Hidden away in upper Kaituna river, in a little warehouse on the side of the road, is Rotorua Rafting. You would never know that these guys will give you the adrenaline rush OF YOUR LIFE in just a few hours.
Dad and I were determined to have the ultimate adventure holiday, so I had prebooked us in, and I was super freaking excited. I had done white water rafting before on the Sydney Olympic purpose built run, and in the Phang Nga region of Thailand, but nothing promised to be this epic.
My poor dad had never done white water rafting before. I was totally throwing him into the deep end. Kaituna is Level 5. A quick google gives you this description:
Class 5: Whitewater, large waves, large volume, possibility of large rocks and hazards, possibility of a large drop, requires precise maneuvering. (Skill level: Full mastery of rafting)
The only higher level is 6.
So why is it such a high rating? Might be the 7 meter (22 foot) waterfall we plunge over. Tutea Falls is the highest commercially rafted waterfall in the world. And I was making my totally inexperienced Dad raft over it. In the front seat. Time for both of us to #bebrave!
It all started out pretty tame. Heading over some rapids, little waterfalls. It got more and more fun as we went along! Then it escalated quite quickly when we went over Tutea Falls. Check out these pics of the Tutea Falls (and our epic boat flip) and a short vid of the highlights (courtesy of my gopro on my dad’s helmet). Spot the moment when Dad stays under the water a little too long…
It was such a fun experience! Especially when they let you go down a few rapids, head first on your belly. If you’re in the Rotorua area, definitely check them out!
