White Water Rafting - Kaituna Cascades, The Originals
Overview
Available languages
2 hours
Mobile ticket
Kaituna Cascades was the original company to explore and start rafting the Kaituna River, and is still locally owned and operated by two current raft guides - so you know you'll be in great hands!!
No where in the world can you raft down such a beautiful river that drops into a vertical walled canyon filled with raftable waterfalls and countless playful rapids. The water is deep and warm (most of the year) and is usually a highlight of peoples visit to NZ. All of our guides are handpicked, highly skilled professionals that come from an extreme whitewater background in Kayaking and Rafting. We will give you the safest and most entertaining trip on the river!
This is also most definitely the best value for money rafting in NZ too.
Our aim is have FUN, So come join us for this EPIC once in a lifetime experience.
Cheers & see you on the river - Pete & Blue
Additional Info
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Availability is all year round - Warm water in the summer and cooler in the winter (more gear provided)
MUST be under 120 kgs
Not recommended for non swimmers
NO expectant mothers
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Join us for the most unique and beautiful whitewater rafting experience in New Zealand! The famous Kaituna River is a rafters dream – a 50 minute action packed ride down 11 epic rapids, 3 wild waterfalls – One of which is the highest rafted waterfall in the world at 7 meters. All of this in a deep, usually warm water jungle canyon! All this with our legendary guides & you’ve got yourself the perfect day out! This is an exciting GRADE 5 RAFTING EXPERIENCE. We have a weight limit of 120 kgs and minimum age of 13yrs old - up to 65 years of age Our sweet Rafting Base in Okere Falls is in an awesome sunny location, surrounded by a scenic reserve and backs onto the shores of the Kaituna. We are the closest and most accessible company to the river. The native scenic reserve has a beautiful walking trail which you can view many rapids of the Kaituna River & there is even an amazing café around the corner. This makes for a great half day trip out to this stunning region of Rotorua. Also please note – This is an exciting GRADE 5 RAFTING EXPERIENCE and is NOT SUITED FOR OLDER OR BIGGER PEOPLE, or people that aren’t comfortable in the water. We have a weight limit of 120 kgs.
What‘s Included
Local, professional & highly trained guides
Custom built rafts, wetsuits, helmets, lifejackets, paddles, fleece tops, wetsuit booties, and splash jackets
Digital photos (Available to purchase)
Glasses Strap $5
Rent a Towel $5
Go Pro Harness Hire $5
Other Souvenirs (T-shirt etc)
Options
Rotorua White Water Rafting on the Kaituna River
Option 1: Ever wanted to Raft a 7m waterfall? Join the original Kaituna Rafting Company for an unbeatable grade 5 white-water experience on one of New Zealand's most exciting and beautiful rivers!
Reviews
1,263 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Rafting
christinamR9055BM,,Jan 19, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Great team and our guide Malcolm was amazing. The crew are amazing. Would definitely recommend it. They explained everything and clearly.
Exciting with experienced guide
colinparryuk,,Jan 19, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Great fun - just three of us this time with Mrs P and I adding to the average age. Safe yet challenging would be my take. Cole was a great guide and we had some Ohio State graduates adding to the party atmosphere. The big falls was exactly that and the other rapids fun. Options to float and swim down sections- Mrs P did the swimming and helps to be a confident swimmer (who knows the difference between left and right…). Great fun
Amazing
10RachaelG,,Jan 18, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00⸻ Kaituna Rafting was absolutely excellent from start to finish. We spent the whole day rafting on both rivers, and it was an unforgettable experience. Our guide, Josh, was incredible. I was a bit nervous at first, but he immediately put me at ease. We were fully trained on all the commands before setting off, which made me feel confident and safe once we hit the water. Wow — what an experience! Both rivers were amazing and completely different in their own way, so it’s hard to choose a favourite. Going down the 6-metre waterfall was an absolute highlight and something I’ll never forget. I can’t recommend this highly enough. If you’re thinking about doing it, just do it — such a fantastic, adrenaline-filled experience from an outstanding team. 🌊🚣♀️
Kaituna River – Epic rafting and unforgettable waterfall drop
lucy e,,Jan 18, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I had an amazing time white water rafting on the Kaituna River — it was an absolute adrenaline rush from start to finish. The rapids were intense and so much fun, but the highlight was definitely going over the incredible 9-metre waterfall. It was such an unforgettable moment and made the whole experience feel extra special. Everything was really well organised, and we felt well prepared before getting on the water. Our guide Josh was fantastic — energetic, friendly, and extremely professional. He explained everything clearly, kept the mood fun, and made sure we felt safe the entire time. His confidence and knowledge of the river made a huge difference. I would highly recommend rafting the Kaituna River with Kaituna Cascades to anyone looking for an exciting and unique adventure. I’d absolutely love to do it again! — Lucy
Grade 5 rafting
U8045OTmeganm,,Jan 18, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Great time all round!! Bal was particularly fun with his friendly personality. Went the extra mile to make sure we had a fun experience. Very kind to all despite different levels of abilities. Would highly recommend.
Flynn was our guide and...
Deanna B,,Jan 15, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Flynn was our guide and he did a great job. Gave just enough instruction to keep everybody safe and having a good time!
Add this experience to your trip immediately!
georgiahM8154WP,,Jan 15, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Was one of the best experiences ever! Worth every cent! Our guide was Cobba funny as! You can tell these blokes love their job which made our experience so fun. We felt very safe with everything explained prior to each stage in the experience! Thankyou so much for a great morning guys
Rushing and Gushing down through and over the Rapids of The Kaituna with Malcolm and friends!
lawrencef301,,Jan 13, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00An amazing experience! Well organized. Massive adrenaline rush! Malcolm our guide was great. We were the only raft of the 6 to capsize on the big falls but…. although a bit scary it was SO MEMORABLE! We all got back on (including Malcolm thankfully) and finished the ride with yet more thrills notably swimming the rapids and raft surfing the rapids straight up… we took all our photos so our memories will not just be in our heads but visibly shareable with friends and family!
What Kifffff
aurélie b,,Jan 12, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00That was amazing! Adrenaline but safe! We've been through a kiff! The team is attentive and very experienced. Joy in this whole team!
Epic!
T4419TLmichaels,,Jan 12, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Epic experience, highly recommend going if you are staying near by! Our rafting guide, Bal, was the man. He put in the extra effort to make it the white water rafting experience of a lifetime. Price was reasonable at about 60 USD per person for about an hour of fun. Definitely make this a priority visit on your next stay in NZ!
From NZ$135.00
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