Frequently Asked Questions
1. What should I bring? If coming for a day tour you should bring the following: - swimsuit - towel - warm layer (fleece) - raincoat for the walk - comfortable hiking clothes - hiking shoes/trail runners - snacks if you have specific dietary requirements We will provide you with the following: - packraft - paddle - PFD (lifejacket) - helmet - wetsuit - wetsuit booties (if using hiking boots rather than trail runners) - splash jacket - snacks/lunch 1. What should I bring? If you are doing a multi-day or custom trip check your emails for details of what you need to bring
2. How cold is the water? This can vary throughout the season. In the late spring/early summer there is often still snow feeding the river and the water can be cold even if the weather is warm. The river temperature gets warmer later in the summer as levels drop and snow diminishes. However, New Zealand weather is unpredicatble and can change quickly. We recommend wearing the wetsuit and splash jacket provided. It's always easy to cool down by jumping in the river but it can be harder to warm up!
3. What is the best river? Each river is so unique it would be difficult to pick one as 'the best'. Our Hokitika Gorge trip suits adventurous people who want an introduction to packrafting in a stunning location. If you want a more chill trip that's still pretty try the Taramakau.
4. What is your refund policy? You can see our Terms and Conditions here which includes our refund policy. Generally we will fully refund your booking minus any booking fee set by the booking website. However, if you cancel with less than 48hrs notice you will be charged the full amount. This is because by this point we will have organised everything for your trip (packing, food, guides etc.) and therefore have already incurred most of the associated costs.
5. What is a packraft? A packraft is an inflatable kayak that can be rolled up and fit in a backpack allowing it to be carried up rivers and give access to places that are difficult to reach with conventional craft. We have both single and double packrafts available
6. Is there a guide in my boat? No, generally everyone paddles their own individual packraft. There will be a guide or two accompanying each trip with a small ratio of clients to guides. However, we do have some double packrafts available and it may be possible to have a guide paddle you down the river though this will likely incur an extra cost.
7. Do you have double packrafts? We do have a small number of double packrafts. Please let us know when booking if you'd like one. These are great for parent and child combos!
8. It seems expensive There is a lot of behind-the-scenes costs to an adventure activities business. Not only are you paying for highly experienced and qualified guides but also there is the DOC concession, Safety Audit and Registration, Council Consent, Equipment and Transport to consider. We also highly value our guides and like to pay them well for their time.
9. Should I tip my guide? As a business we value our staff and think it's important to pay them well for their skills and experience. Whilst tips are not expected in New Zealand if you think your guide has gone above-and-beyond for you they will welcome any gratuity offered.
10. Do I need to be able to swim? Whilst swimming ability is not compulsory for our Class II trips it is required for Class III and IV trips. Please bear in mind that if you are not comfortable potentially swimming in swift moving, cold water then our trips are not likely to be enjoyable for you. PFDs (Personal Flotation Devices) are provided for every paddler.
11. I have a medical issue or disability, can I still come? We think inclusivity in the outdoors is important and will try and work to make our trips available to as many people as possible. We require you to declare any medical conditions on booking so that we can adapt as necessary and unfortunately there may be some conditions that will make the trip impossible. More information is available in our Terms and Conditions.
12. Can I rent a packraft? Generally we don't rent out packrafts as we need them to run our guided tours. We also need to be very sure that we are renting to experienced people that have the skills to use our boats effectively. Please get in touch if you need to rent a packraft, but don't be disappointed if we have none available.
13. Wait, I wanted to go whitewater rafting There are some great rafting operators on the West Coast of New Zealand. We recommend getting in touch with Inland Discoveries or Hidden Valleys who run many of the same rivers we do in larger craft.
14. My question has not been answered on this page If this is a case flick us through a message using our contact form or email us at westcoastpackrafting@gmail.com