The Family Behind the Adventure

For us at Taumarunui Canoe Hire caring for people is our prime concern

Phone

Address

292 Hikumutu Road, Taumarunui 3992

The River is part of our Family too...

Our passion is to ensure you have the best experience possible during your adventures with us, whether you are Canoeing and Jet boating the Whanganui River.

Ron, Karen and Family are excited to share this incredible part of New Zealand with you each season. Our main priority is always your safety and ensuring you have an enjoyable experience from the moment you arrive until the time you leave after your journey.

Together with our staff — including our six children, five boys and one girl — we truly love the river and spend a great deal of time enjoying it ourselves. Over the years we have created many special family memories on the Mighty Whanganui, which means we know and understand the Awa (river) extremely well.

A very special member of our family is David, who came to live with us when he was just two days old and is now nearly 18 years old. He loves meeting our visitors and is well known for enthusiastically shaking hands, welcoming guests, and wanting to help everyone around him. His happy nature and determination have touched many people over the years. David has overcome so much in his young life and is always busy helping around the property — whether it’s riding motorbikes, driving the buggy, or reversing vehicles better than Karen. Our family and business would not be the same without him.

It is also very likely you may meet some of our seven grandchildren during your visit, as our family life and business are closely connected. Come and meet us all — we hope you will feel like a welcomed part of our family during your stay.

We became very proud Nana and Pappa to Logan in Sept 2014, Max in Aug 2019, Lincoln in June 2020, Amelia in July 2021, Micah in May 2023, Ezra in July 2025, and little Paige in October 2025.

We cater for everyone from couples and small groups through to large group bookings of over 50 people, and during busy public holiday weekends we regularly put up to 100 people on the river each day.

We also offer a range of onsite accommodation options, including free camping, bunkrooms, and private accommodation, to suit different budgets.

We do offer earlier pickup times than other operators, which usually means there is little to no waiting time when leaving the boat ramps. We also have our own private boat ramp in Taumarunui, allowing you to start your journey quickly and easily without delays.

You are welcome to charge your phones and devices for your journey, and relax on the couches in the packing shed at the campsite while enjoying our extensive views overlooking the Whanganui River.

Our great reviews reflect how much our guests enjoy travelling with us and the genuine care we put into every journey. As a local family-owned and operated business, we are passionate about the Whanganui River and take great pride in helping people experience it safely while still having an incredible adventure. Please don’t hesitate to give us a call to discuss your journey and any specific requirements you may have — it is always our pleasure to answer your questions and help plan your adventure.

Many of our guests have never canoed, kayaked, rafted, or camped before, yet still thoroughly enjoy their Whanganui River journey and are often surprised at how achievable they find the experience after our safety briefing and on-the-water training.

We have an extensive range of top-quality equipment and canoes available for our guests. We use genuine Old Town canoes imported from America and do not use cheaper lower-quality alternatives. We believe reliable, modern equipment is an important part of providing a safe and enjoyable Whanganui River experience.