Working in Rotorua had its benefits, however, with Louise able to take up residence with Lucas at Okere Falls. } "We voluntarily suspended operations for the day and have met with Maritime New Zealand to explain what happened. Youll be out of Rotorua for around 2 and a half hours in total. It is also where Ryan and Louises love story began and the starting point of their fateful trip on March 11, 2015. } width:50%; z-index: 999 !important; } Or view a regional map of surrounding New Zealand tracks, campgrounds, and lodging. Many who testified grappled with the issue of the risks associated with the sport, and at what point those risks become unacceptable. Grade 3 rafting on The Kaituna River available for 10-12 year olds for $60pp. Fuelled by a cocktail of desperation and adrenalin, Ryan clambered up the side of the steep rock wall and along the rim of the canyon, all the while using the whistle on his life jacket to let his girlfriend know he was coming for her. fbq('track', 'PageView'); This week's death was the third as a result of an incident on the Kaituna River since last August. As your raft creeps up with the nose of the raft just starting over the large drop you think to yourself, am I really doing this? 17 Kaituna River and Tutea Falls Whitewater Rafting. Okere Falls marks the beginning of the Kaituna River. } Book your spot and find out why Rotorua Rafting was ranked #1 Travellers choice experience in New Zealand, #1 in the South Pacific, and in the Top 10 in the world on Trip Advisor 2019 and then again in 2021 sealing the #2 experience in the world! order: 2 !important; Every time we go through theres a few tears. If you want to enjoy slightly calmer rapids but great weather, then consider traveling to Rotorua in the spring shoulder season, just before summer, when the rivers will be full and the sun will begin to emerge from the New Zealand clouds. Kaituna Rafting Grade 5 with River Rats Raft & Kayak - YouTube http://www.riverrats.co.nz/ River Rats Raft & Kayak, rafting on the Kaituna River, featuring the world highest. If she wanted to do something, she would always just go and make it happen.. color: #000 !important; s I did always remind myself how lucky I was. color: #000 !important; TALES OF BANKS PENINSULA Second Edition. 18 Rotorua: Hell's Gate Geothermal Walk. Adrian Jull finds himself obsessing over the smaller details the seemingly inconsequential elements that conspired against his daughter. background-color: #f7e222 !important; } The final of the trio of gorges is known as Smokey. text-align: right; The route lasts for approximately one hour of rafting and starting at the top of the river section, youll pass over the 3 different waterfalls that are found in the Okere Falls part of the Kaituna River. Rotorua Rafting offers spectacular white water rafting adventures on the world-famous Kaituna River, just a 20 minute drive from Rotorua, New Zealand. width: 98%; Liz: We dont want what happened to Louise to discourage young people from chasing their dreams. Start at a spot where wild waters meet subtropical rainforests and canyons engraved in the earth. We visited there not long before she died and I remember standing on the deck [of the Lucas family bach] and thinking it was the perfect place for Louise. min-height: 112px !important; This is rare, but if it does happen, then just follow the training you are given at the start and dont worry too much because the worst of the rapids are over and there will be plenty of time to climb back inside the raft. } display:none !important; Bain could find no easy answer. Its just a reflection of how many people she touched and the impact she had on the community, says Olympic silver medallist Luuka Jones, one of Julls closest friends. } One potential legislative measure considered was closing the lower gorges of the Kaituna to kayakers. } Sledging is available from November 1st to April 30th, subject to availability, water levels and minimum numbers. padding: 10px 10px; } River Rats Base. text-align: left; things to do in rotorua for couples. max-height: 25px !important; //window.requestAnimationFrame(function() { } In winter then, youll need to be flexible if you want to get out on the water, but when you do, youll probably have the most exhilarating white water rafting Rotorua experience of the year. Mr Chhagan said the man was with his wife, son, daughter, son-in-law and some friends when the incident occurred. She was with her husband and a group of friends. e.mh = e.mh===undefined || e.mh=="" || e.mh==="auto" ? for (var i in nl) if (sl>nl[i] && nl[i]>0) { sl = nl[i]; ix=i;} It is every year now for me that one of my friends leaves me, he says. The grade 5 Kaituna River boasts the highest commercially rafted waterfall in the world at 7 meters and is probably one of the most exciting things you can do in New Zealand. Gallery AUD 118.90. } background-color: #f7e222; Tutea Falls is 7 meters tall and definitely a Class 5 drop! Kaituna River Rafting Grade 5 White Water Rafting $ 115 The most legendary rafting trip includes a 50 minute action packed ride down 14 epic rapids featuring the worlds highest rafted waterfall! right: 0px !important; You will get wet, very wet, so make ensure that you bring some warm clothes to change into at the end of the trip, particularly if the weather looks like it might take a turn for the worse. .mobile-header-bar .mobile-branding img { } } 2hr30min - 3hrDuration. Detective Sergeant John Wilson of the Rotorua police said police investigations were in the early stages and more information would be gained after a post-mortem examination had been carried out. White Water Rafting: Rotorua New Zealand Planning Tips. I expected to hear her whistle back straight away, he says, gnashing his teeth as he clenches his jaw to prevent himself from breaking