company – creating memories and amazing experiences day after day since 1991.

Located in an awesome sunny riverside location, we are the Rotorua rafting specialists offering the most entertaining river rafting trips on the Kaituna River (Okere River), Wairoa River & the Rangitaiki River.

Kaituna Cascades is stoked & humbled to be the # 1 rated rafting company in Rotorua on TripAdvisor.

Join us for the best white water rafting in New Zealand, and one of the top things to do in Rotorua! 

Having an amazing crew means your team can have more fun and play harder on the river while we take care of you and add to the banter.

Kaituna Cascade’s aim is to tailor our New Zealand rafting trips to your group’s expectations – with a touch of history, culture and sustainability thrown in, giving you the best experience ever.

Max fun, style points and entertainment in a safe and sustainable workplace are our vibes!

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Current River Status

SUMMER TIME – GET IN QUICK – IT’S HOT & BUSY !!

The Famous Kaituna River is OPEN with classic great Summer rafting conditions.

Water temp is 22 degrees C 🙂

The Famous Kaituna River is OPEN.
The flows are low (200’s on the control gates) and normal after a beautiful summer.
The big waterfall is tall vertical & at it’s full 7 meters, while the flat pools are slow and fun for swimming.
We have all the rafting gear to keep ya warm, happy & mostly dry on the river!

New Zealand’s best rafting trip – The WAIROA RIVER will be running Sunday’s too !

COVID UPDATE:

LEVEL 2 – Means we are OPEN but with normal restrictions of social distancing; sanitizing, QR tracing at rafting base and masks around the base (not River)

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Kaituna River Rafting

Grade 5 White Water Rafting

$ 125
  • The most legendary rafting trip includes a 50 minute action packed ride down 14 epic rapids featuring the worlds highest rafted waterfall! ...
MOST POPULAR
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Wairoa River Rafting

Grade 5 White Water Rafting

$ 170
  • Renowned for some of the best white water rafting in New Zealand, this gem is not to be missed. Only on Sundays in the summer season ...

EPIC
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Mud pool & Rafting Combo

With Hell's Gate & Kaituna Cascades

$ 200
  • Take on the world's highest rafted waterfall before relaxing into the naturally heated geothermal waters of the amazing Hell's Gate mud pools & sulfur spas
COMBO
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Kaituna & Wairoa Combo

Grade 5 White Water Rafting

$ 270
  • Can't make your mind up - do them both ! Two amazing & very different rivers in one EPIC day of rafting... Only on Sundays

combo
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Rangitaiki River Rafting

Grade 4/5 White Water Rafting

$ 170
  • Our back up option when the Kaituna is flooded - An awesome half day wilderness adventure...
SCENIC & FUN
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Number 1 Rafting company in Rotorua on Trip Advisor !!

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Best Location & Closest to the river

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Original Company

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Eco Tourism

Kaituna River Rafting

Grade 5 White Water Rafting
Rotorua, New Zealand

A 50 minute action packed ride down 14 epic rapids featuring the worlds highest rafted waterfall! ...

Learn More

Mud Baths & Rafting Combo

With Hell's Gate & Kaituna Cascades
Rotorua, New Zealand

Raft down the world's highest rafted waterfall before lathering up in the MUD BATHS. Then relaxing into the naturally heated geothermal waters of the amazing Hell's Gate hot pools !...

Learn More

Kaituna & Wairoa Combo

Grade 5 White Water Rafting
Rotorua & Tauranga, New Zealand

Two different rivers in one epic day of rafting...

Learn More

Wairoa River Rafting

Grade 5 White Water Rafting
Tauranga, New Zealand

Renowned for some of the best white water in New Zealand...

Learn More

Rangitaiki River Rafting

Grade 4 White Water Rafting
Bay of Plenty, New Zealand

Awesome half day wilderness adventure...

Learn More
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  • tripadvisor stars 5 - Kaituna Cascades Rotorua New Zealand  So much fun! Guides Blue, Rob and Pete were very knowledgable and always put our safety first, but made sure we had heaps of fun rafting too. Such an adrenaline... read more

    shermocilla
    June 1, 2021
  • tripadvisor stars 5 - Kaituna Cascades Rotorua New Zealand  Excellent experience! Definitely recommend to anyone. It was my first time rafting and the guys at Kaituna Cascades made it super easy for me to understand as well as have... read more

    Kirito20224
    July 23, 2022
  • tripadvisor stars 5 - Kaituna Cascades Rotorua New Zealand  An absolutely fantastic activity for the whole family. The staff were so helpful and encouraging. They made sure that everyone had fun. A great combination of thrills and relaxing moments,... read more

    Georgia T
    January 1, 2022
  • tripadvisor stars 5 - Kaituna Cascades Rotorua New Zealand  Overall a fantastic thrilling experience!!! Very organised and safe!
    Thank you
    Will definitely recommend

    rrC5977SS
    September 2, 2022
  • tripadvisor stars 5 - Kaituna Cascades Rotorua New Zealand  What an amazing experience we had today with the team at kaituna cascades. We are still buzzing from our grade 5 white water rafting experience. We took our teens... read more

    Reaperqueen21
    April 19, 2021
  • tripadvisor stars 5 - Kaituna Cascades Rotorua New Zealand  I had the most amazing time with these guys, from welcome to exit. Eoin was such a great coach and explained everything to keep us safe (+1 for the beautiful... read more

    Tyson1991
    July 23, 2021
  • tripadvisor stars 5 - Kaituna Cascades Rotorua New Zealand  Awsome people hole lot of fun highly recommended, they have you having fun with a good laugh. Would defensive go back.

