Waimakariri Gorge: Guided Trip
Suitable for kayakers who have paddled the Waimakariri Gorge within the last 5 years, this single-day trip will provide you with the logistics, safety support, and expert guidance you need to gain more experience on the river in preparation for the Coast to Coast race.
- Train on the race course as safely as possible
- Learn the best lines down the river
- Prepare for the Coast to Coast kayak stage
- 2 left available
- Please contact us to join the waitlist
Hire Kayaks
Canterbury Kayaking has a small selection of lightweight sea kayaks available for hire on booked courses/trips at $75 per day and come with a spray skirt.
Hire paddles, PFDs, helmets, and jackets are also available at an additional cost.
If you would prefer to hire a stable racing kayak (Flow Aspire, Ruahine Shadow, etc.) these may be available to hire from River Ninja Rentals if arranged in advance.
Weather/River Conditions
Waimakariri Gorge Guided Trips are weather and flow dependant. If the weather and/or river flows prevent your trip from going ahead, you will have the following options:
- Receive a full credit for the total amount paid. This credit can used to book another trip free of charge, applied to another course booking, or used to purchase products from our store.
- Receive a full refund excluding your initial 25% deposit.
Rescheduling
Should you need to reschedule your booking for any reason, you may be able to do so based on the following criteria:
- If the rescheduling is completed more than 21 days before your Trip/Course, all payments made including your initial deposit will be transferred to the new booking.
- If the reschedule is completed 21–14 days before your Trip/Course starts all payments made excluding your initial deposit will be transferred to the new booking.
- Rescheduling is not possible less than 14 days before the Trip/Course and will be treated as a cancellation.
Cancellations
Should you cancel your booking for any reason, you will receive a refund less the initial deposit according to the following criteria:
- If the cancellation is made more than 21 days before your Trip/Course starts, there will be a full refund excluding the initial deposit.
- If the cancellation is made 21–14 days before your Trip/Course starts, there will be a 75% refund excluding the initial deposit.
- No refunds or credits will be given for cancellations received less than 14 days before the Trip/Course.
Transfers
All bookings are non-transferable (you cannot transfer your booking to another person).
Weather/River Conditions
Waimakariri Gorge Guided Trips are weather and flow dependant. If the weather and/or river flows prevent your trip from going ahead, you will have the following options:
- Receive a full credit for the total amount paid. This credit can used to book another trip free of charge, applied to another course booking, or used to purchase products from our store.
- Receive a full refund excluding your initial 25% deposit.
Doing Coast to Coast, but haven’t spent enough time on the river?
- Have you got the basic skills, but need more practice on the race route?
- Do you not feel comfortable kayaking the Gorge with random strangers or (worse) by yourself?
- Do the rapids of the Waimakariri Gorge still make you nervous?
On Canterbury Kayaking's single-day Waimakariri Gorge: Guided Trip, you’ll gain the river time you need in a safe and controlled manner with the support of a professional guide. Once you've got the river time you need to become comfortable with the race route, you'll feel completely relaxed going into the kayak stage of the Coast to Coast race.
You’ve trained too hard to roll the dice on race day.
Many athletes struggle to get enough time on the river before the Coast to Coast race. Kayaking can be a logistical nightmare and paddling solo or with random people can be unsafe. But if you don’t get the river time you need, you’ll be taking a massive gamble during the kayak stage of the race.
On this trip, you’ll be guided through the Waimakariri Gorge in a small group, led by a qualified and experienced guide. All the logistics and safety procedures will be taken care of, so you can relax and focus on your paddling.
Once you've gained the experience you need with the Coast to Coast kayak route, you’ll know all the lines you need to take and you’ll feel fully prepared to hit the river on race day.
How It Works
- Book your date(s) at the top of this page ↑
- Enjoy paddling the Waimakariri Gorge
- Kayak in the Coast to Coast with confidence
Meet Your Guide
Sam Milne is the most experienced kayak guide on the Waimakariri River and the founder of Canterbury Kayaking. Through helping over 1,000 athletes prepare for the Coast to Coast, Sam has learned there is no replacement for training on the race course.
Throughout his years being involved with Coast to Coast, Sam has seen that paddlers who invest time on race route do significantly better in the kayak stage than those who simply wing it. No matter how good a paddler’s skills are, knowing the river intimately offers a distinct advantage.
That’s why Sam continues to offer single-day guided trips to kayakers training for the Coast to Coast. During this trip, you’ll be shown all the preferred lines down the river and will have the opportunity to refine your kayaking skills so you can become a more confident paddler.
After you attend Canterbury Kayaking’s Waimakariri Gorge: Guided Trips, you’ll know you have done everything in your power to ensure you have the successful Coast to Coast Kayak stage you deserve.
What do I get with the trip?
- Full-day kayaking on the Waimakariri River with Sam Milne, the Waimakariri River's most experienced kayak guide.
- Experience 55km of the Coast to Coast race route from Mt White to Woodstock.
- Option to renew your grade 2 kayak certificate.
- Transport and shuttle for the day.
- Complete safety system including evacuation plan, sat-phone, VHF and PLB technology.
- Option to hire a boat, paddle, spray skirt, PFD and helmet.
FAQs
Ideally, you will bring your own stable multisport kayak or lightweight sea kayak to this trip. However, we do have lightweight sea kayaks available for hire and multisport kayaks can be hired through River Ninja Rentals if arranged in advance.
You will need to have ALL of the following items (* = hire available):
- Stable multisport kayak or lightweight sea kayak*
- Wing paddle*
- Spray skirt*
- PFD (lifejacket)*
- Helmet*
- Long-sleeved paddle jacket*
- Booties
- Neoprene shorts
- Thermal tops and bottoms
- Thermal hat, gloves, and socks
- 20L dry bag
- Waterproof pants
- First aid kit
- Duct tape
- Survival bag
All required gear is availble to purchase through us and can be collected at the trip.
This trip runs over a single day.
Pick-ups: We offer two pick-up location options for you and your kayak:
- Yaldhurst @ 7:15 a.m.
- Sheffield @ 7:45 a.m.
We will check your compulsory gear and provide a safety briefing at Mt White. You will be on the river for 5–6 hours and we will stop 2–3 times during the trip for rest/food/etc.
Drop-offs: We will get off the river at Woodstock (55 kilometre point) get changed, then drop you back at the same location:
- Yaldhurst @ 4:15 p.m.
- Sheffield @ 5:00 p.m.
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 trip.