Terms & Conditions

We appreciate your custom and aspire to provide a friendly, exciting and safe experience. Safety is our number one priority and acceptance of the below conditions are required to process your booking. Note your booking and rafting activities will be provided by Tongariro River Rafting who hold all Health and Safety compliance to keep you safe while participating on your river adventure! To view their Health and Safety credentials click here.

Booking Requirements
Please check we have a way of contacting you. We need an email address or a contact phone number. Please ensure to provide your countries international code. It is best practise to call us 24hours prior to your booking date. We may need to contact you. Arrival Time: Please arrive 30minutes prior to your departure time.

Please bring:
Swimwear or suitable clothing to wear underneath and a towel. (We have available to hire)
Please bring any medication you may need.
Please cover any open cuts or wounds.
Please bring sanitary wear.
If you have a contagious skin infection – You cannot raft.

No previous rafting experience is required however all participants must:

Listen to our safety briefing
Follow guides instructions

An 18-year-old is deemed an Adult.
Our team must be notified if a child/person has a special need requirement, has a medical condition or a physical disability that requires special attention.
All river apparel supplied must be worn as instructed. Unfortunately, turbans and head cloths can only be worn if our river helmet fits your head comfortably.
Each raft is guided by a qualified rafting professional. All New Zealand River Guides have a professional qualification and have successfully gained the competencies to raft. All guides instructions must be followed to ensure your safety.
Our raft guides regardless of their gender have the required skills to safely navigate a raft down the river. Failure to follow instructions could mean you are excluded from the trip.

We raft people from all over the world, people come from different cultures, different religions and different backgrounds. It is important that all persons participating in our rafting trips have respect for all persons.

Minimum Age Policy
Grade 3: The minimum age for white water rafting is 13 years, with a minimum weight of 25kg. Anyone between 10 years and 12 years of age will need to be accompanied 1:1 by someone 18 years of age or older. There is a maximum weight restriction of 120kg. All persons must be able to fit the river safety apparel and be fit and capable to participate in the activity provided. Due to operational requirements Rafting New Zealand has the right to deem a person incompetent to participate in the rafting activity, this could be due to weather and or river flows.

Grade 1/2:Minimum age for white water rafting is 3 years old provided they are supervised by an adult with a 1:1 ratio. Due to operational requirements Rafting New Zealand has the right to deem a person incompetent to participate in the rafting activity, this could be due to weather and or river flows.

3. Medical Restrictions

We cannot take you rafting if you are pregnant. If you do not notify us, you do so at your own risk.

We require you to declare any medical or physical conditions prior to rafting. This includes but is not limited to the following:

Head Injury
Recent Surgeries
Neurological Disorders
Epilepsy
Dislocations
Artificial Limbs
Back Injuries
Heart Conditions
High Blood Pressure
Restricted Mobility
Diabetes
Severe Allergies
Vision Impairment
Hearing Impairment

Please note the above list does not automatically exclude you from rafting, and the list is not exhaustive. If you have concerns about a condition not mentioned, please contact our team prior to travel.

4.Weight restrictions:

We supply the following river safety apparel to keep you safe. All participants must wear the following.

Wetsuit:Our Largest Wetsuit is 4XL

Life Jackets:Must fit below the abdomen, they will fit a person. with a maximum chest measurement of: 147 cm.

River shoe: We have a size US 13 Mens.

If you have feet larger than this, we can discuss with you bringing your own footwear. If you would like to discuss any of the above, please call us and we will be happy to talk to you.

Spray Jacket: 3XL

Bookings Requirements for School or Special Group Bookings
Summer Rafting – All students to bring in addition to their swim wear a thermal base layer and woolen or thermal socks.
Winter Rafting – All students to bring in addition to their swim wear a thermal base layer, woolen or thermal socks and a woolen or thermal beanie. Please note that students must be advised that in no circumstances are they to wear/use cotton material as a base layer.
All students/participants prior to rafting must have signed approval from a parent or guardian.
Teachers/Trip Leaders must arrive with RNZ Limited Signed Medical/Physical Sheets.

6. Rafting New Zealand will refuse to raft a customer if:

They are under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
If a customer is abusive or violent.
If a customer is deemed overweight and does not have the required level of fitness to participate in the booked activity. The customer will be given a full refund.
A customer has not made full payment.

7. Late Arrival/s Penalties and Charges.

All bookings are required to be at our meeting location 30minutes prior to the meeting time. This is an advised time schedule to ensure all bookings arrive on time, so our days operation is not negatively affected. Please note that it is not just our operation that is affected by late comers, other clients are on time restrictions and their itineraries could be negatively affected.
The following penalties will be charged to all late arrivals.
If a booking is 10minutes late a 5% penalty will be made to the customer ticket fee. (5% of $149 = $7.45)
If a booking is 20minutes late a 10% penalty fee. (10% of 149 = $14.90) Please note that Rafting New Zealand may cancel your booking with no refund should it not be possible to wait for you.

8. Cancellation and Refund Policy

We operate under a 24-hour cancellation and amendment policy. Any booking that is cancelled or amended within 24 hours of departure will be charged in full.
In the event that a medical condition prevents you from partaking in the activity, a medical certificate must be provided to obtain a refund.
Bookings that are cancelled or amended outside of 24 hours prior to departure can be done so at no charge.
If booking online, you are responsible for ensuring your booking details are correct. If there has been an error with your booking the above cancellation policy applies.
Refunds can only be processed through the payment method that your ticket item was paid through. Please note that a refund can take anyway up to 7 days to process.
If for some reason a refund is required through an international bank account all additional charges will be passed onto the customer and deducted from the refund amount.

