Canoeing, kayaking and White Water Rafting

A Canoe is open and is made for two persons. A kayak has place for one person only and isn’t, except for the place the person has to sit, open.

Canoeing is in particular popular on the northern island. Many opportunities are at hand to kayak, on both the islands. Many backpacker hostels near the waterfront rent them out and offer tours.

Sea kayaking is popular on both the islands as well. Some popular places are: Hauraki Gulf (east of Auckland, Northland & Auckland), Marlborough Sounds (Marlborough & Nelson) and in the fiords of the southwestern part of the southern island.

It is also a possibility to do white water kayaking. Although it is not as easy as it sounds to undertake; it requires some skills, so training. A better possibility when looking for white water is white water rafting. There are loads of opportunities to undertake this. The best place to do it is the south of the southern island, some hotspots are: Rangitatata River and the Kawarau River (Otago & Southland). A good place to raft on the northern island is Kaituna Cascades near Rotorua (Bay of Plenty & East Coast). Some rivers are more exiting than the others, therefore some raft tracks are not allowed to be attended by children.

Additional information can be found on the following sites: http://www.rivers.org.nz; http://www.nz-rafting.co.nz; http://www.seakayak.org.nz.