Activity
Tours
We loveeeee this secret chasm!! By day… and by night! After experiencing it ourselves, it’s honestly one of the most magical kayaking adventures we’ve done!
Tucked beside the scenic Waikato River near Cambridge and Matamata, Riverside Adventures, Waikato is a family-owned outdoor hub offering fun, easy ways to explore the region’s natural beauty. From relaxed self-guided paddles through amazing canyon scenery to magical twilight glowworm kayak tours that illuminate the river after dark. They also provide bike hire, guided rides, and shuttle services connecting riders to some of the North Island’s most popular cycling routes, including the Waikato River Trails, Te Awa River Ride, Hauraki Rail Trail, and Timber Trail, making it easy to plan anything from a cool kayak experience to a full day of outdoor adventure.
Our experience: (check out our video in the first slide): A few years ago, we got to kayak this magical secret chasm. We hired the Riverside Adventures kayaks with a bunch of friends and, with guidance from the their crew. The chasm was easy to find with the instructions from safe and easy launch area (much more difficult and dangerous to attempt the launch elsewhere). The kayak there was beautiful in itself, and the chasm.. wow. Something I hope you get to experience! Fully recommend relaxing back in silence and just taking it all in.
🌿 What they Offer
🚣 Kayak Adventures & Glowworm Tours: Scenic daytime paddles and magical evening tours where glowworms light up the canyon walls.
🚴 Bike & E-Bike Hire: Explore the region at your own pace with quality bikes and e-bikes available.
🚴♂️ Guided & Self-Guided Cycle Tours: Ride sections of the Waikato River Trails and other iconic North Island rides.
🛶 Kayak & SUP Hire: Perfect for relaxed, self-guided river adventures.
🚐 Shuttles & Trail Transfers: Easy transport for riders, kayakers, and gear to trail start and finish points.
🔀 Combo Adventure Experiences: Mix kayaking, biking, and exploring into one epic day out.
🧭 Custom Adventures: Tailored experiences designed for groups, families, or different ability levels.
👨👩👧 Beginner Friendly: Suitable for first-timers through to experienced adventurers, with knowledgeable local guides.
Direct contact details:
🌐 www.riversideadventures.co.nz
📘 www.facebook.com/riversideadventuresNZ
📸 www.instagram.com/riversideadventuresnz
📧 info@riversideadventures.co.nz
📞 +64 27 728 7448
Book here:
Reviews:
"We had such a great time on this activity! While it took us a bit to figure out the flow with our kayak, once we got the hang of it we were fine. The scenery is beautiful but seeing the glow worms was AMAZING! All you can see are the breathtaking stars above and then the glow worms all around look like more stars. It was incredible and peaceful. Cannot recommend more!!" - Tara, Get your Guide
"We rented mountain bikes to cycle the Te Awa River Ride from Cambridge to Lake Karapiro. As it was a rental on Christmas Day, had the bikes delivered to us at the holiday park. The bikes were in very good condition, with helmets and locks provided, and some even had accessories like phone holder, etc. The river ride was smooth, wide and easy for the kids." - Meng, Google Reviews
"Lovely tour. Well worth the money. Very serene way to experience glow worms, gently drifting down the river through the caves as they surround you. Tour guides were knowledgeable and made the experience interesting and enjoyable. The snacks and drinks were a nice touch. Good fun kayaking around." - Callum, Google Reviews
