Pack Rafting in New Zealand has quickly developed into a popular watersport with some world class destinations. Commercial operations started in the early 2010s and the sport has grown in leaps and bounds since then. Raft weight continues to drop and with greater stability they now enable trampers to carry rafts in/on their packs and paddle along rivers and lakes rather than tramp beside them. This new flexibility has opened up new opportunities and the likes of the Hollyford/Pyke is now a world class multi-day loop trip. There are risks associated with navigating lakes and rivers so training to identify hazards and to manage them is a must for newbys. Strainers (fallen trees in the river) are a lethal hazard and many of our rivers have hundreds of them. Many Commercial Operators offer training prior to trips to maximise enjoyment and minimise some of the risks. PRANZ (Packrafting Association of New Zealand) has created a great site with many packrafting trip details. These trip details are linked here. Also check out their very detailed Packrafting Map
A list of some Packrafting meetups/clubs/operators:
PRANZ - Packrafting Association of New Zealand - Facebook
