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New Zealand Kayak Trip Details
Here are the details of our New Zealand Kayak Trip. For an
overview, please go to our main New
Zealand Kayak Trip page.
For 11 days, we will tour the country’s South Island, exploring
beautiful rivers and stunning scenery along the way. We start
in Christchurch, the largest city on the South Island. Then we
will drive northwest to Murchison, a small town set in farmlands and
surrounded by rivers. Murchison is a hub for
intermediate-grade whitewater, and the perfect place to begin a
kayaking vacation. Next, we will travel down the West Coast
and arrive near the town of Hokitika, an international kayaking
destination. Here, we get a taste of “West Coast boating”—
paddling through breathtaking gorges with snow-covered mountains in
the background, and then walking on the beach at sunset. We
will complete the tour by driving over scenic Arthur’s pass back to
Christchurch.
Trip Itinerary
- Day 1: We will meet you at the Christchurch airport. Once our
group is together we all take the scenic drive to the lovely
mountain town of Murchison.
- Days 2-6: Murchison is a mecca for kayaking in New Zealand.
With up to 5 rivers and 14 runs we will have plenty of options to
choose from. We should expect to paddle on the Buller and
Matakitaki rivers, and if it has rained a lot, the Mangles and
Maruia as well.
- Day 7: The beauty of a trip to New Zealand is that you are
always surrounded by stunning scenery, even when your in the car.
Today we leave Murchison and head to the coastal town of Hokitika.
We will take our time and enjoy some of the scenic attractions
along the way.
- Days 8-10: Based out of Hokitika, we will explore some of the
pristine wilderness rivers that flow out of the Southern Alps. Hokitika is a world famous kayaking destination not only because
of the abundance of amazing rivers but also because you need a
helicopter to get to most of them. Weather permitting, we will helicopter shuttle
up rivers such as the Wanganui, Taipo, and Hokitika.
- Day 11: Time to head home or off on your own adventure. If you
are flying back to the states we will take you to the airport
(book an evening or night flight if leaving on this day). If
you are staying in New Zealand on your own, we will drop you off
at a car rental agency or tour company in Christchurch. You
will be responsible for booking your own accommodations in
Christchurch for this night.
Instruction
 We
recognize that personal attention and safety come first, and we will
guarantee a client-guide ratio of at most four to one. This will
allow us the flexibility to split into small groups and tailor the
instruction to individual needs. Otter Bar instructor Peter
Kettering will lead the trip. We will work
to improve river running skills while enjoying some of New Zealand’s
finest rivers.
Peter Kettering has been teaching kayaking in the United States and
New Zealand for the past twenty-one years. When he’s not out fishing,
Peter spends his Northern Hemisphere summers instructing at Otter
Bar and paddling local California rivers. In the fall, he heads to
his other home, the South Island of New Zealand, where he teaches
kayaking and other outdoor skills.
Weather
January is the beginning of New Zealand’s summer. Water levels are
usually optimal. Weather is generally warm and sunny but we should
also be prepared for the possibility of rain and cold weather. Days
are long, giving us plenty of daylight to enjoy time on the river
and relaxing evenings afterwards.
Boats, Paddle, and Gear
We have a wide selection of boats for you to choose from; please let
us know what model of kayak you prefer and we will do our best to
have one ready for you.
If you like, you can also bring your own boat. In this case,
airline transport will be your responsibility. We strongly
recommend you bring your own paddle and gear, however basic rental
gear is available in New Zealand if needed. Please see
What
to Bring below.
Accommodations
We will provide shared accommodation (2 or 3 per unit) in quality
hotels everywhere we go in New Zealand. If you prefer a single
accommodation add $375 to the trip cost and let us know when you book
the trip. Bedding will be provided. You may wish to
bring your own towel to use after kayaking. All hotels have
hot water and include kitchenettes with cooking facilities and
refrigerators.
Food
We will provide simple breakfasts and lunches and leave dinner up to
you. For example: cereal, milk, fruit, yogurt, toast and jam
(or Vegemite) for breakfast and a sandwich bar with fruit for lunch. There will be
restaurants and grocery stores close to our hotel if you want to add
to that or do your own thing. In the evenings you can either
make a nice meal in one of the kitchens at the hotel or sample some
of the local food at one of the many restaurants in town.
Other Considerations
We realize you'll come a long way to get to New Zealand and we
encourage you to come early and/or stay longer to enjoy this
spectacular country. We're happy to share our insider's
knowledge and can help you plan a relaxing or
adventurous itinerary for your extended vacation.
New Zealand is a very safe and clean country. Crime rates are
extremely low. Most of the South Island is rural and we will
be staying in small towns with the exception of Christchurch, which
you should approach like any other city in the world. You can drink
water from the taps. There are very few biting or stinging
creatures; there aren’t even any poisonous plants.
The one real annoyance is the sand fly. Yup, if you haven’t
heard about New Zealand’s reputation as host to nasty biting sand
flies, you will soon be acquainted with them. Sand flies can
range from mildly bothersome to really bad, but are usually only a
problem around the river. To prevent bites, we recommend
wearing long pants and shirts while kayaking, even a thin pair of
long underwear will suffice. Bug repellents work too.
What to Bring
- Personal paddling gear including paddle, helmet, PFD, spray
skirt, dry top, river shoes, and underlayers suitable for warm to
cool weather kayaking (including a wetsuit if you usually wear
one). Rental gear is available, however, we strongly
recommend you bring your personal equipment.
- Street clothing to accommodate for conditions ranging from
warm summer weather to cold and rainy.
- Personal items such as toiletries, sunglasses, medications,
camera, things you'll ordinarily travel with, etc.
- If you are bringing electric items such as cameras, electric
razors, etc. check with your local electronics store to find an
appropriate converter or adapter.
- New Zealand is an easy country in which to travel. In most
places you can pick up anything you need or may have forgotten.
Dress is casual.
Sign Up!
 To secure a space on this fabulous trip please fill out the Otter
Bar sign up sheet and send in your deposit of $400. The balance is
due by December 1st. A 45 day cancellation policy allows those
who are on the waiting list an opportunity to go on the trip.
You will get a full refund minus $100 if you cancel more than 45
days prior to the trip. There will be no refund if you cancel
less than 45 days prior to the trip. We recommend getting
travel insurance in the event that you get hurt or sick and are
unable to go. (Please send us your flight information by email or
phone).
Custom trips and dates are available upon request. If interested,
please contact Peter Kettering directly at
.
All New Zealand photos on this page by Jason Arbetter & Traycee
Bowerman.
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