9. Minimum Numbers

For safety and operational reasons, we require a specific number of people in order to operate. Therefore, we ask you to call us the day prior to departure to reconfirm your trip by phone.
Bookings will be accepted for numbers less than the required minimum number on the basis that bookings will be coordinated to achieve minimum numbers. If we do not achieve minimum numbers we can reschedule or cancel your booking without charge.

10. Rafting New Zealand Complimentary Shuttle Booking Terms and Conditions

Our Shuttle has limited seats and is available on a first in first serve basis.
Shuttle service is available for all persons, however if a person has paid a discounted price through an Online Travel Agency then an additional payment for the shuttle service will be required.
To ensure our shuttle service can pick you up on time we require all shuttle service bookings to call us 24hours prior to your rafting trip please supply your phone contact details and your pickup location.
Departure Delays from Rafting New Zealand – Please note that we cannot guarantee an early return departure. If you have appointments scheduled for the evening you should consider bringing your own vehicle so you can leave at your own time.

11.Operational Days

364 days per year – we do not operate on Christmas Day.
Operating Days are subject to weather and river conditions. We cannot operate if we are outside of our operating parameters.
12.Payments

The name of the business that will appear on your bank/credit statements will be Rafting New Zealand Limited Partnership. Your account will be charged in New Zealand Dollars.
We accept Visa, Mastercard, Debit Cards, Eftpos and Cash. We also accept payments from approved Agents, Online Travel Agencies, Inbound Tour Operators who we have a binding agreement with. A customer must arrive with the booking confirmation form. (Please print off for faster processing)
All transactions are in New Zealand dollars.
All prices are subject to change.

12a. Payments made through Agents, Suppliers of Tourism Products, Online Travel Agencies.

Rafting New Zealand is a preferred tourism supplier for many agents and online travel agencies promoting tourism products. We act as a supplier only and our booking terms and conditions surpass any booking terms and conditions that the agent/supplier may have provided.
Customer must arrive with proof of confirmation and payment of the booking. Please print a paper copy of confirmation to avoid any delays.
Refunds and Cancellations. If the cancellation is made within our booking terms and conditions. The refund must be authorized and approved by RNZ Bookings Manager. The customer is responsible for contacting their booking agent.

12b. Discount Vouchers/Offers

Are valid up until the expiry date.
They cannot be used in conjunction with any other discount offer.
Discount Vouchers/Offers are not available on New Zealand Statutory Holidays.
Discount Vouchers/Offers are off the Retail Rate of the Tour.
12c Gift Vouchers

Sponsored Vouchers – Are valid up until the expiry date only.
Gift Vouchers that have been purchased are valid for 2 years.
12d Notification of New Zealand Public Holidays

Discount Codes, discount vouchers/offers will not be available for Public Holidays: 25 December, 26 December, 1 January, 2 January, 29 January, 6 February, 19 April, 22 April, 25 April, 3 June, 28 October.

Surcharges may apply.

13. Adventure Activity Carry a Degree of Risk. Company Disclosure and Risk Waiver. (This document will be signed on your arrival)

We advise that all activities do carry a degree of risk and that by participating in the activity provided by the Operator you are expressly assuming those risks personally and are releasing the Operator and its officers and employees from any liability, claims, losses, damages or expenses caused by any event including, but not limited to:

Personal injury or death
Property loss or damage
Acts which may be construed as negligent or accidental
Any other loss, damage, suffering, emotional or nervous disorder

In participating in the activity I, the passenger, agree to the conditions set out as above and consent to the conditions in clauses 1(a) to 1(i) below and 2 to 7.

(a) I agree that my successors, executors, administrators and next of kin are bound by the terms and conditions.

(b) I agree not to commence any litigation or proceedings in any country in relation to the risks and perils set out in B above and to indemnify the Operator against any such claims.

(c) I confirm that I am physically fit and suffer no medical conditions, which may be aggravated by this activity.

(d) I consent to receive medical treatment in the case of injury, accident or illness during the activity and to indemnify the Operator against any claims in respect of this treatment. (We advise you to have personal travel insurance).

(e) I agree that any films, sound, video or other recordings taken of or during the activity will not be used in any promotion or advertising without the prior consent of the Operator, however the Operator may use such recordings itself at its complete discretion without any prior approval.

(f) I understand if I am unable to swim, or have poor physical health or have any medical/heart conditions which may impact my ability to raft, paddle, follow instructions or swim, these MUST BE DISCLOSED to Rafting New Zealand staff prior to departure. If I am deemed physically unfit to engage within the experience the cost of the trip will be refunded.

(g) I understand that if pregnant I cannot participate in this experience and if I do so without notifying Rafting New Zealand staff of my pregnancy, I do so at my own risk.

(h) I understand if I wish to discontinue the the rafting experience during the trip, I am liable for all costs associated with being removed from the river. This term is void if a medical or natural emergency arises and evacuation is required.

Weight restrictions for Grade 3 and above – 25kg -minimum weight and 120kg maximum weight.(weighing may be required upon arrival). This term is void if Rafting New Zealand deem you competent to participate in the activity.Rafting New Zealand Limited Acting as an Agent for suppliers of Tourism Products. Booking Terms and Conditions.

This booking/voucher is issued as an agent for the Operator providing the services and activities described and are non-transferable.

The selling agent and or Operator accepts no responsibility for any loss of additional expenses arising from changes, delays or cancellations of the services and activities of the Operator.

This voucher is based on fares and tariffs, which are, to the best of the Operators knowledge, correct at the time of issue. Any increases since the date of issue are at the cost of the passenger payable to the Operator.

 

Please read our Adventure Regulation attached