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Recreational Kayaking in Christchurch

Wondering where to go kayaking in the Christchurch area? This page is definitely not a complete list of where to kayak in Christchurch, but is a list of ideas to get you started. If you find a good place that isn't listed here, please let us know and we'll add it.

Enjoy!

Location	Notes
Upper Avon Family Adventure	Small Kayaks are best for this trip. Fun for all ages! Start on Puriri St and take out at Monavale Botanical gardens - this trip takes about an hour.
Cass Bay to Quail Island	Mid to longer kayaks best for this trip. Families with young kids may want to start from the Diamond Harbour side of Lyttelton harbour instead. Bring a lunch and camera.
Heathcote River and Estuary	River levels are tidal - this out and back is a good trip for bird watching. Fine paddle for all ages.
Ripapa Island	On the Diamond Harbour side of Lyttelton Harbour is an island that was important to the NZ military and Maori. The trip to explore this island is an easy one for adults. Rocky shores make it best for plastic kayaks.
Avon City Paddle	Glide through the city's parks with wide views and water features and tall buildings alongside. Put in at the Botanical Gardens, stop for lunch at the Boat Shed Cafe just after the Christchurch Botanical Gardens, and take out at Oxford Terrace just past Barbados for a one hour paddle, or continue to Porrit Park - the location of the Arawa and White Water Canoe Club's club buildings - for a two hour recreational paddle.
Naval Point - Boats and Coves	Out and back trip in Lyttelton Harbour along the coast with many coves and boats on buoys to explore and paddle around. Suitable for all ages.
Kaiapoi River	Easy out and back for all ages. This flat water river is wide enough for all sizes of kayaks and boats, and the branching of the river upstream makes it interesting for all ages. This is the site of the Kaiapoi Classic Multisport race that runs every November for those wanting to try their hand at multisporting.
Sumner Surf	This site is very tide dependant - surfing is best at low tide when the waves don't reach the rocks. Wear a helmet - we have some for hire if you need one for just a day. We normally put in and take out near the shower where there are few to no surfers, and it is easy to clean your gear afterwards before going home.
Halswell River	Two optional cafe breaks for lunch / snacks. This is a very shallow river with many turns - perfect for kids to explore. This site was reported to us, but we haven't had a chance to find the put-ins and take-outs yet. Please let us know if you have any experience and information to share on this river!