Section:

Mangatutu Hot Springs to Ripia bridge

Grade

  II +

Distance:

12 km

Time:

3-4 hours

Get-in:

Mangatutu Hot Springs at the end of Hotspring Road

Get-out:

Pakatutu bridge

Alternative access:

None

Hazards:

None

Flow

Possible at any flow, gets boney with a low flow

Mobile phone coverage:

 None

Notes:

Description:

Graham Charles - New Zealand Whitewater - 100 Great Kayaking Runs: Mentioned as part of the “upper run”.

Deep sided river valley through native bush and farmland

Section:

Pakatutu to Riverlands

Grade

  II - III

Distance:

Time:

4-6 hours

Get-in:

Pakatutu bridge

Get-out:

Riverlands

Alternative access:

None

Hazards:

None

Flow

Possible at any flow, gets boney with a low flow

Mobile phone coverage:

 None

Notes:

Description:

Graham Charles - New Zealand Whitewater - 100 Great Kayaking Runs: Mentioned as part of the “upper run”.

Deep sided river valley through native bush and farmland

Section:

McVicars to Fishermen’s

Grade

  II – II+

Distance:

Time:

3 - 4 hours

Get-in:

McVicars above Napier Taupo Road bridge

Get-out:

Fishermen’s on Waitara Road

Alternative access:

None

Hazards:

None

Flow

Possible at any flow, gets boney with a low flow

Mobile phone coverage:

 None

Notes:

Description:

Deep sided river valley through native bush and farmland

Section:

Fishermen’s to Bridget’s

Grade

  II+ - III

Distance:

km

Time:

3-4 hours

Get-in:

Fishermen’s on Waitara Road

Get-out:

Bridget’s on Glenfalls Road off Waitara Road

Alternative access:

None

Hazards:

None

Flow

Possible at any flow, gets boney with a low flow

Mobile phone coverage:

 Top of tar seal on Waitara Road and Bridget’s

Notes:

Description:

Deep sided river valley through native bush and farmland

Section:

Te Hoe Section (Bridget’s to Te Hoe River)

Grade

  III+

Distance:

  km

Time:

4 - 6 hours

Get-in:

Bridget’s on Glenfalls Road off Waitara Road

Get-out:

End of Waitara Road at Mohaka Bridge

Alternative access:

None

Hazards:

None

Flow

Possible at any flow, except extreme high flows

Mobile phone coverage:

At Bridget’s

Notes:

 Worthwhile, eyeballing Te Hoe drop

Description:

Deep sided river valley through native bush and farmland

Section:

Willow Flat Section

Grade

  IV

Distance:

   km

Time:

3-4 hours

Get-in:

Haliburton station end of Haliburton Road

Get-out:

Willow Flat bridge

Alternative access:

None

Hazards:

Plenty of under cut rocks

Flow

Enjoyable from low flows through to high flows, but not at extreme high flows

Mobile phone coverage:

 None

Notes:

 Worthwhile eyeballing Weir, Longrapid and Shark’s tooth

Description:

Graham Charles - New Zealand Whitewater - 100 Great Kayaking Runs: Mentioned as part of the “Te Hoe to Willow Flat”.

Deep sided river valley, with huge bolder gardens and gorge sections, through native bush

Section:

Willow Flat to Wairoa bridge

Grade

  II

Distance:

   km

Time:

4-6 hours

Get-in:

Willow Flat Bridge

Get-out:

Wairoa Bridge, river right

Alternative access:

None

Hazards:

Flow

Enjoyable from low flows through to high flows

Mobile phone coverage:

 None

Notes:

 Good DR training

Description:

Deep sided river valley, through native bush and farmland

Section:

Te Hoe River      - bottom gorge to Mohaka River

Grade

  IV

Distance:

   km

Time:

4 -6 hours

Get-in:

Ngatapa Station, access may be granted by Tony Barlow

Get-out:

Mohaka River to Waitara Road

Alternative access:

Carter Holt Forest, Te Hoe Road

Hazards:

Plenty

Flow

Possible at spring and autumn flows, too boney at low flows

Mobile phone coverage:

 None

Notes:

 Spectacular scenery, very remote

Description:

Deep sided river valley and major gorges through native bush and forestry

Section:

