Why Raft the Rangitikei River Rather Than ………….?
Over the years, I have lost count of the number of times I have been asked, “What is the best river to raft?”
Whatever the best means. Is it scenery, or excitement, or remoteness? Or is it the most popular?
Sometimes, these questions seek an answer on a planetary scale, such as “Is the Zambezi in Africa better than the Colorado in America?”. Or is the Colorado better than the Tully in Australia? Or is the Tully better than any river in New Zealand, including our own Rangitikei?
And you know what the answer is?
The answer is, it always depends.
Every river is different.
There are steep rocky rivers like the Rangitikei, big volume rivers with few rocks, such as the Zambezi or Colorado, and other rivers with a single spectacular feature but little else, such as New Zealand’s Kaituna.
So that brings me to the question of why raft the Grade 5 (the most challenging rapids commercially rafted) section of the Rangitikei River. The river that flows past the front door of River Valley Lodge. Our home river.
To my mind, and also the minds of the many guides who, over decades, have worked on this section of the Rangitikei, this Grade 5 section is the perfect rafting river.
This 11 km section is the perfect length for an action-packed, half-day trip.
The trip starts easy with numerous Grade 2 and 3 rapids and gets progressively more difficult until you enter the main gorge with its ten major rapids, from Grade 3+ to Grade 5, then a final wind-down section of another six Grade 3 rapids.
There is a jump rock! Every great river rafting trip has a jump rock.
No single feature, such as a waterfall rapid, defines this trip. Instead, each rapid has varying degrees of complexity and excitement.
Your participation as a crew member is required! No holding on and hoping for the best because the best may not happen. You gain great satisfaction from being part of a team that puts your raft where it needs to be and successfully runs major rapids
The scenery is great, but don’t concentrate on that aspect of the trip in the middle of a major rapid!
The trip ends right outside the front door of River Valley Lodge for hot showers, great food and cold beer.
Don’t just take our word for it about the Rangitikei.
Red Bull names the Grade 5 section of the Rangitikei as one of the world’s top eight rafting trips.
So if a white water rafting trip is on your “to do” list when on holiday in New Zealand, whether you are a Kiwi or from overseas travelling around our wonderful country, think carefully about what sort of trip you are after.
There are many choices out there. Will it be the touristy theme park type of rafting experience, or will it be on a wild, undammed river such as the Rangitikei?
Think carefully.
Brian Megaw
