Canoe Safaris
Canoe Safaris
5
8:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Sunday
8:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Full view
About
Guided tours from 1 to 5 days in the Whanganui National Park. Suitable for all ages and all fitness levels. Family trips a speciality. Operating for 40 years. Easy paddling, short Walks, Maori and European history. Fantastic meals. Fully qualified guides and we are a licensed operator. Canoe and Kayak Hire is also available.
Ohakune, New Zealand
Awards
Travellers' Choice
2023
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(27 reviews)
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5.0
290 reviews
Excellent
274
Very good
11
Average
3
Poor
1
Terrible
1
Resort53053015227
2 contributions
Nov 2023 • Friends
What an awesome company to deal with. Phil is very experienced on the river and Kristy super organized. Keira and jackson were very helpful and the food they cooked was great. It was a wet trip which made it challenging, but the whole team managed exceptionally.
Written 26 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Karen G
1 contribution
Nov 2023 • Solo
Absolutely unforgettable experience, opted for the five day guided tour to really have time to bask in the amazing environment that is the Whanganui National Park. We were very well taken care of by our guides Danielle and Jackson. As NZ weather usually loves to do some parkour, we had a bit of everything and our guides did an amazing job rallying us and encouraging us. I went from zero canoeing/kayaking experience to actually having fun down the rapids. 12/10, would recommend to nature lovers and adventure enthusiasts.
Written 25 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thankyou Karen! We really appreciate you taking the time to leave this fantastic review. It was great to meet another Ohakune local and to get to show you this beautiful part of your backyard :-) Enjoy the rest of your summer and i am sure we will see you again.
Written 28 November 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Warren J
Christchurch, New Zealand1 contribution
Nov 2023 • Couples
Just completed the 3 day trip. Our guides Wilson and Gregor were fantastic. Cool, clear, calm (even when I tipped the wife out of our canoe). Always felt safe, always felt informed. The food was sensational. From the time we were greeted to the time we departed, I was very impressed. Also, the van drivers were happy and great and very good and safe as well. Great vibe this business has. Happy to very highly recommend. Get on this trip people. Wow! You will not be disappointed.
Written 20 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thankyou Warren for this amazing review :-) And it's so lovely you even mentioned our great drivers who are also a huge part of our team! I'm glad you and the crew had a great 3 days with Wilson & Gregor and that despite the rain, you all ended with such good spirits and smiles on your faces - The perfect group! Enjoy your next adventure as a group together, whatever that may be ......Maybe a Rangitikei River Canoe Trip........
Written 28 November 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
WilkinsonFamily893
Christchurch, New Zealand18 contributions
Nov 2023 • Couples
8 of us over 50s decided we needed a hand with the Whanganui great walk so enlisted Canoe Safaris to help get us through. They were excellent, it was a pretty challenging exercise for us and the guides Wilson and Gregor were fantastic. Calm, clear, friendly and professional. We had mostly rain and yet we had the best of times because of the format/organisation of the 3 day trip including the delicious catering of food and drink (including good options for the vegan). Highly recommended.
Written 20 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thankyou for the great review :-) It was so great to finally meet you and get you on the river after such a long build up to your trip! I'm glad you thoroughly enjoyed your time on the river with us, and with Wilson & Gregor. They also had a fantastic time guiding a great group who made the most of the weather and fully embraced being out in the Whanganui wilderness.
Written 28 November 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Kat M
Edinburgh, UK8 contributions
Oct 2023 • Friends
Wonderful three day trip, the food especially exceeded our expectations (special dietary requirements). The river was beautiful and thanks to the instructions from our guides Wilson and Gregor we even managed to stay in the boat the entire time! Highly recommend this trip for anyone wanting to take a break from technology and enjoy life at the pace of the river.
