A great way to explore this country’s diverse landscape is by canoeing, kayaking or whitewater rafting in New Zealand. An excellent adventure vacation destination to enjoy a whole host of water sports, Canoeing, Kayaking & Whitewater Rafting are all very popular in most parts of New Zealand. Home to many lakes, rivers, streams and some superb beaches, kayaking and canoeing let you explore this naturally beautiful country at a relaxed and enjoyable pace.

Sea kayaking is very popular in New Zealand and is an excellent way to explore and observe the stunning coastline. Kayaking also gives you the chance to get up close and spot seals, dolphins, penguins and other wildlife as you can carefully approach them without threatening them in any way. There are a number of sea kayaking trips and tours available throughout New Zealand and are especially popular in the Hauraki Gulf area and the Bay of Islands. On the south Island, you can enjoy some superb sea kayaking in the Marlborough Sounds area as well as in the Abel Tasman National Park and in Fiordland National Park.

If you are looking for some world class white water rafting opportunities in New Zealand, then you will need to head to the Rangitaiki, Mohaka, and Wairoa rivers on the North Island. All these three rivers offer some excellent day trips as well as multi-day adventures. On the South Island the Grey, Buller, and Kawarau rivers are excellent to ride on.

Canoeing in New Zealand is at its best on the Whanganui River, which borders the Whanganui National Park. This river is included as one of the Great Walks of New Zealand and offers some stunning scenery to enjoy. Here you can find a number of tour operators arranging canoe trips up and down the river as well as some jet boating tours.

Another great place to go canoeing is in Milford Sound, one of the most naturally stunning regions in the country. The Camelot River in Fiordland National Park is the biggest river in New Zealand and is very popular amongst kayakers.