1 Day Journey

Taumarunui to Ohinepane (4.5 hours) - Book online -

$170 per adult | $135 per youth | Jet boat return: $225 pp extra

(min 4ppl) if you have less ppl please contact us we may have others wanting the same trip as well.

Starting from our Taumarunui home base, this journey covers 22 kilometres of the Whanganui River and you experience around 50 rapids, some small and some large, exhilarating ones. There are waterfalls on either side of the river and gorgeous scenic bush areas as you travel through farmland at the start of the trip. After two hours of paddling downstream, you reach the sign letting you know you have entered the Whanganui National Park.

We do a special on backrests for our walkers of $25pp/$50 per boat if they are available and if you have back issues, its awesome.

2 Day Journeys

Taumarunui to Whakahoro - Book online -

2 or more Adults $245pp    6 or more Adults $235pp     | $195 per youth under 18 years (Minimum numbers may apply)

Starting from our Taumarunui home base, this journey covers 22 kilometres of the Whanganui River and takes you through around 50 rapids — some small and gentle, others larger and more exhilarating.  Along the way, you will pass waterfalls flowing from both sides of the river and travel through stunning native bush and scenic farmland at the beginning of the journey.

After approximately two hours of paddling downstream, you will reach the sign marking the entrance to the beautiful Whanganui National Park.

If you have a group of 4 or more adults you can enjoy a relaxed two-day paddle, taking in the exciting rapids, wildlife, and stunning scenery of the upper reaches of the Whanganui River. On the second day, you will paddle past beautiful waterfalls, incredible scenery, and impressive rock formations.

If you have fewer than 4 people you can stay overnight at Whakahoro and, if we are travelling down the following morning, we may be able to collect you.  Alternatively, you can stay your first night at Maharanui and paddle out by 10am for pickup.  These arrangements must be booked by contacting our office directly.

The Department of Conservation campsites on the Taumarunui to Whakahoro section are all located on the right-hand side of the river. We recommend booking either Poukaria Campsite or Maharanui Campsite.

Ohinepane to Whakahoro - Book online -

2 or more Adults $245pp    6 or more Adults $235pp     | $195 per youth under 18 years

If you have a group of four or more people, you can depart from Ohinepane and paddle to either Maharanui Campsite or the Whakahoro Campsite/Hut — a 35-kilometre journey — before staying the night and being collected at 10am the following morning.

This is one of our favourite journeys, taking you past numerous waterfalls, spectacular scenery, and incredible rock formations along the Whanganui River.

3 Day Journey

Whakahoro to Pipiriki - Book online -

2 or more Adults $245pp    6 or more Adults $235pp     | $195 per youth under 18 years

After Whakahoro, there is no road access to the river until Pipiriki. The three-day journey travels through the stunning river gorges of the Whanganui National Park, surrounded by beautiful scenery and native wildlife.

The first day of this journey is not for the faint-hearted. It takes just over an hour to drive from our Taumarunui base to the starting point at Whakahoro, followed by packing your boats and then either a five-hour paddle to Ohauora Campsite or a seven-hour paddle to the John Coull Campsite/Hut. This can be a long and demanding first day for families or older guests.

In this case, you may prefer to complete the three-day journey over four days for a more relaxed pace, or alternatively choose the four-day journey mentioned below. With the four-day option, you will have only a 20-minute drive to Ohinepane to begin your journey, followed by either a five-hour paddle to Maharanui Campsite or a six-hour paddle to Whakahoro Campsite/Hut.

Choosing the four-day journey instead of the three-day option can reduce your first day on the river by up to 2.5 hours, giving you more time to relax while getting used to the canoe and the river conditions.

4 Day Journey (recommended)

Ohinepane to Pipiriki - Book online -

2 + Adults $270pp |  5+ Adults $250pp    |  10+ Adults $235pp   |   $200 per youth under 18 years

This trip starts at Ohinepane, just a short 20-minute drive downriver from our Taumarunui base. This allows you to skip a lot of rapids while still experiencing all of the amazing scenery, and it is absolutely Karen’s favourite day on the river.

You also have the option to stay at Posh Pioneers, located at Maharanui. They offer a truly unique experience with dinner, bed, and breakfast included, and accommodation in beautifully restored old-fashioned railway carriages. Please ask us if you would like to include this option in your journey.

Over the four days, you will travel through farmland, incredible rock formations, spectacular waterfalls, and the stunning Whanganui National Park, which surrounds you until you finish your journey at Pipiriki. Along the way, enjoy the waterfalls, native birdlife, and the iconic Bridge to Nowhere walk.

5 Day Journey (recommended)

Taumarunui to Pipiriki - Book online -

2 + Adults $285pp |  5+ Adults $265pp    |  10+ Adults $245pp   |   $220 per youth under 18 years

This journey truly has it all. With our private boat ramp located onsite at our Taumarunui home base, you can head straight onto the river after your morning safety briefing with no additional driving required. If you would like to add an extra day to your journey, this is usually no problem, however it must be arranged in advance and may incur an additional charge depending on availability.

If you are not confident canoeing or kayaking, or have never paddled before, we do not recommend booking the canoe rental for this section of the river. The upper section can be challenging for beginners, and rescues can be costly. There are 43 rapids on the first day alone, and we recommend caution, as there are many rocks to navigate around and avoid.

This is New Zealand’s only Great Walk that can be experienced by canoe. The Whanganui River Journey begins at Taumarunui and finishes at Pipiriki, covering 145 kilometres through exhilarating rapids, breathtaking scenery, beautiful waterfalls, dramatic rock formations you can paddle through, farmland, native bush, and some of the best Department of Conservation campsites on the river — many of which are missed on the shorter journeys.

Te Araroa Walkers Journey

Taumarunui to Whanganui

Whakahoro to Whanganui

Whakahoro to Pipiriki (Bike hire available to Whanganui)

Contact our free number and Karen can talk you through your options.

The Te Araroa Trail passes directly past our entrance gate on Hikumutu Road.

You are welcome to send your packages to us, and we will safely store them until your arrival. Please address parcels to:

??YOUR NAME????
C/- Taumarunui Canoe Hire
292 Hikumutu Road
Taumarunui 3992

Please note: We do not hire to solo travellers paddling alone. For safety reasons, we will not allow individuals to paddle the river by themselves.

However, if there is an odd number within your group, this is absolutely fine.  Most of our Te Araroa Trail walkers are very happy to join other groups or share canoes and paddle together.

We keep a database of solo travellers, so please get in touch with us and let us know the type of journey and dates you are interested in. We will do our very best to match you with other suitable paddlers.

If we do not already have other solo travellers booked for your dates, we may ask other groups whether they would be comfortable with you joining them. We believe this is both the safest and most considerate approach, as some groups prefer to paddle privately, and it can create an uncomfortable situation if additional paddlers arrive unexpectedly.

The Department of Conservation (DoC) provides campsites and huts situated along the river. Youth under 18 years old can camp at the campsites free of charge. We can assist you or can do your DoC campsite bookings to make it easier for you, for no additional charge.

If you are unsure which campsites to book, please give us a call before making your bookings so we can help you choose the best options for your journey.