Unique Whanganui River Tour

Find Your Adventure

Our favourite trip, relaxed, time to see extras and just appreciate the beauty & tranquillity of the river.
5Day
Adventure
5 Days & 4 Nights
  • All trips are fully guided by our trained Cultural Navigators.
  • Trip can be tailored to accommodate rest days or different stops.
  • Includes three catered meals per day.
  • Tents and bedding are provided. Huts can be booked in advance.
  • Minimum 4 guest per group, maximum 10 guests.
 
Price
$1,370 per person (including GST)


Booking
Check Availability
About Your Adventure
  • Day 1: We’ll meet in Taumarunui for transport to launch site at Ohinepane. On the river, it’s an easy 5-hour canoe journey to the campground at Whakahoro. We’ll relax at the campground, enjoy a rustic dinner, followed by traditional Māori songs and storytelling.
  • Day 2: It’s an easy, 6-hour journey from Whakahoro to the next campground. We’ll break along the way, and your cultural navigator will share stories of the river over lunch. At John Coull campground, you’ll have some time to relax and enjoy the scenery of this remote setting. The surrounding forest is home to kereru, tui and fantail. At dusk, we’ll watch for bats and at night you may hear the brown kiwi call.
  • Day 3: In the morning, we’ll canoe to Mangapurua Landing and take a few hours off the river to walk through the forest to the famous Bridge to Nowhere. Next, we’ll paddle to Tieke Kainga, a small Māori community on the river. We’ll be welcomed onto the marae (meeting house) with a powhiri (a traditional welcoming ceremony). A hangi (a meal cooked on heated stones) can be organised for dinner.
  • Day 4: We’ll take a rest day, where you can relax and explore the surrounding bush and learn about the settlement. Before European colonisation, Tieke was a fortified pā (fort) and trading centre on the Whanganui River.
  • Day 5: This is the most exciting portion of the river! We’ll have rapids to navigate on our 3-hour journey to Pipiriki. Your cultural navigator will teach you how to approach the rapids safely, and we’ll take this leg at a pace that’s comfortable for the group. At Pipiriki, we’ll enjoy a final lunch together before transport back to Taumarunui.
4Day
Adventure
4 Days & 3 Nights
  • All trips are fully guided by our trained Cultural Navigators.
  • Trip can be tailored to accommodate rest days or different stops.
  • Includes three catered meals per day.
  • Tents and bedding are provided. Huts can be booked in advance.
  • Minimum 4 guest per group, maximum 10 guests.
 
Price
$1,220 per person (including GST)


Booking
Check Availability
About Your Adventure
  • Day 1: We’ll meet in Whakahoro and launch our canoes from here. It’s an easy, 2-hour trip to our first campsite at Mangapapa. We’ll relax at the campground, enjoy a rustic dinner, followed by traditional Māori songs and storytelling.
  • Day 2: From Mangapapa, we’ll head to John Coull: a 4-hour journey with a break along the way. At John Coull campground, you’ll have some time to relax and enjoy the scenery of this remote setting. The surrounding forest is home to kereru, tui and fantail. At dusk, we’ll watch for bats and at night you may hear the brown kiwi.
  • Day 3: In the morning, we’ll canoe to Mangapurua Landing and take a few hours off the river to walk through the forest to the famous Bridge to Nowhere. Next, we’ll paddle to Tieke Kainga, a small Māori community on the river. We’ll be welcomed onto the marae (meeting house) with a powhiri (a traditional welcoming ceremony). A hangi (a meal cooked on heated stones) can be organised for dinner.
  • Day 4: This is the most exciting portion of the river! We’ll have rapids to navigate on our 3-hour journey to Pipiriki. Your cultural navigator will teach you how to approach the rapids safely, and we’ll take this leg as a pace that’s comfortable for the group. At Pipiriki, we’ll enjoy a final lunch together before transport back to Taumarunui.
3Day
Adventure
3 Days & 2 Nights
  • All trips are fully guided by our trained Cultural Navigators.
  • Trip can be tailored to accommodate rest days or different stops.
  • Includes three catered meals per day.
  • Tents and bedding are provided. Huts can be booked in advance.
  • Minimum 4 guest per group, maximum 10 guests.
 
