Mokau River

Location: New Zealand’s North Island in King Country

The Mokau river flows through the heart of the King Country, about 45 minutes south of Waitomo Caves on the North Island of New Zealand.

Level of Difficulty: Class III-IV / Intermediate

The Mokau River is rated Class IV, but consists mainly of Class III rapids with just a few Class IV interspersed. It is a great rafting trip for experienced and beginner rafters alike.

The Canyon: Native Bush Land below Waiere Falls

The Mokau is one of the only commercially-rafted rivers in New Zealand that runs primarily through farm land and native bush land. Boats float past rolling hills of waving grass and bare witness to some of New Zealand’s rich farming and Maori culture. The put in for this whitewater rafting trip is at the base of Waiere Falls, a scenic destination in and of itself. The rapids are mainly Class III, with several sharp Class IV drops to get the adrenalin pumping along the way.

Season: November – March

Rafting trips on the Mokau are available in the Southern Hemisphere’s summer, from November through March.