A great introduction to rafting and the river environment. A perfect trip for first timers, even the most hesitant will enjoy this experience. See first hand how the 7.8 magnitude earthquake in 2016 changed this area, raising one side of the river bank a record-breaking 12 metres! The trip takes you through farmland and faultlines, finishing at the pacific ocean.
Allow approximately 4 – 5 hours to experience the bouncy grade 2 water of the lower Clarence/Waiau-Toa as we guide you down this fun section of the river.
For the more adventurous, there are a variety of exciting places to experience river swimming. We provide professional guides and all the white-water equipment needed. A light refreshment is provided along the way. You bring your togs, towel, sunscreen and shoes/sandals to get wet, and a thirst for fun and adventure. You can extend the experience and have a barbecue either before or after the trip.

We also offer an overnight camp and rafting experience

This is an opportunity to experience riverside camping with a little bit of rafting on the side. A fantastic way to introduce kids to the outdoors, this trip is very popular with school groups. Trips run from midday to midday.
This trip is on the same section of river as our half-day trip. We play around on the river and camp part of the way down, completing the journey to the beach the second day. A little bit of rafting and a whole lot of fun each day. There is plenty of time for swimming and jumping. Camp is set up beside the river, cooking is done over a fire, sleep in a tent or under the stars. Clarence River Rafting will supply all food, camping and rafting equipment as well as your transport between our base and the river.

Getting here…

Clarence River Rafting is located on SH1, 40 minutes north of Kaikōura, 1 ½ hours south of Blenheim, or 2 hours from the Cook Strait ferry. Look for the red sign saying Clarence Rafting. Here’s a Google Map of our exact location.
Bring the whole family as many generations as you can find, a bunch of friends or a combination of the two! Get together with a group of workmates, for team-building or to celebrate an occasion with us.
Come and check out the new landscape formed by the earthquake.
If you are planning on entering the Spring Challenge but have never rafted before this trip is a perfect training exercise.
Let us know what you would like to do – we can work with most plans and group sizes. No experience necessary Minimum age is 5 years.