CANYONING IN WANAKA

With high rainfall, steep, mountainous terrain and one third of the country protected as public conservation land, New Zealand contains world class canyoning in some pristine areas. While there are canyoning trips dotted throughout the country, the highest concentration is in Wanaka near the southern end of the South Island. Here, water the colour of Bombay Gin tumbles down deep canyons which contain huge jumps, big hydraulics and trips that range from relaxing, just-for-fun to downright nail-biting, write-a-will-before-beginning experiences.

Wanaka is not a place to be taken lightly. Many of the canyons have large, steep catchments, are often snow-fed and freezing cold even in summer. Almost all require rope work, some whitewater skills and a high degree of canyoning experience. Compared to Australian canyons, the high volume of surging water here is one of the key difficulties. Drops that otherwise might be straightforward otherwise become far more complex when you’re being pummelled by a flow that’s both ferocious and frigid (often from snow melt). The rewards make it worth