The Thrills and Spills of White Water Rafting in Christchurch, New Zealand

About 2 hours drive from Christchurch you will find the Rangitata River. It's located near Geraldine, a beautiful area of the South Island with some stunning landscapes and natural features on view. The river is also perfectly suited for white water rafting with a number of exhilarating rapids to go with the flat sections that are great for practising your skills or getting a well-earned breather.

Most operators that take rafting trips on the Rangitata River take you to and from Christchurch in a shuttle. Like most white water rafting trips, it can be intense at times and without needing to be a professional athlete, it helps if you are reasonably fit. The more you put in, the more you will get out of this experience, so if flying down gushing rapids is your kind of thing, then you're going to have a great time.

The day starts off with a shuttle picking you up from Christchurch early in the morning. From here it's a simple but pleasant drive through the countryside on your way to the Rangitata River. Once reaching the river, you drive further up it to a lodge where you will start your day of activities.

The first thing that needs organising is your equipment. This consists of things like a wetsuit, helmet, life jacket etc. They may not be the most comfortable or fashionable but the water can be cold so you'll definitely appreciate it. After being kitted out, you'll be split into groups that will make up those on your raft. It's great if you've got a bunch of friends to go with but if not, you'll probably meet some new ones by the end of the day anyway.

Driving further up the river you'll arrive at the point where you'll be starting your journey. It's here that you'll get your first taste of rafting. Each raft has one instructor who sits at the back of the raft, helps you avoid rocks, cracks jokes, ensures safety and in general makes sure you have a great time. Your instructor will brief you all on the basics, which include things like paddling, lunging to one side and pulling people back into the raft if they fall out (which can and probably will happen). You get plenty of chance to practise all these things as you gently make your way down a long calm patch of the river.

After everyone in your raft is confident with the skills, it's time to hit your first rapids! This is definitely the most exciting part and what makes people come back for more. It's a real adrenaline rush as your raft is thrown through the rapids, you can feel the power of the water as you bump up and down and side to side with each dip and change of direction. The instructors do a great job of keeping you on the right path although you'll have to help them out when they need it, some rapid paddling is required to get through some of the tough spots.

As you head further down the river, you'll get to enjoy a lot more exciting rapids that really get the heart going. Sometimes they can be so intense that people fall out or rafts flip over, this isn't uncommon and the instructors will alert you if you need to pick up someone that went overboard. The risk factor is all part of the excitement but at no stage does it fell dangerous. The strength (or grading) of the river changes throughout the year but will always give you some very challenging sections of white water.

The main part of the trip lasts for a couple of hours before the river flattens out and you get the chance to have a bit of fun with the other rafts, i.e. splashing them with your oars or throwing their instructor in the water. You may also get the chance to jump off some very high rocks or float down sections of the river out of the raft (this is when you'll be glad you're in a wetsuit).

After loading the rafts onto the trailers, you'll head back up to the lodge for a well-earned barbeque. By this stage you should be exhausted, just managing to stay in the raft all day can be hard work! After some laughs and a few final words it's time to head home. You get the opportunity to buy photos taken of your rafts, which is a nice touch, albeit a slightly expensive one.

Going down the rapids is a truly awesome experience and one that you'll be raving to your friends about for weeks. White water rafting comes highly recommended for anyone visiting Christchurch and looking for something exciting to try.

Listed below are more articles related to the above article from the "River Rafting Kayaking" article category.

People interested in the above article "The Thrills and Spills of White Water Rafting in Christchurch, New Zealand" are also interested in the related articles listed below:

 

Inflatable Kayak Review - The Best Cheap Kayaks

The fastest growing trend in the kayaking industry is clearly the use of inflatable kayaks. Today's technology makes these inflatable crafts more rugged and maneuverable, while remaining lightweight and portable. Even seasoned kayakers are gradually making the switch to inflatable kayaks.

White Water Rafting Adventure - 7 Tips For Taking the Ride of Your Life

Ever wonder about jumping in with both feet and taking a whitewater rafting adventure? The beginner can have just as much fun and excitement as the seasoned expert. The following 7 tips will help get you safely prepared to take the ride of your life.

Whitewater Kayaking Safety

Kayaking is on the rise, as it offers the best in outdoor activities full of thrills and spills. Chasing the spray meets much of today's need for exciting sports, but being responsible and knowing basic safety rules about kayaking can make the difference between a great trip and one where someone lands in an emergency situation.

Learning to Kiss the Rock or Buy A New Kayak

Paddling a river is an immense joy because you get an intimate feel of the power of nature below you in the flowing water. Ah, but what if mother nature throws you a curve?

Getting In and Out of Eddies When Kayaking

If you are just getting into kayaking, you should know that eddies are your friend. No, eddie is not a person. It is a natural rest stop on a river.

Kayaking From One Side of the River to the Other

There you are standing on the shore. A hundred feet across the river on the other shore sit your buddies. And they have the food and beverages! How do you get across?

White Water Rafting Scotland

White water rafting is fun, exciting, dangerous and now Scotland has placed itself firmly on the map as the place to do it. Since the early 1970s white water rafting has become a sport that has grown rapidly year on year. Places such as River Tummel in Scotland are now home to thousands of tourists and experienced rafters alike who take to the water each year.