Te Hoe River      - Air strip to Mohaka  River

Grade

  IV

Distance:

   km

Time:

7 -9 hours

Get-in:

Carter Holt Forest, Te Hoe Road

Get-out:

Mohaka River to Waitara Road

Alternative access:

None

Hazards:

Plenty

Flow

Possible at spring and autumn flows, too boney at low flows

Mobile phone coverage:

 None

Notes:

 Spectacular scenery, very remote, watch out for Dinosaur bones

Description:

Deep sided river valley and major gorges through native bush and forestry

Section:

Waipunga (Napier-Taupo Highway)     - Gorge Section

Grade

  III – IV flow dependent

Distance:

   km

Time:

4 hours

Get-in:

Napier-Taupo Highway, Tarawera, bridge at confluence of Mokomokonui and Waipunga

Get-out:

Bridget’s on Mohaka, Glenfalls Road off Waitara Road

Alternative access:

Hazards:

Strainers

Flow

Spring and autumn flows, too boney at low flows

Mobile phone coverage:

 None

Notes:

Description:

Small, interesting river, gets pushy at higher flows in gorge section

Section:

Waipunga (Napier-Taupo Highway)     - Road Sections

Grade

  III

Distance:

   km

Time:

3-4 hours

Get-in:

Napier-Taupo Highway, (1.Waipunga bridge from Taupo)

Get-out:

Napier-Taupo Highway, any bridge before Tarawera

Alternative access:

Any where on the road

Hazards:

Strainers

Flow

Spring and autumn flows, too boney at low flows

Mobile phone coverage:

 None

Notes:

Description:

Small, interesting river

Section:

Ngaruroro         - Oxbow

Grade

  II

Distance:

   km

Time:

1 hours

Get-in:

Campsite east of Kuripapango

Get-out:

Ngaruroro bridge at Kuripapango

Alternative access:

None

Hazards:

None

Flow

Any flow, but too boney at low flows

Mobile phone coverage:

 None

Notes:

 Walkable shuttle

Description:

Deep sided river valley through native bush

Section:

Ngaruroro - Gorge

Grade

  III+

Distance:

   km

Time:

7-10 hours

Get-in:

Ngaruroro Bridge at Kuripapango

Get-out:

Turn left at the bridge at Whanawhana and drive down to river.

Alternative access:

Hazards:

None

Flow

Flows to be advised, too boney at low flows

Mobile phone coverage:

 None

Notes:

 1.5 hours paddle out from last rapid, river divides Ruahine and Kaweka Range

Description:

Deep sided river valley and gorges through native bush

Section:

Ngaruroro - Boyds to Kuripapango

Grade

  III

Distance:

   km

Time:

2-3 days

Get-in:

Fly to Boyds air strip

Get-out:

Ngaruroro bridge at Kuripapango

Alternative access:

Helicopter to other hut sites on the Ngaruroro

Hazards:

None

Flow

Flows to be advised, too boney at low flows

Mobile phone coverage:

 None

Notes:

 Excellent multi day trip through native bush

Description:

Starts as tussock country and turns into steep river valley and gorges through native bush

Section:

Taruarau (Napier-Taihape Road)

Grade

 IV

Distance:

   km

Time:

6-7 hours

Get-in:

Taruarau bridge on Napier-Taihape Road

Get-out:

Turn left at the bridge at Whanawhana and drive down to river.

Alternative access:

None

Hazards:

Cold

Flow

Possible at spring and autumn flows, too boney at low flows, best to be paddle at high flows

Mobile phone coverage:

 None

Notes:

 Smaller, tighter version of Ngaruroro with technical gorges, plenty of warm clothes

Description:

Gorges through native bush and farmland

Section:

Rangitikei (Napier-Taihape Road)

Grade

  IV see Graham Charles

Distance:

  10 km

Time:

2-4 hours

Get-in:

Matawhero Road where it joins the river

Get-out:

River Valley Lodge

Alternative access:

 None

Hazards:

 None

Flow

Minimum 1 on gage, class IV (2-6 on gage), class IV+ - V (4-12 on gage)

Mobile phone coverage:

 None

Notes:

Description:

Graham Charles - New Zealand Whitewater - 100 Great Kayaking Runs: Rangitikei River – Gorge Run

Technical tight bedrock gorge