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North Island

Start: Rotorua
Travel Time: 5 hours
Difficulty: 5
Minimum Age: 13 Maximum Weight: 120 kg

The Kaituna River Rafting & Hell’s Gate Combo is a Rotorua adventure package featuring approximately one hour of guided Grade 5 rafting, followed by admission to Hell’s Gate geothermal mud baths and hot pools. Rafting equipment and spa entry are included. Guests must contact Hell’s Gate directly to reserve their visit time.

Grade 5 Kaituna River Rafting & Hell’s Gate Mud Baths

Take on the Kaituna River with Kaituna Cascades, a rafting operator established in 1991. The guided trip packs 14 rapids and a famous 7-metre waterfall into approximately one hour on the water, making it an action-filled introduction to Rotorua’s white-water adventures.

After the river, enjoy a change of pace at Hell’s Gate. Its geothermal mud baths draw on Māori healing traditions associated with the area for more than 800 years, while the naturally heated hot pools offer time to unwind. With both experiences included in one package, you can enjoy two very different sides of Rotorua in the same day.

Tour Highlights

  • Grade 5 Kaituna River rafting
  • Raft a 7-metre waterfall
  • Navigate 14 rapids
  • One hour on the river
  • Hell’s Gate mud baths
  • Naturally heated hot pools
  • Spa admission included

Rafting

  • Experienced rafting guides
  • Wetsuits and footwear
  • Warm fleece and splash jackets
  • Rafts and paddles
  • Lifejackets and helmets

Hell’s Gate

  • Admission ticket

What to Bring

  • Swimwear
  • Towel
  • Comfortable change of clothes

Rafting details

  • Meeting location: Kaituna Cascades, 18 Okere Falls Road, Rotorua
  • Time on the river: Approximately 1 hour
  • Difficulty: Grade 5 white-water rafting

Hell’s Gate details

  • Admission: Mud baths and hot pools included in the combo price.
  • Advance reservation required: Call Hell’s Gate on +64 7 345 3151 to reserve your visit time.

Participation Requirements

  • Maximum weight: 120 kg
  • Not suitable for pregnant women
  • Not suitable for people with certain medical conditions, including heart problems
  • 24 hours or more before departure: 80% refund**
  • Within 24 hours: No refund

Note: **Any refund approved under our terms and conditions will be subject to a 5% admin & processing fee, which will be deducted from the refund amount.

Please see more information on refunds and cancellations in Go New Zealand's terms and conditions.

Frequently asked questions

Bring swimwear, a towel and a comfortable change of clothes for the Kaituna River Rafting & Hell’s Gate Combo. Kaituna Cascades provides wetsuits, footwear, warm layers, lifejackets and helmets for the rafting experience. Swimwear is not supplied, so remember to bring your own for both the rafting and geothermal bathing activities.

The rafting experience starts at Kaituna Cascades, 18 Okere Falls Road, Rotorua. Arrive 15 minutes before your selected rafting departure to check in and prepare for the river. Hell’s Gate is a separate attraction, and you must reserve your spa visit time directly with Hell’s Gate before arriving.

The Kaituna River rafting experience is graded Grade 5 and includes 14 rapids and a 7-metre waterfall. You’ll paddle with an experienced guide and receive safety equipment and instructions before entering the river. Participants must meet the operator’s health and weight requirements, including a maximum weight of 120 kg.

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