Packraft paradise | Award Winning Film | New Zealand's hidden spring-fed gem

Join us as we packraft one of New Zealand’s most stunning hidden gems, a beautiful, crystal clear spring-fed gorge tucked away in the North Island. This grade III run drops into a moss-lined gorge, winding through towering ignimbrite draped in native bush, with water so pure you can drink it straight from the rocks. Charlotte, Dan and Lydia take on this true kiwi whitewater adventure, navigating technical rapids, ledges and drops. We come across one 3m drop you’ll have to watch to see if we stuck the landing, and we also tackle a slippery portage around a grade V waterfall. Wildlife encounters included a possum Dan rudely awakened during a cliff jump, and a resident eel that lives in the pool below the big waterfall. We all left with a smile on our faces, stoked on the adventure. Our trip stats Permission is required for access to this river, please refer to the packrafting trips nz website. We locked a bike up near the take out, and left our car near the put in after kindly receiving permission from the land owner. It is a short but steep walk down to the river. The first section of the river was slow and boney until we entered the gorge, where we found heaps of fun drops, including the larger drop that pushed us into the wall on TL as you'll see in the video. The gorge narrowed and the flow picked up before the class IV waterfall that we choose to portage. We eddyed out early and took care walking around the slippery ledge. From here, it took us another 15mins to paddle to the pump station, and a short walk back up to the road. In total, it took us about 3hrs to paddle down. As it is spring fed, the river's flow is quite consistent. Super stoked to win the Grass Roots award at the NZ Mountain Film & Book Festival ⭐⭐ #packraft #packrafting #newzealand #adventure