This Wild And Crazy Adventure Should Be Mandatory For Anyone Visiting New Zealand

Nearly everything ever published about New Zealand depicts scenic and pristine landscapes along with a friendly and accepting culture. It’s all true. My experience comprised of 6 others packed into a rental RV for 8 days as we drove throughout the entirety of the south island. Along the way, we came across one of the most exciting and exhilarating parts of the trip (the most exciting will follow in another post shortly!)

Our time at Rangitata Rafts was full of BBQ, beer, and rafting down white water rapids. There was some hesitation among the group since none of us had ever went rafting before. Nonetheless, we pushed forward and took the risk to experience what would be one of the highlights of the trip.

Rangitata Rafts

Rangitata Rafts is located in South Canterbury, New Zealand just 70 miles outside of Christchurch. When you first arrive you will be greeted and placed into an orientation where instructors will inform you of the itinerary. You will decide what class you wish to ride: either Class II or Class V.

For more info about river classifications, click to expand.
The International Scale of River Difficulty depicts how to accurately classify a river so one knows what to expect for each class. While this chart includes Class VI, its existence is commonly disputed among those in the rafting community. If you are thinking about traveling with your family and small children or older adults, have no fear! Rangitata Rafts also sports a Class II track with is still fun, but doesn’t include the potentially hazardous conditions as the Class V.

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You’ll then be sized for a wetsuit, helmet, shoes, and other gear that you will need. I was able to mount an epoxy strip on the top of my helmet so my GoPro could sit on top. Definitely worth it! Throughout the adventure, we had a total of 3 people fall off of the raft. It was hilarious, but only after following the instructions that we were taught in orientation of how to rescue someone who has gone overboard. My video below will show you first-hand what it was like.

In addition to a wild and crazy day, Rangitata Rafts offers lodging options as well as photos of your journey that are available for purchase. There is a photographer that will follow you as you make your way down the river and snap some incredible photos of you along the way. We made the purchase and ended up with some amazing shots of a moment in time that none of us will soon forget.