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

5.0 (72 reviews) 4 hours

out of 5

72 reviews

5.0

Half Day, Grade 5, White Water Rafting on the Rangitikei River — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

Half Day, Grade 5, White Water Rafting on the Rangitikei River, photo 2 — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

About this activity

Our grade 5, white water rafting trip is often recognised as one of the best half day trips in the world! It was recently voted in the top 8 white water trips in the world by Red Bull.

With 10 major rapids on this 11 km run, plus numerous smaller rapids, there is plenty to get excited about.

This is a very active trip and you will need to work as part of a team to navigate your way through steep drops, chutes and major rapids in the grade 5 gorge. The trip starts off with some mellow grade 1-3 rapids, which are great practice for what lies ahead.

Throughout the trip you will see some amazing New Zealand scenery along the way.

And the trip finishes back at River Valley Lodge, for hot showers! You can also choose to add on meals or accommodation at the lodge after your trip.

Extreme Sports Rafting White Water Rafting On the Water Short term availability Weather Dependent - Moderate Agent Low Quality Product

At a glance

Duration: 4 hours
Confirmation: Confirmed within 48 hours
Ticket: Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Group: Up to 25 people
People per booking: 1–15
Guide: English
Operated by: River Valley Adventures

Ages: Adults (13–80 years)

What is included

Included

Included: All equipment is provided - Wetsuit, helmet, lifejacket, neoprene booties, fleece top, paddle jacket, and on cooler days, neoprene gloves and neoprene socks.

Not included

Not included: Souvenir photos (available to purchase)

Itinerary

Your trip starts at River Valley Lodge. Meet at the lodge for the trip briefing and get kitted out with lots of equipment to keep you warm and safe on the river. Then, we drive you 30 mins to the Rangitikei River put on. The trip starts off with some mellow grade 1-3 rapids, which are great practice for what lies ahead. Then, you will tackle the grade 5 gorge. With 10 major rapids on this 11 km run, plus numerous smaller rapids, there is plenty to get excited about. This is a very active trip and you will need to work as part of a team to navigate your way through steep drops, chutes and major rapids in the grade 5 gorge. Throughout the trip you will see some amazing New Zealand scenery along the way. The trip finishes back at River Valley Lodge for hot showers. Allow around 4 hours from start to finish.

Stop 1
River Valley Adventures

Meeting point and pickup

Everyone meets at the meeting point.

Meeting point

If you are using a GPS then our co-ordinates are – South 39°37-800 East 176°02-583 – however we do not recommend using GPS as it does not take you on the easiest route.

The Details
- If you are traveling South, turn left at the River Valley signpost, 18km after Waiouru.
- If you are traveling North, use the Gretna Hotel in Taihape as your starting point, with the Gretna Hotel on your left. The 32km drive will last around 35 minutes after taking you through some of New Zealand’s finest and most picturesque hill country. Please follow the regular signs to River Valley.
- After turning off State Highway 1, you will cross two bridges coming from Waiouru, and three bridges coming from Taihape.
- The last 1.5 km’s are gravel and take you to the Lodge at the end of Mangahoata Road.

End point

If you are using a GPS then our co-ordinates are – South 39°37-800 East 176°02-583 – however we do not recommend using GPS as it does not take you on the easiest route.

The Details
- If you are traveling South, turn left at the River Valley signpost, 18km after Waiouru.
- If you are traveling North, use the Gretna Hotel in Taihape as your starting point, with the Gretna Hotel on your left. The 32km drive will last around 35 minutes after taking you through some of New Zealand’s finest and most picturesque hill country. Please follow the regular signs to River Valley.
- After turning off State Highway 1, you will cross two bridges coming from Waiouru, and three bridges coming from Taihape.
- The last 1.5 km’s are gravel and take you to the Lodge at the end of Mangahoata Road.

Using your ticket

Departures are subject to a minimum of 4 people bring booked in, and are river level dependent. We will not put on if the river is outside our safe operating limits. In the unlikely event that we cannot run a trip you will be contacted to make alternative arrangements or to arrange a refund.

Under New Zealand law, we are required to advise you of the risks associated with this activity. Please follow this link - https://rivervalley.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/River-Valley-Risk-Disclosure.pdf

Cancellation

All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.

If you cancel	You get back
Less than a day before	0%

The operator may cancel if the weather does not allow it; you then get another date or your money back.
The operator may cancel if too few people book; you then get another date or your money back.

Good to know

Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Minimum of 4 people needed for this trip to go ahead - if you have a smaller group please contact us and we can fit you in with more people
All our rafting trips are river level dependent - if the river is higher than our safe operating level we will not run the trip
This is a very active trip - you need to be physically fit enough to paddle and move around the boat

Options

Grade 5 White Water Rafting PM

Half day, grade 5 white water rafting on the Rangitikei River. Our PM trip departs at 12.30PM.Departures are subject to minimum people bring booked in, and are river level dependent.
Grade 5 White Water Rafting AM

Half day, grade 5 white water rafting on the Rangitikei River. Our AM trip departs at 8.15 AM.Departures are subject to a minimum of 3 people bring booked in, and are river level dependent.