down. The Olympic silver medalist is sporting royalty back home in the Czech Republic. sl; We have created the best rafting adventures on the planet, packed with action and excitement and a life changing experience youll never forget. All you really need to bring with you is a towel and your personal swimming gear. If you popped into the local supermarket in Ostrava, youd see Hradileks face adorning Red Bull cans and cookie packets. Mt Tarawera and Rafting Combo. margin: 0 !important; margin-left:0px !important; font-family: Asap; opacity:1; Kayaking gave her so much confidence, it made her the person she was.. Grab your wet suit, helmet, paddle and hope you do not fall out over the 7-meter waterfall drop. In March 2015, Louise Jull, one of the countrys most renowned whitewater kayakers, went under in the rapids of the Kaituna River and never came up. border: 1px solid #f5f5f5; } } } font-size: 22px !important; The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". @media screen and (max-width: 500px) and (min-width:200px){ Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. 0 : parseInt(e.tabh); display: none !important; At the moment we are trying to arrange for his body to be taken back home to India." [GoPro] 18,193 views Dec 29, 2016 Whitewater rafting the beautiful Kaituna River near Rotorua, New Zealand. background-color: #f7e222; line-height: 100%; padding: 7px; Before you hit the water, your group will be given around twenty minutes of instruction and training from the guides. } age: 13 years (See special notes) Exceptional Value Exceptional Value Book shore excursions with confidence! .top-bar { Theres even a public bus operating between Rotorua and the community of Okere Falls if you dont have your own transport. .book-now { He remembers getting a glimpse of her after completing the first difficult move. Ryan describes returning home that night without his girlfriend as the most gut-wrenching moment of his life. margin-top: 13px; min-height:64px; max-width: 150px!important; Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. } It led her to reassess what she wanted from the sport. After all, if youre going to throw yourself off a 20m waterfall in a plastic tub, then youre going want to have some skite footage. position: relative; He was Madhu Shah, a tourist who is understood to be from Mumbai (Bombay) in India. margin: auto !important; #carousel-container .ult-item-wrap { left: 40% !important; } .soc-ico .facebook{ Best Price Guarantee. } The first drop at Okere Falls is simple enough, and you will adjust to the raft and get used to paddling, while still getting very wet. Trailhead coordinates: -37.63345, 176.1747 (37 38 00.42S 176 10 28.92E) View Mount Maunganui in a larger map. @media screen and (max-width: 768px) and (min-width:200px){ z-index: 100; You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. American tourist 23-year-old Alabama man Matthew Stidham died while kayaking on a piece of river known as Awesome Gorge after getting trapped under a fallen branch. border:none !important; width: 100%; The Kaituna River is the most exhilarating waterway in New Zealand, packed with white water rapids and home to the world's largest commercially rafted waterfall.It's a place like no other for adventure seekers, and it's found just outside of Rotorua, in the heart of the North . #about .ult-vc-seperator.top_seperator { The water is clear, crisp and really refreshing on a summer day. .mobile-mini-widgets-in-menu span{ text-align: center; } Including free pick up from your Central Rotorua accommodation. .gform_button { We cant wait to see all of you legends out Rafting the Kaituna with us . About a 15-minute drive east of Rotorua, along a stretch of highway that hugs the shores of Lake Rotoiti, lies the settlement of Okere Falls. She was right behind me and then I never saw her again.. He too has had his moments when he has struggled to reconcile this, but each time his mind arrives back at Okere Falls and the same wonderful truism: I wouldnt have even known Lou if I didnt paddle.. Kaituna River G5 Rotorua's favourite adrenaline pumping adventure. input#input_1_3 { button.mfp-close { Conditions- You must be 13+ years to join this experience - your safety is our No.1 priority at Kaituna Cascades. They will run you through techniques, the commands theyll be issuing and what to do if you fall out or the boat flips. e.tabhide = e.tabhide===undefined ? } He hangs at a vertical angle, with the nose of his kayak pointing directly into the mist that rises from the foot of the falls. She had never even been on the podium in a major international championship. She was a pretty gutsy wee thing for sure, says Ryan. In all, Ryan has lost seven friends, all drowned. The adrenalin is pumping thats what keeps me coming back.. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. 0:00 / 5:25 Kaituna River Rafting, New Zealand - 21ft Waterfall! Raft Tutea Falls, the highest commercially rafted waterfall in the world. Thats because it is a pool drop river, meaning every section of rapids is followed by a calm stretch allowing paddlers the opportunity to be reunited with their craft should they come to grief. Established in 2011,by locally born and bred 4 x World Champion Extreme Kayaker Sam Sutton. Youll get kitted out and made to go through the motions of paddling by your guides before you are even allowed near the boat. Furthermore, about 30% of those deaths come from heart conditions or heart attacks. .yellow-head .elementor-widget-container{ padding-left: 85px; } t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0]; /* border-bottom: 1px solid #2575fc; */ #carousel-container-old { I love nature, I love to get off the beaten path and I like to explore. } e.thumbw = e.thumbhide>=pw ? 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