If you’re looking for things to do in NZ, whether that’s with family, friends or by yourself, a thrilling ride down a river is something that you should absolutely experience.
While rafting can provide you with a relaxing ride down a river and immerse yourself in the beauty of nature, white water rafting is for the thrill seekers; a much more fast-paced experience with rapids and drops that are sure to get the heart racing.
White Water river rafting in NZ is reasonably safe for everyone but does carry a degree of risk. It is significantly more challenging than river rafting, so training is required beforehand. During this training, you can get to know some of the best techniques to fully enjoy white water rafting in NZ.
Common white water rafting techniques
Paddling There’s a big difference between paddling on a small boat and paddling on a white water raft.
Instead of paddling in a calm river, you’ll be paddling in a high-speed river with an aerated current.
In order to stay on track, it’s important to learn how to paddle forward and backwards. In some cases, people on one side of the raft will need to paddle one way while people on the other side paddle the other way. It’s important to listen to your guide to be sure of what you need to do.
Ferrying One of the most important techniques in white water rafting, ferrying forwards and backwards to avoid obstacles along the river.
Weight Shifting If your raft does collide with an obstacle, shifting everyone’s weight onto the side of the obstacle will prevent the raft from overturning.
Dodging White water rafting typically takes place on narrow, steep rivers, which means that there is a risk of being hit by vegetation at the side of the river. Your guide will call out when this is the case, giving you time to get out of the way.
Looking for things to do in NZ? Kaituna Cascades offers some of the most thrilling white water rafting in NZ, with three different rivers- Kaituna, Wairoa and Rangitaiki- providing some of the most beautiful white water rafting experiences in the world. To discover more and to book a trip, visit our website today.
