Beginner Whitewater Kayak Course
Perfect for complete beginners and paddlers with limited experience, this 4-day introductory course will provide you with the expert coaching, river time, and support you need to get started in whitewater kayaking.
- Gain essential paddling skills
- Build confidence on whitewater
- Enjoy kayaking on New Zealand rivers
- Only 2 left available!
Want to learn how to kayak, but don’t know where to begin?
- Have you always wanted to kayak on rivers but lack the skills and experience to get started?
- Does the idea of paddling rapids sound fun, but you are unsure about how to do it safely?
- Are you looking for structured coaching to help you paddle with confidence?
On Canterbury Kayaking's 4-day Beginner Whitewater Kayak Course, you’ll learn the fundamentals of river paddling in a safe and supportive environment. Through expert coaching and plenty of time on the water, you’ll gain the skills you need to navigate rapids, read the river, and feel in control—so you can explore New Zealand's kayaking destinations with confidence.
Without the right skills, whitewater can feel intimidating.
Many people dream of paddling down New Zealand's beautiful rivers but don’t know how to do it safely. Without proper instruction and hands-on experience, it can feel overwhelming—and even dangerous—to venture onto moving water.
In this course, you’ll learn how to read the river, maneuver through rapids, and keep yourself safe on whitewater. Our step-by-step approach ensures you progress at your own pace, building confidence and skill with each session.
Once you've completed the course, you'll be ready to take on more challenging rivers, go on kayak adventures with your local club, and enjoy the thrill of whitewater kayaking.
How to Book
- Select your dates and complete your booking at the top of this page ↑
- Download your information pack and learn to kayak over 4 days with expert coaching.
- Join your local kayak club and enjoy a lifetime of paddling New Zealand rivers with confidence.
Meet Your Instructor
Sam Milne is one of New Zealand's most experienced whitewater instructors and the founder of Canterbury Kayaking. Having taught over 1,000 people how to kayak, he understands that strong foundational skills are the key to both success and enjoyment on the river.
While training as an instructor, Sam noticed that most beginner courses don’t spend enough time focusing on the basic skills that truly help novices succeed. Without a solid foundation, new paddlers often struggle with control on moving water and feel overwhelmed on the river.
That’s why Sam developed his own training framework—one that prioritizes fundamental boat control techniques, helping paddlers experience success early and feel confident through rapids. In this course, you’ll follow a proven method designed to help you become a skilled and capable whitewater kayaker.
What do I get with the course?
- Free use of a boat, paddle, and spray skirt for the entire program.
- 4 days of professional skills coaching with Sam Milne, one of New Zealand's top kayak instructors.
- 2 nights accomodation in Murchison
- 1 day of pool and lake sessions, plus 3 river days.
- Exclusive discount on products from our gear shop.
- Personalized advice on which models of kayaks are right for you.
- Guidance and support in joining your local kayak club.
No. This program is suitable for complete beginners as well as paddlers who have done a few days on a river before. We do, however, recommend that all participants do some flat water paddling before attending.
We will provide you with a boat, paddle, and spray skirt, to use for the entire course FREE of charge.
You will need to have ALL of the following items (* = hire available):
- Booties
- Neoprene shorts
- Thermal tops and bottoms
- 20L dry bag
- Helmet*
- PFD with whistle*
- Semi-dry paddle jacket*
All required gear is availble to purchase through us at a discounted rate and can be collected at the course.
You will need to arrange your own accommodation in Christchurch for the night before, and the night of day 1. For the nights of day 2 and 3, we will provide you with accommodation in Murchison (included in your course fee).
If you are travelling from out of town, the North Island or overseas, plan to arrive in Christchurch the day before.
We suggest renting a car, however, a combination of taxi/Uber and ride-sharing with others in your group is often possible.
Book accommodation in Christchurch for the night before the course and the night of day 1.
We will provide you with accommodation for the nights of day 2 and 3.
We suggest booking some accommodation in Christchurch for the night of day 4 before travelling home.
This program runs over 4 consecutive days to maximise your water time and learning outcomes.
Day 1: Meet at 6:30 a.m. Wharenui Pool in Riccarton. After your pool session, the remainder of the day is based at Lake Rua in Harewood and finishes at around 4:00 p.m.
Day 2: We will depart Christchurch at 7:00 a.m. for Murchison. You will paddle on the rivers around Murchison from 12:00 midday until around 5:00 p.m. then meet for dinner at a local restaurant.
Day 3: We meet at Riverside Holiday Park at 8:00 a.m. for a theory lesson, then go paddling on the river until around 12:00 midday. After a lunch break, we will meet for another theory lesson, before spending the rest of the day on the river until around 5:00 p.m. We will meet for dinner again at a local restaurant.
Day 4: We meet at Riverside Holiday Park at 8:00 a.m. for a one-on-one check-in with your coach(es) before going on your fourth and final river trip of the program. The program concludes with receiving personalised advice from your coach(es) on which models of kayaks would be best for you and instructions on how to join your local kayak club.
We aim to finish in Murchison around 2:00 p.m.
Your safety is our absolute top priority. While it's impossible to guarantee nothing bad will ever happen, incidents are extremely unlikely. We gradually increase the difficulty (and associated risk) throughout the program as your skills develop. You will progress from a swimming pool to a lake, then to a gentle river, and finally, to whitewater rapids. We will never put you in a situation we don't think you can handle, and you do not have to do anything you are not comfortable with. All our coaches are fully trained in river rescue techniques and our safety systems have been independently audited by AdventureMark and registered with WorkSafe.
This is not normally a problem. Unlike many other courses, our program will run in virtually all weather and flow conditions. By basing ourselves in Murchison for the days of 2, 3, and 4, we can access multiple river sections, providing different options at various flow scenarios without a reduction in course quality.
Yes. If you are unable to pay in full at the time of booking, please enter the discount code DEPOSIT during checkout to reserve your spot with just a 25% deposit. We will invoice you for the balance, which will be due 21 days before your course.