New Zealand

Waiau River Journey (Grade 2-3)

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3 Day - Hanmer Springs to Hanmer Springs

When describing Waiau River Rafting New Zealand in his book New Zealand White Water, Graham Charles says "Rafting doesn't come much better than this" - and he's right!

A multi day package of fabulously interesting white water, great mountain scenery, fish and fantastic camping make the Waiau rafting trip hard to turn down. With a surprise around every corner, the river provides a great trip for an outdoors oriented family or a group of friends or workmates.

The Waiau offers a bit of everything for everyone. Scenic flight or hike in, great camping, stunning gorges to raft through, small to medium rapids and 'The Narrows' for the adventurous.

With a favoured position on the east coast of the country, the river is less subject to weather and river conditions. While we often raft the river as a 3 day, 2 night option that allows you to enjoy the great camp sites and soak up the river travel, you're free to choose a timetable that best suits you or your group. Choose a 1 day, heli-in, raft-out option or choose to stay several nights on the water.

The river passes through several gorges and open valleys with gentle waves and some Grade 2-3 rapids. 'The Narrows', a section of water midway through the Gorge, is an extraordinary stretch of water well known to locals. Here, the river is only a couple of metres wide (the same width as the raft!), with several Grade 3-4+ rapids at the entrance; pure adrenaline. If, however, you or your friends are a little fazed by 'The Narrows', there is an option to take a short hike and re-board the rafts after this section.

Suggested Itinerary

The headwaters of the Waiau flow out from mountains in the Lewis Pass region, joining the Hope River on the eastern side of the Lewis Pass, where it flows towards Hanmer Springs. The day before departure, start your trip with a night in Hanmer, a stunning alpine resort town, where you can enjoy the last café you'll see for a while and luxuriate in the natural, springs-fed hot pools. Alternatively you may choose to stay at the Boyle River Lodge Outdoor Centre.

Day 1

Fly in by helicopter to the Waiau headwaters to a spectacular camp site that will be hard to leave behind. Alternatively, for those keen on hiking, the St James Walkway enters the Waiau valley, providing a more active start to your raft trip - you choose.

Day 2

Prepare yourselves for an awesome day, busy navigating your way through rock gardens and viewing spectacular sights as you calmly float down towards 'The Narrows'. Prepare to be awestruck when we beach the rafts at the top of the narrows and look down - 'how can our raft possibly fit through that gap?', you'll ask yourself. Then incredulously, you're navigating the corners of 'The Narrows' and arrive into the still, deep, blue pools at the bottom. After negotiating another small gorge before camp, it's time to sit back and relax, eat, hike or swim, while your guides prepare their unique wild-foods menu for you: locally harvested venison and/or fish, complemented by glazed and stir-fried vegetables - all cooked over an aromatic manuka fire; perfect for baking, grilling or just sitting around and fire gazing.

Day 3

Day 3 sees us in a stunning gorge with numerous waterfalls dropping in and cascading down all the way out to the Hope river. Raft out to the junction of the Hope and Waiau Rivers and if the weather's kind, float on all the way down to Hanmer.

Testimonials

"This year (2007) our "Golden Oldies" group rafted the Waiau River eventually meeting up with the Hope River and on to the Hanmer Plain area. A superb time was had by all in a beautiful part of the country seldom seen by the average traveller. The combination of working together on the camp sites and the rafts, the exhilaration and thrills of the rafting itself, the gourmet camp cooking together with the wonderful humour and warm fellowship engendered leave you with a great sense of achievement and satisfaction for some time afterwards.

With such companionable and resourceful guys as Austen Deans (91), Norman Hardie and Guy Cotter of Himalayan fame now in their 80's and many others in their 60's and 70's, all of whom contribute to the full, this truly is a "Golden Oldies" experience leaving us with such rich memories to savour in later years. Thanks Southy. Long may they continue."
Brent Bruce ( A young 'GO')