Planning anything for a group is hard work. Someone wants adrenaline, someone just wants a laugh, someone is quietly nervous, and you are the one stuck sorting it all out. Whether it's an end-of-year work do, a Stag and Hens do, a big birthday, a family reunion or a school trip, rafting the Kaituna River ticks every box. Here's why groups keep coming back to the awa, and how to turn it into a full day out.
There are no spectators on a raft. From the moment your guide calls "forward paddle!", the whole crew is working together to line up the next rapid. The boss, the new grad, the bride-to-be and the uncle who "used to kayak" are all getting equally soaked.
That's what makes rafting such a bloody awesome team builder. You can't sit this one out on your phone, and you don't need a facilitator with a flip chart. The river does the team building for you.
The Kaituna is a Grade 5 river, home to three waterfalls including the 7 metre Tutea Falls, the highest commercially rafted waterfall in the world. That moment at the lip of the falls when everyone grabs the rope and holds on? That's exactly the bit your group will be talking about for years.
There's science behind it too. A recent University of Florida study, summarised by Simply Psychology, found that people who felt more scared during a shared thrill felt closer to their companions afterwards. Even people who weren't close to begin with reported a stronger connection. The researchers found much of the bonding happened after the fact, through retelling the story and laughing about it together.
In other words: send it together, then debrief over a feed ;)
"Grade 5" sounds full on, but you don't need to have rafted before. Our guides are some of the most experienced on the river, all your gear is provided, and every trip starts with a thorough safety briefing so the whole crew knows exactly what to do.
Rafters need to be at least 10 years old for the river and 13 to raft the waterfall, so it works for most family and school groups too. If anyone in your group is on the fence, send them our beginner's guide to white water rafting or our rafting FAQs.
Group activities live or die by the memories they leave behind, and a raft full of faces going over a waterfall is about as brag-worthy as it gets. High-quality trip photos are available to purchase, so you'll have the evidence for the work Christmas slideshow.
And when you're off the water, warm up in our post-raft sauna. We're the only company on the Kaituna offering a free sauna after your trip, which is the perfect place for the crew to relive every rapid while it's still fresh.
We know one person usually ends up doing all the organising. So we keep it simple: we handle the details, you bring the crew.
Our base is at Ōkere Falls, about 20 minutes from Rotorua's city centre, and we regularly host work teams, clubs, school groups and celebrations of all sizes. Head to our groups page to get the ball rolling, or check out the ultimate Ōkere Falls work do for inspiration.
Bonus: your group's adventure also supports our conservation mahi in the Lake Rotoiti Scenic Reserves, from pest trapping to native tree planting. Read more on our sustainability page.
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Not everyone in your crew keen on a 7 metre waterfall? Or want to turn a two-hour trip into a full day? Our sister company Rotorua Ziplines runs from the same base at Ōkere Falls, so combining the two is easy.
See all our rafting combos and special offers, or read how to build the perfect Rotorua adventure day around rafting.
The best group activities are the ones nobody wants to miss, and the ones everyone is still talking about at the next catch-up. Rafting the Kaituna is something you'll all remember.
Book your Kaituna River rafting trip or enquire about group bookings today. We'll see you on the awa!
