D P
22:28 14 Feb 26
We booked a last-minute canoe trip on the Whanganui River, and everything from Grant and the team was excellent: canoe, instructions, transport. It even includes a night before you depart in a simple hotel room! Recommended.
Han Gun Kim
09:34 09 Feb 26
12 members of our Tramping Club, Auckland Korean Tramping Club did the Whanganui River Journey from Feb. 2nd to 5th 2026. Our average age is around 70. We were very lucky to meet the Owango Adventures.
The staff were very friendly when they gave us safety training. They said that it was raining for two days, so the water level increased and the flow went faster, so they recommended a guide, Shane te Wiki. Shane has professional abilities as a guide and is a very kind person. We have unforgettable memories. We all thank him.
And it was thankful for allowing us to use the accommodation for free. We were able to stay comfortably when we arrived. The rest of our club members is sure to visit the Whanganui River Journey someday.
Once again, I would like to say thank you for helping us complete this trip successfully.
Han Gun Kim
The staff were very friendly when they gave us safety training. They said that it was raining for two days, so the water level increased and the flow went faster, so they recommended a guide, Shane te Wiki. Shane has professional abilities as a guide and is a very kind person. We have unforgettable memories. We all thank him.
And it was thankful for allowing us to use the accommodation for free. We were able to stay comfortably when we arrived. The rest of our club members is sure to visit the Whanganui River Journey someday.
Once again, I would like to say thank you for helping us complete this trip successfully.
Han Gun Kim
Philippa Johnston
21:56 30 Jan 26
Grant and his family at Owhango Adventures were amazing hosts, their relaxed and easy going attitudes made us feel confident on the water and we had the absolute best time on the river. Great value for money, we will be rebooking again for a longer trip as soon as we can!
Rosie Bell
09:54 25 Jan 26
Amazing experience and attention to safety.
Went with a group comprised mostly of sea scout leaders and two long time 17 year old scouts, so we were all very experienced on water and in the bush, and all understood how to stay safe. Grant respected and understood this well. The first day, Willy covered in the briefing that the weather may turn for the worst, and that since our group was starting at pipiriki we were more likely to be caught in it, and that they were open to taking us out at whakahoro the next day if we felt unsafe with a refund.
Willy and Grant went absolutely above and beyond the next day by driving down to Whakahoro to talk to us in person about the conditions, and have a discussion about the potential risks should the weather become worse, as well as the risks for if it stayed the same. They respected our decision to continue despite the risk of potentially needing to be jet boated out should the water rise much further. They were very clear that we would be perfectly fine should we choose to reschedule or ask for a refund, and that it was a fine decision to not continue in light of the risks.
The weather fortunately did not worsen beyond what was forecasted so we were okay, and even had the huts to ourselves the first two nights (another company had offered clients to be jetted up the river to canoe down part way once the worst of the rain had passed, so we encountered a couple of groups on the 3rd/last night). Grant also went out of his way to contact us at Tieke Kainga by phone on our last day to tell us we would likely be better off leaving sooner rather than later for weather concerns (again), and offered to meet us at pipiriki at an earlier time than was standard. The people who came to pick up our canoes and transfer the car were also very polite.
Our two 2 person canoes and 1 kayak were all in good condition and very hardy, and held up to minor bruising during rapids. Only one barrel let in a small amount of water on one occasion, despite minor challenges with closing the barrels correctly (it can be tricky, always double check them!). The dry bags were about as good as dry bags get, most kept eveything dry but some got a little damp. would reccomend keeping everything in the barrels and dry bags in ziploc or smaller dry bags, as we had no actual issues with we food or equipment.
Overall, a very accomodating and personal experience hosted by considerate and honest people. Hoping to plan another trip with Owhango adventures soon.
Went with a group comprised mostly of sea scout leaders and two long time 17 year old scouts, so we were all very experienced on water and in the bush, and all understood how to stay safe. Grant respected and understood this well. The first day, Willy covered in the briefing that the weather may turn for the worst, and that since our group was starting at pipiriki we were more likely to be caught in it, and that they were open to taking us out at whakahoro the next day if we felt unsafe with a refund.
Willy and Grant went absolutely above and beyond the next day by driving down to Whakahoro to talk to us in person about the conditions, and have a discussion about the potential risks should the weather become worse, as well as the risks for if it stayed the same. They respected our decision to continue despite the risk of potentially needing to be jet boated out should the water rise much further. They were very clear that we would be perfectly fine should we choose to reschedule or ask for a refund, and that it was a fine decision to not continue in light of the risks.
