We are located at The Rafting Centre, 133 Atirau Road, Tūrangi – just off State Highway 1 on the south side of town. Find us on Google Maps. Please park your vehicle in our car park across the road from our building.
Tūrangi is a 45 minute drive south of Taupō on State Highway 1. We offer pickups across Tūrangi town.
For a pickup from Taupō, please contact us – we may be able to assist depending on group size and location. For National Park, transport services like My Waka Your Waka are recommended.
You can book online through our booking page, call us on 0800 10 10 24 (free), or email info@trr.co.nz. We recommend booking in advance to secure your spot, especially during peak times, weekends, and school holidays.
If you booked directly with us, our cancellation policy is set out on our terms and conditions page. If you booked through a third party provider, please refer to their cancellation policy.
Yes – we have clean, modern changing rooms at our Tūrangi base where you can change before and after your trip. Please note we do not have showers onsite. Leave your belongings safely in our secure storage while you’re on the water.
Rain does not normally impact our trips – you’re on a river and getting wet is part of the experience! Heavy, prolonged rain leading to unsafe conditions may result in cancellation for your safety, in which case we will contact you, reschedule, or provide a full refund.
Yes. Our team capture photos throughout your trip, available for purchase at the base when you return.
Grade 3 is the middle of the rafting scale – genuinely thrilling with real rapids, but no extreme drops or technical skills required. It’s widely considered the sweet spot for first-timers: exciting enough to be memorable, safe enough for anyone in reasonable health. Our guides will coach you through everything before you hit the water.
For our Grade 3 White Water trip, the minimum age is 11-12 years with 1:1 adult supervision, and 13 years and over unsupervised. For younger children, our Grade 2 Family Rafting trip is available from age 5 with adult supervision.
None at all. Our Grade 3 trip is designed for first-timers and experienced rafters alike. A moderate level of fitness is recommended – you need to be able to follow paddle commands and safety instructions throughout. You’ll get a full safety briefing and coaching session before you hit the water.
Just swimwear, a towel, and any emergency medication you may need (including asthma inhalers, EpiPens, heart medication or insulin). We supply everything else – wetsuit, polar fleece, splash jacket, river shoes, helmet, and life jacket. In colder months we also provide socks and gloves.
The full experience is around 4 hours from check-in to finish. You’ll spend 2-2.5 hours on the water, rafting 13km of the Tongariro River.
Yes – we welcome non-swimmers. You’ll be wearing a life jacket at all times and our guides are trained in water safety and rescue. Just let your guide know before you head out so they can look after you throughout the trip.
We take up to seven people plus a guide in each raft. If you’re after a private rafting experience, please contact us directly.
Summer (November – March): 9:00am and 2:00pm. April: 9:00am and 1:00pm. Winter (May – October): 12:00 noon. Departure point: The Rafting Centre, 133 Atirau Rd, Tūrangi.
The minimum age is 5 years old with adult supervision.
For older kids (11+) looking for more of a thrill, check out our Grade 3 White Water Rafting experience.
No maximum age – we regularly have guests in their 70s and 80s on the Family Rafting trip. If you have specific health concerns, please contact us before booking.
Total trip time is 2.5 to 3 hours from check-in to finish, with around 1.5 hours on the water.
Worksafe provides the Health and Safety regulations for Whitewater Rafting. Tongariro River Rafting ™ holds a valid Worksafe Certificate under the Health and Safety at Work (Adventure Activities) Regulations 2016.
AdventureMark, the largest adventure activity certification body in New Zealand, regularly audits Tongariro River Rafting against these regulations.
NZ Rivers Association sets the standard for all New Zealand rafting qualifications and all our guides hold a minimum Grade 3 award.
The Department of Conservation is responsible for preserving New Zealand’s environment. Tongariro River Rafting holds DOC concessions to operate all its outdoor activities.
Tongariro River Rafting also holds a Qualmark Gold Award which recognizes tourism businesses for their commitment to improving economic, social and environmental performance while remaining genuine and authentic
Yes, all our guides hold a minimum New Zealand Rafting Grade 3 award set by the New Zealand River Association.
Every guide must pass this assessment before guiding on New Zealand rivers.
All our guides are trained in swift water rescue and first aid. We carry safety and first aid equipment on every trip and our guides are experienced in emergency response. Your safety is our highest priority.
