This is the best activity that I have tried in New Zealand.

Good equipment, friendly guides and twice down the River. Great fun!

Reviewed about 14 years ago

We are mom and dad traveling with three boys - 15, 13 and 10.

The guides were incredible - it's just so much more to do an activity when the guides are clearly happy and loving what they are doing. Our 10yo had his own guide assigned to him that stayed with him the whole time. This is the only river surfing company that will take anyone below 12 (that we could find anyway). It was good he had his own guide, but he would have definitely struggled by himself and it would have made it a very different experience for mom and dad trying to help him.

The surfing itself was physically challenging at times to stay where you needed to be in the current, not flipping as you are going through rapids. The first time down you learn the basics and how to control your rafting. The second time down, the guides teach you how to do fun tricks like squirting (shoving your board underwater in certain spots and getting sucked under) and tornado (making yourself spin in circles going through rapids).

I was worried about being cold, but the wetsuit kept me warm. The helmet and lifejacket provided a level of satety with which I was comfortable. The guides were extrememely good at what they did, and helped you out when you started to drift off from where you needed to be and were struggling to get back in.

Definitely a great adventure activity - where else in the world can you boogie board down a river safely?

Reviewed almost 13 years ago

Dull, dull, dull.

And expensive too at nearly $NZD 200. Very tame float down a river with tiny rapids that don't trigger any adrenaline thrill at all. One cliff jump, again pretty tame. You'll get a bigger kick boogie boarding off the beach at home. Equipment good, nice scenery, "snacks provided" means a plastic cup of weak squash and a small muesli bar. Our group was too big, with too many people who weren't competent swimmers who were basically towed down the river by the guides meaning they weren't there to guide you into any fun stuff like the squirts. The video & website promises a lot, but save your money and do something else as the experience doesn't deliver a fraction of what it claims to.

Reviewed almost 12 years ago

Dull, dull, dull.

And expensive too at nearly $NZD 200. Very tame float down a river with tiny rapids that don't trigger any adrenaline thrill at all. One cliff jump, again pretty tame. You'll get a bigger kick boogie boarding off the beach at home. Equipment good, nice scenery, "snacks provided" means a plastic cup of weak squash and a small muesli bar. Our group was too big, with too many people who weren't competent swimmers who were basically towed down the river by the guides meaning they weren't there to guide you into any fun stuff like the squirts. The video & website promises a lot, but save your money and do something else as the experience doesn't deliver a fraction of what it claims to.

Reviewed almost 12 years ago

Its expensive in view to the trip.

Staff friendly. Activity original, uncommon but not very adrenalin making. There is not very much 'surf', it's just a swim.

Reviewed over 14 years ago and experienced in April 2009

Beats river rafting hands down.

You should definitely try it plus the guides are really nice and take care of you.

Reviewed almost 16 years ago