Written 12 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Larry B
2 contributions
Oct 2023 • Couples
We had a magic 4 days on the Whanganui thanks to Kirsty Phil Keira and Jackson. The equipment, food, guiding and training were faultless. Phil's instruction was enough to make us confident on the river without overloading two novices and Keira's and Jackson's enthusiasm and cooking made even a bit of rain seem fun. We were a late addition to the trip as our original trip with another company was cancelled due to weather so thanks to Kirsty for fitting us in at the last minute. The fact that the trip went off in a smooth and seemingly effortless way is a tribute to their pre trip preparation. We would thoroughly recommend Canoe safaris to anyone wanting a great few days on the Whanganui.
Written 11 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Matt C
Balaclava, Australia5 contributions
Oct 2023 • Solo
Unforgettable experience. I joined a tour as a solo early in November. Phil and Gregor were the guides for a four day trip along the Whanganui River. Expertly guided and plenty of fascinating information along the way. Food was plentiful and the team thoughtfully catered to vegetarian. The extra cushy sleeping mat and tent make for a good nights sleep. Really appreciated all the work the guides and Kirsty put in to make this trip easy and enjoyable. Thank you!
Written 4 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Matt! - What a great review :-) Thankyou for making the trip across the ditch to experience the Whanganui River with us - It was really great to meet you last week and i'm so glad you enjoyed your tour. Thanks for being a great & easy customer to help Gregor get into the swing of things too!
....I hope you managed to get some form of hike/walk in after you left us!
Written 7 November 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Dennis M
Palm Beach, Australia118 contributions
Nov 2022 • Friends
Our 3 day journey with Canoe Safaris on the Wanganui River between Whakaroo and Pipirika was most enjoyable.
Group comprised of us (6 Aussie senior citizens), 3 young ladies from the UK and 2 adventurous young 'girls' from Germany.
The trip was well organised with the tactical tips on canoeing being well presented, the food being plentiful and varied.
Our guides were most proficient and sociable.
The weather was a mixture of showers and grey overcast skies but it didn't seem to concern anyone greatly.
Overall the trip was made enjoyable due to the excellent pre planning of Kirsty and Phil from Canoe Safaris.
Would I do it again .. YES
Dennis Milling
Australia
Group comprised of us (6 Aussie senior citizens), 3 young ladies from the UK and 2 adventurous young 'girls' from Germany.
The trip was well organised with the tactical tips on canoeing being well presented, the food being plentiful and varied.
Our guides were most proficient and sociable.
The weather was a mixture of showers and grey overcast skies but it didn't seem to concern anyone greatly.
Overall the trip was made enjoyable due to the excellent pre planning of Kirsty and Phil from Canoe Safaris.
Would I do it again .. YES
Dennis Milling
Australia
Written 5 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alysha N
3 contributions
May 2023 • Friends
My friends and I stayed at the lodge over Mardi Gras weekend. The accomodation was perfect and Phil is such a lovely host with so much knowledge about the community. If you’re ever looking for a place to stay in Ohakune definitely give them a bell!
Written 30 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Gazza
1 contribution
Apr 2023 • Friends
Phil and Earl were our fantastic quids who assisted us on our adventure down the Whanganui river by canoe for 4 days. Phil has attention to detail and safety. The river was high due to resent rain. He took all due precautions with the non confident and ensured their safety. His knowledge was awesome. He made the trip lots of fun. The meals were very well catered for. Including those with special dietary needs. What a great opportunity to be able to see and explore the river by canoe. Totally recommend a guided tour.
Written 14 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi there,
are you doing one day trips also ? if yes, which part of the river are you going, what will be the. conditions?
regards
stefan
Kama R
Auckland Central, New Zealand127 contributions
Hi there, what sort of bed rolls are provided (how thick are they), on the 3 day guided trip, do you stay in tents or cabins? and also how many people to a tent or cabin? Thanks for you help.
KirstyPhil
Ohakune, New Zealand
We use thermorest inflatable sleeping mats - just over one inch thick. On the 3 day trip there is usually one night tenting and one night cabins. They are 2 person tents but if you are on your own you get a tent to yourself