The weather fortunately did not worsen beyond what was forecasted so we were okay, and even had the huts to ourselves the first two nights (another company had offered clients to be jetted up the river to canoe down part way once the worst of the rain had passed, so we encountered a couple of groups on the 3rd/last night). Grant also went out of his way to contact us at Tieke Kainga by phone on our last day to tell us we would likely be better off leaving sooner rather than later for weather concerns (again), and offered to meet us at pipiriki at an earlier time than was standard. The people who came to pick up our canoes and transfer the car were also very polite.
Our two 2 person canoes and 1 kayak were all in good condition and very hardy, and held up to minor bruising during rapids. Only one barrel let in a small amount of water on one occasion, despite minor challenges with closing the barrels correctly (it can be tricky, always double check them!). The dry bags were about as good as dry bags get, most kept eveything dry but some got a little damp. would reccomend keeping everything in the barrels and dry bags in ziploc or smaller dry bags, as we had no actual issues with we food or equipment.
Overall, a very accomodating and personal experience hosted by considerate and honest people. Hoping to plan another trip with Owhango adventures soon.
Paul Lacy
03:17 18 Jan 26
Great experience
Daniel Holland
21:59 04 Jan 26
Outstanding company with a clear focus on safety first. We booked a four-day trip for six adults and four children aged between 8 and 12. With very wet and stormy weather forecast, Grant and his team went above and beyond to ensure we felt safe and supported at all times. Right up until we hit the water, we were reassured that we could pull out if needed.
The safety briefings were excellent, the equipment was top quality, and communication was consistent throughout the four days. When one of our children became unwell on day three, Grant quickly arranged a jet boat out and additional transport from Pipiriki so we could get home safely, while the rest of the group continued the trip. We were also incredibly grateful for the free accommodation provided the night before departure and again for the evening we left early with our sick child.
This is a company that is clearly proud of the experience they offer. Their focus is on providing a safe, memorable adventure rather than simply making a profit. Thank you, Grant — we truly appreciated everything and are already planning our next attempt!
The safety briefings were excellent, the equipment was top quality, and communication was consistent throughout the four days. When one of our children became unwell on day three, Grant quickly arranged a jet boat out and additional transport from Pipiriki so we could get home safely, while the rest of the group continued the trip. We were also incredibly grateful for the free accommodation provided the night before departure and again for the evening we left early with our sick child.
This is a company that is clearly proud of the experience they offer. Their focus is on providing a safe, memorable adventure rather than simply making a profit. Thank you, Grant — we truly appreciated everything and are already planning our next attempt!
Big David
00:49 31 Dec 25
Grant is a really great guy. Accommodation is a bit dated.
Alex Herriott
03:24 23 Dec 25
Excellent company and incredibly helpful. We did the Whanganui River journey as 'freedom canoers' meaning we were given the boats but left on our own. However, we met the guides on the river with another group and they were super helpful even though they didn't realise we were with their company to start with. Incredibly nice, and very informative about the river. When there was an issue with one of the camps being shut they helped everyone out even those who hadn't paid them. I cannot recommend them highly enough. I'm planning to go on another trip in the area and I'll definitely be going with these guys.
Colette Withers
19:01 22 Dec 25
Awesome experience doing the three day Whanganui paddle. Owhango crew were organised, helpful and friendly. Thankyou Grant, Jacob, Pat Willy and Jeremy for your hospitality. We felt valued like part of the Owhango whanau - thankyou for making it a memorable adventure!
Jemma Wright
22:23 02 Dec 25
We traveled the Whanganui river with another canoe company. When arriving at Pipiriki we experienced Outrageous and disgusting behavior from the Owhango Bus driver. He was yelling, swearing and pulling the fingers out of the windows to the international visitors who had berthed their Canoes at the first ramp, opposed to the second ramp. Instead of guiding them over politely he was screaming and tooting the horn and using foul language. He blamed them for not seeing the sign, however, even my partner and I agreed that the sign wasnt ideally placed and with rising river levels, it was hard to see. Instead of having compassion and remaining calm, the driver absolutely lost his rag. To the point where my partner and I confronted him and had to tell him to calm down. Felt extremely sorry for the international visitors, especially when for some of them, English isn't their first language. Would not recommend this company just based on the way the driver has represented them. Left the visitors who chose this company very upset and had a disappointing end to their trip.
