Transport from Rotorua CBD: $15NZ pp
Photo packages: Available post-trip

✅ What’s Included
• All safety gear (wetsuits, booties, helmets, life jackets)
• Professional guides and safety briefings
• 4 ziplines + Grade 5 rafting on the Kaituna River
• Free wood-fired sauna session
• Kawakawa tea tasting

🚫 What’s Not Included
• Hotel transfers (available on request)
• Meals and snacks
• Swimsuit and towel for rafting
• Personal items

Rotorua has mild, changeable weather year-round.
Summer (Dec–Feb) • Typical daytime: 20–26 °C • Sunny with possible showers • Practical note: bring swimwear and sunscreen
Autumn (Mar–May) • Typical daytime: 15–22 °C • Mild and pleasant • Practical note: light layers for cooler mornings
Winter (Jun–Aug) • Typical daytime: 10–16 °C • Cooler and wetter • Practical note: warm base layers and rain jacket
Spring (Sep–Nov) • Typical daytime: 15–21 °C • Variable with wildflowers • Practical note: comfortable covered footwear

Documents & Essentials
• Photo ID and booking confirmation
• Any personal medication

Clothing (layered for water activities)
• Swimsuit and quick-dry clothing
• Covered footwear (no open-toe shoes)
• Warm base layers for after the river

Toiletries & First Aid
• Towel for after rafting
• Sunscreen and insect repellent

Electronics
• Waterproof phone case (optional)
• Camera for memories

Accessories & Nice-to-Haves
• Small dry bag for valuables
• Change of clothes for after the tour

Ōkere Falls on the Kaituna River is sacred to local iwi Ngāti Pikiao and holds deep cultural significance.

Tutea Falls is New Zealand’s highest raftable waterfall at 7 metres.

Kaituna River offers one of the best Grade 5 white water sections in the country.

Rotorua Ziplines is a joint venture between Rotorua Rafting and local iwi, supporting conservation and reforestation.

The sauna uses traditional wood-fired heat for post-adventure recovery.

Native forest along the ziplines is rich with native birds and plants.

Kawakawa tea is a traditional rongoā Māori herbal tea offered during the experience.

The area is just 20 minutes from central Rotorua yet feels worlds away.

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

What age is the tour suitable for?
10 years and over. Children 10–12 are welcome with adult supervision.

Do I need previous experience?
No – full safety briefings and experienced guides are provided.

What should I bring?
Swimsuit, towel, covered footwear and comfortable weather-appropriate clothing.

Is the sauna included?
Yes – a free wood-fired sauna session is part of the combo.

How long is the whole experience?
Approximately 5 hours including transfers and sauna time.

Can pregnant people or those with medical conditions participate?
Unfortunately not – please contact us if you have any concerns.

Is hotel pickup available?
Yes – available on request from central Rotorua.

What is the maximum weight?
130kg for safety reasons.