River Valley Lodge is a family-operated adventure lodge located in Rangitikei, North Island, New Zealand. With a focus on providing uplifting and fun experiences, the lodge offers a range of activities including grade 5 whitewater rafting, horsetrekkin...
Products and specialities
White water rafting
Horse riding
Hiking
Spa
Biking
Reviews
There’s only a short window in which to do it, but if you’ve ever wanted to experience the Ngaruroro River in a different way to the slow-moving muddy tidal estuary we see at Clive, River Valley adventure company, based near Taihape are running two-day wilderness rafting trips from Kuripapango, about halfway between Taihape and Napier. Owner Brian Megaw says in this remote area the water is so pristine you can drink it, there’s amazing scenery and dinner is a three-course meal, accompanied by Hawke’s Bay wine, before you settle down for a peaceful night under canvas. It’s not too scary. Most of the rapids are grade three – just technical and lots of fun. But get in quick because by mid-January there’s not enough water to raft it. Most of the gear is supplied. For more information visit www.rivervalley.co.nz
You can trust the guides from this experienced adventure company to give you a good time. Normally, River Valley operates from the Taihape area and most of their multi-day trips are based on the Rangitikei River and vary between grade 2-5. The two-day Mountains to the Vineyards trip is a leisurely adventure on the Ngaruroro River starting high in the Kaweka mountains and finishing on the Heretaunga Plains in the Hawke's Bay. This river runs a short season, so book early. You'll love the skill of these guys.
