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bay of plenty
Follow the Pacific Coast Highway out of
Auckland and within three hours you will enter a land of blue
skies, balmy temperatures, sparkling seas and sweeping
landscapes.
The Bay of Plenty was well named by Captain Cook. Its abundant
sunshine, surf, sand and unspoiled natural environment make it a
mecca for holidaymakers.
‘The Coast with the Most’ offers oceanic encounters
with dolphins and an active volcano (White Island), along with
diving, fishing, swimming and surfing.
This peaceful corner of New Zealand can also boast some of the
best raging whitewater action in the country. The Wairoa River
flowing into the Bay of Plenty near Tauranga, is one of the top
ten most popular rafting and kayaking rivers in the North Island.
The put in is at McLaren Falls and what follows is a wet, wild
and wonderful ride in very technical Grade 3 - 5 rapids,
including Mother’s Nightmare, Devil’s Elbow and The
Rollercoaster.
The Kaituna River is perfect for rafters seeking a short, swift
blast of extreme Grade 5 whitewater. The river drains Lake
Rotoiti, and is located 20 minutes north-east of Rotorua. It
plunges down a narrow, twisting gorge and cascades over a 7 metre
high waterfall - the highest commercially rafted waterfall in the
world. What a rush!
The section of the Rangataiki River above Murupara offers a world
class day trip that is guaranteed to give you multiple sensations
of fear, fascination, fulfilment and fun. The put in is on
Ngahuinga Road off Kiorenui Road in the Kaingaroa Forest and the
take out is on Otupiri Road through a clearing. The highlights
are several Grade 3, boulder strewn, rock garden rapids, and the
challenging Grade 4 triple chute known as Jeff’s Joy.
Check out the Tarawera River’s bizarre course below the
outlet at Lake Tarawera. Some 3 km downstream, the entire river
disappears into underground surge chambers only to emerge as a
cascade erupting from the side of a vertical rock face. The river
can be run from 10 km below the Tarawera Falls down to the
township of Kawerau and offers good Grade 2 and 3 rapids.
Trips on the Bay of Plenty rivers can be arranged with rafting
companies based in Rotorua and Auckland. These rivers are
massively popular with both rafters and kayakers, so don’t
miss out on this big action attraction.
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