Waiau Toa / Clarence River

The Waiau Toa / Clarence River winds for over two hundred kilometres through the dramatic high-country landscapes of New Zealand’s northeastern South Island. Rising in the Spenser Mountains, it flows through alpine terrain and the expansive tussock lands of Molesworth Station, then separates the Inland and Seaward Kaikōura Ranges in a long straight valley before carving spectacular gorges of folded rock strata and reaching the Pacific in a braided delta. Its varied geography of open braided reaches, tight gorges and riverside terraces creates one of the region’s longest and most remote waterways. Adventurers enjoy multi-day rafting and packrafting trips on moderate rapids, wilderness camping on secluded gravel beaches, fishing and hiking through pristine backcountry.