Auckland University Canoe Club
Whitewater kayaking and rafting
in New Zealand's most
beautiful places...
Trips & Events
You've stumbled across the Trips & Events page which hopefully means you're interested in what the club has to offer! Below you'll find information on the major events for the year ranging from action-packed trips to small kayak training sessions. Updated information on upcoming trips will be circulated on the email list and our Facebook & Instagram pages. Check out previous events on our Trip Reports page.
Petrol Costs: We rely on carpooling on most big events to get our members to and from the trip locations. Passengers will also have to pay a contribution to petrol for the driver as it is unfair for the generous drivers to pay their petrol costs by themselves. Therefore, the club policy is for passengers to contribute 2 parts passenger cost to 1 part driver cost (passenger : driver).
For example, if a car has 3 passengers and 1 driver, and the total petrol cost for the trip is $140, the passengers would each pay $40, and the driver would pay $20. Ratio 2:2:2:1, (passenger 40 : passenger 40 : passenger 40 : driver 20).
Weekly Pool Training 2025
Pool Training
Held every week Tuesday during semester from 7:00-8:30 pm at Northcote College pool. If picked up from Auckland University, meet at the Quad at 6:00 pm to be car-pooled there. Available to all, AUCC members or not, practice happens in an indoor pool. This is an excellent opportunity to learn basic kayaking skills from instructors, and work on essential kayaking techniques in the warmth and comfort of a heated pool. After every pool session, we'll head to a nearby pub to feed your hungry belly. It's a warm atmosphere, with plenty of drinks, dinner and casual chit chat amongst our little community of friendly kayakers - perfect chance to make some new friends and find out about upcoming events!
Fees: $10 for pool session, and gold coin petrol fee to carpool drivers
Held every week Tuesday during the semester at the University of Auckland's Recreational Centre (Hiwa). Check your emails for signups! Meet us by the reception of the rec centre. This is an excellent opportunity to learn basic kayaking skills and rescue skills from instructors and work on essential kayaking techniques in the warmth and comfort of a heated pool. More details will be in the email. ​
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Fees: $5 per pool session.
Trips & Events 2025
Fulljames 2025 (14-16th March)
Fulljames promises to the biggest, wettest, and wildest event of your uni year. Heaps of keen kayakers and rafters from AUCC descent on the awesome Fulljames rapid on the mighty Waikato River for whitewater, partying, and craziness galore! A great time for newbies and seasoned pros, Fulljames is not to be missed. 2025 Fulljames will be Pirate themed... Costumes are mandatory!
Ä€niwaniwa (5-6th April)
Come spend a weekend camping at the beautiful Lake Āniwaniwa campground, and with one day learning to kayak and grade 2 & a day rafting on the exciting Jeff's Joy grade 4.
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Ä€niwaniwa is ones of the best beginner kayaking runs in the North Island!!
Come and spend Easter with AUCC at the Mohaka. A beautiful isolated loaction, a truely remote wilderness experience.
There will be a day of beginners kayaking on g2, and then a day on g3 with rafting available for beginners. The 3rd day instructors will paddle the g4/5 sections, with options of day walks or a trip in to Napier for those not paddling.
Easter Mohaka (18-21st April)
Tongariro Release 1 (25-27th April)
Behold, the beautiful and lush Tongariro National Park is in sight, a UNESCO World Heritage area filled with exciting Grade 3 and 4 rafting and kayaking. The dam release doubles the flow of the river, turning it from a mellow float to an adrenaline-filled roller-coaster ride over 60 rapids. For beginners seeking to hit their adrenaline limits hurtling down icy whitewater in the hands of our trusty raft guides, Tongariro is the trip for you! This is mainly a rafting trip - kayaking is gnarly and exclusive for experienced paddlers only
Club Dinner (8th May)
Join us for a relaxed and fun-filled evening with the AUCC crew! Put your paddles down and come enjoy great food, good company, and some awesome conversation. It's the perfect chance to unwind and connect with fellow club members.
Stay tuned for more details!
Beginners! (17-18th May)
Beginners trip is held in Kawerau where we practice skills on a short but exciting Grade 2 section of the Tarawera river which also doubles as a slalom course. It's the perfect spot to practice catching tricky eddies, ferry gliding and so on without committing to a longer river run. Instructors will teach you new river skills and you'll learn most of the river skills here that you would not be able to learn in pool training. Free hot pools in the evening (surely they've opened again) and often a big group dinner too!
Kaituna Rafting (7th June)
Ever wanted to try rafting the Kaituna? One of the most thrilling whitewater rivers in New Zealand, the Kaituna offers heart-pumping rapids and stunning scenery. Whether you're a seasoned adventurer or a first-timer, this is an experience you won’t want to miss! Join us for an unforgettable rafting trip and take on the famous Tutea Falls, the highest commercially rafted waterfall in the world!
(And we do it way cheaper than the tourist companies 😉)