Lake Rotoiti Guided Hot Pools Kayak Trip

We had an unforgettable trip with Justin. The trip we were booked on didn't look like it was going to happen but Justin - without knowing it was a special trip for us - managed to change things around so the trip could go ahead. It was our 30 wedding anniversary and we wanted to do something memorable. This certainly was, a great trip from start to finish, a lovely paddle across the lake to the hot springs, time to relax and enjoy the springs and the lake, dinner cooked by Justin before paddling over to see the glow worms then a magic paddle back under the stars listening to Māori stories from Justin. Would highly recommend.

Highly recommend this tour. Fantastic activities with all fun along the paddle to reach to the beautiful geothermal pools and an extra to visit the cave of the glow worm. Our tour guider Justin who helps and demonstrates us about all kayak gears we needed and skill of the paddle. and he is a story teller. We learned lot of the local history and love story.

Justin (or 'Teacher Justin' as my 2 year old would say) was absolutely amazing. We were a bit nervous about doing this with such a young one, but it couldn't have gone smoother. Justin paddled our toddler in the front of his double kayak and my wife and I took a single each. The paddle was beautiful and not overly strenuous. The hot tubs were magnificent. Very few people were there and the soak was magical. Our toddler had an ice cream and played in a 'hot sandpit' (natural hot springs flowing into the sand below). We are so glad we did it. Truly our favorite excursion of our two-week holiday in NZ. Couldn't recommend it more!

Wow! Justin deserves kudos for making the trip fun, safe, and educational. Great swim spot, hot pools, and great. The worms showed up fully! He is a storyteller and apparently a history buff. Highly recommended!

Yesterday, my wife and I had to adjust our plans due to weather and instead of kayaking we went on the rafting tour w the same company. Justin was very patient throughout the process of helping us get the plans adjusted. Overall, the staff did a great job and were extremely engaging the whole trip. The rapids and waterfalls were intense, but both Lenny and Dave made us both feel at ease throughout, even though we capsized over the big falls 😂. My wife has been whitewater rafting over a dozen times and this one was BY FAR her favorite experience.

Great day on and in the water-Justin our guide set a comfortable pace. Just enough paddling for a nice workout. High recommend this trip.

Amazing way to spend an afternoon and evening. Nice kayak trip across the lake, followed by a good soak in the hot pools - what a hidden little treasure! Followed by a tasty barbecue dinner - by chef Justin. Our guide, Justin, had lots of stories and historical facts about the area, so it wasn't all about exercise - thank you, Justin. The return trip across the lake was magical: the sunset light, the glow-worms cave, the paddling under the moon and stars. An excursion to remember - we'll return for more of the same!

Great friendly and informative guide, beautiful scenery, and good weather for kayaking. Hot pool venue is great with a little snack shop. On weekdays not busy usually so place was mostly to ourselves! Great views from the hot pools and lovely beach. Marked down as 50% of hot pools not available as being cleaned, which we were not advised of at all (booking or on the day). However overall great experience! Would recommend.

Justin the owner was up beat and welcoming. The equipment excellent and i structions clear. We set off at a good pace and went over to the hot springs that can only be reaches by boat or kayack and mid week we were the only people there. The bird life and scenery was spectacular and Justin told stories of Mauri battles and culture in a very entertainment fashion. I would highly recommend for an excellent 1/2 day trip!

We weren’t sure of the weather and so brought layers etc. We were pleasantly surprised by the fact they really mean it when they say “ just bring a swimsuit and a towel.” They were well equipped for every weather contingency to make us warm, dry and comfortable. Bravo The kayaking was doable even for 60 something’s. The hot springs marvelous and we even made a short detour to a cave where we all actually saw some glow worms. Extra treat for us. Thank you J! Who also was very knowledgeable and amused us with Māori legends and local tales.

Best kayak hot pool experience! Knowledgeable, awesome views, relaxing spa pools. Homemade BBQ. Perfect!

I found this very well run, everyone was put at ease. Justin made it fun for my 10 year old and the caves were a winner. The hot pools were magical.

Great morning out in the kayaks, the Hot Pools were fabulous and jumping off pier in to the cold water definitely got the blood pumping. Justin was a great guide. Thanks for the showing us this gorgeous piece of paradise.

Friendly and informative guide. Hot pools were so good and plenty of different temperatures to suit - along with the refreshing dip in the lake, optional :-)

We both enjoyed this kayaking adventure - informative helpful guide Justin did an awesome tour for us - thoroughly enjoyed the day

Highly recommend this tour, Justin was our guide who picked us up and got us kitted out so we didn’t have to worry about our clothes getting wet. We learned all about the local area and history. The hot pools were amazing, a really beautiful quiet spot on the lake and not too cold for winter!

Justin was wonderful. Very informative about local culture and excellent tour guide. Nice stop at the hot springs. Everything exactly and stated and more than expected from the experience.

We were already impressed before we arrived, as Justin always answered the phone, no matter what time we called, and gave useful advice. The trip was a cool and unique experience and Justin was a great guide with heaps of interesting information. We would definitely recommend this to others.

Had a great paddle, weather was not brilliant but made the hot pools even better when we got there, even saw some glow worms on the way back. Great stories from our guide along the way. Highly memorable experience overall!

Awesome trip with our guide Justin. Leisurely kayak across Lake Rotoiti to the hot pools with a stop off to see the glow worms cave on the return trip. Second time we have used this company, fully recommended and will use again. Thanks Justin and good luck.

Great experience with a nice touch of New Zealand history. Excellent guide with good equipment made for a fantastic morning even in the rain.

This was a really fun experience that the family loved doing together. Justin kindly agreed to go out with us even during some pretty spectcular rain. The hot pools on the other side of the lake are just amazing and perfect for a winter day. Justin is a knowledgeable and experienced guide with a good knowledge of the area. I'd recommend this experience to anyone!

As a strictly indoors family I was a little hesitant at the start having never kayaked before, neither had my daughters. But with Rachael's expert guidance, experience and good sense of humour we had a fantastic night, managing the kayaking just fine in rougher than ideal conditions. The hot springs were fantastic with temperatures to suit everyone and the view over looking the lake was magic and meant I could watch the kids jumping off the pier from my chosen pool. The return trip was on sunset and then under an almost full moon and a sky full of stars, the glow worm cave was cozy but great to see. An unforgettable experience that we would all love to do again. We can't recommend it enough 😀, thank you Rachel and the River Rats team