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River Notes Aotearoa

an independent guide to New Zealand rivers and the outdoors

Safety & skills

Crossings, flows, paddling and the habits that bring people home.

Rivers are one of the main hazards on New Zealand tracks. These notes are general information, not training: they point to the Mountain Safety Council, DOC and the paddling bodies whose courses and guidance you should use.

  1. National · rivers and lakesGetting started with packrafting and river kayakingHow river grades work, why a club or course is the right first step, the kit that matters, and the lifejacket rule that now applies to small craft.
  2. National · backcountry tracksRiver crossing basics for trampersMost of river safety is deciding not to cross. Here is how to plan for unbridged crossings, read the warning signs, and what the mutual support method looks like.