River Ratings
Our Rivers allow us to travel through otherwise inaccessible, pristine wilderness areas………
Abundant: Rivers are a defining feature of the New Zealand landscape. There are many, and in such a small country they are never far away. New Zealand’s entire river network consists of over 425,000 kilometers (264,000 miles) of river. Our magnificent mountains and untamed wilderness areas are criss-crossed by 1,500 navigable rivers offering a network of aquatic highways for exploring the country.
Fast Flowing: New Zealand has a remarkably rugged landscape – the rapid uplift of the land to form mountains has left it with few flat areas and thus rivers are fast-flowing and with huge fluctuations in rainfall, seemingly innocuous rivers and side streams that drain even moderate catchments can easily be turned into raging torrents – joining experienced expedition
River Sources: Our Rivers have a variety of different types of sources, each offering different characteristics. These range from Glacial, Spring and Lake fed from Mountainous, Hill and low elevation water sheds.
River Grades: Our wild rivers are small by continental standards but have deceptively steep descents. This produces short, fast rapids from Grades 1 to 5, generally followed by slow moving pools that provide a respite from the thrills and spills. Like all rivers fed by spring snowmelt and heavy rain they are subject to sudden increases in depth and flow rates.
1: Calm, rippling water, rafted for social value only.
2: Rippling, cascading whitewater.
3: Adventurous whitewater, 1-2 metre waves, maneuvering to negotiate the rapids is required.
4: Exciting, challenging, difficult rapids with precise and sequential maneuvering required.
5: Adrenalin rush, powerful rapids. Complex, precise and powerful sequential maneuvering is required.
6: Commercially unraftable.
