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hawke’s bay
Hawke’s Bay has consummate
style - chic restaurants, world class wines, fine foods and
passionate craftspeople.
The Bay is an unbroken crescent of land between the Mahia
Peninsula and Cape Kidnappers - the world’s largest
accessible gannet colony.
This is ‘Wine Country’ with a warm dry climate that is
perfect for grapes and ideal for visitors. People are drawn to
the twin cities of Napier and Hastings and their acclaimed Art
Deco and Spanish Mission architecture, and to the region’s
forty thriving vineyards.
A network of rivers provides irrigation for viticulture and
cropping and also provides good water for rafting and kayaking.
The Mohaka/Waipunga River run is the most exciting rafting
journey, and is one of the top ten trips in the North Island.
Commercial operators based in Hawke’s Bay, Rotorua and
Ohakune run regular expeditions from 2 - 5 days. The put in for
the Waipunga River is off the Napier-Taupo Road and leads through
Grade 3 rapids into the Mohaka. The Lower Gorge is challenging at
Grade 5 with names like Sharkstooth and Milkshake and a 1˝ hour
section of continuous rapids. Wow! This is an unforgettable
‘trip of a lifetime’ with the luxury of natural hot
springs thrown in.
The Ruakituri River rises in the Urewera wilderness area and
offers a superbly scenic gorge trip starting at Puhoro Station.
Short, sharp Grade 2 and 3 rapids keep the run exciting and
challenging. The river joins the Hangaroa to form the Wairoa
River at Te Reinga where there are unrunable falls.
The Wairoa is a popular paddle from Te Reinga Falls down to
Marumaru Hotel, dropping over numerous short ledge rapids with
dense native bush lining the riverbank.
The Ngaruroro River gorge is an exciting Grade 3 and 4 challenge
putting in at Kuripapango on the Napier-Taihape Road and running
down to the Taruarau River junction. There is an option to carry
on down the braided river section in above average flows, to exit
at Fernhill Bridge inland from Napier. The Ngaruroro Gorge is
considered as one of the top ten North Island whitewater runs.
Once you have enjoyed the scenic splendour of these rollicking
rivers, there are more endless pleasures and gourmet delights in
the bountiful Hawke’s Bay Wine Country.
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