Your Rangitikei adventure begins gently - Grade 2 and 3 rapids ease you in and sharpen your instincts for what's coming. Over 11 kilometres and 2 to 3 hours on the water, the river steadily builds its case. Then comes the gorge. Ten major rapids, Grade 3+ through to Grade 5, lined up one after the other, some short and explosive, others rolling on for several hundred metres through sheer canyon walls. It's a sequence that experienced river guides have long called the perfect half-day rafting trip: an easy start that builds relentlessly to a thrilling, unforgettable finish. We shuttle you to the put-in from River Valley Lodge, and the river does the rest, delivering you back to our front door.