Sam Hansby
00:50 07 Nov 25
Owhango Adventures were great for our group of six people. We did the two day rafting trip from Nga Huinga to Whakahoro including a night at their HQ which was brilliant.
Communications and booking with Owhango Adventures was easy.
Grant from Owhango Adventures dropped us off at Nga Huinga - he didn't rush us at all, making sure we were fully prepped before seeing us off.
Grant was also there to pick us up at Whakahoro, right on time. We enjoyed a trip back to HQ with Grant's daughter and grandson (I hope I got that correct) where we got to tell them stories from the river.
Thanks again
Communications and booking with Owhango Adventures was easy.
Grant from Owhango Adventures dropped us off at Nga Huinga - he didn't rush us at all, making sure we were fully prepped before seeing us off.
Grant was also there to pick us up at Whakahoro, right on time. We enjoyed a trip back to HQ with Grant's daughter and grandson (I hope I got that correct) where we got to tell them stories from the river.
Thanks again
Lukas Huber
23:13 12 Jun 25
We wanted to do a 3-day self-guided canoe trip in late autumn (end of May, off-season) and Grant was the only tour provider we could find who still rented out canoes. The whole endeavor was very spontaneous but Grant supported us with everything we needed. He let us sleep in his (very basic) guest house for free the night before and gave us a thorough instruction for the canoeing in the morning before we started the trip. He checked back on us daily using the satellite-run emergency device. His staff was nice too, both shuttles were convenient and very reliable.
It was an unforgettable trip and we had the entire river and the huts for ourselves, just as Grant had predicted as other operators had already closed down for winter season. What an experience for a really fair price!
A comment to the equipment: the barrels to store your stuff are not 100% waterproof, which is why Grant provides dry bags additionally for the really sensitive stuff like electronics and sleeping bags. I expect it is similar with other providers. In any case, if your electronics get damaged because you didn't store them in the dry bags provided, it's your fault.
It was an unforgettable trip and we had the entire river and the huts for ourselves, just as Grant had predicted as other operators had already closed down for winter season. What an experience for a really fair price!
A comment to the equipment: the barrels to store your stuff are not 100% waterproof, which is why Grant provides dry bags additionally for the really sensitive stuff like electronics and sleeping bags. I expect it is similar with other providers. In any case, if your electronics get damaged because you didn't store them in the dry bags provided, it's your fault.
S A Becher
03:17 02 Mar 25
Highly recommended these guys. We just completed the three day canoeing trip on the Whanganui River and had an excellent time. We did not book a guided tour, but kind of ended up alongside one, and if you are on the fence, go for the guided tour. Shout out to Willie who is an excellent river guide, full of local knowledge, and ever so kind and helpful. Our canoes were fine, the barrels worked well and Willies great knowledge of the river meant we stayed in our canoe watching several others go for a swim at the 50/50. I also liked how Willid set out the mini powhiri and got to attend it twice - first as a visitor then as an adopted member (and he let me murder Te Aroha twice, too). We had a fun and safe time!
Zsuzsi Tóth
07:10 06 Feb 25
We had a spectacular time on the river. Communication from day one was great and helpful when I was trying to organise the logistics of our trip. Very handy that they do drop off and pick up for the trip and tue free accommodation on the day before. It is a pretty old establishment, but everything works. Canoes were great and the barrels worked well for us, though we didn’t end up in the river, but the other pair did twice and they said everything was still well attached and didn’t get wet. Everyone we met from the business was friendly and just good fellas. :) thanks guys!
Make a Splash with our
Canoe Adventures
Owhango Adventures offers canoe journeys on the stunning Whanganui River. Whether you’re after a self-guided paddle with quality gear or a fully guided adventure, we’ve got everything you need to explore this iconic river your way.
Qualified Team
Our Qualified Cultural Navigators love to share their homelands and stories as you traverse the Whanganui River.
Born and Bred
Born and bred on the banks of the Whanganui River, we have a cultural experience waiting to share with you in our own backyard.
Best Location
Ideally located in the central Ruapehu Region, surrounded by scenic bush and the Whanganui and Whakapapa Rivers on our doorstep.
Fully Licensed
One of a small few who are authorised by DOC (Department of Conservation) as a licensed operator on the Whanganui River.