Transport from Rotorua CBD: $15NZ pp
Photo packages: Available post-trip
Rotorua Zipline + Rafting Combo: $239NZ

✅ What’s Included
• Professional guide and safety briefing
• All rafting gear (wetsuit, helmet, PFD, booties)
• River time on the Kaituna (approx. 1 hour)
• Use of changing facilities and showers

🚫 What’s Not Included
• Transport from Rotorua (optional extra)
• Photos/video packages
• Food and drinks
• Travel insurance

Rotorua enjoys mild weather year-round with possible showers.
Summer (Dec–Feb) • Typical daytime: 20–25 °C • Warm and ideal for rafting
Autumn (Mar–May) • Typical daytime: 15–22 °C • Pleasant with fewer crowds
Winter (Jun–Aug) • Typical daytime: 10–15 °C • Cooler but still runnable
Spring (Sep–Nov) • Typical daytime: 15–20 °C • Fresh and green

Practical note: Wetsuits keep you comfortable in the water regardless of air temperature.

Documents & Essentials
• Swimwear to wear under wetsuit
• Towel for after the trip

Clothing (layered)
• Quick-dry clothes to change into
• Warm layers for cooler days

Toiletries & First Aid
• Sunscreen and any personal items

Electronics
• Phone in waterproof case (optional)

Accessories & Nice-to-Haves
• Change of clothes and shoes for after

Kaituna River holds deep cultural importance for local iwi and is known as one of New Zealand’s premier white water rafting rivers.

Tutea Falls is the highest commercially rafted waterfall in the world at 7 metres.

Ōkere Falls area is rich in Māori history and natural beauty.

Rotorua Rafting has decades of experience guiding on this river with a strong focus on safety and sustainability.

The river flows through native bush gorges that create a dramatic and immersive setting.

No previous experience is required — guides provide full training on the day.

Wetsuits and gear are provided to keep you warm and safe in the water.

The trip is suitable for beginners and offers a genuine adrenaline rush in a controlled environment.

Carbon Footprint & Offset Report: Kaituna River Rafting | Grade 5 Waterfall Adventure

Quick Snapshot

Estimated CO₂e footprint per participant: 125 kg CO₂e
(higher-end conservative estimate – covers all on-tour impacts plus average local travel to/from Rotorua pickup points)

Our 200% offset commitment per booking: 250 kg CO₂e
Funded through genuine landscape restoration in climate-vulnerable developing regions (reforestation, mangroves, soil regeneration, etc.). This creates real net-positive impact beyond neutrality.

Tour summary

• 2-hour high-adrenaline rafting experience (including safety briefing and changing)
• Small guided groups
• Starts and ends at Ōkere Falls, Rotorua (optional transport from central Rotorua available)
• Purpose-built rafting operation with expert local guides
• No accommodation included
• Meals: No meals included
• Highlights: Navigate 14 Grade 5 rapids, drop over the world-famous 7-metre Tutea Falls (highest commercially rafted waterfall in the world), paddle through dramatic native bush gorges, full safety briefing and top-quality gear provided

Overview

This report estimates the carbon footprint for one individual participant on this tour using higher-end data from trusted sources. We intentionally choose upper-range figures to fully cover every impact – including hard-to-measure parts like supply chains and indirect effects.

We then double it (200%) and fund genuine landscape restoration projects in developing and climate-affected regions worldwide. This goes beyond standard offsetting to deliver real, lasting benefits for ecosystems and communities.

All figures in kg CO₂e (carbon dioxide equivalent – the standard measure that includes all greenhouse gases).

Tour Details

• Duration: 2 hours (total experience)
• Key locations: Ōkere Falls / Kaituna River, Rotorua
• Travel style: High-energy Grade 5 white-water rafting adventure
• Assumptions: Average participant with reasonable fitness, standard behaviours, higher-impact choices where uncertain. Local travel to Ōkere Falls is factored into the higher-end footprint for completeness. Minimum age and weight restrictions apply for safety.

Calculation Approach

• Sources: UK DEFRA 2025 conversion factors, Australian National Greenhouse Accounts 2024, UNWTO tourism data, IPCC guidelines, and peer-reviewed studies.
• Higher-end scale: Upper-range emission factors everywhere, plus well-to-tank fuel effects, +20% uncertainty buffer, and conservative assumptions for short local transport and rafting operations.
• Per person, full tour experience.
• Excludes only purely personal extras (e.g. souvenirs, transport from Rotorua, or photo packages).

Detailed Emissions Breakdown (per participant)

Transportation – 70 kg CO₂e

• Average local travel to/from Ōkere Falls (higher-end mix of car, taxi or shuttle from Rotorua): 45 kg
• Minimal operational vehicle/gear support: 25 kg – higher-end diesel factor

Accommodation – 0 kg CO₂e

• Day tour only – no overnight stay

Meals & Food – 0 kg CO₂e

• No meals included

Activities & Excursions – 55 kg CO₂e

• Rafting on Grade 5 rapids, 7m waterfall drop, safety briefing, gear provision and guide support

TOTAL ESTIMATED FOOTPRINT PER PERSON: 125 kg CO₂e

Our 200% Offset Commitment

• Amount we will offset: 2 × 125 kg = 250 kg CO₂e per individual booking
• How: Direct funding of landscape restoration projects – reforestation, mangrove protection, regenerative agriculture, wetland and soil carbon restoration
• Where: Developing countries and regions most affected by climate change (e.g. Pacific Islands, Southeast Asia, Africa, Latin America) for maximum global benefit and community co-benefits
• Why 200% and higher-end estimates: To guarantee coverage despite any measurement discrepancies and to create genuine extra positive impact

Important Notes

• Numbers are deliberately conservative (higher) so we over-deliver on restoration – real footprint may be lower
• The tour already has strong sustainability practices (local guides, respect for the river and Māori culture, minimal environmental impact); our independent higher-end analysis adds extra certainty
• Carbon accounting has natural uncertainties – doubling it is the responsible way
• This directly supports long-term carbon-sequestering landscapes and local communities

Do I need rafting experience?
No experience is required. Full safety briefing and instruction are provided.

What fitness level is needed?
Average fitness is preferred. You should be comfortable with light-moderate activity.

Can non-swimmers join?
Yes. Everyone wears a personal flotation device and guides are always close by.

What is the age range?
Suitable for most ages with average fitness (specific restrictions apply for younger participants).

How long is the river time?
Approximately 1 hour on the water within a 2-hour total experience.

Is transport available?
Yes, pickup from central Rotorua is available for $15 per person.

What should I wear?
Swimwear under the provided wetsuit. Bring a towel and change of clothes.

Is there a weight limit?
Maximum 130 kg for safety and gear fit reasons.