Price
$1,020 per person (including GST)


Booking
Check Availability
About Your Adventure
  • Day 1: We’ll meet in Whakahoro and launch our canoes from here. It’s an easy, 6-hour journey to the first campground. We’ll stop along the way, and your cultural navigator will share stories of the river over lunch. At John Coull campground, you’ll have some time to relax and enjoy the scenery of this remote setting. The surrounding forest is home to kereru, tui and fantail. At dusk, we’ll watch for bats and at night you may hear the brown kiwi.
  • Day 2: In the morning, we’ll canoe to Mangapurua Landing and take a few hours off the river to walk through the forest to the famous Bridge to Nowhere. Next, we’ll paddle to Tieke Kainga, a small Māori community on the river. We’ll be welcomed onto the marae (meeting house) with a powhiri (a traditional welcoming ceremony). A hangi (a meal cooked on heated stones) can be organised for dinner.
  • Day 3: This is the most exciting portion of the river! We’ll have rapids to navigate on our 3-hour journey to Pipiriki. Your cultural navigator will teach you how to approach the rapids safely, and we’ll take this leg as a pace that’s comfortable for the group. At Pipiriki, we’ll enjoy a final lunch together before transport back to Taumarunui.

EXPLORE THE RIVER EXPERIENCE WITH US

TRAINED AWA NAVIGATORS

Our navigators have participated in the Tira Hoe Waka wānanga; they are repositories of our local kōrero and qualified rafting guides with years of experience.

RIVER RAPIDS

All adventures involve experiencing small rapids; however, the last day of the multi-day adventures is the most fun of them all.  

PICK-UP AND DROP-OFF

We provide pick-up and drop-off from Raetihi; however, if you are further away and need transport, then we might be able to help.

TENTS AND BEDDING

Multi-day adventurers will be provided with a tent, air mattress, and inflatable pillow. Alternatively, huts can be booked in advance at an additional cost.  

reviews

5
Rated 5 out of 5
5 out of 5 stars (based on 10 reviews)
Submit a Review

What a fabulous experience!

Rated 5 out of 5
March 11, 2024

Our whānau has just finished the four day canoe trip with Unique. We loved every minute. Ngā Roma was a superb guide. She was so organized, made everything delightful and fun and we loved hearing her stories of the awa. Staying in DOC huts was great and staying at Tieke Kainga marae was a highlight. The days on the river were magical and under Ngā Roma’s guidance we learned enough technique to paddle confidently, enjoy every part of the awa and manage all the rapids!. From beginning to finish Unique were totally professional, helpful, efficient and all lovely interesting people. Thanks heaps for a truly great trip.

Jeanie Truell

Stunning Whanganui Awa canoe trip with Unique Whanganui

Rated 5 out of 5
December 21, 2022

Our group did the five-day trip – Everything was seamlessly arranged from the Canadian canoe waka themselves to wholesome meals, and accommodation bookings in Doc huts and campgrounds and best of all Tieke Kainga Marae.
It was so fabulous to journey with Hone and Lulu, our two guides. They offered support, encouragement, and confidence plus local knowledge of the Awa and its history, all overlayed with much laughter and good humour
I loved our time with Hone and Lulu and our group, I loved seeing and learning about the Whanganui Awa and surrounds from Ohinepane to Pipiriki, and I loved the excitement and challenge of paddling for five days
Thank you Unique Whanganui River

Sonya Maureen Hunt

A Spiritual Time

Rated 5 out of 5
December 20, 2022

Our 5 days on the river with Tangata Whenua was an experience that could not have happened without the guidance of our leaders, their knowledge of the Awa and the Whenua and their personal commitment to everything that their Iwi means to them. I’m so pleased we went with Unique and if fact we chose them because we wanted to experience the Awa with Guides who were blooded to the River and the Land. For me, our decision was rewarded by how much of themselves the Guides gave to us. I will be forever grateful to them. It was an incredible time and River Journey.
Ka mau te wehi e hoa ma!
Mauri ora!
Louise

Louise Waaka

ON RIVER EXPERIENCE

Your ‘on-river’ experience begins when you reach Whakahoro. Before getting on the water and making your way along the Retaruke River, to join the Whanganui River, you’ll be briefed thoroughly.

All safety procedures will be discussed and you’ll be trained with the best way to steer your canoe, how to read the water, and things to look out for along the way.

OFF RIVER EXPERIENCE

Time off the river is all about relaxing and telling a few stories. You’ll be provided with a tent, air mattress, inflatable pillow, and a bag for all of your things to go in – this is ‘glamping’ at its best!

You’ll be amazed at what can be cooked using a gas camp oven – roasts, baked goods, dessert – none of this dried packet stuff. And we hope you won’t go hungry, there’s plenty to keep you going!

"Ko au te awa, ko te awa ko au"

"I am the river and the river is me"
We’ll guide you through the heart of the Whanganui River, places inaccessible by land, and you’ll get a taste of the great food, history and culture of the river - memories that will stay with you forever.
Make a Booking