Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Pipiriki
is beside the river at the north end of Whanganui River Rd. It's a rainy river
town without much going on (no shops or petrol), but was once a humming holiday hot
spot serviced by river steamers and paddleboats. Seemingly cursed, the old
Pipiriki Hotel
,
formerly a glamorous resort full of international tourists, burned to the ground twice. Re-
cent attempts to rebuild it have stalled due to funding issues; it's been vandalised and
stripped of anything of value, leaving a hollow brick husk riddled with potential. Pipiriki
is the end point for canoe trips coming down the river and the launching pad for jetboat
rides.
Standing in mute testimony to the optimism of the early settlers is the
Bridge to Nowhere
MAP
, built in 1936. The lonesome bridge - once part of a long-lost 4.5m-wide roadway
from Raetihi to the river - is on the Mangapurua Track (
Click here
)
, or it's a 40-minute
walk from Mangapurua Landing upstream from Pipiriki, accessible by jetboat.
Activities
Canoeing & Kayaking
The most popular stretch of river for canoeing and kayaking is the 145km downstream run
from Taumarunui to Pipiriki. This has been added to the NZ Great Walks system as the
Whanganui Journey
. It's a Grade II river - easy enough for the inexperienced, with enough
moiling rapids to keep things interesting. If you need a Great Walks Ticket you must ar-
range one before you start paddling;
Click here
)
.
Taumarunui to Pipiriki
is a five-day/four-night trip;
Ohinepane to Pipiriki
is a four-day/three-
night trip; and
Whakahoro to Pipiriki
is a three-day/two-night trip.
Taumarunui to Whakahoro
is a
popular overnight trip, especially for weekenders, or you can do a one-day trip from
Tau-
marunui to Ohinepane
or
Ohinepane to Whakahoro
. From Whakahoro to Pipiriki, 87km down-
stream, there's no road access so you're wed to the river for a few days. Most canoeists
stop at Pipiriki.
The season for canoe trips is usually from September to Easter. Up to 5000 people
make the river trip each year, mostly between Christmas and the end of January. During
winter the river is almost deserted - cold currents run swift and deep as wet weather and
short days deter potential paddlers.
To hire a two-person Canadian canoe for one/three/five days costs around $80/200/250
per person not including transport (around $50 per person). A single-person kayak costs
