Waimakariri River

The Waimakariri River rises in the Southern Alps near Arthur’s Pass and flows 151 kilometres southeast across the Canterbury Plains to the Pacific Ocean north of Christchurch. As a classic snow-fed braided river it shapes the landscape with broad shingle beds and the narrow Waimakariri Gorge. The surrounding regional park supports a wide range of leisure activities including salmon and trout fishing, jet boating, kayaking and rafting, walking and mountain biking on extensive trails, horse riding, picnicking and swimming. Its ever-shifting channels and riverside margins invite both relaxed exploration and active adventure amid the open plains and alpine foothills.