    Honeymoones2021
    April 21, 2021
  • tripadvisor stars 5 - Kaituna Cascades Rotorua New Zealand  Totally amazing experience! So worth it - pushed me out of my comfort zone but so worth it. Fantastic staff and guides. Definately would recommend this activity to everyone

    Gina C
    August 12, 2022
  • tripadvisor stars 5 - Kaituna Cascades Rotorua New Zealand  Cole and the team were really great. 3rd time doing it. Will be back for more. The instructor made the experience one to remember!

    Sachintha A
    March 1, 2022
  • tripadvisor stars 5 - Kaituna Cascades Rotorua New Zealand  White water rafting at its best. Wonderful guides. A must do when in or around Rotorua. Felt safe, but had the best time.

    Dhruv
    January 1, 2022
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The Best White Water Rafting in Rotorua, New Zealand!

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Whitewater river rafting in Rotorua, Taupo, and Auckland is an experience you will never forget. The rapids are thrilling, and rafting down the world’s largest rafted waterfall is truly unforgettable.
Kaituna Cascades was the first rafting company to explore and open up the Kaituna River, letting you experience the amazing deep warm water canyons, and raft the famous seven-metre tall Tutea Falls. We were established in 1991 and today is still locally owned and operated out of Okere Falls, Rotorua, North Island, New Zealand.

Okere Falls Rafting

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Why us – you ask….

Giving us our two biggest advantages..

1st – being the original company to start operating in Okere Falls on the Kaituna river gave us the best, closest and most accessible rafting base to the river.

You can see the river from our rafting base which means we walk our guests to the start, and it’s only a 2 minute bus ride from the end of the rafting tour back to our base. Meaning easy logistics – no long bus rides in wetsuits and a longer, more exciting and playful river rafting trip with no stress 🙂

The 2nd advantage & greatest assets are our super friendly & experienced river guides that give you the safest & most entertaining trip on the river!

All our guides are handpicked, highly skilled professionals who come from an extreme white water background in kayaking and or rafting. They all have extensive knowledge of the rivers & white water rafting in the Rotorua & Bay of Plenty areas.

We also normally welcome a couple of international guides every season to our crew, which gives us a more diverse and experienced team over the summer months.

Being locally owned and operated by two current raft guides – you know you’ll be in good hands. Looking forward to rafting with you and the crew any time of the year whether it be amazing summer rafting or epic winter rafting – We’ve got you covered – See you here 🙂

The Best White-Water Rafting Experience in New Zealand

Okay, we might be biased, but we believe we’ve got the best white-water rafting in New Zealand right here in Rotorua. We live and work on the Kaituna River, and we know the seven-meter drop Tutea Falls like the back of our hand, but we’ve been around the country, too, trying out other white water rafting experiences in NZ.

Here’s the thing – if you’re into river or white-water rafting, New Zealand is the place to be, whether you choose Rotorua or anywhere else in the country. The rivers are fantastic, the thrills are experiences you’ll never forget, and the scenery and waterfalls are unlike anything else you will see in the world.

That said, looking at all the options to go white water rafting in New Zealand, Rotorua does stand out. We’ve already mentioned Tutea Falls, but it doesn’t hurt to say it again! When you come to Rotorua and go white water rafting on the Kaituna River, you’ll be taking on the most famous rafting waterfall in the world!

It’s impossible to describe the rush and sense of excitement as the raft drops over the edge and down the 7 meter high drop.

Okere Falls rafting is an unforgettable experience.

So there’s only one thing left to do and that is to come check it out for yourself – you won’t be disappointed and you’ll absolutely love the experience. So, whether you are in Rotorua or are planning to come down from Auckland, we’ve got the best white-water rafting experience this side of – well, this side of anywhere, really.

Book today.

Looking After You with Every Paddle Stroke

At Kaituna Cascades, we have extensive experience white water rafting on our local rivers. We know the rivers better than anyone, and we take maximum safety precautions while also ensuring you have an exciting and fun time.

You’ll need to paddle (no passengers here!), and you’ll need to wear the safety equipment we give you and follow our safety instructions. However, you can rest easy that you will be in safe hands for this truly adventurous experience.

#INSTA FEED